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Unit of study_

MCGY5610: Research Skills for Music Performance

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Sydney

This unit is designed to develop skills in music information literacy including the finding, surveying and utilising of published information on music; academic writing and referencing; and critical thinking. The course will include discussion of different approaches to preparation of program notes and pre-concert talks, liner notes for recordings, and concert reviews. Students will design and research an individual musical topic which will form the basis for their written and spoken assignments. The seminars culminate with a series of student presentations on these topics. Students may choose to prepare a research proposal if planning to enrol in Dissertation 1. Students may be referred to other University services for further development of writing and other skills. Such courses would be in addition to this Unit of Study.

Unit details and rules

Unit code MCGY5610
Academic unit
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Gordon Williams, gordon.williams1@sydney.edu.au
Guest lecturer(s) Neal Peres Da Costa, neal.peresdacosta@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Gordon Williams, gordon.williams1@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation hurdle task Participation
presentations & discussion on reading fortnightly
15% Ongoing Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment hurdle task Autobiographical piece
Autobiographical piece on a significant musical experience
10% Week 04
Due date: 17 Mar 2023 at 23:59
300-500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4
Assignment Program notes or review with bibliography
Program or liner notes or a review of a performance or recording
30% Week 07
Due date: 17 Apr 2023 at 23:59
2000 words (+/-10%)
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4
Assignment Research presentation
oral presentation or essay
45% Week 12
Due date: 25 May 2023 at 23:59
10 minutes/3000 words (+/-10%)
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Participation: From Weeks 3-11 each student will present fortnightly a 3-5 minute appraisal of a scholarly work relating to their research topic.

Autobiographical piece: A 300-500 word reflective text on a musical experience.

Program notes: Notes to a performance or recording, or a review of it (2000 words).

Research Presentation: a 10 minute presentation (or 3000 essay) on the student’s chosen research topic. 

Assessment criteria

The following assessment criteria are used for performance work in this unit of study:

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Comprehensive and outstanding technical control and musical integrity in relation to developmental expectations. Musical individuality consistently projected to create a persuasive personal representation of the work. Performance flair indicative of soloist standard. A mark of 95 or above indicates extraordinary technical virtuosity and musical artistry.

Distinction

75 - 84

Excellent technical, musical and stylistic achievement. Consistently coherent and expressive performance. Some personal interpretation of the work suggesting soloist potential. 

Credit

65 - 74

Confident technique with evidence of solid musicality and some stylistic achievement. Occasional lapses indicative of unresolved technical, artistic and/or stylistic issues. Projects potential for further development.

Pass

50 - 64

Satisfactory level of preparation and musical engagement. Some inconsistencies in musicianship, style and/or technique. Musical imagination and overall performance sense developing though some insecurity in this area.

Fail

0 - 49

Unsatisfactory technical achievement and/or unsatisfactory level of musical and artistic engagement. Limitations may be of such a scale and consistency as to call into question the student’s future direction in the programme.

The following assessment criteria are used for written work in this unit of study:

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Demonstrates high level of initiative in research and reading; sophisticated critical analysis of evidence; high level engagement with theoretical issues, innovative use of reading/research material and impressive command of underlying debates and assumptions; properly documented and written with style, originality and precision.

Distinction

75 - 84

Demonstrates initiative in research and wide, appropriate reading; complex understanding of question and ability to critically review material in relation to underlying assumptions and values; analyses material in relation to empirical and theoretical contexts; properly documented; clear, well-developed structure and argument with some signs of literary style.

Credit

65 - 74

Evidence of broader understanding than pass level; offers synthesis with some critical evaluation of material; coherent argument using a range of relevant evidence; some evidence of independent thought, good referencing. A high credit (70-74) shows some evidence of ability to problematise and think conceptually.

Pass

50 - 64

Written work meets basic requirements in terms of reading/research; relevant material; tendency to descriptive summary rather than critical argument; makes a reasonable attempt to avoid paraphrasing; reasonably coherent structure; often has weaknesses in particular areas, especially in terms of narrow or underdeveloped treatment of question; acceptable documentation.

Fail

0 - 49

Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons: Unacceptable paraphrasing; irrelevance of content; poor spelling; poor presentation; grammar or structure so sloppy it cannot be understood; failure to demonstrate understanding of content; insufficient or overlong word length.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction: Why do we need to write and talk about the music we play and how do we do this? Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO1
Week 02 Researching music: Introduction to the library facilities Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 03 Writing about musical experiences Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 04 Music Reviews Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 05 The context of music: What impact did the music have on society? What inspired it? How does it fit in the composer’s life and repertoire? Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO2
Week 06 Program notes and liner notes: The content and writing style Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO5
Week 07 Writing about the music Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 08 Speaking about music: interviews, radio documentaries, podcasts and pre-concert talks Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO5
Week 09 Practice-led research Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 11 Scholarly writing about music Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 12 Student presentations Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO5
Week 13 Student presentations Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Students are expected to attend (virtual or f2f) a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned. The Dean,
Head of School or professor most concerned may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90%.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Canvas site

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Understand how to communicate the significance of music to a broad audience
  • LO2. Develop research questions relating to music
  • LO3. Locate, read and critically evaluate literature and talks about music
  • LO4. develop skills in writing, referencing, and ethical use of materials
  • LO5. Develop oral skills in communicating the significance of music to a broad range of audiences.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Broader assessments and focus on student research topics

More information can be found on Canvas.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.