OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this project is to allow you to demonstrate your ability to read and interpret primary historical sources, and to use that information to enhance your understanding of your textbook readings in MUH 3633. You should also improve your skills in writing about music.

In the course of this project you will do the following:

• Assemble a group of either five (5) or six (6) students [one such group], i.e., find four or five other people with whom you will work.
• Choose a topic in US music history from the list below.
• Read both the relevant pages in your textbook (Crawford/Hamberlin) and selected primary sources (in Alexander, To Stretch Our Ears).
• Analyze the chosen materials in terms of your readings.
• Submit a single neat copy of the group's written (prose) analysis and interpretation of the readings.

STEP 1: Assemble the Group

All groups must consist of at least five members (and no more than six) from the current section of MUH 3633. NB. Only one group (in the current Spring 2020 section) will have six members. Should there be any unaffiliated students remaining after all other five-person groups have been formed, I will assign those unaffiliated students to the smaller groups. NB. Should your group lose a member who drops the class, you may be assigned an extra person (by me).

Each group must have a leader, who is the one person who communicates with the instructor. Each group will be identified by its leader, and the graded item for the group will be submitted by that person only.

To request a group, the leader should send me an email identifying him/herself as the group leader and including the full names of the other people in the group. NB. That message may also include the group's first three topic choices (see step 2 following).

The group should consider itself a "committee of equals" with NO division of labor. All members of the group must read and discuss the required source materials, all members should complete and discuss the interpretation of the chosen/assigned items, and the final document should be written with contributions from all members of the group.

SPECIAL NOTE ON FORMING GROUPS: Every member of MUH 3633 must be part of an approved group, i.e., one whose membership has been submitted to me for approval, by Friday, 24 January 2020, at 12:00 noon, with NO exceptions. Students who have not formed or joined a group (submitted electronically to me for approval) by that date and time will have their individual grades on this project penalized by 10 points for every day (or fraction thereof) after the deadline that they remain unaffiliated.

STEP 2: Choose a Topic for Reading and Interpretation

Each group will work on one of the following topics. No other topics or materials may be requested or suggested:

• Early New England Psalmody (Crawford/Hamberlin, pp. 23-29 [top 2 lines of that page]); To Stretch Our Ears # 4, 5, 6 - GROUP: R. Greenlee, K. Daniels, M. Dyckoff, E. Matos, and N. Mosca.
• Singing Schools, (American Psalmody), and Billings (Crawford/Hamberlin, pp. 29-35); To Stretch Our Ears # 7, 9 - GROUP: C. Cobb, T. Koffinas, T. McGurk, R. Polk, E. Saumell, and S. Sharrieff. [Only group of six approved]
• Secular Music and Dancing (Crawford/Hamberlin, pp. 41-49); To Stretch Our Ears # 12, 13, 14 - GROUP: M. Evans, G. Henriquez, R. Leydon, A. Naranjo and K. Trent.
• Reform of Psalmody (Crawford/Hamberlin, pp. 57-61); To Stretch Our Ears # 17, 19, 20 - GROUP: N. Reeves, J. Ambrocio, B. Harris, and D. Ward. [D. Alexander assigned to this group]
• Rise of Shape-Note Singing (Crawford/Hamberlin, pp. 61-68; To Stretch Our Ears # 18, 24, 25 - GROUP:
• Minstrelsy (Crawford/Hamberlin, pp. 113-118); To Stretch Our Ears # 30, 31, 32 - GROUP: C. Almonte, M. Kalvins, A. Senn, S. Smallwood, and J. Wong.
• Stephen Foster (Crawford/Hamberlin, pp. 118-122); To Stretch Our Ears # 33 - GROUP: H. White, S. Abel, A. Ariani, V. Artusa, and A. Patterson.

Updated: 22 January 2020 @ 11:50 am

NB. Only one group may work on any one particular topic. Thus, requests for specific topics are on a "first-come" basis, and when you make your request include at least three choices (in order of preference), in case your first choice is already taken.

STEP 3: Read, Analyze, and Interpret Your Chosen Topic

Begin your work by reviewing the relevant pages of the textbook (Crawford/Hamberlin). Look especially for:

• Broad trends, concepts, and issues,
• Names of specific individuals, objects, places, etc., and
• Descriptions and explanations of any of those items.

Using your general "textbook" knowledge of your topic, begin reading your source materials. Look especially for:

• References to any of the ideas, people & objects, or explanations mentioned in the textbook,
• Additional ideas, examples, explanations, etc., not previously mentioned in the textbook, and
• Any other materials and ideas that might contradict the textbook's presentation of the topic. (NB. You need not find such contradictory materials, but be aware of the possibility.)

[OPTIONAL] After you have read the textbook and the assigned materials, you may add at your own discretion (keeping in mind the length of the assignment):

• Addiitonal source readings in Alexander,
• Music examples from Crawford/Hamberlin,
• External web pages of your own choice,
• Music examples from YouTube (or other web sources), and/or
• Any other materials you think relevant.

Finally, discuss your understanding of all your readings with your group members, making sure that everyone understands and agrees on:

• the topic's basic underlying ideas,
• any supporting or contradictory ideas,
• the names and importance of relevant individuals,
• the most important supporting examples (music or other), and
• any other relevant information.

STEP 4: Prepare the Final Document

With your group partners, prepare a written document that describes your understanding of your chosen topic and the supporting documents. In particular, follow this or some other logical order:

• a brief introduction to the paper and the topic (1-2 paragraphs maximum),
• a broad overview of the topic and especially how the textbook authors (Crawford/Hamberlin) view and present their take on the topic (about 1 page or a bit more),
• a more detailed explanation of how the various source materials support and expand upon the basic ideas (at least 1 full page or longer),
• a brief summary to the paper. (1 paragraph)

The FINAL DOCUMENT must conform to the following guidelines:

• The paper must be prepared as if on 8-½" x 11' white paper, with 1' margins on all sides, except for the first page of text, which has a 2" top margin.
• Use a 12-point typeface, type in double-space, and indent all paragraphs.
• In writing, use a formal tone, avoid slang and contractions, spell all words and technical terms correctly, avoiding "email and texting" abbreviations, etc.
• Make clear all references to the textbook, source materials, and any other supporting documents that you discusss.
• When in doubt of how to present something, refer to D. Kern Holoman, A Style Sheet, 3rd ed. (Oakland, California : University of California Press, [2014]) for clarification. NB. while you are not required to purchase this item for MUH 3633, it will be used in MUH 3211-3212. A single copy is available as an eBook via the UCF Library, and earlier editions may also be available online.
• You must cite any materials or ideas that quote, paraphrase or even allude to, with some sort of footnote, endnote, or other system of citation. NB. Failure to credit sources is plagiarism and may result in a grade of "F" for the assignment, as well as notification of your act to the appropriate UCF authorities for additional discipine.
• The absolute minimum length is 1,000 words (about 4-5 pages, not including any title page or appended bibliography and notes; "Word Count" under "Tools" in most word-processor programs gives this information). You are allowed and encouraged to write more than the minimum, but do not simply pad the content.

STEP 5: Submit Your Final Document for Grading

The final paper is due in my email as a WORD document in an electronic attachment on Monday, 10 February 2020 by 5:00 pm.

The final paper itself counts for 10% of your course grade, with the value split between writing (40%) and content (60%).

All members of the group will receive the same grade.

Anyone who fails to contribute equally to a group's work effort will have his/her grade reduced (after anonymous discussion with the other members of the group).