Overview
In this unit, you will explore the important techniques for songwriting in contemporary popular styles. While studying the various song forms and lyrical structures, you will study the music notation conventions for songwriting and develop the skills to write the lyrics and music for a song in a contemporary popular style.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student evaluation data
Engage students with smaller weekly tasks.
Engage students with smaller weekly tasks.
- Apply music notation conventions for songwriting in various short exercises
- Describe the various forms and structures of lyrics for songs in contemporary popular styles
- Apply the skills associated with writing lyrics and music in the composition of your own song in a contemporary popular style.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 60% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 60% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
The Songwriting Labyrinth
- Edition: 1st (2015)
- Authors: Clive Harrison
- Rumpelstiltskin Press
- Sydney Sydney , NSW , Australia
- ISBN: 1508655464
- Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
See your Moodle site for purchasing details.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Audio recording device
- Recommended: Professional Music Notation Software (Sibelius recommended)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.reaston@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 08 Mar 2021Module/Topic
Introduction and Overview
Module 1: Song Purpose
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp.194 - 226
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 15 Mar 2021Module/Topic
Module 2: Structure
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp.136-142
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 22 Mar 2021Module/Topic
Module 3: Lyrics
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp.10-48
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 29 Mar 2021Module/Topic
Module 3: Lyrics
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp.10-48
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 05 Apr 2021Module/Topic
Module 3: Lyrics
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp.10-48
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 12 Apr 2021Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 19 Apr 2021Module/Topic
Module 4: Melody
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp.49-82
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 26 Apr 2021Module/Topic
Module 4: Melody
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp.49-82
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 03 May 2021Module/Topic
Module 5: Harmony
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp.83-121
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 10 May 2021Module/Topic
Module 5: Harmony
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 17 May 2021Module/Topic
Module 6: Rhythm and Groove
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp. 122-130
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 24 May 2021Module/Topic
Module 7: Genre
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp. 131-135
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 31 May 2021Module/Topic
Module 8: Creating a Lead-sheet
Chapter
Harrison, Clive. (2015). The Songwriting Labyrinth. Sydney, Australia: Rumpelstiltskin Press. pp. 143-148
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 07 Jun 2021Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 14 Jun 2021Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
To enable you to get the best results in this unit, I suggest you purchase Sibelius music notation software. This can be bought in full or on an annual subscription. This can be used in the assessments of this unit, however, you will find this music notation software very useful for other units in the Bachelor of Music degree. For more information on how to purchase this software, please go to the links on the Moodle website or contact me, the unit coordinator, Dr David Reaston. Email: d.reaston@cqu.edu.au
1 Written Assessment
You will be required to:
- Write lyrics to a preexisting melody
- Write a 750–1,000 word* essay explaining your process.
You must submit:
- A Microsoft Word Document (.docx) - downloaded and completed from the Moodle site. The essay component of the assessment must use 12 point Times New Roman font; 1.5 line spacing; and must adhere to the CQUniversity APA Style Guide.
Week 6 Monday (19 Apr 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 9 Monday (10 May 2021)
- Lyrics match the melodic phrases (10%)
- Lyrics are suitable and coherent (10%)
- Appropriate use of rhyme (10%)
- Appropriate use of poetic devices (10%)
- Construction of appropriate song narrative (10%)
- Lyric presentation (5%)
-
Discussion is considered, reflective, and complete (35%)
-
Accuracy of spelling, punctuation and grammar; clarity of writing style (5%)
- Appropriate word count (5%)
- Apply music notation conventions for songwriting in various short exercises
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
2 Written Assessment
You will be required to:
- Write a melody and chord progression to a set of lyrics.
- Write a 750–1,000 word* essay explaining your process.
You must submit:
- A lead sheet as a PDF (.pdf): Either written by hand and scanned, or with a music notation program such as Sibelius. Additionally you can submit the Sibelius file, if you have used that software.
- A Microsoft Word Document (.docx). The document must use 12 point Times New Roman font; 1.5 spacing for the body of the assignment; and must adhere to the CQUniversity APA Style Guide.
*The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Week 10 Monday (17 May 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021)
- Melodic phrasing matches the lyrics (15%)
- Melody has a good sense of balance and shape (15%)
- Melody reflects the harmonic progression (10%)
- Harmonic progression is coherent (10%)
- Lead-sheet presentation (5%)
- Discussion is considered, reflective, and complete (35%)
- Accuracy of spelling, punctuation and grammar; clarity of writing style (5%)
- Appropriate word count (5%)
- Describe the various forms and structures of lyrics for songs in contemporary popular styles
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
3 Written Assessment
You are to submit a creative portfolio of your own work during this unit. The folio is to consist of:
- One song composed for the unit which is to be notated as a lead-sheet. The song should be approximately 3-5 minutes in length and recorded with vocals and accompaniment
- A Reflective Journal (approx. 1,500–2,000 words*) describing the creative process behind the song and reflecting on any issues encountered along the way. The journal may have weekly or daily dated entries and must include reflection, interpretation, evaluation, conclusions and opinions.
Assessment submission and presentation
You must submit:
- A Reflective Journal in PDF format. This can either be typed or include hand-written entries which are scanned. Your journal can also include diagrams, pictures and drafts of your song - detailing the song writing process. Your name and student number must appear on the first page of your PDF.
- A lead sheet of your song. This may be created on a music notation program (e.g. Sibelius) or by hand and scanned. This should be in PDF format and can be included at the end of you Reflective Journal as an appendix.
- A recording of your song (mp3 or wav format). Your song should be sung (not necessarily by you) with accompaniment. You will not be marked on the quality of the recording, but the content of the song.
*The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Review/Exam Week Thursday (10 June 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Returned to students at the end of the term.
Song
- Song displays coherence and unity (8%)
- Song sections are appropriate and effective (5%)
- Construction of appropriate song narrative (5%)
- Suitable and appropriate word usage and poetic devices (5%)
- Contextually appropriate harmony (10%)
- Musical and technically informed melody (10%)
- Accuracy of the lead sheet (5%)
- Lead sheet presentation (5%)
- Meeting delivery requirements (2%)
Reflective Journal
- Narrative of song development process (15%)
- Reflection on songwriting process (20%)
- Accuracy of spelling, punctuation and grammar; clarity of writing style (5%)
- Meeting delivery requirements (presentation, word count*) (5%)
- Apply the skills associated with writing lyrics and music in the composition of your own song in a contemporary popular style.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
