Music Therapy and Parkinsons-How Does Musical Intervention I

1. Find something that really interests you about music as it relates to the brain. This could be anything on the class syllabus (disabilities, music perception, therapeutic uses, effects on the body or mind, etc.), or another topic you find fascinating. If you can find a bunch of peer-reviewed sources to support a potential thesis for your paper, it’s a good sign!

2. Write your RESEARCH QUESTION (e.g., How does pre-recorded music help to alleviate symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?) and state a thesis. Support your ideas with at least 7 peer-reviewed sources.

As a preview, here is my Paper Grading Rubric for this class:

1.) States a clear thesis

SCALE

1 (unacceptable)

2 (needs work: thesis may be somewhat confusing, overly simplistic, or not fully germane to the subject matter)

3 (acceptable)

4 (thesis shows above average nuance, perception, and/or originality)

5 (outstanding—the qualities of a “4” taken further)

2.) Locates sufficient sources and assesses reliability and position of those sources SCALE

1 (unacceptable—sources not cited or used properly. The arguments put forward in the sources may be misrepresented or misunderstood.)

2 (There may some confusion about separating the student’s own voice from the opinions and statements in the source material. The arguments in the source material may be understood in a simplified or incomplete sense.)

3 (acceptable – clear and consistent citation style, e.g., APA)

4 (Each source is cited at appropriate length for the purpose at hand; there are sufficient sources to make the argument convincing. The student fully understands the material from the sources and also assesses the reliability of sources and/or the positions of the authors, to place the sources in context.)

5 (outstanding—the qualities of “4” taken further)

3.) Organizes ideas clearly into a coherent argument

SCALE:

1 (unacceptable; writing makes path of ideas very hard to follow, not edited, not thought through; grammar and syntax may be poor, contributing to confusion)

2 (The argument may jump back and forth or be otherwise hard to follow, may be somewhat redundant, etc.),

3 (acceptable)

4 (Paragraphs are well-organized internally and clearly connected to each other; writing and argument flows well; it is clear when reading details how they relate to broader argument)

5 (outstanding—all qualities of 4, with forceful and nuanced writing. The paper shows a true command over the material and how it all fits together.)

Other writing/grading considerations: You should be applying all of the scientific literacy and critical thinking concepts we have covered in class. Among other things, this means choosing and analyzing your sources carefully, e.g., your paper should have at least 7 peer-reviewed sources. You will most likely want to put some sources into conversation with each other (compare and contrast their methods, conclusions, assumptions, etc.) Although your thesis should be specific and clear, do not be afraid to develop your argument with plenty of nuance.

Rubric ^
-touch upon brain chemistry (oxytocin etc) and relationship with music
-cover different areas of growth (ability/mentality, physical improvement/control, etc)
-must use 7 PEER REVIEWED sources
Some sources to get you started:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369551/

https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/Abstract/2000/05000/Active_Music_Therapy_in_Parkinson_s_Disease__An.12.aspx