Commentary Assignment 

One of the expectations of being an educated citizen and college student is that you will have both the ability to, and desire to, comment on issues that are of local, regional, or national interest and importance.  Because this class is focused on "writing about music," I am asking you to provide some commentary about an issue related to music.  Your topic might be:

¤       the content of music (profanity and violence in music—is it dangerous?)

¤       the value of music (is it therapeutic, enriching, merely entertaining?)

¤       the business of music (does anyone produce art any more, or are we just getting nicely packaged junk?  Is the RIAA right in pursuing file sharers?)

¤       the science of music: what products or spaces produce the best sound?

These are options: I encourage you to develop a topic you are interested in.

This assignment will consist of two graded parts:  a casebook that you will assemble with a partner, or in a group of three (see page 328 in Call to Write), and a commentary essay, in which you stake out your position on the issue you have been researching.  You will need to identify how your position is similar to or different from the sources you have assembled in your casebook.

Casebook

Length: six commentaries (include the full articles), an introduction to the collection of commentaries (each person writes his or her own introduction), head notes that explain who the authors are and what the articles/essays are about, and a conclusion to the casebook that identifies the key questions people need to think about when they are trying to formulate an opinion on your topic. 

Due: October 13

Value: 50 points. 

Criteria: 

¤       well-chosen articles for the casebook

¤       an introduction that can succinctly describe the issue that is worthy of commentary and can explain how the articles are relevant to the issue

¤       head notes that provide good information about the authors

¤       a conclusion with a strong set of questions relevant to the issue

Academic commentary

Commentaries are typically pieces of writing in which an author expresses his or her opinion about an issue that is important not only to the author, but to a wider audience.  Sometimes that audience is quite general, sometimes that audience is a more specialized group of academic readers.  A commentary, however, is never simply an author ranting or even writing a letter to an editor; a commentary is frequently based on research, the author's awareness of multiple perspectives on the issue, and the author's ability to identify a pattern or meaning in a complex issue. 

Purpose: The purpose of a commentary is to express your view (to make a comment) on a current event, historical event, trend, policy issue, or simply to respond to views expressed by others.  While you might be trying to persuade others to hold your view, commentaries can also serve the function of simply drawing attention to an issue that is being overlooked by the media.

Genre: Finds patterns of meaning in events, trends, & ideas           

¤              Privileges informed opinions

¤              Takes a position, presents an interpretation

¤              Helps people to categorize through labeling

¤              Usually found in print & broadcast journalism

¤              May attempt to persuade, but not necessarily to action

Audience:  Writers need to work hard to clarify in their own minds who they are writing their commentary for.  If you want to write a commentary about what you see as the legitimate political rhetoric found in hip-hop music, you would probably need to imagine as your audience music fans who are at least willing to give hip-hop a chance, not those music fans who have no use for popular music.  Writers often state very explicitly who they are trying to convince, who they want to pay attention to their music.

Voice:  If you aren't going to be serious in your commentary (the dominant voice), you need to be funny and satirical (a legitimate way of making a comment).  You can insert your own perspective and use a personal voice at times, but most commentaries cannot rely on the personal voice alone.

Social context:  Commentaries need to show awareness of the social context of not only the writing situation, but the issue that is being commented on.  In other words, commentaries need to know the various positions people take on the issue at hand.  A piece of writing that expresses a view but shows no awareness of others' views is a rant or a first draft, but not a commentary. 

Length: four to five pages.

Due: October 20 (150 points)

Criteria:

¤       A clearly identified issue, with a clear statement of your position.

¤       Awareness of your own potential audience evident in the essay.

¤       Others' perspective appropriately incorporated into your essay.

¤       A clearly orchestrated presentation of views about this issue.

¤       Evidence of generic awareness.

¤       Appropriate control of voice.

¤       Standard written English, relatively free of errors.