UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
MUSIC BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH
MUH 6916 (FALL 2011)

Weekly Class Assignments

8 NOV 11

  1. For next week (15 Nov) and the two remaining class meeting beyond that , read the following chapters in Sampsel:
  2. As an alert to the activities of the remaining weeks, please note that we will cover the following topics:
  3. In anticipation of the end of the semester, you are reminded and alerted to the following graded exercises (some of which you should know and a few others still to be assigned):

1 NOV 11

  1. For next week, you have no new readings or graded assignments. Rather you are to be working on your three open projects (Bibliography, Book Review and Wikipedia paper).
  2. Reminder, if you have still not requested a title for your Book Review (Major Project, due 23 Nov 11), you should find something sooner rather than later and submit your choice for my approval.
  3. Instructions for the "Wikipedia" paper are posted on the course web site.
  4. FRIENDLY WARNING: You will have an "in-class" Bibliography exercise next Tuesday (8 Nov 11). Please note the following:
  5. You should have received a copy of my Internet resources as an attachment to a recent email. Use that as a model for items to find in your work on the Wikipedia paper.
  6. As always, continue work on your Bibliographies, using any and all resources that you have learned and mastered to date. You should be following any advice on the graded proposal, e.g., to search in particular ways or to adjust your topic, etc. Remember, also, that you should be keeping good records of what you searched, when and how.
  7. Anyone who wishes to speak with me about your Bibliography Project may do so during the evening of 8 Nov 11.

25 OCT 11

  1. For next week, you have no new graded assignments, but many of you have still not requested a title for your Book Review (Major Project, due 23 Nov 11). Do find something sooner rather than later, and submit your choice for my approval.
  2. Read about "Internet Resources for Music" in Sampsel, Chapter 14, pp. 211-224.
  3. Additionally, you should begin reading and researching the "Wikipedia" for your last major paper assignment of the semester. Specific instructions for the paper will be posted in the near future. Meanwhile, begin reading the following:
  4. Continue studying the Chicago Manual of Style for a graded exercise on Bibliographic formatting on 8 Nov 11 (two classes from now). NB. You do not need to know the Chicago style rules by memory, but you should know how to find the answers to any formatting questions that you might encounter.
  5. As always, continue work on your Bibliographies, using any and all resources that you have learned and mastered to date. You should be following any advice on the graded proposal, e.g., to search in particular ways or to adjust your topic, etc. Remember, also, that you should be keeping good records of what you searched, when and how.

18 OCT 11

  1. For next week, you have no new graded assignments, but do be aware of the impending deadlies for the following assignments: For those pressed for time, you may take an extra day or two on Library Assignment # 5, provided you submit your Program Annotations on time.
  2. Read about "style manuals" in Sampsel, specifically looking at Chapter 16, "Style Manuals and Citation of Sources," pp. 236-246, and Appendix E, "Chicago Style at Your Fingertips," pp. 262-271.
  3. Additionally, know how to find the "Chicago Manual of Style Online" via the UCF Library, "Articles & Databases." Begin looking through this item, so that you will know how to use it to create proper bibliographic entries.
  4. As always, continue work on your Bibliographies, using any and all resources that you have learned and mastered to date. You should be following any advice on the graded proposal, e.g., to search in particular ways or to adjust your topic, etc. Remember, also, that you should be keeping good records of what you searched, when and how.

11 OCT 11

  1. You should have recently received via email "Assignment # 5," which uses many of the databases and search techniques seen and discussed in the past two classes. Note the deadline (somewhat later than with past assignments).
  2. For this coming week, there is no new reading Sampsel, however, see the next item.
  3. As a start toward learning how to evaluate published materials, we will discuss book reviews (their actual content) and how to find them. In anticipation of this work (18 Oct 11), you should have received the following items (via email): Read all of these items for content, organization, viewpoints and especially how the opinions are presented and supported.
  4. Instructions for the Book Review Assignment are now posted on the course web site. You should read those for discussion on Tuesday.
  5. Instructions for the Program Annotation Assignment remain posted on the course web site, and you have received numerous samples of my work, via email. Use all of that to continue your work on that assignment.
  6. As always, continue work on your Bibliographies, using any and all resources that you have learned and mastered to date. You should be following any advice on the graded proposal, e.g., to search in particular ways or to adjust your topic, etc. Remember, also, that you should be keeping good records of what you searched, when and how.

4 OCT 11

  1. For various reasons, I have decided to hold off yet another week on Assignment # 5, which I will delay until after next week's class meeting (11 Oct 11).
  2. For this coming week (11 Oct 11), read Sampsel, Chapter 6, looking primarily at Dissertation and Thesis indicies.
  3. We will also continue with still more tools for locating periodicals (newspapers) and related items, so continue looking at Sampsel, Chapter 5.
  4. Instructions for the Program Annotation Assignment are posted on the course web site (follow the link on the home page), and you should also have received numerous samples of my work, via email. Use all of that to begin your work on this assignment.
  5. Based on my reading of your Assignment # 3 essays, it will be helpful to all of you for us to discuss Chapter 7 in The Craft of Research on Tuesday (11 Oct 11). Read this chapter, and also look at chapters 5 and 6 in Craft..., which we may also discuss, if time allows.
  6. Continue work on your Bibliographies, using any and all resources that you have learned and mastered to date. You should be following any advice on the graded proposal, e.g., to search in particular ways or to adjust your topic, etc. Remember, also, that you should be keeping good records of what you searched, when and how.

27 SEP 11

  1. Reminder: Assignment # 4 is due next Tuesday, 4 October 11, at 5:00 pm.
  2. There is no new assignment based on this week's class meeting (27 Sep 11), but you will receive Assignment # 5 after next week's class (4 Oct 11).
  3. NOTE ON ATTENDANCE FOR TUES (4 Oct 11): Anyone performing with the UCF Orchestra on that evening is excused from class with no penalty for the absence, however, you should have someone taking notes for you on the evening's activities. Do watch your email for assignments and other information.
  4. For this coming Tuesday (4 Oct 11), continue reading Sampsel, Chapter 5, as we will discuss additional tools for locating periodicals and articles.
  5. Instructions for the Program Annotation Assignment are now posted on the course web site (follow the link on the home page). You should read these instruction in anticipation of a discussion of program annotating next Tuesday (4 Oct 11).
  6. In support of the assignment on writing program notes, you have been sent an email with several sample notes as attachments. Read through as many as you can, and bring these to class for discussion on Tuesday (4 Oct 11).
  7. All Major Topic Proposals have been received, graded (most of them), and returned to you in the usual fashion. Do look very carefully at the comments and act accordingly, as instructed in your own, individual emails.

20 SEP 11

  1. Because of the problems with the mislaid NGD volumes, "Library Assignment # 3" (evaluating the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians) is now due one week later on 27 September 2011.
  2. You have been sent an email with a WORD attachment that is your "Assignment # 4." This is based on the list sent to you a week ago, and some of which were discussed briefly in class this past Tuesday. Do read carefully and follow closely the instructions.
  3. Read Sampsel, Chapter 5. Items 5.2, 5.3 and 5.42 are particularly important for music research at UCF.
  4. Friendly Reminder: All Major Topic Proposals have been received and will be graded in the near future. In the meantime, you are urged to begin collecting potential bibliography items related to your topic, which you might find in the UCF Library, using the research skills you have at present.
  5. Instructions for the Program Annotation Assignment are now posted on the course web site (follow the link on the home page). You may read these instructions, but do not act on them until after we have discussed them in class next week.

13 SEP 11

  1. You should have recently received "Library Assignment # 3" (evaluating the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians) as a WORD document attached to a group email. Read and complete this assignment by the stated deadline. If you did not receive this item, contact me ASAP.
  2. Continue reading Sampsel, completing chapter 2 (if you've not yet done so) and moving onto chapter 3.
  3. Supporting your reading in chapter 3, look for another email from me with a WORD document attached. That attachment will be a list of specialized dictionaries and encyclopedias for your assignment # 4 (instructions will be sent next week). For this coming week (20 Sep 11) you are to examine the two works assigned specifically to you, and to be prepared to speak in class for 2-3 minutes (maximum) on those items. See that attachemnt for more detailed instructions.
  4. Reminder: Your topic proposal is due to me on 17 September 2011, this coming Saturday.

6 SEP 11

  1. You should have recently received "Finding Assignment # 2" as a WORD document attached to a group email. Read and complete this assignment by the stated deadline. If you did not receive this item, contact me ASAP.
  2. You should also have received an email with 4 PDF documents, which are articles concerned with the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. The NGD will be the focus of your next major project (in about a week), so you should begin reading these items in the near future. NB. they need not be done by Tuesday's class (13 Sep 11), but you will need to have read these articles within about another week, so better to start now.
  3. Continue reading Sampsel, moving now onto chapter 2, after you have finished chapters 1 & 4.
  4. Come to class on Tuesday (13 Sep 11) with your own personal topic idea, which you intend to develop into your bibliography project topic. NB. You need not have a "finished" topic, but you must have at least a basic starting point. As in last Tuesday's class, you will break into small groups to critique and help your classmates better define individual topics. Everyone will be expected to participate, i.e., you must have a topic for discussion, or you will be marked absent for the class.
  5. Reminder: Your topic proposal is due to me on 17 September 2011, thus, the preceding item/exercise for this coming class.
  6. Reminder: Do keep and bring to all future classes your personal biography, which you were supposed to have written for last week's class. We will continue to use these for demonstrations of word-processing tips and writing issues. Again, these items will not be graded, so you are not required to revise or rewrite, but you are welcome to test out word-processing tricks as you learn them.

30 AUG 11

  1. If you have not yet done so, purchase / acquire the course textbooks and other materials; and begin reading the assignments made last week.
  2. You should have received an email message at your "knights.ucf.edu" account, which included a WORD attachment that is your first "Library Finding Assignment." Read and execute the instructions carefully, and return the item to me for grading by the stated deadline.
  3. Continue reading Sampsel, focusing on the latter parts of chapter 4.
  4. Continue reading The Craft of Research, Chapters 1-6. NB. We will focus on Chapters 3 and 4 on Tuesday, 6 September 2011.
  5. Important Notice: Instructions for your Bibliography and its companion Research Paper are now posted on the course web site (access both via the links on the home page). Read both of these items before Tuesday's class. We will discuss them, and I will answer any questions at that time.
  6. Reminder: Do keep and bring to all future classes your personal biography, which you were supposed to have written for last week's class. We will continue to use these for demonstrations of word-processing tips and writing issues. Again, these items will not be graded, so you are not required to revise or rewrite, but you are welcome to test out word-processing tricks as you learn them.
  7. Continue thinking of a topic that might be appropriate for the semester-long Bibliography Project and accompanying Research Paper. Again, see the instructions for the project (as noted above) and think in light of your readings in Craft of Research.

23 AUG 11

  1. If you have not yet done so, Use the web to read through the Course Syllabus. Do not simply skim through this item. Be certain that you understand all aspects of the syllabus, as the syllabus constitutes a contract between you and me.
  2. Purchase / Acquire the course textbooks and other materials. (Bookstore or elsewhere. Remember a used copy is acceptable, if you can find the correct edition). The UCF Bookstore (Washington Center) should have sufficient copies to supply everyone in the class.
  3. As per official UCF policy, only "knights.ucf.edu" accounts will be used for official UCF business, which includes all academic communication. If you have not yet established this free email account, follow the link found on the course syllabus to the relevant web site and follow the instructions there to set up your account.
  4. After you have read the syllabus, send an email to me at my "swarfiel@knights.ucf.edu" email address. (Do not use any other email accounts that I might have.) Again, use only your own "knights.ucf.edu" account, as UCF policy requires that all official business be transacted via those accounts. In your email, state that you have read and understood the syllabus (or if you have a question about anything on the syllabus, ask NOW), and do remember to include a full-name signature.
  5. Write a biography of yourself, approximately 250-500 words, such as might be found on a professional web site. This item will not be graded, but only for completeness, i.e., have you done what I've requested, and not specifically for spelling and grammar. Nevertheless, this piece of writing should represent a polished piece of prose. Use a spell-checker and any other writing tools to create the kind of writing that you would want the public to see. Carry the item (preferably in WORD or a compatible RTF or plain-text format) to class next week.
  6. Test out your ability to use the UCF Library. There are no specific assignments, but you might try hunting for specific books, scores, or other items, both in the catalog and on the shelves. Also, now would be a good time to establish your ability to connect to the Library's resources from your home computer. (See the link to UCF Computer Services on the course syllabus for instructions on how to do this.)
  7. Begin reading Sampsel, starting with the preliminary sections (preface, etc.) to see how the book is laid out, and then continue with chapters 1 and 4.
  8. Begin reading The Craft of Research, Chapters 1-6. NB. We will not cover all of this material next week, but we will try to cover the first few chapters.
  9. Begin thinking of a topic that might be appropriate for a semester-long project in Bibliography. Remember, you will need to find (eventually) at least fifty (50) relevant items and write a "State of Research" paper on the topic. Topics will be finalized in about three weeks.