The Topic Summary and First Playlist Entry is the opening stage of the Music and… Playlist project and is due via Blackboard by 11:59pm on Sunday Oct. 2. Download the instructions and rubric for this assignment as a PDF.

The topic summary will consist of two to three paragraphs describing the social topic you want to use for your playlist. The playlist entry is around 200 words long and focuses on the first song of your playlist. To receive full points, your playlist entry should discuss the song or piece’s musical characteristics, social/cultural/historical background, and connection to your topic. The last requirement is a bibliography of three outside sources (APA, MLA, or Chicago Style citations). These can be non-academic sources, like newspapers or blogs, but lyrics/song interpretation websites like Genius won’t count.

Though you get to choose your social topic, moods, emotions, or states of mind (e.g. relaxation, excitement, productivity) are not eligible for this assignment. A “social” topic should have a relation to society, or the ways that people connect with one another. I recommend picking a topic that you’re already interested in or knowledgeable about–maybe a hobby, something related to your past experiences, or an offshoot of your planned major. If this approach doesn’t work out, you can choose a song to write about first and brainstorm related topics.