Research+Paper

Full time Students Research Written Paper submission deadline: Wednesday 20 March 2013

If you are based in London please see click here for the hand in procedure.

Research Paper - briefing notes

Word count: 3000 (+ or - 10% therefore your paper can have a word count between 2700 and 3300 words) the word count does NOT include the abstract, you can have an extra 300 words for the abstract the word count does NOT include the bibliography

Section headings can be useful for organizing and structuring the paper and establishing the argument break down the word count, for example 3000 words could be:

3 section of 900 words = 2700 + into & conclusion OR 2 sections of 1300 words = 2600 + intro & conclusion

For this assignment you are asked to write a paper in essay form addressing a research question of your choice. The question should tackle an issue or theoretical concern that is central to your practice although your paper should not refer directly to your work. The research question should relate to the contemporary culture of art and design and may also encompass non-Western traditions. The aim of the paper is to contribute knowledge in your chosen field of research. Consider that your paper is to be published and/or presented at a conference. It is important that your paper demonstrates your ability to formulate a research question and research the issues you have identified. You should aim to write a coherent argument in which you critically contextualise the issue you are addressing, and arrive at a justified and independent conclusion. Your paper should be thoroughly proofread with typos, grammatical mistakes and spelling errors eradicated. You should contextualise your research by using at least 10 citations (from research sources such as books, exhibitions, public lectures, journals, art magazines, web resources…). These citations must conform to the Harvard convention of citation. [|Harvard Guide (PDF 300KB)]
 * __BRIEF__ __Unit 1: Research Paper__**

Tutorial:
You are required to attend a tutorial in February (exact dates to follow) with lecturer Jane Madsen who will be assessing the papers. Please bring to the tutorial the following: (1) abstract, (2) research question and (3) case studies for discussion.

Structure:
Your final paper should consist of the following academic structure:
 * 1) Title page providing name, course and email address
 * 2) The research question
 * 3) Approximately 300-word abstract, setting out the main points to be investigated, followed by 5 key words
 * 4) A detailed contents page
 * 5) The main body of the paper
 * 6) A bibliography constructed according to the Harvard convention of citation.

The overall submission should be 3000 words in length and include at least 10 citations. (you are allowed 10% over or under the word count, anything over 3300 words will not be read)

Submission Deadline: Wednesday 28 March 2012
Learning Outcomes: (in line with those stated in the Handbook)

- Demonstrate a critical engagement with practice-based research. - Articulate a clear understanding of the methodology and context of your creative practice in written form.

These learning outcomes will be evidenced in the following way:

- Ability to formulate a specific research question. - Ability to contextualise that question within a critical framework. - Ability to form an independent conclusion. - Professional presentation of the research paper adhering to the academic structure and the Harvard convention.

**Marking: ** Your papers will be marked in three categories of achievement: Analysis Research Communication

Harvard citation details: []

Writing your Research Paper - some advice from Cate Elwes

Essay-writing might present a daunting prospect for some of you, with memories of school setting up negative expectations. But in the context of this assignment, writing a research paper should be interesting and enjoyable. It gives you an opportunity to test your ideas against existing theoretical frameworks and examine, in some depth, works by artists that are significant to your own practice.

Any opportunity to improve your writing is worth the effort. Whatever career path you are following, you will always need to write – reports, applications, treatments etc. So, even if you don’t follow an academic career, it is always a good idea to improve your ability to express yourself in writing.

**__The Research Question__** The all-important research question is key to the essay. This will provide you with a starting point and help you develop the structure of the writing. It is sometimes difficult to know what is and what isn’t a research question. Here is an example: It is NOT a review of your favourite artist’s work: “An account of Bill Viola’s videos from the 1980s” However, it might well be: 1. “In what ways did Bill Viola’s videos from the 1980s anticipate the embodied works of the new millennium?” Or even 2. “How did Barthes’ notion of the ‘supplementary reading’ play out in Bill Viola’s videos from the 1980s?”

**__History & Theory__** It is preferable to map out the theoretical and historical territory of your discussion before you start, signalling where you will develop the argument as you go.

So, taking our example No. 1 of Bill Viola, you might sketch in the history of video art starting with Nam June Paik, mentioning as you go how the body interacts with the technology and then launch into your discussion of Viola’s own work. At the same time as describing the work of the period - in my example, the 1980s - you would enumerate the major theories, of, in this case, the moving image, and then signal those contemporary theories that will inform your discussion of his chosen works.

If the medium and individual works you are discussing have social or political as well as cultural significance, then weave these themes into your account. If you are drawing on other disciplines, for example, political theory, psychology, anthropology or science, then integrate these into your analysis of your case studies.

**__Breadth of Focus__** Do not cast your net too wide. As a rule of thumb, restrict yourself to no more than 3 case studies – artists or works. The theoretical sources you consult to support your arguments should also be restricted to around 3 and be drawn from books, peer reviewed journals as well as online sources.

**__Things Not To Do__** Do not copy and paste large chunks of other people’s writing. We want to know what you think of the subject you are researching, not just what other people have said. Do not write at length about your own practice, although you may mention your own concerns, or a particular cultural background that informs your thinking in the context of your research for the paper.

**__Things To Do__** Do remember to use quotation marks when you are reproducing, word for word, other people’s writings. If you don’t, this constitutes plagiarism. Do use spell check and pay heed to the green line warning that you are running into grammatical problems. Do read the paper out loud to yourself. You will hear when the text isn’t making sense. Do, if you can, get someone else to read your paper. You will soon find out if there are any problems of sense or grammar. Do copy edit the paper before submission.

__Helpful Hints: Mind Reading__ No one can read your mind, so do not assume we know what you are thinking. Put it down in writing. Remember to briefly describe each work you want the reader to consider. If you leave out essential information – like the fact that the work is a multiple or is deployed across several screens, then the reader will have trouble following the logic of your discussion.

**__Hints from Other Students__** Finish your essay a good two weeks before the deadline to allow for revisions. Save multiple copies of your essay file. Number each new version in the file name. Email the essay to yourself at the end of each working session.

__Clarity__ Clarity is all-important. There are many pitfalls, one example being confusions about who the subject of the sentence might be: “John saw Pete crossing the road. He was going to the cinema so he asked him to go with him.” Who asked whom to go to the cinema? Say things simply and if you find this difficult, speak the sentence out loud before writing or speak it as you write. You will soon hear any problems. Write short sentences. Avoid long sentences with many sub clauses.

__Structure__ The classic essay structure dictates that you announce what you are going to say, say it and then sum up your main findings. It is not a hard and fast rule, but it can help if you apply the basic formulation:

Introduction Argument Conclusion

It can help if you make a visual representation of the essay, showing the different chapters or headings and assigning content to each section. Some people make flow charts on a computer, others write lists, or draw charts freehand. You could make a list of key points you want to cover and then fit them into the overall design of the essay. Pay particular attention to how sections will be linked thematically to maintain a flow in the text. I find it useful to create headings for each new thought and then group them into larger sections at the end. This provides a shorthand account of the whole essay that is easy to take in at a glance.

**__Primary Research__** If you are in a position to interview the artists, designers, theorists or curators you are writing about or quoting, this will be a bonus and the work you do could go forward into further research projects.

These notes are offered as advice only, and do not form part of the expected learning outcomes of the essay. There are some books in the library, which provide detailed advice: // The Academic Essay: how to plan, draft, revise and write essays // Derek Soles, Studymates (2005). // How to write essays: a practical guide for students // John Clanchy & Brigid Ballard, Longman (1998). // How to Write Better Essays, // Bryan Greetham, Palgrave Macmillan (2008). ---

= Support with Writing available for MA students. =

For all students requiring study support to complete written assignments there are 3 **drop-in** sessions in the library every Wednesday afternoon: 12-2pm Support from a member of the library staff focusing mainly on accessing information within the library and online. Can also advise on Harvard referencing. 2-4pm Study support available with a member of the academic support team focusing on research planning and writing structure. 3-5pm Language support for any student whose first language is NOT English

One-to-one support with a specialist tutor is provided for any student who has dyslexia or a disability - please email c.bowmaker@camberwell.arts.ac.uk to make an appointment.

Any student who feels that they may have dyslexia and wants this confirmed can request a screening - please email c.bowmaker@camberwell.arts.ac.uk to make an appointment..

__Language Centre Courses__ For information on short courses in English for Academic Writing and Reading, English Vocabulary for Art & Design and English for Cultural Studies look on blackboard under __English Language Support__ Please check regularly for changes and new information.

More details are available on Blackboard along with other sources of information, links to specialist websites and resources to support study. When you log in to your blackboard page check the tab on the top of the page at the far right: CCW Academic and Disability Support. = = = =

Yvonne Kulagowski
MA Research Paper presentation 16 February 2011