Availability: Office hours are set aside
for you – feel free to stop by office hours without an appointment. The rest of my time is set aside for meetings,
class prep, writing, etc. If
you wish to see me outside my regular office hours, please make
an appointment. Office
hours may occasionally be cancelled or rescheduled; I will announce
that on the website and on my door.
“I service society by rocking."
—Jack Black
Prerequisites
To
take this class, you must have earned a passing grade in Mass
Communication Process (CommRC0320) and satisfied the lower-level
writing requirement. No prior coursework in music is required, though
it would help if you’re interested in music. A course in Public Speaking will help, too.
Rationale
and Goals
Music
is everywhere in modern life, yet Americans rarely encounter
“live” music. Both mass and personal media now shape our
musical lives in many ways.
Cars have radios, commercial establishments have Muzak,
TV shows and movies have soundtracks, and personal music media
are available on our computers, in our homes, and as we walk.
Despite this ubiquity, people often say they “don’t know
anything about music.” After this course, you will know many things
about music and media. We
will discuss cultural, industrial, technological and other dimensions
of music as it is mediated in our lives.
Here
are my goals for this class (not necessarily in the order of
their importance). Over
the course of the semester, I want you to:
1. Develop your reading and
critical thinking skills
2. Practice and improve upon
your writing skills
3. Learn to explain and analyze
how music industries and technologies work and why they matter.
4. Learn to explain and apply a basic set of analytical concepts, and
use them to analyze music, culture, and communication.
What
You’ll Do In This Class
There are three important skills in this course: writing,
reading, and discussion. They
are all skills at which you can improve, and you should treat
them like you’re learning a craft.
I am always happy to discuss them with you: I want you
to leave this course a better writer, reader, and discussant.
Writing:
You
probably wouldn’t want to listen to a musician or band that
never practices or never listens to other people’s music.
The same goes for writing.
To become better writers, people need to 1) read extensively;
2) read carefully; 3) write a lot; 4) discuss their writing
and ideas; and 5) revise a lot. Since this course fulfills a “W” requirement,
it will provide many opportunities for you to do all five things.
Let me repeat that for emphasis: expect to write often
and in some quantity. The minimum quantity requirement for a “W”
course is 24 pages per student over the course of a semester. You will write significantly more than that.
There
are three types of writing for the course: informal writing,
formal writing and instrumental writing.
We will discuss them throughout the semester, but here
are general definitions:
1.
Informal Writing is aimed at helping the writer to think.
Informal writing assignments are occasions for reflection,
brainstorming, and exploration.
In your informal writing, I want you to take lots of
chances and concentrate on getting ideas down on paper.
Informal writing will be ungraded or graded “lightly”
(on a “plus, check, minus” scale). My responses will engage you at the level of
ideas. These assignments
are designed to help you generate ideas for class discussion
or your more formal writing assignments.
2.
Formal Writing is aimed at helping the reader to think.
Formal writing demonstrates your mastery of the material
and is consciously designed to persuade readers of a particular
point of view. In the process of persuasion, you may also need to educate the reader,
but the ultimate goal is to advance a cogent and powerful argument.
I
will read your formal writing very carefully and assign it a
letter grade (though it’s recorded as a number).
For these assignments, you can expect extensive comments
on the mechanics and content of
your paper. Formal writing adheres to strict stylistic
guidelines: spelling and grammar count; I expect careful, thorough,
thoughtful, and developed argumentation; the paper should be
designed to accomplish a specific task; it should use external
sources to support arguments; and it should use a known citation
system.
3.
Instrumental Writing lies somewhere between formal and informal
writing. It serves a
limited and specific purpose. Its purpose will determine how it looks. This syllabus is an example of instrumental
writing, as are the quizzes you will take each week.
Instrumental writings – mostly quizzes for this course
– will be graded on the basis of how well they accomplish the
task at hand.
Reading:
Reading
is every bit as much a skill as writing.
This course will emphasize careful and generous reading,
so that you can then make full use of your reading when you
write.
In
order to read well, you should do the following:
1. Do the reading when it’s
assigned. Readings are assigned at particular times for particular reasons.
2. Set aside a significant
amount of time each week just for reading.
Reading requires concentration and reflection; it should
not be combined with other activities, like socializing or watching
TV.
3.
Make sure you are physically comfortable.
4. Writing should accompany
reading. Mark important passages and passages that raise questions in your
mind. Some people prefer
to take notes on readings in a reading journal; others prefer
to directly mark up the text.
5. You should keep a dictionary
close at hand and look up words you do not understand.
6. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the reading, you should
be able to provide thoughtful answers to questions like: Why
is the topic important? What was the author trying to accomplish with
this piece? What are
the main points he or she wants to get across?
Why did the author choose these particular examples or
topics?
7. Learn the conventions of your genre.
Academic writing is the genre you will most often encounter
in this course, and academic writers have very specific habits.
Discussion:
Discussion
also requires a set of skills.
The Department of Communication offers an entire course
on discussion, but here are some basic skills and techniques
to keep in mind:
1. Active listening:
Listen for the specific words speakers use.
Do you know what they mean?
Do they suggest a particular standpoint?
Ask if you don’t know.
2. Questioning: If you
are not absolutely sure what a speaker means, or if you don’t
understand something a speaker says, ask for clarification.
3. Pushing Others: Encourage
colleagues to clarify or elaborate on what they mean to say.
Push them to generalize and make interpretations. Speculate!
4. Embellishment: Build
upon what others have said. Do you agree? Then add something. Do you
agree partially? Then
point out some differences.
Do you disagree, or are you unsure?
Present another perspective on the topic we’re discussing.
5. Dissemination: Direct
your comments to more than one person: discussions are for the
whole class. Address the whole class; make eye contact.
6. Engagement: Good
discussions are lively and freewheeling.
Do not be afraid of speaking up.
If you have a question, odds are that other students
will have the same question. Basic questions and comments are encouraged.
They are often the most important contributions to the
discussion.
Ground
Rules for Class Discussion:
1. Follow the golden rule. Treat others as you’d like to be treated.
2.
Wait your turn – do not interrupt others.
3. You do not have to express
your own opinion on a subject.
You are also free to change your mind on any topic at
any time.
4. Disagreements are natural
and welcome in scholarly discussion.
So are arguments. But arguments are not contests. You should grant the same courtesy and respect
to the people with whom you disagree that you would want for
yourself.
5. Students bring lots of interesting
experiences to the classroom, and you are encouraged to bring
up your experience when it is relevant to class discussion (and
when you feel comfortable doing so). Everyone’s personal experience deserves respect.
But if you bring up your own experience in class,
it becomes a public topic for discussion. Others may interpret your experience differently
than you do, and they are free to respectfully disagree with
your interpretation.
6. Musical tastes differ widely. Expect that your classmates may look for different things in music
than you, and that they may hear the same material very differently
than you.
Semester Grade
Breakdown
Detailed
handouts will accompany major assignments.
Also be sure to check out the very serious attendance
policy on p. 6.
Participation [10%]: In order to earn a passing grade, you must attend class regularly,
complete all in-class assignments in good faith, be prepared
and attentive, have something relevant to ask or tell,
and be courteous toward your classmates and your prof.
There is also an online forum for discussions related to
class (see related handout). The same rules apply, and
participation online is an acceptable alternative to speaking
in class (within limits) if you prefer that mode. Adequate
participation means an 7/10. If your participation is below
average, then you’ll receive a lower grade than 7.
To earn a B or A level grade in this category, you will
need to go above and beyond the minimal requirements listed
here. Note that missed classes also reduce your participation
grade.
Instrumental
Writing: Weekly Quizzes and Annotations [20%]:
This part of the course is designed to reward
you for doing the readings and asking questions if you don’t
understand something in class. If you understand the material
and effectively demonstrate that understanding, you should
ace these quizzes. Your lowest score in this category will
be dropped. Weekly quizzes will be on the readings assigned
for that week and discussions from the previous week. Quiz
questions are graded on the following scale: 100% (got it right);
80% (clearly did the reading but got it slightly wrong); 50%
(was completely wrong or vague); 25% (wrote an answer, shows
no evidence of having done the reading); 0% (didn’t write
an answer). I may occasionally assign an in-between score.
Most quizzes will have two questions.
Annotations are short essays that explain a passage from
a reading. Please see the separate handout for annotations.
They
will be graded in the same manner as quizzes.
Informal
Writing: Online Journals [20%]: During
the course of the semester, you will post three online journals
and six responses to other students’ journals (see assignment
for details). Journals are graded on the following scale: 100%
(outstanding); 90% (fulfills requirements of the assignment);
50-75% (does follow assignment or other major problem); 25%
(wrote something, not clear on its relationship to the course).
Journals must be posted online in the class discussion forum
in order to count toward your final grade.
In-Class
Music Presentation [5%]: You will bring a piece
of music to class and use it to raise issues related to the
course or your semester project. This assignment is explained
in a separate handout. Presentations will be graded on a similar
scale to journals.
Semester
Project [45%]: For the semester project, you will create
an analytical paper, a creative essay, or some other kind of
written text (of at least 12 pages). Multimedia projects with
a substantial written component will also be considered. More
details will be forthcoming during the semester. Projects that
adequately fulfill the requirements of the assignment will
receive a “C” grade (70-79); papers that excel
in one or two areas will be given a “B” grade (80-89);
papers that are outstanding in three or more areas will be
given an “A” grade (90-100). You are strongly encouraged
to meet with me to discuss your project as it develops.
Final grades will be based on the standard university
scale:
Course
Website: A
course website has been set up at:
http://www.pitt.edu/~jsterne/mm/index.html
It
includes this syllabus, and will grow over the course of
the
semester to include all assignments and other materials
relevant to the course.
Additional
University Resources:
The
University has some additional resources to help you out. These are not remedial programs, and often
the best and most advanced students use them.
The
Writing Center
offers individual consultation on all aspects of writing. Appointments are recommended. They can be found at: 501 CL, 412-624-6506
[http://www.pitt.edu/~englweb/resources/writecent.html].
The
Learning Skills Center offers a range of services to help you become a more effective student
such as courses in speed-reading, study skills, time management,
and test taking. They
can be found at: 311 WPU, 412-648-7920, [http://www.lsc.pitt.edu/].
The
Office of Disability Resources and Services (DRS) provides a broad range of support and
services to assist students, faculty, and staff with disabilities. They can be found at 216 WPU, 412-648-7890
(voice or TDD), [http://www.pitt.edu/~osaweb/drs/drs.html].
The
Counseling Center provides personal, academic, and career
counseling to undergraduate and graduate students. They can be found at 334 WPU, 412-648-7930,
[http://www.pitt.edu/~counsel/].
Other Course Policies
1.
Compliance
By
staying enrolled in this class, you acknowledge that you understand
– and agree to abide by – the following rules and regulations
and the University’s policies (see addresses for Code
of Conduct and Academic Integrity below). Failure to follow the letter and the spirit
of these reasonable guidelines can result in a reduction
of your final grade, failure of the course, and/or other penalties
as set by University policy.
2. The Very Serious Attendance
Policy
Signing
up for this class indicates that you are committed to being
here between 5:45 and 8:10p.m. every Monday this semester. For the purposes of this policy, there is no such thing as “late”;
you are either present for an entire class meeting or not.
You
are allowed two absences over the course of the
semester (equivalent to missing two full weeks of class).
I think you will agree that
this is a lot. For
any absence above two, your grade will be reduced by 1/2
grade.
If you have more than four absences, you will automatically
fail the course.
In-class
assignments and quizzes cannot be made up and annotations are
not accepted late. If
you miss class, you are still responsible for whatever was covered
that day.
Absences
in excess of two will be excused only under exceptional and
unavoidable circumstances.
Requests for excused absences must be submitted in writing,
with documentation, and immediately upon a student’s return
to class. Students
who enroll late or who skip the first week are not exempt from
this policy. You
are paying for an opportunity to learn.
Absences hurt your ability to learn, and they make it
harder for me to teach.
3. Classroom and Lyrics/Speech Codes
You are expected to know and follow the rules for discussion
listed on pp. 3-4. Your cell phones and other noisy devices
should be turned off and stowed. Since popular music often
uses language not often found in university classrooms, we
will spend some time on the first day deciding whether we
want any codes in place about lyrical content for the music
people bring to class. All students will be expected to comply
with the class’ guidelines.
4. Wakefulness
6-8:30pm is a late and a long time. You should
modulate your food and caffeine intake so that you will be
awake and attentive
during class time. Food and beverages are welcome in my
classroom, but please clean up after yourself.
5. Assignments and Extensions
Assignments (except for quizzes, in-class
work, and the like) will be announced well in advance of due
dates. If you know
in advance that you can’t make a due date for a paper,
please discuss it with me beforehand. Requests for extensions
after a due date has passed will only be granted in exceptional
and unavoidable circumstances and must include (a) one typed,
double-spaced page explaining the reason for missing the
deadline, and (b) relevant documentation such as an official
doctor’s note. The written request for an extension
must be in my hands within one week after the scheduled due
date. Your professor is under no obligation to accept late
assignments.
6.
Grades
I
am eager to help you do well on assignments before they are
due. Please visit me during office hours or make
an appointment to ask me questions as you are working on an
assignment or review material.
Grades
are final. I grade assignments
and quizzes on performance, not effort.
Effort will be recognized in your participation grade
for the course. Here
are the circumstances under which I would change a grade: (a)
if I have made an error, or (b) if I have failed to hold you
to the same standard as everyone else. In the event that you feel they received an
undeserved grade, you should make your case in writing to me
within two weeks of receiving the grade.
Under no circumstance will I award a grade of “incomplete”
for the course.
I
do not give out grades over email or the telephone.
7. Accommodations:
If
you require special testing accommodations or other classroom
modifications, please notify both the professor and Disability
Resources and Services by the end of the first week of the term.
Disability Resources and Services is located in 216 William
Pitt Union (648-7890 [voice or TDD]), and their website is at:
[http://www.pitt.edu/~osaweb/drs/drs.html].
8. Nondiscrimination Statement
As
a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, I value equality
of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic/cultural diversity.
Be assured that I will promote a safe and conducive environment
for learning. In accordance with University policy, I do
not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of race,
color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital
status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, or
status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era
(though we’ll discuss our community standards for lyrical content
on the first day of class).
In addition to the University’s policy, and within the
bounds of the course, I do not discriminate on the basis of
political creed. This means that you do not have to agree with me or the readings
in order to do well in this course.
So long as you demonstrate an understanding of the course
material, you are under no obligation to agree with it.
I also make every effort to avoid discrimination on the
basis of class or income. If there is something I can do to make the
class more hospitable, please let me know.
9.
Other Policies You Should Know
Student
Code of Conduct: [http://www.pitt.edu/~osaweb/usjs/code.html]
Academic
Integrity: [http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/ai1.html]
Plagiarism
is using someone else’s ideas as your own in academic
or published writing. If
you use someone else’s ideas, you are expected to cite
them.
If you use someone else’s exact words, even if it
is part of a sentence, you should put quotation marks around
them
and cite them. If you have any questions about plagiarism
or how to properly cite your sources, please see me. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and can result in failure
of the assignment, failure of the course, and other serious
sanctions up to and including expulsion from the University. Plagiarism
also really pisses me off.
