Compose a well-written historical post, biographical study, or embed a well edited short film on any topic of your choosing within the theme of Western music, focusing on the following general time period:

• The birth of the Age of Enlightenment

You may document a specific topic area covered in class, or you can do your research on a musical tradition not mentioned within the purview of this course. The idea behind the RBP is that students will spend time researching, engaging, and delving into topics in greater individual detail, using their own creative analysis and relevant historical precedent to present a topic that can be communicated in an interesting and concise format.

The format and structure of each RBP must be framed after a well composed Internet article. The content of the post should be well researched, well organized, well told, and substantially framed. Each post should be 750 words; it should contain sources and embedded media that helps frame the narrative. If the post is a “vlog” post, the video should be uploaded by the student to YouTube and embedded in their RBP reply after an introductory sentence or two. Video posts should be no fewer than 5 minutes and no more than 10 minutes in length, they should contain closing source credits, and demonstrate the student’s developing skill in video editing in order to be assessed.

Use sources and indexes in our library, campus database, and on the Internet (such as Google scholar, Grove music online, RILM, JSTOR, and so on) to research topics and prepare your synopsis and post. Include sources (such as quotes and links to source material) or you will receive no credit for your post.

Nota Bene: It is a good practice (especially if you have a variable Internet connection) to compose your extra research assignments in Google Drive or other similar office software while you are developing your assignment. When you are satisfied that your extra research is ready to be posted, copy and paste your text into canvas at that time. This will ensure that you do not inadvertently lose your work if you are disconnected while working in canvas.