Groundwork Writing Assignment - Song Analysis

Overview of the Assignment:

• This assignment will connect to the Summary/Analysis essay. You will summarize and analyze a song that is a protest or that deals with a social issue.

• This assignment won't be accepted late unless you ask me for an extension before the deadline. See late policies in the syllabus.

Detailed Instructions:

This assignment will consist of a title and two paragraphs (it's not a complete essay).

Title

• Create a relevant title that refers to the song or social issue.

• Avoid creating a boring or too-general title or using the song title as your title.

First paragraph - Introduction/background (at least 6 lines)

• Begin with an attention-getting "hook" (not a question).

• Provide the song's title, the name of the songwriter, the name(s) of the performer/band, and the year the song was released.

• Summarize/describe the song (what is the song about?).

• Indicate why the song is a protest or how it addresses a social issue.

Second paragraph - Analysis (at least 14 lines)

• Analyze one or two components of the song. For instance, your paragraph might analyze the song's lyrics, or it might analyze the song's vocals and instrumentals. Use excerpts of lyrics and/or descriptions of the music to support what you want to say. Don't analyze more than two components. Also, for depth, be very specific. We will talk about being specific in class.

(Optional) Use of a Quote: This isn't a research assignment, but if you want to use one quote (no more) from an outside source to shed light on your song, you may.

You must put this quote in quotation marks and cite it informally: That is, say who is speaking and where you got the quote. (You will use full MLA documentation when you use quotes in the summary/analysis essay.)

Example:

About the lyric "Count me out (in)," Lennon said in a 1970 Rolling Stone interview, "...I said ‘Count me in' about violence, in or out, because I wasn't sure."

NOTICE: Put periods inside quotation marks.

Tips and Reminders:

• Use the Detailed Instructions above as a checklist.

• The first time you mention a person, state his or her whole name. After that, use last name only.

• Use MLA format (specified in the syllabus). Include the heading on the first page only.

• Don't include extra lines between your title and first paragraph or between paragraphs.

• You may use "I" in this essay when needed, but do not use "I" as in "I think that ...," etc.

• Avoid just discussing how the song relates to you or your life.

• Put song titles in quotation marks and album titles in italics.