Syllabus for LIB-320

THE MUSIC OF WAR AND PEACE


COURSE DESCRIPTION

The Music of War and Peace examines music through the lens of war. From the patriotic songs written during the Civil War to songs of remembrance performed in the aftermath of Sept. 11, music has always been greatly affected by conflict. This course connects compositions and songs to their societal functions, unearths their cultural genealogies, and looks at how music has been used throughout history. The music analyzed in this class inspired soldiers, started riots, calmed angry nations, served as propaganda, sent secret messages, and forced governments to censor and imprison their composers. From this course, students will learn how to analyze, reveal, and explain the societal function of different music either inspired by or used during war.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you should be able to:

CO1        Describe how music serves different functions in society.

CO2        Document how songwriters and composers use music as a voice of their society.

CO3        Summarize how musical and artistic trends changed as a reaction to war.

CO4        Analyze song lyrics and musical compositional techniques to reflect on the purpose of the music and the composer’s intentions.

CO5        Identify the use of different musical genres in their historical context.

CO6        Interpret how specific musics were used in different wars.

CO7        Determine how technology has changed music composition and the transmission of music.

CO8        Describe how music can be used to memorialize people, places, and events.

CO9        Evaluate issues, ideas, and events comprehensively to formulate opinions and conclusions.

COURSE MATERIALS

No textbook is required for this course. Course content will include original video lectures and Prezi presentations created by the development mentor. Additional Internet resources and links to musical works will be provided in each module.

COURSE STRUCTURE

The Music of War and Peace is a three-credit online course, consisting of eight (8) modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles and topics are listed below.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums; complete worksheet assignments, module papers, and reflection assignments; and complete a final paper. See below for details.

Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.

Promoting Originality

One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in this document.

Discussion Forums

The Music of War and Peace has ten (10) graded online discussions. There is also an ungraded but required Introductions Forum in Module 1. Participation in class discussions is required and counts 10% toward your final grade in the course.

Communication with the mentor and among fellow students is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a discussion question and at least two subsequent comments on a classmate's response. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement.

You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation, including your use of relevant course information and your awareness of and responses to the postings of your classmates. Remember, these are discussions. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

Writing Assignments

You are required to complete various writing assignments on a variety of topics associated with the course modules.

Worksheet Assignments

Worksheet Assignments in Modules 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 provide an opportunity to review and demonstrate your understanding of key terms and concepts covered in their respective modules. The five worksheet assignments are worth 10 percent of your course grade.

Module Papers

The Music of War and Peace requires you to write six (6) module papers. Each paper is 750–1250 words in length (approximately 3–5 pages, typed double-spaced) and asks you to take an in-depth look at select module topics and issues, synthesizing information from both the course materials and outside sources. The six module papers account for 30 percent of your course grade

Reflection Assignments

Each module of the course concludes with a Reflection Assignment in which you are to critically examine, personalize, and explore your own thoughts and reactions to the concepts presented in the module by responding to specific questions and prompts. Each reflection assignment is 500–750 words in length (approximately 2–3 pages, typed double-spaced). The eight Reflection Assignments are worth 20 percent of your course grade.

Final Paper

The final paper provides you an opportunity to synthesize what you have learned in the course by developing and supporting a position (personal perspective) on the different functions and uses of music during times of war, peace, protest, and remembrance. In this paper you will analyze and evaluate your own and others' assumptions about the extent to which music reflects a society's view and response to war and its aftermath. In this regard, you may wish to draw upon your module discussion forums, papers, and reflections in developing and supporting your position.

The Final Paper is 2500–3000 words in length (approximately 10–12 pages, typed double-spaced). See Final Paper Details in the Final Paper section of the course Web site.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A

=

93–100

C+

=

78–79

A–

=

90–92

C

=

73–77

B+

=

88–89

C–

=

70–72

B

=

83–87

D

=

60–69

B–

=

80–82

F

=

Below 60

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Thomas Edison State University is committed to maintaining academic quality, excellence, and honesty. The University expects all members of its community to share the commitment to academic integrity, an essential component of a quality academic experience.

Students at Thomas Edison State University are expected to exhibit the highest level of academic citizenship. In particular, students are expected to read and follow all policies, procedures, and program information guidelines contained in publications; pursue their learning goals with honesty and integrity; demonstrate that they are progressing satisfactorily and in a timely fashion by meeting course deadlines and following outlined procedures; observe a code of mutual respect in dealing with mentors, staff, and other students; behave in a manner consistent with the standards and codes of the profession in which they are practicing; keep official records updated regarding changes in name, address, telephone number, or e-mail address; and meet financial obligations in a timely manner. Students not practicing good academic citizenship may be subject to disciplinary action including suspension, dismissal, or financial holds on records.

All members of the University community are responsible for reviewing the Academic Code of Conduct Policy in the University Catalog and online at www.tesu.edu.

Academic Dishonesty

Thomas Edison State University expects all of its students to approach their education with academic integrity—the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception. All mentors and administrative staff members at the University insist on strict standards of academic honesty in all courses. Academic dishonesty undermines this objective. Academic dishonesty can take the following forms:

Plagiarism

Thomas Edison State University is committed to helping students understand the seriousness of plagiarism, which is defined as using the work and ideas of others without proper citation. The University takes a strong stance against plagiarism, and students found to be plagiarizing are subject to discipline under the academic code of conduct policy.

If you copy phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or whole documents word-for-word—or if you paraphrase by changing a word here and there—without identifying the author, or without identifying it as a direct quote, then you are plagiarizing. Please keep in mind that this type of identification applies to Internet sources as well as to print-based sources. Copying and pasting from the Internet, without using quotation marks and without acknowledging sources, constitutes plagiarism. (For information about how to cite Internet sources, see Online Student Handbook > Academic Standards > “Citing Sources.”)

Accidentally copying the words and ideas of another writer does not excuse the charge of plagiarism. It is easy to jot down notes and ideas from many sources and then write your own paper without knowing which words are your own and which are someone else’s. It is more difficult to keep track of each and every source. However, the conscientious writer who wishes to avoid plagiarizing never fails to keep careful track of sources.

Always be aware that if you write without acknowledging the sources of your ideas, you run the risk of being charged with plagiarism.

Clearly, plagiarism, no matter the degree of intent to deceive, defeats the purpose of education. If you plagiarize deliberately, you are not educating yourself, and you are wasting your time on courses meant to improve your skills. If you plagiarize through carelessness, you are deceiving yourself.

For examples of unintentional plagiarism, advice on when to quote and when to paraphrase, and information about writing assistance, click the links provided below.

Examples of Unintentional Plagiarism

When to Quote and When to Paraphrase

Writing Assistance at Smarthinking

Disciplinary Process for Plagiarism

Acts of both intentional and unintentional plagiarism violate the Academic Code of Conduct.

If an incident of plagiarism is an isolated minor oversight or an obvious result of ignorance of proper citation requirements, the mentor may handle the matter as a learning exercise. Appropriate consequences may include the completion of tutorials, assignment rewrites, or any other reasonable learning tool in addition to a lower grade for the assignment or course. The mentor will notify the student and appropriate dean of the consequence by e-mail.

If the plagiarism appears intentional and/or is more than an isolated incident, the mentor will refer the matter to the appropriate dean, who will gather information about the violation(s) from the mentor and student, as necessary. The dean will review the matter and notify the student in writing of the specifics of the charge and the sanction to be imposed.

Possible sanctions include:

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