Content in the Learner-centered Non-major Classroom: Thinking and Listening Like a Musicologist

John Hausmann, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

Appendix 3: Podcast or Video Essay

Create a 10 minute podcast or video that analyzes a song of your choosing and presents an interpretive argument.

Analyze how musical, historical, cultural, economic, and/or technological aspects impact the composition, performance, and reception of a rock song.
Distill this analysis into one key idea (thesis statement).
Write an outline that clearly describes your argument (how your analysis supports your thesis statement).
Critically read your colleague’s outlines and provide feedback on the argument, structure, analysis, and/or interpretation (peer review).
Record and produce a podcast or video essay that share your analysis and interpretation with your colleagues and the broader community.

Select a topic from the four we are addressing together (historical events, covers, place and space, and humor).
Select a song to analyze. You can use any song you choose (aside from those we have covered together).
Remember that we are defining “rock music” in as broad a way as possible, so be creative with your song selections! You’re also invited to make the project as relevant as possible (for example, if you’re a music education major, select a song you could use in the classroom).
Submit both topic and song in a post to the course blog by [date].

Learn and analyze your song. Some possible avenues for approaching this analysis are social/cultural, stylistic, historical, etc. You will find it helpful to approach your song from a variety of perspectives, even if all of your analysis does not end up in your final project.
Build on this analysis by interpreting your song. Ask and answer one question about your song. For example,
- How does the song relate to or depict a specific historical event?
- How does the song present or depict places or spaces?
- How does the cover version differ from the original, and what is the significance of this?
- What types of audiences would find this example funny and why?
I’ve included one sample question for each of our four topics, but you’re encouraged to generate your own questions.
Let your analysis guide the questions you ask, and don’t be afraid to change the questions you’re asking.
Work on this will be ongoing throughout the course, and feel free to contact me for advice, ideas, or assistance!

Your thesis statement describes the main point of your argument in one or two sentences.
Your outline explains the structure of your argument and how you will prove your thesis statement.
I’ve used this format for the songs we’ve discussed throughout the course, but if you’d like to see a more explicit example, you can look at my example (posted on the course website). Include a YouTube link to the version of the song you will be writing about.
Submit these in a post to the course blog by [date].

Add details to your outline that support your thesis statement. Remember that it takes approximately 2 minutes to read 1 page of double spaced text. Keep that rough guideline in mind while you’re writing (it might help to provide a link to the song or a video, so you don’t need to use too much time playing excerpts).
You likely won’t be able to use all of your analysis, so carefully select those points that most clearly support your thesis statement.
Submit these in a post to the course blog by [date].

Critically read one your colleague’s outlines.
Provide feedback on the argument, structure, analysis, and/or interpretation.
Make sure you address each of the areas from the rubric:
- Depth
- Accuracy
- Logic
- Clarity with mechanics of writing
- Precision of musical terminology
What did you think worked? Why? What do you think could use improvement? Why? Remember that the best feedback is honest, respectful, and specific. Your goal as a peer reviewer is to improve your peer’s project as much as you can.
Read and respond to your colleague’s rough draft in a comment on the course blog by [date]. I will read and respond to both your rough draft and your peer reviewer’s comments by [date] at noon. My comments will be in the course blog.

For help recording a podcast, see the notes on the project Blackboard page. For help recording a video essay, see the notes on the project Blackboard page. If you need more extended technical help, please contact campus technical support (information in syllabus).
Work on this will be ongoing, but make sure you leave yourself time for technical glitches, multiple takes, etc.

Answer each of these questions for both of the essays that you choose to respond to:
- What was your aesthetic reaction to the song?
- What was your professional response to the argument and thesis?
- How does this essay help you interpret or understand rock music?
Submit your substantive comments on two essays in comments to the course blog by [date].