The+Big+Three

Advanced Writing Workshop ﻿The ARW-1 (Advanced Writing Workshop 1) is a week long intense investigation into the fundamental aspects of preparing an academic inquiry project. In this module, the SYP crew will examine the absolute beginning stages of a thorough advanced research project. The ARW-1 places significant emphasis on process strategies and adheres to Yoda's advice, "Do or do not, there is no try."

** STEP ONE ** Determine your PURPOSE (Analysis/Examination, Review of Scholarship, Survey, Evaluation, Argument?) I will be ANALYZING the media portrayal of women rock musicians in the Riot Grrrl scene (through articles in Rolling Stone, other music magazines, and newspapers,) and comparing it to their presentation of themselves, in part through interviews and articles in their zines. So I'll look closely at a few women from the Riot Grrrl movement that began in the 1990s. (From Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, etc.)

I hope to evaluate the accuracy of the portrayal of these musicians by the 'outside' media through this comparison, and ultimately come to a conclusion about how gender effects media portrayal.

**STEP TWO** Identify Audience (For whom you are writing?) I am writing my paper for teenagers and adults who have some level of awareness about the reinforcement of gender stereotypes in our society but who don't consider the way this plays out in music and the careers of musicians. I want to educate my readers about the impact of deviating from gender norms by providing examples of musicians who did just that, and I want to challenge their preconceived notions of what it means to be a woman. For my paper to have a manageable scope and be successful in addressing the issues, I will first need to DEFINE some things: gender, gender roles/stereotypes/norms, rock music, and I will explain the choices I made in my research: who to focus on, who to not focus on, which magazines to draw articles from, etc. I want my paper to inform and change people! With both my paper and my project I hope to ultimately inspire other young adults to not be afraid to go against the grain in their daily lives and their creative endeavors.

**STEP THREE** Think about the Project’s Length and Scope (How will understanding SCOPE help you draft a BIG 3?) Knowing the limitations of my paper (especially in terms of time) will help me draft a realistic BIG 3 and not a GIGANTIC 3. **Update** 3/24/11: I've come to realize that my Big Three is always a working version. In the past few weeks, the scope has narrowed drastically and has ultimately become more manageable. *I WILL UPDATE THIS PAGE WITH MY NEWEST BIG THREE VERY SOON*

 I have books and articles on female musicians, and they'll help me decide which ones to focus on in my paper, which I expect to be ~12 pages long. I am also planning to interview music teachers at School of Rock Boston to get their take on gender in the industry. I have some ideas for my thesis already, but it will be fully formed after I do some research.

**STEP FOUR** A working draft of the Big Three (TOPIC, QUESTION, THESIS) <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">TOPIC: Gender role norms and stereotypes as they relate to rock music in the U.S.A.

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">QUESTION: (This'ns a two-parter) <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> 1. In what ways have female American rock musicians overcome traditional gender roles and stereotypes in the past fifty years? <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> 2. What kind of an impact has their rejection of gender stereotypes had on their careers?

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">THESIS: So-and-so, Whatsherface etc. have rebelled against gender stereotypes in... their vocal/musical styles, the content of their songs, and their overall public image. So-and-so's career was negatively impacted by her rejection of stereotypes, while Whatsherface's flourished. This tells us that... [here, there will be a conclusion that I come to through my research: a) women CAN be very successful musicians without embracing gender roles, and are sometimes more popular because of it, etc. Yay! ...or b) to be truly successful in the U.S. rock music industry, women still need to play into the gender stereotypes. Boo! Let's change that, like a few of these musicians are doing! ...or c) something else that I discover along the way.]