Students
MMCC2000 – Musical Authorship and Songwriting
2021 – Session 1, Special circumstances, North Ryde
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor/Lecturer
Andrew Robson
Contact via email
Rm 253
email for appointment
Lecturer
Diane Hughes
Contact via email
Rm 254
email for appointment
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
The phenomenon of 'the song' in contemporary music is undisputed. This unit will explore 'the song' in various cultural and historical contexts, and consider the ways in which musical authorship can be achieved through a variety of traditional and technology driven approaches. Students will deconstruct some of the most popular and critically regarded contemporary songs and compositions in order to better understand and facilitate their own creative techniques. Song and compositional structures will be a unit focus and topics will include lyrical, melodic, rhythmic, chordal, harmonic and musical components. In doing so, it will contribute to, and provide links between, existing Music units in music production, voice, guitar, music business, and popular music. Recording as a compositional tool, loop stations and aspects of music production may enable students to work with various music technologies as relevant to their creative practice. In the context of music business, the authorship and ownership of original material through publishing, performance and recording will be discussed. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: identify the context of song in popular and/or world musics.
- ULO2: analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts.
- ULO3: analyse forms of musical authorship and the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts.
- ULO4: create and communicate effectively through an original song.
- ULO5: identify and evaluate musical and lyrical components of the song.
- ULO6: demonstrate the use of various technologies as appropriate.
General Assessment Information
Assessment standards
All written assessments are to be submitted via Turnitin on iLearn. Please see the unit iLearn site for more information.
Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment
Rubrics are used for all assessments and are available on iLearn.
Feedback
Feedback on assessments and student learning and performance will be provided in a range of ways. Students will receive formal individual feedback on their performance in assessments in the form of general comments, rubric and in-text comments attached to assignments marked in Grademark/Turnitin. Students are encouraged to make use of tutorials as opportunities for feedback from the tutor on works in progress. Marks are made available in the Gradebook function in iLearn.
Late Penalties
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song Analyses | 40% | No | 11:59pm Thursday 1 April - wk 6 |
| Original Song | 60% | No | Reflection: 11:59pm Fri 28/5 wk 12, Orig Song: wk 13 TBC |
Song Analyses
Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: 11:59pm Thursday 1 April - wk 6
Weighting: 40%
Students are required to comprehensively analyse two contrasting songs. The songs may be from popular music traditions and styles or from world musics. For this assessment, a song is considered to include lyrics, melody and musical accompaniment. Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- identify the context of song in popular and/or world musics.
- analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts.
- analyse forms of musical authorship and the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts.
- identify and evaluate musical and lyrical components of the song.
Original Song
Assessment Type 1: Creative work
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: Reflection: 11:59pm Fri 28/5 wk 12, Orig Song: wk 13 TBC
Weighting: 60%
Each student is required to write, reflect on and document original songs written during the course of this unit. While students are expected to work on several songs during the session and document these in their process reflection, one original song is submitted for this assessment.Students are to include a written rationale for the song selected for submission. This task requires students to consider the development and documentation of song/s in relation to their musical goals. Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- identify the context of song in popular and/or world musics.
- analyse critically the components of song structure in a variety of contexts.
- analyse forms of musical authorship and the song in publishing, performance and recording contexts.
- create and communicate effectively through an original song.
- identify and evaluate musical and lyrical components of the song.
- demonstrate the use of various technologies as appropriate.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Lectures for this unit will commence in week 1.
Tutorials for this unit will commence in week 2.
Lectures will be online - please see ilearn for the link
Tutorials will be held in the Drama Studio (Rm187), 10 Hadenfeld Ave.
There will also be an online tutorial option (via Zoom). Please see ilearn for the Zoom link.
Unit readings can be accessed via the Leganto link on ilearn
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2021.03 of the Handbook