MUSI1306MUSICAPPRECIATION

Fall2012GuidelinesforOralPresentation

Youroralpresentationisworth175points.Yourparticipation(attendanceduringthepresentations)is
worth50pointsofyouroralpresentationgrade.
Thiswillbeabrief(67minute)oralpresentationonatopicdealingwithpopularmusicbefore2000.
Herearesomeelementsyoushouldincludeinyourtalk:
1.Verybriefbiography.Donotgiveachronologyofalbumreleasesorconcerttourswithdates.Donotlist
awardswon.
2.Musicalstyle(origins,development);forexample,youcoulddiscusstheearly,middle,andlatestyle
characteristicsofasingerorastyle.
3.Analysisoftworepresentativepieces.Besuretobringyourownrecordingsfordemonstration.Havethencuedor
notedfortheDJ.Theseexamplesshouldlastnolongerthan

one
minute,combined.
4.Distinctivefeaturesthatsetyourtopicapartfromothers;forexample,howheavymetaldiffersfrompunk.What
madeitpopularandwithwhomwasitpopular?Whywasitdifferentthansomething/someoneelse?
5.Importanceorrole(ifany)ofyourtopicinthehistoryofAmericanpopularmusic.(Ex:protestmusicorone
performersinfluenceoverlaterperformers)
6.Donotchooseyourfavoriteperformer/group/musicstyleetc.UNLESSyoucanpresentinformationvaluabletothe
restofus.Justbecauseyouloveitdoesntmeanwewilllearnsomething.

SeeyourCourseOutlineforPresentationDates
NOTE:Youwillneedtoturninyournotes,withlisteningexamplesandsourcescited,tomeafteryour
report.ThisincludesanyPowerPointfilesifusedinyourpresentation.(SaveyourPowerPointontoadiskto
turnin).Notesandsourcesdonothavetobetypedorinanyparticularformaslongastheinformationisthere
anditislegible.Iwillreturnthemtoyoubythenextclasssession.BesuretoputyournameonEVERYitem
youturnin.
Content

Stateyournameandthetitleofyourpresentationatthebeginning.Statetheintentofyourpresentation(the
conclusionyouwillsupport,theanalysisyouwillundertake,thepointtowhichyourmaterialwillbedirected).

Agoodruletofollow:1)telluswhatyou'regoingtosay,2)sayit,3)telluswhatyousaid.Thisisasimple
matterofvoicingyourintentsothatweknowwhattolistenforasyougothroughyourmaterialtomakeyour
point.Then,attheend,youwillrestateyourintent(whichshouldbeyourconclusionoranalysis).For
example,youmightsay,"I'mgoingtoshowwhythemusicElvissanginthe50sisbetterthananythinghedid
laterinhiscareer",insteadof"I'mgoingtotalkaboutElvis".Wrapitupwithaconclusion.Andbytheway,
"Well,that'stheendofmytalk"isnotaconclusion.

Don'tjustpresentabunchof"TrivialPursuit"typefactsandinformation.Analyzeyourinformationanddraw
conclusions.Attheendofyourpresentation,Ishouldnotbeabletosay:"Andyourpointis...?"

General

Yourparticipationgradewillsufferifyoufailtoattendclasstohearyourfellowclassmates'oralpresentations.
Presentation

Nocaps/hats,nogum
Trytoavoiddistractingvocalmannerismssuchas"like"or"youknow";leaningonthelectern,shiftingyour
feet,proppingyourfootonthelecternoronyourotherfoot,handsinpocketsorfiddlingwithobjectsonthe
lectern.Yougettheidea.Thefocusshouldbeonwhatyouaresaying,notonyou.
Beginyourpresentationbyannouncingyournameandthetitleofyoursubject
Speakslowlyandclearly.Donotrushthrough,mumble,orspeakatalowvolume.
Donotreadtheentirereport.Usenotesifyouwish,butonlyasaguide.
Practiceyourtiming.Don'tlosepointsbecauseyoudon'thaveasmuchmaterialasyouthoughtorbecauseyou
rambleontoolong.Don'tforgettoallowforthetimeyourmusicclipswilltake.