LaRonda Sanders - Gordon State College



Paper One: Lyrical Analysis

|Assignment: |Research and analyze song lyrics. |

|Audience: |You are submitting your work to the Journal of Music and Contemporary Social-Political Thought |

|Sources: |Official Song Lyrics (Lyric websites include , , , ,, |

| |); Articles from the LexisNexis and the Academic Search Complete Databases; Reputable Internet Articles, Reference |

| |Sources, Books |

| |(A Minimum of 3 Sources) |

|Length: |3-5 Pages, Double-Spaced, 1 Inch Margins, Times New Roman Font, MLA Format |

|Citation: |MLA Style |

|Grading: |15% |

|Due Date: |MW |

| |Draft Due: February 12, 2018 |

| |Peer Review: February 19, 2018 |

| |Final Draft: February 21, 2018 |

| |TR |

| |Draft Due: February 8, 2018 |

| |Peer Review: February 15, 2018 |

| |Final Draft: February 20, 2018 |

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Purpose

This paper will require you to continue developing both your rhetorical analysis skills as well as your critical reading skills. Every day we encounter hundreds of texts, and every text contains an argument; some of the texts that we encounter are musical compositions. This assignment will encourage you to become more aware of the latent meanings of texts. You will also examine how context shapes arguments.

Writing the Analysis

Your job will be to select a song and to find its official lyrics. You should do a rhetorical analysis of the lyrics. Consider how the author makes meaning. You should determine what the main idea of the song is. There can be only one main idea. Then you should develop sub claims that explore how the artist argues.

As part of your analysis, you should search the song for themes or references to places, people, events, or issues. You will do research on the themes or references. As applicable, explain how the context that your themes or references provide contributes to the manifest meaning of the song. Remember that the research is in service to your rhetorical analysis. The vocals may be part of your analysis. The research should include reputable sources that come from popular magazines, newspapers, reputable websites, books, and possibly even journal articles. Make sure that all sources are properly cited.

Introduction

Create an introduction that provides a foundation that eases your reader into your paper. You may choose to focus on the artist, the genre, or some other pertinent information. Remember that there is no one correct way to write an introduction. All introductions should include a statement of the main idea of the song. (What is the manifest content of the song?) You should conclude your introduction with a thesis statement that clearly identifies the themes or reference(s) that will be your focus.

Body

Success on this assignment requires you to carefully analyze the lyrics, paying attention to how the rhetoric functions and to couple that with your research. Essentially, you are doing a rhetorical analysis that is enhanced by your research. I expect you to look at the small parts of the rhetoric, both written and auditory, to see how they make meaning. Explain how the context that your research provides adds new or different meaning to the song. You should have two to three fully developed body sections, each focusing on either a different reference or a different aspect of your reference or group of references. Remember the significance of critical topic sentences and transitions.

Conclusion

Reflect on your thesis. You may also address the broader implication of the lyrics. You may consider the significance of your analysis in light of the references/ theme, genre of music, or artist. Remember that you do not want to end your paper abruptly. You want to make a good final impression and ease your reader toward a logical and smooth conclusion.

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