The objective of the final paper is to examine a single artwork in depth, using both research and formal analysis skills obtained in the first unit of the course.
Your paper should be a minimum of 5-6 pages long (double spaced, Times New Roman font, 12-point type with 1” margins) and incorporate at least 3 secondary (research) sources. If using the textbook, a total of four sources are needed.
Please read the following instructions carefully before beginning the project.
1. Select a work of art that interests you as the topic for your paper. The work of art must come Chapters 1-7 in the textbook or from one of the course PowerPoints. Artworks require pre-approval before you begin working on the paper. Choose one theme that your work of art demonstrates. The aim of your paper will be to analyze how the artwork dialogues with this theme.
2. Use a combination of research and formal analysis to examine and analyze the connections between your chosen artwork and theme. Create a thesis about the relationship between the two and use the body of your paper to support your argument.
3. At the end of your paper, include a labeled photographic reproduction of your chosen artwork, your Works Cited page, (use MLA) and completed Evaluating Websites Checklist for any websites you choose to use. (Peer-reviewed journal articles found through the library databases do not require the Evaluating Websites Checklist.)
Final Paper Format
Introduction: This paragraph sets the tone for the rest of the essay by introducing the work of art you are discussing.
1. Identify basic details, such as the artist (if known) or culture, the title of the piece (in italics), the approximate date, the medium, and the dimensions.
2. Briefly explain the distinctive characteristics of the medium used (Review Weeks 3A-5B). Be specific but keep this portion to a few sentences.
3. Briefly explain the movement or cultural style (e.g. ancient Classical Greece, High Renaissance in Italy, Aztec, Neoclassicism, etc.) the work of art represents and some of the salient features of the artistic period.
4. Briefly describe the subject matter of the piece.
5. Most importantly, state the thesis (your “argument,” or what you believe the artwork conveys about your theme) that you will “prove” with your research and formal analysis. Make your thesis meaningful.
Example of a poor thesis: The ancient Egyptian statue Hatshepsut Kneeling is an important masterpiece.
Example of a weak thesis: The ancient Egyptian statue Hatshepsut Kneeling is about power.
Example of a strong thesis: The ancient Egyptian statue Hatshepsut Kneeling rejects conventional representations of femininity to make use of established symbols of (male) pharaonic power, thereby strengthening her unorthodox claim to the throne.
Example of a poor thesis: Diego Rivera’s mural, The Legend of Quetzalcoatl, is the theme of this paper.
Example of a weak thesis: Diego Rivera’s mural, The Legend of Quetzalcoatl, illustrates the theme of national identity.
Example of a strong thesis: Diego Rivera’s mural,The Legend of Quetzalcoatl, combined a realistic and accessible style with images of pre-Conquest Mexico to inspire a positive, burgeoning national identity distinct from that of Spain.
Part I – Formal Analysis:
1. Review the formal elements and design principles discussed in Weeks 1B-3A and pp. 48-66 of your textbook. Observe the artwork closely and explain how the formal elements and design principles are used, being as descriptive as possible. Discuss elements such as: color, composition, brushwork, line, perspective, space, pattern and rhythm, texture, medium, technique, light and shade, proportion and scale, movement, symmetry, etc.
2. Based on the observations you have made, begin drawing conclusions. What ideas, emotions, meaning, or questions about your theme are expressed through the use of visual structure? How do the various formal elements and design principles work to effectively communicate these meanings and/or generate impact? Be sure to use your formal analysis to support your paper’s thesis.
The formal analysis section should be 2.5 pages long. Research should not be used for this portion of the paper.
Part II – Research: Use research to obtain ideas and information to support your thesis. Build on these ideas to develop your own, well-informed observations (but not unsupported suppositions–back up your ideas with the research of others). You may look into iconography (subject matter and symbolism), functionality, content, context, and scholarly interpretations/theories about the work.
The research portion should be 2.5 pages long. In-text citations and quotations are required.
Conclusion: Summarize your thesis and major points and leave the reader with any parting or “concluding” thoughts in this paragraph.
Illustrations: At the end of your paper, include a labeled photographic reproduction of your chosen artwork. The caption should include: the name of the artist (if known) or culture, the title (italicized) of the piece, the approximate date, the medium, and the dimensions. You may need to look up some of this information.
Works Cited: Y our Works Cited page must include a minimum of 3 sources. They should include representation from the following information sources:
Scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles
Books (hard copy or ebooks)
Reference sources (encyclopedias, art dictionaries, etc.)
Museum websites
Reputable, scholarly websites only (Evaluating Websites Checklist must be filled out for each website used)
You may review the following for general background information, research ideas, or for additional sources to consult (see the footnotes or the bibliographies), but you should not use them as one of your sources:
Wikipedia
Textbooks (including our own)
Your Works Cited page should follow proper MLA formatting, with sources alphabetized.
Website Evaluation Checklist: Submit a completed Evaluating Websites Checklist for any websites (as opposed to peer-reviewed journal articles) you cite. If the checklist suggests a particular website is not appropriate for college-level research, do not use it. The Checklist can be found above, and in the Evaluating Information Sources sub-folder in the Final Project Resources folder on Blackboard.
Additional Considerations:
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is “representing another person’s work as your own, either intentionally or through inaccurate or incomplete documentation. It includes, but is not limited to, copying any material (written or non-written) without proper acknowledgment of its source and paraphrasing another’s work or ideas without proper acknowledgment.” The written work you turn in must be yours and yours alone. All ideas taken from another source must be cited, and sentences or phrases taken word for word from another source must be both placed in quotation marks and cited. Anyone found cheating or plagiarizing will immediately fail the paper. There will be no exceptions and no excuses.
Edit your work: Be sure to proofread for errors and run a spell check. Points will be deducted on papers that have obviously not been proofread.
Additional Resources: See the Research Project Resources folder in Blackboard for helpful resources, such as links to peer-reviewed journals, MLA formatting guides, a sample outline, tips on avoiding plagiarism, and more.
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|