Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE MSP2258

 
TITLE Research, Writing, and Presentation Techniques in Music

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL Not Applicable

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Music Studies

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit develops an understanding of varied research methodologies in music research and will prepare students to undertake research questions or projects effectively and assist them in developing their academic writing skills. It will also assist them in developing effective ways of sharing their research and projects both with music specialists, as well as with the general public.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to introduce students to the skills and methods of research in different sub-disciplines of music, including musicology, music performance research, and music education research. It will also introduce students to artistic practice as research in music. This study-unit will assist students to attain basic communication skills that allow them to share effectively their findings and projects with a range of diverse readers and audiences.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

(a) identify and determine general research questions;
(b) relate effectively knowledge of music with knowledge about music;
(c) analyse and contextualise an array of methodologies and research techniques.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

(a) engage critically with different types of academic writing about music;
(b) prepare literature reviews;
(c) solve specific research questions;
(d) apply music-analytic skills to written tasks;
(e) undertake a music-related research project;
(f) communicate research results in oral and written forms;
(g) demonstrate competence with techniques of referencing and citation;
(h) conduct literature searches;
(i) demonstrate academic writing skills;
(j) use effectively a range of digital facilities in music research.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Text

- Bellman, Jonathan. 2007. A Short Guide to Writing about Music 2nd edn (New York: Longman).
- Davidson, Jane, ed. 2004. The Music Practitioner: Research for the Music Performer, Teacher, and Listener (Burlington: Ashgate).
- Herbert, Trevor. 2009. Music in Words: A Guide to Researching and Writing about Music (Oxford: OUP).
- Sampsel, Laurie J. 2012. Music Research: A Handbook 2nd edn (New York: Oxford University Press).

Supplementary

- Cowdery, James R., ed. 2006. How to Write About Music: the RILM Manual of Style. 2nd edn (New York: RILM).
- Gottlieb, Jane. 2009. Music Library and Research Skills (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall).

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Seminar and Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Presentation (20 Minutes) No 20%
Assignment Yes 80%

 
LECTURER/S Stefan Aquilina
Max Erwin

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit