Requirements

One Research Project in Five Acts

FOR BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF BOOKS AND ARTICLES RELATED TO OBJECTS IN THE MACTAGGART COLLECTION, click here.

In this course, we are approaching city space from a number of different positions: space as shaped by architectural form; space as something far less concrete, what we might call lived form; space as ideological versus natural; space as representational. The focal work of your research project should address one of the problems of defining a "city" space that we have discussed during the term. Import concepts about space from the authors we have been reading into your discussion. Which is to say, your research project should problematize space as an art-historical, cultural or political entity by using one focal work in a case study.  

The focal work can be drawn from the Forbidden City in any of its incarnations over time -- imperial, Republican, Maoist, or supermodern. The material focus of your project can be in situ (a garden or theatre, for instance) or in circulation (objects ranging from the emperor's favourite paintings to looted porcelains to virtual images of Tiananmen to the work of artists now that addresses the City or the Square). Consult the "Further Reading List" on the website for sources on visual images, and please also browse the image databases on the "Images" page of this website. You may bring other objects or works into your analysis as a means of fleshing out the argument about your focal work.

Over the course of the term we will work together as a conference to help you think through and refine the question you wish to pose of this focal work. In order to do so, the research project will be developed through the following "acts:"

  1. Due TUESDAY Oct 12 at 5 pm. Object exploratories. Formulation of a question about the visual object or performance (building, video, etc.) that you are researching. What I would like you to do is to carefully think through and develop a meaningful, provocative question that you wish to pose of it. The work should suggest the question, and not the other way around. In your short essay (400 words or slightly more), do a visual analysis of the object, detail the process you used in devising the question, the problems you foresee in answering it, and why you think it is meaningful in relation to theoretical and conceptual problems relating to urban space and identity. That is to say, do not simply draft a generalized, simple statement of the question; I want to see evidence of your deliberate and reasoned approach to evolving a good question. Why are you asking this question? and not another question? Do NOT attempt to essay uninformed, generalized (and therefore uncompelling) answers to your own question. One lengthy paragraph or two. Post to blog on Tuesday, October 12 by 5 pm (please post to the blog with pictures earlier if possible) so that we will have enough time to read and review before conference on Wednesday.
  2. Oct 13 & 18  . Brainstorming questions and images from object exploratories with class members during conference meetings. Please come to conference with one comment about what you like about each project and a question you have for the project creator that might help him or her to develop it.
  3. Friday Oct 29. Redraft your exploratory into a 1-page thesis and email to Lisa by 5 pm. Include with it an annotated bibliography of four sources. If you have never written an annotated bibliography before, please consult the Cornell University website "How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography" or the University of Toronto website on the development of writing skills.
  4. Nov 24 - Dec 6. Symposia: please present the most complete iteration of your project to the class, showing us how you have developed it, and how the argument has taken shape and become fleshed out since the brainstorming session. This should be as close to the final version of your project as you can make it. HOWEVER, there will be time for revisions and expansion and refinement before the final project is due on April 16. Post project images and an abstract of your project (a summary) to blog by 5 pm  on Sunday, Nov 23.
  5. Dec 13. Research project due 5 pm. Late submissions of the final project will not be accepted. No exceptions. minimum 3400 words, roughly 10 pages (but check using word count), double-spaced, 12-point Garamond or Times New Roman font, clean text (meaning no spelling errors and correct grammar), with images at the end of the paper following format below. Please do not insert images in the text. No extensions on project deadline. No exceptions. Email Word DOC to Lisa by clicking here. Please do not mail PDFs. Word is available to you as a UA student for FREE through the UA Hub.  

Late assignment policy: With the notable exception of the final research project, late assignments will be accepted, but will be reduced two grades and will not receive any comments. The final date to submit an assignment is the last day of class.
Note: If you are not in conference when assignments are returned (please review attendance policy below), you will be able to pick them up outside Lisa's office (FAB 3- 89B).

Conference Attendance and Participation

All students are expected to do the assigned readings and participate regularly and rigorously in the conference discussion. If you miss a conference, you will be responsible to turn in summaries of texts that were discussed on the day of your absence (these summaries will not be returned to you until the end of the term, and will receive credit but will not receive a letter grade). This is intended to help you stay within the warp and weft of the course. It is your responsibility if you miss a conference to stay abreast of developments in the course discussion and assignments.

Attendance is of paramount importance. Each unexcused absence will bring your participation grade down 1/2 step (an A grade becomes a B+, and so on). More than three unexcused absences will result in no credit for course participation. Acceptable excuses are illness and family emergencies. 

Note: no food or chewing gum in conference room, please. Drinks are fine.

Evaluation Criteria

Effective September 1, 2003, the University of Alberta uses a letter grading system with a four-point scale of numerical equivalents for calculating grade point averages. To view guidelines concerning this system please see www.grades.ualberta.ca Above is the scale used in this course as a guideline in determining letter grades.

Participation Grading Rubric

A work is excellent, exceptional in fact. That means you have done everything that is required of a B performance and in addition have advanced our thinking and our understanding of the texts and pictures through your comments and questions, and threaded the theoretical readings to the case studies. 

 B work is very good. That means you have done everything that is required of a C performance, but have engaged with the material and your colleagues in conference, and have shared your voice and thoughts without being called upon. 

 C work is satisfactory. That means you have attended every conference and have contributed when called upon. If you have missed a conference, you have turned in a summary for the assigned reading that week. In other words, if you come to class religiously but sit silently while others talk, you are not participating. 

 D-F work is less than satisfactory. That means you have not attended every conference and rarely contributed to conference discussion. You have not turned in summaries of the assigned readings for the conferences you have missed. You have not posted to the blog on time. 

 Grading scale: A+=98-100, A=94-97, A-=90-93; B+=87-89, B=83-86, B-=80-82; C+=77-79, C=73-76, C-=70-72; D+=67-69; D=64-66; F=63 and lower. 

 

Resources

My office hours: after class by appointment.
Office location :FAB 3-89B.
Telephone:780-248-1758
Email: claylisa@ualberta.ca

ArtStor

500,000 images, mainly European and American

The Mactaggart Art Collection

Digital image database of more than 700 works of visual art, including textiles, paintings, and artifacts from imperial and modern China.

Citations

Style guide, handy abbreviated guide to using the Chicago style

The Chicago Manual of Style Online (16th edition)

Creating a figure list

Web resources

Web sources on Imperial Chinese Visual Culture
Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000-2000 BCE) through Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

Web sources on Contemporary Chinese Visual Culture
Republican era (1912-1949), Maoist China (1949-1976), and China Now (1976-today)

Museums (digital databases of museum collections)

Critically Assessing Information on the Web
Remember that materials on the web must be evaluated as critically as any other texts we consider in this course. See the Carleton College library guidelines on thinking critically about the web as a starting point.

Conservator's Guidelines to Handling Asian Art Objects, Freer and Sackler Gallery, Washington, DC.

For additional resources on dates, names, and more, see also...

Click here for an extensive list of electronic resources and PDF files on citations, digital image databases and archives, the Chinese language, museum collections, time chart of periods and dynasties.
Click here for a bibliography of books related to the course (also linked as "further reading").
Click here for local University of Alberta image databases (also linked as "images")

University of Alberta Code of Student Behavior

Inappropriate Academic Behaviour (from section 30.3.2 of the Code of Student Behaviour)
30.3.2(1)       Plagiarism  
No Student shall submit the words, ideas, images or data of another person as the Student?s own in any academic writing, essay, thesis, project, assignment, presentation or poster in a course or program of study.
30.3.2(2)       Cheating
30.3.2(2) a  No Student shall in the course of an examination or other similar activity, obtain or attempt to obtain information from another Student or other unauthorized source, give or attempt to give information to another Student, or use, attempt to use or possess for the purposes of use any unauthorized material.
30.3.2(2) b No Student shall represent or attempt to represent him or herself as another or have or attempt to have himself or herself represented by another in the taking of an examination, preparation of a paper or other similar activity. See also misrepresentation in 30.3.6 (4).
30.3.2(2)c   No student shall represent another's substantial editorial or compositional assistance on an assignment as the Student's own work. 
30.3.2(2) d No Student shall submit in any course or program of study, without the written approval of the course Instructor, all or a substantial portion of any academic writing, essay, thesis, research report, project, assignment, presentation or poster for which credit has previously been obtained by the Student or which has been or is being submitted by the Student in another course or program of study in the University or elsewhere.
30.3.2(2) e  No Student shall submit in any course or program of study any academic writing, essay, thesis, report, project, assignment, presentation or poster containing a statement of fact known by the Student to be false or a reference to a source the Student knows to contain fabricated claims (unless acknowledged by the Student), or a fabricated reference to a source.       
30.3.2(3)  Misuse of Confidential Materials
No Student shall procure, distribute, or receive any confidential academic material such as pending examinations, laboratory results or the contents thereof from any source without prior and express consent of the Instructor.
30.3.2(4)  Research and Scholarship Misconduct
30.3.2(4) a No Student shall violate the University of Alberta Research and Scholarship Integrity Policy, as set out in the Research and Scholarship Integrity Policy in UAPPOL or any other University regulation concerning academic matters. (CLRC 24 MAY 2012)        
30.3.2(4) b Where a Student is charged with the academic offence of research and scholarship misconduct, the special requirements for communication and documentation imposed by Research and Scholarship Integrity Policy in UAPPOL shall constitute part of the procedures outlined below.(CLRC 24 MAY 2012)       

NB: Per Section 23.4 University of Alberta calendar:

"The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.ualberta.ca/secretariat/appeals.htm) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University". (GFC 29 SEP 2003)

Audio or video recording of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan. Recorded material is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the instructor.