A course in music can be boring unless you, the student, have some input into what you study. This is that opportunity! Think of a jazz or blues-related topic that we might have touched on a bit, not enough, a lot, whatever, and research it further. The purpose of writing a (persuasive) term paper is to convince the reader of your unique perspective on a subject. I am anxious to see your inspired research! A paper about the cool jazz style may seem narrow, but there are many things to cover in such a paper. A good topic may have a fairly long title – my dissertation was a 200 page book about a very small topic. I had plenty to talk about in the book.
Over the next few weeks you will be assigned tasks that will lead to the completion of your 10+ page term paper. There are due dates for each task. Completing each task by its due date is vital in order for you to complete the term paper by the final due date so do not get behind. The paper, including the process, is 10% of your final grade, so please take it seriously.
I ask that the topic for your persuasive paper be stated as an unsettled argument related to jazz or blues. State the topic as some sort of problem or argument and then work to convince me of your position or unique perspective. For example, something along the lines of: Elvis was the primary developer of the Rockabilly style. State your argument and use words of probability such as “probably,” “might be,” or “75% chance.” The point is to describe your topic as a discussion of what is more or less likely. Be aware of your data and resources when making statements. Data from a 4th grade class project is not as strong as data generated from the US Census Bureau. To get your topic approved, type your argument into the gradebook BEFORE YOU START! Once your topic is approved, gather your resources and begin formulating your arguments. Research librarians and the databases in the library are amazing resources.
