Your final assignment for this course is a 10 to 15 page research paper due the last day of classes. You are free to select a topic of your own chosing for the reseach paper. However, your research topic must be approved and reviewed. After your topic is approved, you will define the topic more specifically and develop a revised version and then a research bibliography. In general, these assignments will be graded on how well they demonstrate an understanding of the material, on the depth of your analysis, and on the quality of your verbal presentation.
If you are having difficulty attending class or fulfilling the assignments, contact your section leader as soon as possible to arrange for help. Students taking the course pass/fail must complete all of the assignments in order to receive a passing grade.
DUE DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 28, in class
REQUIRED FORMAT: One page essay (250 words), typewritten or computer print-out, double-spaced, 1" margins on all four sides, your name clearly indicated on the front page. Papers not meeting these specifications will not be accepted for grading. If you do not have access to a typewriter or word-processor, see me to make special arrangements. Late papers will not be graded.
At the end of the semester, a ten to fifteen page term paper is due. This assignment is the first step in creating the paper.This short essay should briefly identify your research topic and define its scope, specifying the question or questions you hope to answer in your paper. In addition to the description, you should attach at least two sources you plan to consult in the preparation of your paper.
While the selection of your paper topic is open to any topic related to architectural history between 1890 and the present, there are some kinds of topics which you might want to consider. The following is a short list of the kinds of topics appropriate to your final research paper.
Generally speaking, for an undergraduate research paper, the best approach is to select one building, one text, or one architect as your general subject, then focus your attention on one aspect of that subject. Sometimes it is useful to chose a comparison between two buildings, two texts, or a building and a text. In any case, don't expect to answer any BIG questions (how did the architect derive his theory? what was the influence of his work for the next hundred years?). Those questions need years of research and the length of a book to give the answer, but you only have a month and ten pages! Examples of good topics are: What kinds of students attended the Bauhaus? Why did Josephine Baker have Adolf Loos design a house for her? How did African architecture influence Aldo van Eyck?
Healey Library should provide you with most of the resources you
need at this stage of your project. Use the on-line catalogue to
locate books related to your topic.
Remember as you try to determine a paper topic: define it as narrowly as possible. The more specific your inquiry, the stronger your paper will be. Secondly, chose something you want to know more about: it is always easier to study something you like! I will read your topic proposals carefully and make suggestions to strengthen them. If needed, we can meet to discuss research strategies for your paper as you develop your topic and as you work to turn it into a written essay. I will also make suggestions for your bibliography wherever possible.
DUE DATE: Monday, Oct. 24, in class
REQUIRED FORMAT: Two page essay (500 words), typewritten or computer print-out, double-spaced, 1" margins on all four sides, pages stapled together, your name clearly indicated on the front page. Papers not meeting these specifications will not be accepted for grading. If you do not have access to a typewriter or word-processor, see me to make special arrangements. Late papers will not be graded.
When your first paper is returned to you, you will receive some suggestions for developing and refining your research topic. Your next task will be to do some more reading and define your topic more carefully. The two-page essay due now should identify your research topic and define its scope in greater detail. It should also indicate what you plan to do to complete the research. In addition to the description, you should attach a brief list of sources you plan to consult in the preparation of your paper. This does not have to be a long or comprehensive list; but it should indicate that you have found enough sources to make your topic feasible. Remember to format your bibliography according to the Art Department Style Sheet or the MLA format in Refworks.
DUE DATE: Monday, Nov. 28, in class
Submit a comprehensive bibliography of references that will aid you in researching your topic.
At this stage of your work, you may continue to use the resources of Healey Library. In addition to the ones already mentioned, you may also make use of Healey Library's on-line bibliographic resources and the reading resources linked to this website. Use Interlibrary Loan to order books or articles from other libraries. If you have any questions about how to use these bibliographic tools, ask the reference librarian on duty at Healey.
In addition to Healey Library, you have the right as a UMass/Boston student to consult the Rotch Library at M.I.T. This is a library which specializes in architecture and planning. You can't take books out, but you can use their card catalogue, and read books and articles there. Rotch is located at 77 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, on the second floor, left of the dome. Another good source of materials is the Fine Arts Library at the Boston Public Library.
When you find a book or article related to your subject, always check the footnotes and bibliography. You may find other good sources of information that way. Encyclopaedias and general histories of architecture are NOT good sources of information for your paper. You should search out the sources that are written by experts in your topic.
Don't forget to look at the illustrations!!! Even a book in a foreign language you can't read may be useful, if it includes illustrations of the building or style you are investigating. Illustrations are information!
DUE DATE: Wednesday, Dec. 14, in class
REQUIRED FORMAT: 10-15 pages, typewritten or computer print-out, double-spaced, 1" margins on all four sides, pages stapled together, your name clearly indicated on the front page. Papers not meeting these specifications will not be accepted for grading. If you do not have access to a typewriter or word-processor, see me to make special arrangements. Late papers will not be graded.
The final research paper should clearly state what your topic is and what you found out about it. It should explain what conclusions you have drawn and give evidence to support those conclusions. Part of writing a convincing paper is marshalling your evidence. You should include illustrations (for instance, xeroxes from your readings) if they help your argument. You should also include clear references to all the sources you used to collect information on your topic. This means footnotes in the text and a bibliography of sources at the end of your paper.
If you are unfamiliar with the format of a research paper, you can consult the chapter on writing research papers in Sylvan Barnet's book A Short Guide to Writing About Art. Your format should conform to the Art Department Style Sheet or the MLA format in Refworks. Please note the the following points: