Term Paper

The term paper is a very important assignment. Write on the physics of a musical instrument that you are interested in. The text (not including title page, end notes, bibliography, diagrams, etc.) should be about 3–5 pages of 12 pt double-spaced type with 1” margins.

You should use at least two sources in addition to any encyclopedias. At least one of your sources must come from somewhere other than the internet/web. Your sources must be cited properly in the text and properly attributed in the bibliography (or Works Cited). Use a standard citation and bibliography format for your major.

UCONN citation guides Links to an external site.

Chicago Style Citation Guide at Western Washington University Links to an external site.

Research and Citation Resources at Purdue Links to an external site.

Turabian Guide for Music Links to an external site.

Turabian Citation Guide for Music & Dance at BYU Links to an external site.

Chicago Manual of Style Online Links to an external site.

Begin your paper with a title page (title, name, date, etc.). Include endnote references to your sources within your paper. List each endnote in the order that it first appears in the paper. Properly reference any data, information, or figure which comes from another work. Each endnote entry should contain the author’s name(s), the title of the article, the name of the journal or book, the volume if it is a journal article, the page that the article starts on, and the year of publication.

All drafts and submissions in this process should be typed, grammatically correct, spell-checked, and polished (i.e., the best you can do). The target audience is your classmates; therefore, don’t spend too much time covering background material PHYS 1010 students should already know.

There are various stages in this overall process; you will be graded on each piece. I’m available for consultation at each stage of the process.

1. Select which musical instrument you want to write about, and tell me why you chose that particular instrument. This is due on paper in class on Feb 9.

2. Draft for peer review. You will have someone in our class review and critique your paper. This draft should be polished–the best you can do on your own. This is due on paper in class on March 13.

3. Peer review of another’s paper. You will also be graded on your helpfulness to your classmate. Submit a page with the title and author of the paper you critique, as well as your own name. Address issues such as

What you like about the paper,
Clarity, grammar, punctuation, spelling,
Is the topic too broad or too narrow, or too deep or too shallow?
Organization and flow
Is the science correct?
Are references and citations done completely and correctly?
Quality of the abstract, introduction, and conclusion

You may write directly on the draft of the paper as well (that is, mark it up). Be as helpful as you can. Turn your critique and the draft back to the author in class on March 20.

4. Writing lab tutor’s critique. Have a tutor from the Snow College Writing Lab read the next draft of your paper and give you further feedback. Have them sign and date the draft they mark up by April 3.

5. Final draft. I will read and grade the final drafts. It should be the best paper you have ever written. Turn in the rough drafts that were critiqued by your classmate and the writing lab tutor as well (including the critique from your classmate). The whole package is due in class on April 15.