If f you choose this option, you will need to write a term paper of approximately 10 pages, double-spaced, with appropriate footnotes and bibliography.
This is an actual research paper, and should be treated as such. Therefore, you need to use actual academic resources, NOT internet articles, unless they are reprints of articles from reputable sources; since this is popular music, your sources will be different than if this were "classical" music. If you have a question on the suitability of your source, please feel free to ask me! Your textbook may only be one of your sources. Since the question usually arises, you should have at least 4- 5 sources of your information.
Remember, a good paper is one that has a thesis; that is, a point of view or perspective. In other words, your paper needs to answer a question, or makes a point that you prove through your research and writing.
I will take into account your writing in this assignment, and I will also run it through Turnitin.com to make sure that it has not been plagiarized.
Please use the Chicago Manual of Style type of footnoting and bibliography (must include separate bibliography), NOT APA formatting. There are plenty of sources online to check appropriate style.
Your topic should be something that could have been covered in this semester's study; looking back through your text will give you plenty of ideas for topics. Please do NOT write a biography of a particular artist, or give a run-down of all the songs they did, in what years. That isn't a research paper.