Researching Music is designed to prepare students for their research and writing on the Music Masters' programmes. The teaching covers academic referencing, creating a bibliography, library skills, use of research on-line indices such as RILM, writing skills, and approaches to research. Later in the module research seminars will be given by Kingston and visiting researchers/composers/performers which provide opportunities for student discussion on a variety of issues in current music research. The module is assessed through a folio of written work including an extended annotated bibliography, an extended research paper and an on-line forum.
The teaching and learning strategies aim to equip students with the knowledge and skills to enable them to produce an annotated bibliography, a research paper and an on-line debate. Students will evaluate research sources, make use of RILM, and discuss research issues in small groups. Whole group lecture-based sessions are used to explore the main issues in writing about and researching music, and for the opportunity for lecturers and visiting speakers to present their research. Some of the teaching will take place in the Learning Resources Centre.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Lectures and seminars | 48 |
| Guided independent study | 252 | |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
The assessment strategy is designed to evaluate students' ability to create an annotated bibliography, a research paper and on-line critical responses.
Students will complete an annotated bibliography assignment of 2,500 words consisting of a main listing, critical commentaries on 4-5 items (one extended) and a short account demonstrating the relevance of their bibliography to researchers in this area and its compliance with good scholarly practice (50% weighting).
Students will also write a research paper presented on Studyspace of 2000 words, plus at least five comments and contributions (1000 words in total) to other students' papers (50% weighting).
Students will be required to show drafts of their annotated bibliography to lecturers during the first semester according to a fixed schedule designed to encourage good time management and establish M-level expectations clearly. This assignment will be submitted shortly before the Christmas break.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1) locate and access the latest research in their field; | Research paper and annotated bibliography. |
| 2) present their written work to a professional academic standard; | Research paper and annotated bibliography. |
| 3) produce a professionally presented annotated bibliography; | Annotated bibliography. |
| 4) examine current and controversial musical issues through discussion and debate; | Research paper |
| 5) reflect critically on a range of music research topics; | Research paper and online comments |
| 6) produce a paper on a musical topic for discussion within the Studyspace forum, and make comments on students' contributions within the online forum. | Research paper and online comments |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Annotated Bibliography | 50 |
| Coursework | Research Paper and online comments | 50 |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module
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This is available to download from: http://www.mhra.org.uk/Publications/Books/StyleGuide/download.shtml
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