Asking Good Questions: A Way Into Analysis and the Analytical Essay

Abstract

Developing an analytical conception of a musical work is typically difficult for students. A fruitful and rewarding way to address this challenge is to teach students to ask good questions about compositions, that is, questions that lead to further and more profound analytical investigation. In this article, I explain the four-step pedagogical procedure that I developed to teach students this skill. Tested repeatedly in many of my courses, this procedure has consistently yielded exciting class discussions and notable improvements in students’ essays and presentations.