PHS Instrumental Music

Instructions for Extra Credit Research Papers

Deadline:

You have until the end of the semester of the performance you missed to write the extra credit research paper.  Papers will not be accepted after the end of the semester.  You may pre-write a paper if you know that you are going to miss a performance. 

 

Grading:

Papers will be given full credit only if they meet the requirements and specific criteria listed below.  It is quite possible for a paper to receive NO credit (or only partial credit) if it is plagiarized, poorly written, or fails to meet the requirements mentioned in these instructions.

 

Length of Paper:

The length of the paper depends on the number of extra credit points desired.  The basic formula is 1 point for 1 page of a well-written research paper   All pages should contain no less than 200 words per page, should be doubled spaced, and should use a “12” font.  Papers that are typed will be given a substantially better grade.  The maximum number of points possible for a research paper is 8 (or 8 pages).  Please refer to your syllabus (on the PHS Music Website) for the point value of individual performances or rehearsals.

 

Subject of Paper:

The subject of the paper can be chosen from the following:

1.  A “biography” style paper based on the life and music of any one of the following composers: Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Mahler, Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Gershwin, Joplin, or Louis Armstrong.  You can also write about Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, or John Philip Sousa, but there is limited material on these composer/artists in the PHS Library.

            2.  A survey/summary report on any one of the following subjects: All Standard Musical Instruments, Baroque Period of Music, Classical Period of Music, Romantic Period of Music, Modern (20^th Century) Period of Music, Opera Composers, The History of Opera, The History of Jazz Music, The History of the Broadway Musical., The History of Ballet Music, The History of the Orchestra, The History of the Concert Band, or The History of the Marching Band.

 

Style of Paper:

Please write your paper in a narrative style, which may closely resemble what a person might read if they were reading about the particular subject in an encyclopedia.  DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!  I will NOT give any credit to any paper that even appears to be downloaded from the Internet, or which is written in a style that is not reflective of a high school student’s writing (trust me, I know the difference!).  It is also not acceptable to recycle a paper from another class.  Again, you must write the paper in your own words.  Spelling, grammar, style, sentence structure, accuracy, etc. will be graded.  You must also turn in your Handwritten Notes from the sources you read and cited for your paper.  Without these Handwritten Notes, I will NOT accept the paper. 

 

You are required to cite with Endnotes or Footnotes your sources at least 6 times in the body of your paper, and all sources must be cited at least once.  You must also include a Bibliography that contains at least 4 sources for 4 to 8 page papers, and at least 2 sources for 2 to 3 page papers.  The handwritten notes, bibliography, and footnote/endnote sections do NOT count toward your page total.  If you are unsure of how to write a good paper, bibliography, or endnotes/footnotes, then refer to the PHS Style Manual that you should have received in your freshmen English class.  The Style Manual is the standard for all formats, styles, forms, rules, etc. for this paper.  If you do not have a PHS Style Manual, you may purchase one from most English teachers at PHS during tutorial for $1.00.

 

Sources for Paper:

4 to 8 pages: at least 4 sources with at least 6 citings.  Only 1 source may be an encyclopedia, reference book, or Wikipedia.  1 source may be a general music reference book (for instance; a book about classical music that contains information about Beethoven).  At least 2 sources must be a subject specific book (for instance, a book that is only or specifically about Beethoven).  You may use the Internet as 1 subject specific book source, but you may NOT use the Internet for more than 1 source!  If you use the Internet for 1 source, you must put the URL address and/or link name in your bibliography.

2 to 3 pages: at least 2 sources with at least 4 citings.  No encyclopedia or Wikipedia may be used.  1 source may be a general music reference book, but the other source must be a subject specific book.  NO Internet may be used for a 2 to 3 page paper!

 

At least 2 of the 4 sources for the 4 to 8 page paper must come from the PHS Library!    All sources for the 2 to 3 page paper must come from the PHS Library.  All sources for your paper will be double-checked by the PHS Librarian.  If you are having trouble finding the appropriate number of sources in the PHS Library, then ask for help from the librarians.  If they cannot help you find what you need, then you may need to pick a different subject.

Good luck, if you have any questions regarding the writing of the paper, feel free to ask me -Mr. E