This assignment gives you an opportunity to discuss and critically evaluate a specific methodology designed to investigate affect in popular music. In an essay of circa 2000-2500 words, explain the aims and key concepts of Tagg’s methodology for the semiotic analysis of popular music. With specific reference to Music’s Meanings and other of Tagg’s texts, explain the key principles he introduces and develops: musemes, the various anaphones, synecdoches, transcansion, PMFC, IOCM, etc. and outline his procedure for analysing music.

Checklist for completion:
• Use font size 12 and double space the essay.
• Do not change fonts for quotations.
• Ensure the essay has a clear introduction, a systematic form, and a summarizing conclusion. Write in prose, not lists or bullet points.
• Ensure song titles are in quotation marks and titles of longer works are in italics.
• Provide a list of references and a discography and cite sources within the text using Harvard-style citations (author’s surname, publication year, page number).

Assessment criteria:
Marking criteria/scheme:
• rigour in the exploration and explanation of the methodology and terminology
• depth of the discussion and illustration of Tagg’s key ideas
• quality of the written English and structure of the essay
• attention to academic conventions regarding formatting, citations, etc.