Honors 392 Taylor Swift Summer 2024

Syllabus

Do a google search for the 1960s group The Beatles, and you will get back about 285 million results.  A google search for Bob Dylan will return 89 million results. A google search for Taylor Swift will return 1.2 billion results. Her 2023 The Eras Tour became the first tour in history to surpass $1 billion in revenue, making it the highest-grossing tour of all time.

Obviously, Taylor Swift has made an impact on American culture.  This course will examine what is behind her rise in popularity, and how her lyrics may serve as a mirror for many Americans’ worldview.  Apart from analyzing her lyrics, life, and popularity, we will go on a writing journey of our own. First, learning how to write concisely and effectively, and then working on our own songs.

A course that includes some writing may not sound interesting. It may (wrongly) take us back to the drudgery of learning grammar. For this reason, we will read engaging material that will make us want to keep reading. The course intends to inspire you to develop your innate abilities and your learned skills.

By the time our class is over you should be able to:

• Identify topics that lead to a discussion
• Write a clear and concise brief essay
• Identify aspects of American culture found in Taylor Swift’s lyrics
• Articulate your worldview that answers life’s biggest questions
• Appreciate the art of writing

WEEK ONE: (May 28 to June 2)

• Reading: Taylor, pp. 4-56; Zinsser, Introduction, chapters 1,2,3
• Album: Taylor Swift
• Quiz

WEEK TWO (June 3 to June 9)

• Reading: Taylor, pages 57-84; Zinsser, chapters 4,5
• (Album: Fearless)
• Quiz

WEEK THREE (June 10 to June 16)

• Reading: Taylor, pages 85-115; Zinsser, chapters 6,7
• Album: Speak Now
• 300-word essay
• Quiz

WEEK FOUR (June 17 to June 23)

• Reading: Taylor, pages 116-151; Zinsser, chapters 8,9
• Album: Red
• Quiz

WEEK FIVE (June 24 to June 30)

• Reading: Taylor, pages 152-188; Zinsser, chapters 10
• Album: 1989
• Revised Essay
• Quiz

WEEK SIX (July 1 to July 7)

• Reading: Taylor, pages 189-231; Zinsser, chapter 20
• Album: Reputation
• Second 300-word essay
• Album theme due
• Quiz

WEEK SEVEN (July 8 to July 14)

• Reading: Taylor, pages 232-279; Zinsser, chapters 21-22
• Album: Lover
• Lyrics one and two
• Quiz

WEEK EIGHT (July 15 to July 21)

• Reading: Taylor, pages 281-301; Zinsser, chapter 23
• Album: folklore
• Lyrics three and four
• Quiz

WEEK NINE (July 22 to July 28)

• Reading: Taylor, pages 302-339; Zinsser, chapter 24
• Album: evermore
• Quiz

WEEK TEN (July 29 to August 4)

• Reading: three album reviews; Zinsser, chapter 25
• Album: Midnights
• Quiz

Course Success

This course is rather straight forward–it is about participation, reading carefully, and growth as a writer.  The grade breakdown is as follows:

Album: 5%
Essays: 10%
Quizzes: 85%

The grading rubric for grading your written assignments will be based as follows:  95% on style/punctuation/grammar and 5% on content.  We will use The Elements of Style and The Chicago Manual of Style as the measure for style/punctuation/grammar.

The quizzes are multiple choice questions that will be on Canvas.

All assignments and quizzes must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on the day that they are due. If you do not turn in an assignment or take a quiz, you will lose points for that assignment, plus you will lose 30 points on each assignment or quiz that you do not complete.

Any academic dishonesty/cheating–be it related to our quizzes or plagiarism (including the use of AI)–will result in an F for the course, and probable dismissal from the Honors College, and will also be put in your student record.

Textbooks

Taylor Swift: The Brightest Star

“Encyclopedic in its scope, this is the ultimate tribute to the life and music of Taylor Swift. No need for glossy images here, the narrative says it all – a chronological account of her mercurial rise to fame; the stories that inspire the songs; an in-depth look at those much-publicized battles with the media, music industry and fellow artists, and all recounted with well-chosen words from the artist herself and dozens of others who have played a part in her incredible story. Put together, we have the definitive record. If not already a fan, reading this may very well change your opinion. `I really do try to be a nice person…but if you break my heart, hurt my feelings, or are really mean to me, I’m going to write a song about you.’”

On Writing Well

“On Writing Well has been praised for its sound advice, its clarity, and its warmth of style. It is a book for anybody who wants to learn how to write, whether about people or places, science and technology, business, sports, the arts, or about yourself. Its principles and insights have made it a cherished resource for several generations of writers and students.”

“Not since The Elements of Style has there been a guide to writing as well presented and readable as this one. A love and respect for the language is evident on every page.” Library Journal

MAKE sure that you get the book from the Bronco bookshop or from a seller that is using the 2016 or later edition.