MHL 654 – FINAL ASSIGNMENT

(S-10)

Write an abstract of your term paper. The abstract should present the essential elements of your paper in a concise statement – one paragraph or two at most. You should explain in clear, forceful prose your paper's topic, the questions it addresses, the sources you use and/or the repertory you cover, your main arguments and your conclusions. The purpose of the abstract is to convey to your fellow students all the important information and ideas that they would learn from your paper if they only had time read it. For some good sample abstracts, take a look at: http://research.berkeley.edu/ucday/abstract.html.

Submit the abstract to me via Email on or before Monday 26 April (this is a week earlier than the due date on the printed syllabus). I will post all the abstracts on the course website. At the end of each abstract I will append the names of 2 or 3 students whom I will appoint to comment on that abstract.

Read all the posted abstracts during the week of 26 April. For the abstracts to which you find your name appended, write a comment in which you give your general response to the paper, what you find interesting about it, what you find puzzling or problematic, and at least two questions for the author. Type your comments and your questions, and bring three copies to class on Monday May 3 (one for you, one for the author, one for me).

In our class sessions on May 3 and May 10 we will cover everyone's papers by means of the abstracts and commentaries. You will not need to present your paper beyond what the abstract says. We will get at the issues by way of commentaries and questions. However I would like you to bring to class two musical selections on CD that illustrate the repertory you're discussing in your paper. Your selections should be only 3-4 minutes apiece. We'll play them before we begin the discussion.