music research proposal example

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Writing a research proposal

Your research proposal.

Your proposal should be 2,000 words (excluding bibliography) and will be assessed on the following criteria:

• The original, rigour and significance of the proposed project
• Skills, experience and characteristics required to pursue that project
• Alignment of the project with areas of supervisory expertise 
• The candidate’s preparedness for doctoral study

This means that your proposal needs to persuade us that your research will generate new insights in your chosen field of study, through appropriately rigorous research. Although your proposal is not ‘set in stone’, the best proposals are focussed and specific. A good proposal will also demonstrate that you already have some expertise in the area – and that you’re passionate about it.

Structuring your research proposal

A common format for a title is a ‘catchy’ phrase, followed by a fuller explanation of the research. As we consider research on a range of topics, please use your title to define your field and discipline.

Provide a short overview of the field you are researching. You should refer to key publications and, where relevant, artistic practice and policy on this topic. Be as specific as possible in identifying influences or debates you wish to engage with (but keep it an overview – don’t start writing the thesis). The point of this section is to identify the gap or problem in current knowledge that your research will fill.

Research aims and questions

Explain what is required to address the gap or problem and how your research will contribute to this. A common strategy is to summarize these aims as a series of research questions – usually one main question and two sub-questions. Craft your questions so than answering them generates new knowledge.

Research design & methodology

Explain the methods you will use to answer your research questions. Include the methods you will use to generate new data (for example, observations of your own or other people’s artistic practice, artistic experiments, surveys and so on), but you should also outline the particular disciplinary, theoretical, philosophical or conceptual framework that frames your project. Once it is clear what you are doing, include a short explanation of why this is the most appropriate approach. Show that you have anticipated potential issues of access, validity or ethics.

Summarise what new insights, data or perspectives will be produced as a result of your research. Explain why it is important, and for what communities.

Bibliography

A strong bibliography demonstrates that you have a good sense of existing literature. Include all the sources you reference in the proposal. If you would like to add others, put them under a separate heading (eg ‘additional sources’).

Download a template:

Find out more, postgraduate research applications.

Find out more about the application process and entry criteria for postgraduate research at Guildhall School.

Funding a research degree

Learn more about funding a research degree.

Current postgraduate researchers

Learn more about the current postgraduate research projects we support.

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5 Writing a Research Proposal

• Published: June 2024
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Writing a research proposal is the subject of chapter 5, which explores what a research proposal is, why it is important, and what it contains. Each element in a proposal is discussed in some detail: title page; project title; table of contents; lists of tables, figures, and musical examples; abstract; introduction; hypothesis or research question; literature review; aims and rationale; anticipated outcomes; significance; methodology; structure of the thesis; timeline; ethics clearance; budget; bibliography/reference list; footnotes and endnotes; and appendices. Three exercises are included in this chapter. Exercise 1 is a class debate on the provocative topic, “Practice - based research in music is a fraud.” Exercise 2 is concerned with abstract writing. Exercise 3 involves the critical evaluation of an existing research proposal.

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• A Research Guide
• Research Paper Topics

120 Music Research Paper Topics

How to choose a topic for music research paper:.

Music Theory Research Paper Topics:

• The influence of harmonic progression on emotional response in music
• Analyzing the use of chromaticism in the compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach
• The role of rhythm and meter in creating musical tension and release
• Examining the development of tonality in Western classical music
• Exploring the impact of cultural and historical context on musical form and structure
• Investigating the use of polyphony in Renaissance choral music
• Analyzing the compositional techniques of minimalist music
• The relationship between melody and harmony in popular music
• Examining the influence of jazz improvisation on contemporary music
• The role of counterpoint in the compositions of Ludwig van Beethoven
• Investigating the use of microtonality in experimental music
• Analyzing the impact of technology on music composition and production
• The influence of musical modes on the development of different musical genres
• Exploring the use of musical symbolism in film scoring
• Investigating the role of music theory in the analysis and interpretation of non-Western music

Music Industry Research Paper Topics:

• The impact of streaming services on music consumption patterns
• The role of social media in promoting and marketing music
• The effects of piracy on the music industry
• The influence of technology on music production and distribution
• The relationship between music and mental health
• The evolution of music genres and their impact on the industry
• The economics of live music events and festivals
• The role of record labels in shaping the music industry
• The impact of globalization on the music industry
• The representation and portrayal of gender in the music industry
• The effects of music streaming platforms on artist revenue
• The role of music education in fostering talent and creativity
• The influence of music videos on audience perception and engagement
• The impact of music streaming on physical album sales
• The role of music in advertising and brand marketing

Music Therapy Research Paper Topics:

• The effectiveness of music therapy in reducing anxiety in cancer patients
• The impact of music therapy on improving cognitive function in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease
• Exploring the use of music therapy in managing chronic pain
• The role of music therapy in promoting emotional well-being in children with autism spectrum disorder
• Music therapy as a complementary treatment for depression: A systematic review
• The effects of music therapy on stress reduction in pregnant women
• Examining the benefits of music therapy in improving communication skills in individuals with developmental disabilities
• The use of music therapy in enhancing motor skills rehabilitation after stroke
• Music therapy interventions for improving sleep quality in patients with insomnia
• Exploring the impact of music therapy on reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• The role of music therapy in improving social interaction and engagement in individuals with schizophrenia
• Music therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing symptoms of dementia
• The effects of music therapy on pain perception and opioid use in hospitalized patients
• Exploring the use of music therapy in promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety during surgical procedures
• The impact of music therapy on improving quality of life in individuals with Parkinson’s disease

Music Psychology Research Paper Topics:

• The effects of music on mood and emotions
• The role of music in enhancing cognitive abilities
• The impact of music therapy on mental health disorders
• The relationship between music and memory recall
• The influence of music on stress reduction and relaxation
• The psychological effects of different genres of music
• The role of music in promoting social bonding and cohesion
• The effects of music on creativity and problem-solving abilities
• The psychological benefits of playing a musical instrument
• The impact of music on motivation and productivity
• The psychological effects of music on physical exercise performance
• The role of music in enhancing learning and academic performance
• The influence of music on sleep quality and patterns
• The psychological effects of music on individuals with autism spectrum disorder
• The relationship between music and personality traits

Music Education Research Paper Topics:

• The impact of music education on cognitive development in children
• The effectiveness of incorporating technology in music education
• The role of music education in promoting social and emotional development
• The benefits of music education for students with special needs
• The influence of music education on academic achievement
• The importance of music education in fostering creativity and innovation
• The relationship between music education and language development
• The impact of music education on self-esteem and self-confidence
• The role of music education in promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity
• The effects of music education on students’ overall well-being and mental health
• The significance of music education in developing critical thinking skills
• The role of music education in enhancing students’ teamwork and collaboration abilities
• The impact of music education on students’ motivation and engagement in school
• The effectiveness of different teaching methods in music education
• The relationship between music education and career opportunities in the music industry

Music History Research Paper Topics:

• The influence of African music on the development of jazz in the United States
• The role of women composers in classical music during the 18th century
• The impact of the Beatles on the evolution of popular music in the 1960s
• The cultural significance of hip-hop music in urban communities
• The development of opera in Italy during the Renaissance
• The influence of folk music on the protest movements of the 1960s
• The role of music in religious rituals and ceremonies throughout history
• The evolution of electronic music and its impact on contemporary music production
• The contribution of Latin American musicians to the development of salsa music
• The influence of classical music on film scores in the 20th century
• The role of music in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States
• The development of reggae music in Jamaica and its global impact
• The influence of Mozart’s compositions on the classical music era
• The role of music in the French Revolution and its impact on society
• The evolution of punk rock music and its influence on alternative music genres

Music Sociology Research Paper Topics:

• The impact of music streaming platforms on the music industry
• The role of music in shaping cultural identity
• Gender representation in popular music: A sociological analysis
• The influence of social media on music consumption patterns
• Music festivals as spaces for social interaction and community building
• The relationship between music and political activism
• The effects of globalization on local music scenes
• The role of music in constructing and challenging social norms
• The impact of technology on music production and distribution
• Music and social movements: A comparative study
• The role of music in promoting social change and social justice
• The influence of socioeconomic factors on music taste and preferences
• The role of music in constructing and reinforcing gender stereotypes
• The impact of music education on social and cognitive development
• The relationship between music and mental health: A sociological perspective

Classical Music Research Paper Topics:

• The influence of Ludwig van Beethoven on the development of classical music
• The role of women composers in classical music history
• The impact of Johann Sebastian Bach’s compositions on future generations
• The evolution of opera in the classical period
• The significance of Mozart’s symphonies in the classical era
• The influence of nationalism on classical music during the Romantic period
• The portrayal of emotions in classical music compositions
• The use of musical forms and structures in the works of Franz Joseph Haydn
• The impact of the Industrial Revolution on the production and dissemination of classical music
• The relationship between classical music and dance in the Baroque era
• The role of patronage in the development of classical music
• The influence of folk music on classical composers
• The representation of nature in classical music compositions
• The impact of technological advancements on classical music performance and recording
• The exploration of polyphony in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach

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Dma topic proposal guidelines and materials.

Table of Contents

1. General Definition of the DMA Document

2. General Definition of the DMA Topic Proposal

3. The Required DMA Topic Pre-Proposal

4. Submitting a DMA Topic Proposal

5. Required Sections for all DMA Topic Proposals

6. General Information

7. Internal Resources

8. Selected Resources

Your DMA final project involves three mandatory documents: a Pre-Proposal, a Topic Proposal, and a final written document. 

The Graduate Performance Degree Committee (GPDC) is charged with ensuring that all doctoral documents reflect the highest standards of musicianship, scholarly relevance, and academic responsibility.  As part of its regular duties, the committee reviews and approves the first two documents. The student's doctoral advisory committee reviews and approves the final document, which is then submitted to the director of graduate studies and the Toulouse Graduate School.

The purpose of the Pre-Proposal is to enable the Graduate Performance Degree Committee to evaluate the feasibility of a topic chosen by the student.

The purpose of the DMA Topic Proposal is to enable the Graduate Performance Degree Committee to evaluate the methodology and scholarly significance of the proposed project.

1. The DMA Dissertation

The DMA dissertation is a series of credits encompassing all required recitals (MUGC 6951-MUGC 6954) plus the written document. The final written document will represent original specialized research and an advanced level of musicianship. Successful documents will define a clear and focused topic and articulate an original and supportable argument regarding that topic. The document will be conceived as a scholarly contribution to the chosen field. Before submitting a DMA Topic Proposal, the student should: 

1. Complete sufficient work on the project to define a topic

2. Articulate a purpose and supporting reasons

3. Submit a Pre-Proposal to the Graduate Performance Degree Committee (see guidelines below)

4. Complete the Copyright module in Canvas at canvas.unt.edu

5. Write the Topic Proposal in consultation with the Advisory Committee (see guidelines below)

6. Submit the Proposal to the Graduate Performance Degree Committee

There are three possible formats for the final paper: • Lecture/recital performance based on a submitted critical essay of no less than 6,250 words  • Lecture presentation based on a submitted critical essay of no less than 10,000 words  • A submitted thesis document of no less than 25,000 words 

Based on the format that you have selected for your doctoral document, one or more of these research methodologies may be appropriate: • Critical edition or transcription with introduction and critical commentary • Historical musicology • Music pedagogy • Music theory and analysis • Performance guide • Entrepreneurship • Scientific method as it applies to performance, including music and medicine • Other

Important information

Fair use of copyrighted materials: if your project uses copyrighted materials, it is your task to request the required permissions.  This is the case, for example if you wish to use extended musical examples taken from a piece published after 1923.

Helpful Resources

UNT's guidelines on fair use  (UNT Library)

Copyright Quick Reference Guide  (UNT Library)

Exceptions & Defenses to Copyright Infringement  (CLEAR)

Our resident campus expert in this area is the Head of the Music Library, Susannah Cleveland.  You can reach out to her with any questions at [email protected] .

Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval : Students planning to conduct interviews as part of their research must obtain the required approval for their projects from the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects (IRB) before proceeding with the interviews.  See  Guidelines for Interviewing for more information on interviewing human subjects. Any topic involving human subjects must have IRB approval. The first step toward this process for College of Music students is to fill out the Proposed Human Subjects Research Assessment form . Further information can be found on the IRB website.

The Proposed Human Subjects Research Assessment form  should be filed in between Pre-Proposal and Proposal submission. Most Proposals no longer require full IRB approval beyond this form.  However, it is the responsibility of the student and their Advisory Committee to determine what IRB permissions are required for a particular project. Dissertations requesting interviews are most often exempt after this form is filed. Projects of a statistical nature or those involving classroom observations, surveys or long range studies with human subjects will need full IRB approval. Your Topic Proposal must include proof of IRB approval in progress and other interview-related materials.

2. The Required DMA Pre-Proposal

The required Topic Pre-Proposal is a one-page, single-spaced document that includes: 1) the proposal title and topic; 2) a one-paragraph purpose statement; and 3) a minimum one-paragraph rationale statement about the project. Commitee members must receive a student's pre-proposal at least one week prior to the submission date.  Two weeks is preferable to respect the time constraints of faculty members.  Pre-proposal submissions are to be uploaded electronically via the College of Music Graduate Studies Organization, which is accessible on Canvas . The student must submit a signed electronic  Pre-Proposal Submission Form to the Graduate Studies Organization on Canvas. Topic pre-proposals are due at 12:00pm (noon) on the third Monday of each month before the Graduate Performance Degree Committee meeting during long semesters. The GPDC reviews Pre-Proposals on the fourth Monday of each month during long semesters.  Students will be informed of the Committee's decision within one week of the GPDC meeting.

3. The Required DMA Topic Proposal

Successful Topic Proposals outline the final DMA document, presenting a cogent argument, demonstrating the project’s contribution to existing scholarship, identifying the evidence and methods that will be used to support the argument, and displaying the author’s competence with English prose style and organization. The sections required in all DMA Topic Proposals ensure that these goals are met; see below for detailed descriptions of each section. It is essential that the topic and the argument be clearly defined and that everything included in any section of the Topic Proposal be explicitly related to the topic. Since irrelevant evidence or methodology weakens a Topic Proposal, the following items should be omitted unless they pertain directly to the central argument of the project: excessive biographical information regarding composers, and summaries of music history during a given period. Since the intended reader of the Topic Proposal is a scholar or expert, avoid the style or content of program notes. Students planning to conduct interviews as part of their research must provide evidence of contact with each interviewee (such as email correspondence agreeing to the interview) as well as sample questions.

Students should circulate their Topic Proposals multiple times to all members of their Advisory Committee before submission to the Graduate Performance Degree Committee. Topic Proposals are to be uploaded electronically via the College of Music Graduate Studies Organization, which is accessible on Canvas . The student must also electronically submit the Topic Proposal Submission Form to the Graduate Studies Office. Proposals and Topic Proposal Submission Forms are due by 12:00pm (noon)   on the third Monday prior to the GPDC meeting during long semesters. The GPDC meets on the fourth Monday of the month during long semesters. The GPDC will not consider Topic Proposals during the summer. DMA students will be allowed three submissions of the Topic Proposal. If a student's proposal is not accepted by the GPDC the third time, the student will be required to begin an academic review process with the director of graduate studies, the major professor and the chair of the GPDC. The goal of this academic review is to create a course of action that will allow the student to successfully move forward in the process. The outcome of each academic review will be different; there is no prescribed path. (Note: the GPDC offers a Topic Proposal workshop every semester on how to successfully create a doctoral document topic proposal.) A topic proposal may be submitted before the qualifying examinations have been passed.

The following six sections are required in all DMA Topic Proposals. Please review the examples available in the Graduate Studies Office which defines the sections required for the proposal. The sections on “Significance and State of Research” and “Purpose” may occasionally be reordered or combined, as long as the central goals of each section are met.

• Title Page : The title page should follow the correct form for documents submitted to the University of North Texas (see samples below in 7. Internal Resources). The title should describe the scope and methodology of the project in as few words as possible. Determine the key concepts and methods of the study before attempting to form a title (e.g. manuscript, analysis, statistical, survey, edition, etc) and include all committee member names on the title page.
• Purpose : The purpose is usually posed as a problem to be solved, an issue to be resolved, a question to be answered, or an anomaly to be explained. It should culminate in a statement of your argument, even if that argument is still provisional. The statement of purpose should be justified by the Significance and State of Research.
• Significance and State of Research : Significance and State of Research  can be combined into a single section or separated into two sections. The Significance section must establish the context for the project and define the topic of the project.  Additionally, this section should also present any background information necessary for understanding the project. The State of Research section consists of a systematic literature review. This section is a common feature of all doctoral proposals and documents.  In order to argue convincingly that a given topic is significant, that a new approach is necessary, or that new evidence should be brought to bear, one must include a summary of previous research. The purpose of this section in both the Topic Proposal and doctoral document is to identify the salient literature on a given subject and to appraise it so as to justify the need for the current study. Research included should represent a variety of bibliographic formats, including (but not limited to): articles in journals and periodicals, scholarly books, scores, recordings, and editions both practical and scholarly. Under certain circumstances, articles in scholarly encyclopedias such the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians could also be included.  Do not claim that nothing has been written about a given topic. Even if a particular musical work or problem has largely escaped scholarly attention, the methods and findings of scholarship addressing related works or problems are relevant to the inquiry and should be addressed in this section.
• Method : This section explains in detail how the research will be undertaken. The methods described must support the statement of purpose; that is, they must display the potential of solving the problem, resolving the issue, answering the question, or explaining the anomaly that is the focus of the Topic Proposal. The methodology chosen must reflect the concerns of the scholarly field(s) appropriate to the project. Some projects may require a combination of methods and contribute to multiple fields. • Critical editions or transcriptions require descriptions of the source materials used and an account of the methods used in critical decision making. • Historical musicology research requires an account of the primary documents or other sources that will be used as evidence and an explanation of the interpretive method(s) that will be applied to that evidence. • Music pedagogy or other research involving experimental methods requires a comprehensive account of the proposed experiment(s). • Theoretical or analytic projects must identify what music will be analyzed and identify appropriate analytical method(s) for that music; in addition, the analytical method(s) must be demonstrated by means of specific examples, including musical excerpts. • Performance guides must identify the technical or musical challenges posed by the chosen repertoire and present an account of the methods used to solve the problems. For more details, please see the Guidelines for Performance Guides later in this document. •  Research involving experimental methods requires a comprehensive account of the proposed experiment(s). Topics requiring scientific research should demonstrate competence with the statistical and/or scientific methods to be used. In addition, include an account of the experiment to be conducted. You must obtain the necessary approval from the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects (IRB) before conducting these interviews. See Guidelines for Interviewing for more information on interviewing human subjects. As a rule, interviews should not be used in lieu of source, analytical, or experimental research. Final project(s) primarily based on interviews will be approved on a case-by-case basis, upon successful demonstration of the project's need for source interviews. Students planning to conduct interviews as part of their research must add the following items to their proposals: • Proof of submission of the Proposed Human Subjects Research Assessment form for IRB approval; • Evidence of contact with each interviewee; • Sample interview questions.
• Tentative Chapter Headings : This portion of the proposal should consist of chapter numbers and their proposed titles in the form of an outline similar to a table of contents. The outline should be as detailed as possible, particularly when theoretical analysis is included (“Analysis of Movement Four” is not sufficiently specific). It is highly recommended that the Topic Proposal also include a prose description of the content of each chapter.
• Bibliography : The goal of the bibliography is to include all of the relevant literature significant to the topic at hand, regardless of whether the items are cited in the project. The organization of the bibliography evolves from its length: extensive bibliographies frequently divide their entries into categories (books, articles, scores, etc.), while shorter bibliographies do not. Citations to textbooks or shorthand reference works (such as Grout/Palisca/Burkholder’s A History of Western Music or Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians) are not appropriate, but citations to scholarly literature, relevant editions, and/or primary source material are required. Depending upon the nature and scope of the project, a discography may also be relevant. Any literature referred to in the Topic Proposal must be cited in the bibliography as well.

Topic Proposal Format, Length, and Style

The Proposal should be submitted in double spaced, 12-point, Times New Roman or similar font with standard margins. Citation throughout the Proposal should comprise footnotes or endnotes presented according to the guidelines provided in Turabian or Wingell and Herzog (see Selected Resources, below). Any source referred to in the Topic Proposal must be cited in the body of the proposal itself as well as in the Bibliography. All musical examples or imported images should be reproduced in high quality scans (300 dpi or higher). The Topic Proposal as a whole should consist of 10-15 single-sided pages (excluding bibliography, musical examples, pictures and appendices.)  Do not exceed 15 pages . The Topic Proposal should demonstrate your familiarity with and capability of producing scholarly prose in English. Its tone should be impersonal and unbiased. Its grammar and syntax should be free from error, and its overall structure should be clear and easy to follow. A highly recommended method of editing is to read the Proposal aloud to yourself or to another person. For detailed accounts of effective prose style, consider Strunk and White, Wingell, and Wingell and Herzog (see Selected Resources, below).

Important:  • In order to avoid plagiarism, make sure to include a source citation for every borrowed idea and every piece of information that you use; • Footnotes and bibliographic entries must be formatted according to Turabian "N" and "B" guidelines, including line spacing, paragraph identation, and separation.

Guidelines for Critical Editions and Transcriptions Critical editions are editions of music that take into account all known primary sources of the piece in question. They include a critical report in which all editorial decisions are explained and documented in a way that users of the edition can reconstruct the editorial process and form their own opinion on the editor’s choices. Critical editions should also feature an introduction in which the sources are introduced and evaluated and the piece is discussed in the context of its time and evaluated for its historical importance. Critical editions should be clearly distinguished from performance editions, which serve a different purpose and use a different methodology. DMA candidates electing to undertake a critical edition for their document should make sure to meet the following criteria: • Be thoroughly familiar with the methodology of critical editing, and be able to distinguish between different types of editions (critical edition, study edition, performance edition, etc.). Study secondary literature on editing, and examine existing critical editions as examples for method and mode of presentation. • Have a clear and well-argued reason for the need of a critical edition of the piece in question. Reasons might include the discovery of hitherto unknown sources, or the historical importance of the piece paired with the fact that no satisfactory edition of the piece exists (be aware that the mere unavailability of an edition on the internet or in UNT’s library does not suffice as a reason). • Have access to all primary sources needed for a critical edition; and be aware of any potential copyright problems that may arise with music written after ca. 1880 (attention: the composer’s consent may not be sufficient). • Incorporate elements of performing editions only in certain, well-argued cases (for instance, if discussing historical performance practice and having found primary sources pertaining directly to performance practice of the piece in question). Proposals should reflect thorough consideration of all these points.

Recommended literature : Grier, James. The Critical Editing of Music: History, Method, and Practice . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Recommended sample editions : Monteverdi, Claudio. Vespro della Beata Vergine . Edited by Hendrik Schulze and others. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2013. Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel. Works . Issued in cooperation with the Bach-Archiv Leipzig, the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, and Harvard University. Los Altos, CA: Packard Humanities Institute, 2005- (all available volumes).

Recommended classes : MUMH 5010; MUMH 5030; MUMH classes (seminars) that specifically teach editorial practice (may be offered from time to time on the 5000- and 6000-levels).

Guidelines for Historical Musicology Projects Historical musicology is the study of music in its historical contexts. Methods used include source critique, musical analysis, iconography, organology, semiotics, and hermeneutics. Special interests may include sociology of music, aesthetics, gender theory, performance practice, history of ideas, or anthropology/cultural theory. Research in historical musicology involves a thorough study of both primary and secondary sources, often from widely different areas. Primary sources include scores and parts, images, recordings, textual sources such as librettos, letters, reports, reviews, financial accounts, treatises or biographies, musical instruments, and performance venues.) In order to maintain a professional, scientific, and fair discourse, it is of particular importance to meticulously reference all the material used whenever possible; texts must be extensively footnoted and include a detailed bibliography. DMA candidates electing to undertake a project in the area of Historical Musicology for their document should make sure to meet the following criteria: • Have an original and relevant thesis, as well as a strategy and methodology for effectively proving or disproving the thesis. • Be thoroughly familiar with the methodology to be used. • Be aware of the scope of the project in terms of source material and source availability. • Make sure to understand related issues discussed in the field by thoroughly reviewing recent secondary literature. Proposals should reflect thorough consideration of all these points.

Recommended literature: Cook, Nicholas. “What is musicology?” BBC Magazine 7 (1999), 31-33. Sampsel, Laurie J. Music Research. A Handbook . Second Edition. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.

Recommended classes : MUMH 5010; MUMH 5020; MUMH 5030; any 6000-level MUMH seminar.

Guidelines for Music Theory and Analysis Projects Music Theory and Analysis projects are used when a work or collection of works presents a challenging analytical or interpretive problem that requires careful score analysis.  Proposals for analytical dissertations must identify the pieces, the analytical question, and the analytical method that will be used. Possible methods include, among others, formal analysis, voice-leading reduction (i.e., Schenkerian analysis), motivic relationships, set-class analysis, cues for post-1900 pitch centricity, analysis of pitch collections, metric and hypermetric analysis, or some combination of these. The proposal must contain specific examples of analysis, with accompanying musical excerpts.

Appropriate topics for Performance Guides include, but are not limited to: • Comparison of selected works • Discussion of the influence of one composer on another, as uncovered through score study • Exploration of the style of a lesser-known composer or work, as uncovered through an appropriate analytical method • Discussion of the style of a contemporary composer, as uncovered through score study and an appropriate analytical method • Exploration of the relationship between analysis and performance

Recommended classes : MUTH 5355, MUTH 5360, MUTH 5370 (Analytical Techniques I - III), MUTH 5375 (Analytical Techniques for Popular Music), MUTH 5510 (Form Analysis), MUTH 6680 (Theory Proseminar), MUTH 5380 (Schenkerian Analysis), MUTH 6660, MUTH 6670 (History of Music Theory I-II, and MUTH 6700, MUTH 6710 (Analytical Systems I-II).

Guidelines for Performance Guides Performance Guides explore cases in which genuine complexities arise in the relationship between musical notation and the moment of performance. They merge score study with contextual investigation of musical styles and performance practices in order to aid contemporary performers in the thoughtful and informed presentation of a musical work. Program notes do not constitute a performance guide.

Appropriate topics for Performance Guides include: • Transcription of notation of earlier centuries into modern notation for modern instruments • Performance of compositions that borrow from non-Western or vernacular performance styles, or that call for realization on Western instruments of sounds, timbres, or styles typical of non-Western instruments • Explanation of how non-traditional notation in works of recent decades is to be performed • In the case of aleatoric music, or other music requiring improvisation, explaining how to assess the musical effectiveness of one or more realizations • Notation of improvisatory techniques used by masters of a performance idiom, so that the improvisatory character might be realized by a contemporary performer. This might include Baroque improvisation, ragas, etc. for which recordings exist but no musical notation has been published • Discussion of simplifications of scores requiring extreme virtuosity • Discussion of various existing manuscripts of a composition, or of the relative merits of various editions

Guidelines for Music Pedagogy Projects: Teaching Guides and Teaching Methodologies Teaching Guides consist in the analysis of a work or repertory for the purpose of teaching it to students. This type of project could include a theoretical model for teaching and a standard for ascertaining difficulty level that is appropriate to the instrument. You should provide a clear methodology for how you will undertake this work, and how it differs from existing work. Teaching Methodologies consist in the analysis of a teaching method or of a pedagogical approach to a topic, conducted through interviews, observations, or surveys. For these projects, IRB approval may be required.

Guidelines for Performing Arts Health Projects Performing Arts Health (PAH) is a broad discipline that considers the health and wellbeing of individuals involved with the performing arts. For students pursuing the DMA degree, PAH dissertaton proposals are primarily focused on an applied topic related to the physical, auditory, vocal, and/or the mental health of people involved with learning and performing music.  Topics are wide-ranging and likely to involve biopsychosocial, developmental, and prevention-oriented perspectives.  The scholarship of integration is typically deployed in order to draw upon various theories and research methodologies from the social and behavioral sciences, health-related disciplines, education, and STEM fields. DMA candidates electing to undertake a dissertation project in the area of Performing Arts Health should meet the following criteria: • Have a rationale that is based on previously published research that justifies the current need and direction of an original idea. • Understand the scope of a project in terms of required resources, resource availability, required training and responsibilities for conducting research with human subjects, and related timelines. • Have an established working relationship with appropriate faculty members that are committed to serving as dissertation committee advisors. It is most likely that students writing a doctoral project in PAH will have completed the Performing Arts Health related field.

Recommended classes : Completed related field in Performing Arts Health; MUPH 5000, MUPH 5012, MUPH 5014, MUPH 5016, MUPH 6010

Guidelines for Music and Entrepreneurship Projects DMA Projects in the field of entrepreneurship will explore topics related to music entrepreneurship, arts administration and management, business, communication, networking, leadership, marketing, and additional subjects relevant to music careers.

Recommended classes : Completed DMA related field in Music Entrepreneurship; MUCE 5000 (Music Business and Entrepreneurship), MUCE 5010 (Seminar in Music Entrepreneurship), MUCE 5020 (Seminar in Performing Arts Management), MUCE 5030 (Practicum in Music Entrepreneurship/Performing Arts Management). This course is offered for variable credit, which will allow students to fulfill the requirement over as many as three semester).

Guidelines for Professional Portfolio (4th option - Project in Lieu of Dissertation)

DMA Projects in the field - link to guidelines

7. Internal Resources

DMA Style Guides

Samples of Approved Topic Proposals

• Iron Sharpens Iron: Duets for Two Women in the Teaching/Instruction of Undergraduate Women
• A Performance Edition of the Alessandro Rolla Concerto in F, Op 4
• The Evolution of Ella Fitzgerald's Syllabic Choice in Scat Syllables: A Critical Analysis of Her Decca Recordings
• Pieces of 9/11: Memories from Houston by Jake Heggie
• Jean Sibelius's Compositional Style 1899/1903: A Comparative Analysis of The Orchestral and Piano Versions of Finlandia
• The Influence of Adolf von Henselt on Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Comparative Analysis of Henselt's Piano Concerto Op. 16 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto Op. 18
• An Analysis of Dave Holland's Improvisational Constructs and Their Pedagogical Applications in Avant-Garde Performance
• Utilizing Standard Violin Orchestral Excerpts as a Pedagogical Tool: A New Analytical Study Guide with Functional Exercises for Each Excerpt
• A Concept-Based Pedagogy Approach to Selected Unaccompanied Clarinet Repertoire
• Pedagogical Wealth in the Clarinet Quartets of Yvonne Desportes
• Beyond the Binary: Gender and Cross-Cultural Identify in the Life and Choral Works of Reena Esmail

Topic Proposal and 4th Option - Project in Lieu of Dissertation Workshop Video

Office of Research Consulting

DMA Proposal Assessment Criteria

8. Selected Literature

Bolker, Joan.  Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis . New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1998.

Comer, Denise K. and G. Garett, It's Just a Dissertation!: The Irreverent Guide to Transforming Your Dissertation from Daunting…to Doable…to Done.  Southlake, TX: Fountainhead Press, 2014.

Graff, Gerald and C. Birkenstein.  "They Say/I Say": The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing , 3rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2014.

Harris, Joseph.  Rewriting: How to do Things with Texts . Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 2006. 

Holoman, D. Kern. Writing About Music: A Style Sheet from the Editors of 19th-Century Music . Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.

Ogden, Evelyn Hunt. Completing Your Doctoral Dissertation or Master’s Thesis in Two Semesters or Less . Lancaster: Technomic Publishing Company, 1993.

Sampsel, Laurie J. Music Research. A Handbook . Second Edition. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.

Strunk, William, and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2000.

Turabian, Kate. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers . Rev. Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, and University of Chicago Press editorial staff. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.

Wingell, Richard. Writing About Music: An Introductory Guide . 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002. (4th ed., 2009).

Zinsser, William.  On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction.  New York: Harper Collins, 2006.

Research Proposal Writing for Fine Arts and Music

Where to start, phase 1- go deep, phase 2- give yourself some structure, phase 3- writing your research question, phase 4- finalising your research question, research methodologies, key research texts.

• Graduate Research
• Talk to a Librarian

Your creative project is well underway and now it is time to research and write about it. But how do you turn your ideas into a  research question?

Use the tabs on this page to work through  Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4 . These may help you identify themes and questions you would like to explore in your project, and how to turn these into successful library search strategies.

The library also has many resources available to help you learn more about Practice-Based Research and other research methodologies. There are links to these in the  Research Methodologies  and  Key Research Texts  tabs.

1) Reflect on your current creative project. Write down your motivations and aims for creating the project. Write down any significant discoveries you have made along the way. 

2) Ask yourself, have there been any issues arising from the project that I could research? These issues may be based around the concept, themes or technical aspects of your work or a combination of these. 

3) If you are struggling to identify any issues, talk with peers who know your work and ask them for feedback. Explain to them your motivations, aims and discoveries. Ask them if your work effectively achieves what you set out to do. Write down any issues related to your work that come from this discussion. 

4) Based on the issues you and your peers have identified, select one or two issues that are the most interesting and important for you. These issues will form the basis of your research question. 

1) Using the 1 or 2 issues you have identified, you can narrow the focus of your research question. Here are a few questions to ask:

• Time period (Is my work related to a specific period?)
• Person (Is my work related to a specific director, composer, choreographer, performer or writer?)
• Technical tool (Does my work use any particular technique?)
• Social or political issue (Does my work address a social issue such as war, disease, love, race or sexuality?)
• Contemporary issue (Does my work explore an issue in contemporary music theatre? Eg. music, writing, performance venues, lyrics, acting or dancing)
• What kind of role does my creative project have in the broader context of contemporary music theatre?

2) Make a list of responses to these questions. Select which responses are most interesting and relevant to your creative project.

You will now have a narrower idea for your research question.

1) Play around with your research question. Write it down as a question or statement in a number of different ways. Try to get to at least ten different statements, but no pressure! Not all of them will be good. You might:

• Change around the phrasing of the issue
• Change your original words for synonyms
• Say the question out loud
• Explain it to one of your peers and write down your explanation.

2) Highlight the questions that seem clearest to you. 

3) Forget about your question or topic for 24 hours. Instead, reflect on your creative project, watch some documentation or perform part of the project.

4) Return to your list of questions with fresh eyes. Make a list of the best three questions/topic sentences. If you have already identified that one question is the best one for you, stick with that one. 

1) For each question, spend 10 minutes searching  Discovery . Use an  Information Search Planner  to help you search effectively (download one from the link below). 

2) Assess the results of your searches as you go and use these results to help you choose one of your three questions. Ask yourself:

• Is there a lot of information available on this topic?
• Has my question already been answered?
• Who is writing about the topic of my question?
• Which of my searches is finding results that are the most interesting and relevant to my creative project?

3) By answering the questions above, you will be able to select a suitable question.  If not, reassess your question and repeat Phase 2 onwards. Alternatively, you may wish to discuss your question with your lecturer or supervisor.

REMEMBER:  Your question will change over time. When you are making work and researching, your ideas will change and your question can too!

The Library collections offer many resources on research methods. Doing a simple keyword search in the  Library Catalogue  will give you a list of many. You can use the keywords below as a starting point:

• Practice-led research
• Practice based research
• Research-led practice
• Artistic research

You can also  modify your search  to limit it to resources held at Southbank Library, or to our Online Resources if you're interested in an ebook.

Subject Headings in the Catalogue

The links below will launch a search in the library catalogue for specific subject headings:

Arts -- Research

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Mixed Methods Research

Research Method

SAGE Research Methods

SAGE Research Methods is a research tool to help you design your research project.  Search by keywords or use the visual interface in the  Methods Map . Its main focus is research in the social sciences.

• SAGE Research Methods SAGE Research Methods is a research methods tool which links SAGE’s renowned book, journal and reference content with truly advanced search and discovery tools. Researchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings. SAGE Research Methods Cases is a collection of case studies of real social research that faculty can use in their teaching. Cases are original, specially commissioned, and designed to help students understand often abstract methodological concepts by introducing them to case studies of real research projects.

• Next: Graduate Research >>
• Last Updated: Aug 22, 2024 2:51 PM
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An research proposal examples on music is a prosaic composition of a small volume and free composition, expressing individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue and obviously not claiming a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.

Some signs of music research proposal:

• the presence of a specific topic or question. A work devoted to the analysis of a wide range of problems in biology, by definition, cannot be performed in the genre of music research proposal topic.
• The research proposal expresses individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue, in this case, on music and does not knowingly pretend to a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.
• As a rule, an essay suggests a new, subjectively colored word about something, such a work may have a philosophical, historical, biographical, journalistic, literary, critical, popular scientific or purely fiction character.
• in the content of an research proposal samples on music , first of all, the author’s personality is assessed - his worldview, thoughts and feelings.

The goal of an research proposal in music is to develop such skills as independent creative thinking and writing out your own thoughts.

Writing an research proposal is extremely useful, because it allows the author to learn to clearly and correctly formulate thoughts, structure information, use basic concepts, highlight causal relationships, illustrate experience with relevant examples, and substantiate his conclusions.

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