Abstract
This article explored how the internet has effected the ways that independent bands and solo artists distribute their music and how these artists use the internet to “get heard” by broad audiences. Surveys were sent to two independent bands and one solo artist and analyzed their answers to answer the question of how exactly the internet effected them in their music producing process and their thoughts on copyrights and music piracy. My findings show that the internet has changed the face of the music industry and has made it extremely easy to be “found” without signing to a label.
Blog #15
I think that the peer editing project helped me see how well organized a research project can be at this point and has helped me see how I might be able to organize mine. It also helps getting an outside view on what I have written. Its a major confidence booster when you think that everything you write sucks. All in all, I think that the peer editing project has been overall an awesome learning experience.
Blog #14
Results:
- Present results in a accessible way for the reader
- Explain charts and graphs in an explanatory text
- Do not simply repeat information in explanatory text and do not include to much info
from this article: http://www.welie.com/patterns/showPattern.php?patternID=search-results
- Display results in a comprehensive way
- Categorize the information in an easily navigated organized way
- Include all results but do not over inform
Discussion:
- Interpret the results in light of what is already known about the subject of the investigation, and explain new understanding of the problem
- Use active voice
- Organize the discussion to address each of the experiments or studies
- Relate work to other studies
- DO NOT introduce new results
From this web site: http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/apa4b.htm#IIF
- Do not purposely start a new page for this section. Simply center the word Discussion and continue typing on the very next double-spaced line (i.e., do not insert any extra blank lines here).
- The purpose of this section is to evaluate and interpret the results, especially with respect to the original research question.
- Start off with a brief, non-technical summary of the results. In other words, tell the reader about the main findings without using statistical terminology.
- Then go on to discuss the implications of the results. In other words, whatever was found needs to be discussed.
- It is also important to discuss how the results relate to the literature you cited in the introduction. In other words, emphasize any theoretical consequences of the results.
- You might (or might not) also mention any limitations of the study and any suggestions for future research in this section.
- Finally, you need an ending paragraph in which you make a final summary statement of the conclusions you have drawn. You are also encouraged, when appropriate, to comment on the importance and relevance of your findings. How are your findings related to the big picture?
- Thus, this section should contain an absolute minimum of three paragraphs: the non-technical summary, discussion of the results and their implications, and the concluding paragraph.
Conclusions:
- Play the “So What” Game.
- Return to the theme or themes in the introduction
- Synthesize, don’t summarize
- Include a provocative insight or quotation from the research or reading you did for your paper
- Propose a course of action
- Point to broader implications
From this site: http://libguides.usc.edu/content.php?pid=83009&sid=615873
- Present the last word on the issues you raised in your paper
- Summarize your thoughts and conveys the larger implications of your study
- Demonstrate the importance of your ideas
- Introduce for your readers possible new or expanded ways of thinking about the research problem
Blog #13
I have created a cohesive reading experience for my readers by using a very simplistic stripped down and relaxed tone in my writing and utilizing smooth transitions. I had to reorganize a lot of my information to make transitions smoother and to fill out my thoughts more and make myself more clear. As far as further editing to my work I till need to work out some organizational things to make it a smoother read. Form here i plan on continuing doing research and doing my primary research.
Blog #12
For my research study I am going to be sending several questionnaires to unsigned or indie label signed bands about how the internet has effected the way they promote and release their music. I will be finding my participants through their myspace pages which will also indicate what type or lack of label they are signed too. I plan on getting as many participants as possible but I really only need a few. I do not foresee any potential dangers for my participants at all. If my participants choose to have their identity’s kept secret I can very easily either change the band’s name or give them a generic band name like band “x”. I really dont have any questions about my data collection because mine is very very straight forward and simple.
Blog #11
In the article “Method and Research Design” the author writes that the purpose of writing methods include:
- Lets people know how I gathered information
- Methodology should make clear the reasons why I chose a particular method or procedure.
- The reader wants to know that the data was collected or generated in a way that is consistent with accepted practice in the field of study.
- The research methods must be appropriate to the objectives of the study.
- The methodology should also discuss the problems that were anticipated and explain the steps taken to prevent them from occurring,
Common Problems:
- Don’t assume that the readers are ignorant to the subject .
- Record how I overcome common problems.
Overview:
- introduction of research problem introduction of objectives introduction of how objectives will be achieved.
- review of previous work relating to research problem
- explain how data was collected
- compare results in previous research, effects of methods used on the data obtained
Different types of research:
- Analysis
- Case study
- Comparison
- Correlation-prediction
- evaluation
- design-demonstration
- survey-questioaire
- status
- theory-construction
- trend analysis
Writing my own method section:
- Keep purpose in mind
- Keep notes
- Keep audience in mind
- Don’t use “I”
- Stick to one verb tense
In the article that I found called “Design and Method” the author starts with:
- should be very explicit
- failure to give all details may cause doubt in the reader
- Be honest in forthright
- explain to your reader how you went about carrying out your research.
- describe the subjects, the instruments used, the conditions under which the tests were given, how the tests were scored, how the results were analyzed, etc.
http://linguistics.byu.edu/faculty/henrichsenl/researchmethods/RM_3_04.html
Blog #10
| CRITERIA | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Comments |
| Introduction – sufficiently forecasted the remainder of the essay | X | ||||||
| Conclusion – sufficiently wrapped up the author’s thoughts; connected to intro. | X | ||||||
| In-text Citations | X | Non-existant, nothing to back up information given. | |||||
| Works Cited/References – only work actually cited in the paper is included; properly formatted. | X | Non-existant | |||||
| Grammar/Mechanics – language choice; punctuation; spelling, etc. | X | Choppy poor word choise | |||||
| Flow – transitions between paragraphs; all sentences in a paragraph related; no run-on or fragmented sentences. | X | Very choppy structure, poorly organized, doesn’t follow a single train of thought. | |||||
| Hooked and maintained reader
interest. |
X | Hooked very well but did not maintain, to cluttered. | |||||
| Genre – Met the needs of the intended genre. | X | ||||||
| TOTAL = 20/40 | Add’l comments: Very choppy and that made for a hard read through. Also gave off the impression of talking to a pseudo-intellectual which turned me off and I found it hard to keep interest with lack of flow.
Actual word file:Rubric |
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Creating a Lit Review
The first article that I found on creating a lit review was titles “Reviewing the Literature in preparation for Action Research”. It starts by defining a Lit review as “a creative way of organizing what has been written about a topic by scholars and researchers.” (“Review…”) From there it goes on to say taht a strong lit review has the following properties:
- It is organized around issues, themes, factors, or variables that are related directly to your thesis or research question;
- It provides a good synthesis of what is, and is not, known;
- It indicates the theoretical framework with which you are working;
- It identifies areas of controversy and debate, or limitations in the literature sharing different perspectives;
- It places the formation of research questions in their historical context;
- It identifies the list of the authors that are engaged similar work. (“Review… “)
It also goes ahead and asks the writer to ask themselves what type of notes am I taking, what technology am I using to help me find my notes, and what research tips do I have? (“Review… “)
http://ccar.wikispaces.com/Review+Literature
“Reviewing the Literature in Preparation for Action Research”. CCAR. 3-1-10 <http://ccar.wikispaces.com/Review+Literature>.
The second article I found on how to create a lit review was called “Literature Reviews”. The article starts off by defining the literature in a lit review as any collection of materials on a topic. (“Literature Reviews”) It then asks the simple question What is a lit review? It answers with statements:
- discusses publishes information in a particular subject area,
- can be a simple summary of the sources, but usually has an organizational pattern including summary and synthesis
It then asks how a literature review is different from an academic research paper, and answers with these statements:
- The focus of an academic research paper is to support your own argument
- The focus of a lit review is to summarize the arguments of others
Why do we write lit reviews?
- provide a guide on a topic
- can give an overview to research articles
- provide a solid background for a research papers investigation
What should one do before writing a literature review?
- Clarify
- Find Models
- Narrow the Topic
- Look for current resources
Strategies for writing the lit review:
- Find a Focus
- Construct a working thesis
- Consider organization
- Lastly, Begin composing
When composing:
- Use evidence
- Be Selective
- Use quotes sparingly
- Summarize and synthesis
- Keep your own voice
- Use caution when paraphrasing
- Revise
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html
“Literature Reviews”. university of North Carolina. 3-1-10 <http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html>.
Blog #9
Copyright Issues in Internet Music (close reading summary):
- In the abstract this author very clearly states what he is going to talk about for the rest of the paper and even states what he is going to focus heaviest on.
- The author starts off with a a sensational statement to grab the readers attention. He sounds very excited in the first few sentences which pulls the reader in even further before he presents the problem about copyrights. I think that he does this to intrigue the reader. He has grabbed their attention and now is sparking interest.
- Explains the differences between different types off copyrights.
- Explains the different groups that deal with the rights related to musical works.
- Gives facts and numbers to inform.
- Explains terminology used in the previous paragraph.
- Explains the fore mentioned companies primary function as to collect royalties.
- Explains what royalties are and why they are important.
- Poses the main topic as a rhetorical question in order to give background information as an answer.
- Explains ‘convergence’ and why it has become important lately.
- Explains how an online license works for online distributors.
- Introduces the problem presented with consumer demand to listen to what they when they want to.
- Introduces the down sides to the “old market” of music
- Shows how the online market over comes these down falls.
- Explains how technology has transformed the way that music is produced and distributed.
- States that the new technology not only helps new artists but older established artists as well.
- Wraps up with the pros and cons for the artists and the copyright firms thanks to internet music.
- Introduces the legal problems with online music.
- Concludes with a statement of good faith in people to continue buying music instead of pirating it.
Music Piracy—Differences in the Ethical Perceptions of Business Majors and Music Business Majors (close reading summary):
- In the abstract the author introduces her inquiry and how she went about studying into it along with who her test subjects were.
- She starts with introducing the concept of ethics being studied in college students overall.
- Says that most of these studies have had negative outcomes in terms of ethics.
- Starts using case studies to point out the difference between students who had taken ethics courses and those who hadn’t.
- Compares college seniors to business men in terms of ethics.
- Declares the authors purpose.
- Introduces the ethics question about downloading music.
- Sites rolling stone talking about illegal downloading and “intellectual property”
- Introduces the authors method for studying the students.
- Explains what was on the questionnaire given to the students.
- Shows the authors results.
- Goes further into depth about what was on the questionnaire concerning piracy behavior.
- Shows that 65% of business majors believed it unethical to illegally download music.
- Introduces 7 effects from downloading, taking an ethics course, effect of the major, the interaction of downloading and the course, interaction between major and downloading, effects of course and major, and the interaction effect of the course, major, and downloading.
- Introduces an equation for grading the data.
- Shows that both majors find it unfair to the music industry to download music.
- Begins the conclusion with an overall statement of her findings.
- States the differences in perceptions that she found.
- Looks at music business majors who had never taken an ethics course and had never downloaded music.
- Establishes the importance of the study with money figures and placing importance on ethic values.
- Asks about music business majors who are illegally downloading music and how that will effect the industry.
- Wraps up the article with saying that there are many factors other then ethics classes that determines students values regarding downloading music. Ends with a statement that lapse in judgement can have negative consequences for all involved people.
In both articles there is very little difference between the lit review and the introduction aside from the fact that the lit review is more of a blunt statement meant strictly to inform while the introduction is some of the same information but rearranged in a way to hook the reader and gain interest to read the rest of the article. The author of the first article did a much better job with hooking the reader because he used sensational statements to grab attention frist then led into intriguing facts and figures and ended his article with his purpose. The author of the second article more stated facts and jumped right into her research and resources and cited information. The purpose and information are both found in the introduction, lit review, and restated again in the conclusion. the significance and importance are strongly stated in the conclusion but are also found in the intro. The main research question can be found in the introduction and in the first few body paragraphs after more information is given. the research methods can be found in the lit review and usually in the first body paragraph. Results come right before the conclusion as to strengthen the conclusion at the very end.
Blog #8
The article titled “The Introductory Paragraph” breaks down the different parts of a good introductory paragraph:
- The first sentence should engage a reader. Anecdotes and quotes are effective to hook a reader.
- Humor, surprising facts can also be used to hook a reader.
- The best way to end an introductory paragraph is with a good beginning.
In the article I found called “Guide to writing a basic essay” it touches on the important parts of a good intro paragraph which include:
- The introduction should start with a good attention grabber.
- A good attention grabber could include startling information, anecdote, dialog, or summary information.
- Add a couple sentences to lead the reader from the opening paragraph to the thesis statement.
- Finish the paper with the thesis statement.
In my opinion I feel that a good introductory paragraph is important any paper because it is the main hook that a writer can use to a reader interested in his or her paper. The introduction is the first impression of the writers style and can show early strengths or weaknesses of the paper and writing style.
