 Introduce Project 3
 What CAN I research and write about?
 Research Plan
 Finding a Topic

These are just a few examples of topics that could be explored in relation to the categories on the assignment. These are simply an example to get you thinking about what you could do for this project:
 Lyrics and Language – Vernacular, technological, foreign. Ex. Black
Eyes Peas, Imma Be, The Beatles (their songs being inspirational during the 60 ’ s),
 Events – MTV and Michael Jackson, Woodstock, Motown, and its cultural significance - (as well as context surrounding the events)
 Artists – Bob Marley and Rastafarianism, Darien, The Beach Boys (The
“ all American ” white group), Elvis (The white kid that came along and shattered that persona), Marilyn Manson, Eminem (one of the first
“ white ” rappers), John Lennon (very controversial in relation to his opinions of the government).
 Genres – Rap ’ s influence on culture and society, Blues in the early 20 th century, Country and its focus on storytelling and the “white” race.

 Time Periods – Civil Rights Movement, 70 ’ s (sex, drugs, and rock and roll)
 Music Videos – Consider the audience, who is included in the video (race, ethnicity, gender, etc), and the theme and symbolism.
 Reality Shows – Jennifer Hudson in American Idol.
 Distribution of Music – album covers being a lost art, illegal downloading of music.

In the The Curious Researcher, Bruce Ballenger demonstrates a 5 week plan: Steps to Writing Your
Research Paper.
Unfortunately, we do not have 5 weeks to complete this project. Therefore, you need to make modifications that will allow you to complete the research and writing process in 4 weeks. The important thing here
IS to devise a plan.

• Discover Your Subject
• Develop “ working knowledge ” of your subject
• Narrow your subject by finding your focusing question

• Plan a research strategy that balances library and
Internet Sources
• Fine-Tune search terms
• Begin developing “ focused knowledge ” of your subject
• Plan interviews or surveys

• Write about your research findings
• Try advanced searching techniques
• Conduct interviews and surveys
• Write the first draft

• Clarify your purpose, and hone your thesis
• Revise draft
• Edit, Proofread, and finalize citations

• Use Research resources by Subject - These are keyed to a range of typical problems that arise for researchers: how to find a topic, how to focus a paper, how to handle a thesis, how to search the Internet, how to organize the material, how to take useful notes, and so on.
• Consider important due dates: Proposal Memo, Peer
Review, Final Draft, and important due dates in other classes (papers and exams)
• Consider your own schedule: classes, work, tests, going home,
• Check Resource availability: library hours, computer lab hours, writing center hours
• Give yourself AMPLE time to research and write

 Create a research plan. This should be set up on a 4 week period. Each person MUST create their own plan for points this week. The research plan will be due Wed. March 18 in class.
 Your plan should include:
• Goals and Objectives
• Dates
• Steps
• Resources

Brainstorming - As a group, write down 3 topics under each category, other than the examples in class
 Genres
 Artists/Bands
 Time Periods/Eras
 Writers/Lyrics
 Events
 Reality Shows
 Electronic Dance Music
 Distribution of music

 Research Plan will be due: Wednesday, March 16 (Hard copy in class).