AH 145B Modern Architecture Final Research Paper Prompt
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING PROMPT CAREFULLY, FOR IT IS LIKELY TO ANSWER MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
The final assignment for Art History 145B "Modern Architecture" is to write a 3,000-word research paper on a topic of your own choosing, one that clearly relates to the subject matter of the class. Some possibilities include writing about a specific building, architect, building type, style, movement, period, or regional architecture. You are encouraged to relate modern architecture to artistic, intellectual, social, national, cultural, political, and technological contexts. Please demonstrate to me in your paper that you actually have conducted research and have thought deeply about modern architecture and the ideas associated with it. Analyze at least one specific example in detail. To complete this assignment, you MUST cite at least 10-12 sources (preferably books or articles). At minimum, this means 4-6 separate texts. You should cite your sources in a minimum of 10-12 notes or bibliographic citations.
Please make certain you engage at least 2 of the readings in the course Files in developing your argument. YOUR PAPER MUST HAVE AT LEAST 10 CITATIONS FROM 4-6 SEPARATE SOURCES TO RECEIVE CREDIT. A source is a book, an article, or a credible website. Credible websites are those maintained by scholars, foundations, museums, universities, societies, associations, governments, publishers, building trusts, critics, clients, architecture magazines, and reputable architects.
If you quote more than a few sentences from a source, your paper should be longer than 3,000 words. To receive credit, a citation must contain the name of the author, the title (book title or journal and article titles), and page numbers. Citations can be either a note or an entry in a bibliography. Follow this format in either case: Curtis (AUTHOR), Modern Architecture (TITLE), 123 (PAGE NUMBER).
Including page numbers and quotation marks in your citations is mandatory, not optional. You jeopardize your grade by not doing so. You will not receive credit if your citations are all from one or two sources. Papers shorter than 3,000 words will not receive full credit. Use the word count feature in Word to insure you have written enough.
Visiting the library to check out or consult books is strongly recommended. Students who do so usually write strong papers, learn, and receive high marks. Aim to find the standard works on a topic and engage with them, not just anything you locate online. Your paper will be evaluated in part on the quality of your sources. Ask me for suggestions. Careful analysis and lucid writing are just as important. Papers that are well researched but ungrammatical or awkwardly written will not receive the highest possible grade. If you are unsure of my standards, please consult the sample paper in Files.
Try to be analytical and interpret architectural form. and ideas rather than merely praise the genius of a particular creative figure. Writing that Louis Kahn or Zaha Hadid were geniuses is hero worship, not research. It is essential to be scrupulous when you are quoting from the work of someone else. You are not expected to know everything; you are expected to be honest. I will be happy to recommend readings and help you select a topic. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness or ignorance but rather an expression of a desire to learn.
Quote from your sources to support your arguments, simply mentioning the name of a text is inadequate. I must be convinced that you have read them. Online resources such as JSTOR and the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals (both available on the UCI Library website) may be particularly helpful to locate sources. At least three of your citations should come from the Canvas course files, JSTOR, the Avery Index, or the Langson Library. Please note the extensive bibliography at the conclusion of the book by William Curtis.
Including page numbers and quotation marks in your citations is necessary, not optional. You jeopardize your grade by not doing so. You will not receive credit if your citations are all from one or two sources. You should not write about the same building you analyzed in your midterm essay. Long quotations from the readings should be avoided. Papers shorter than 3,000 words will not receive full credit. Limit your use of videos, Wikipedia entries, and websites. Do not use blogs, theses, or dissertations.
Visiting the library to check out or consult books is strongly recommended. Aim to find the standard works on a topic and engage with them, not just anything you locate online. Your paper will be evaluated in part on the quality of your sources. It is essential to be scrupulous when you are quoting from the work of someone else. I will be happy to recommend readings and help you select a topic. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness or ignorance but rather an expression of a desire to learn.
Here are 16 keys to writing an excellent paper:
1. Limit your paragraphs to 12 lines. Break up paragraphs to encourage the development of an overall argument.
2. Make sure you spell check your paper.
3. Write your paper in a manner that advances an argument and is not merely a reflection of the order in which you read sources. It must have a beginning, evidence, analysis, and a conclusion.
4. Cite the language of the figure or figures you are writing about, yet be critical about them.
5. Use secondary literature to conduct your analysis and not simply to provide citations and meet the word requirement. Do not ramble or write by free association.
6. Avoid repetition and present an idea clearly but only twice, once in your explanation of it, then in your conclusion.
7. Define terms that you use.
7. Describe in as much detail specific architectural, urban, or design forms, explain their significance, and avoid vagueness.
8. Locate ideas in relation to history in its political, social, and cultural manifestations. Why did this building or idea develop at specific moment? Find and quote relevant statements by architects, engineers, and clients.
9. Provide complete citations as described above. An author and title are not sufficient.
10. Supply examples to support your assertions. If you use a phrase such as "some critics," make certain you provide their names and clearly explain their claims. It is better to analyze a few buildings or thinkers in detail than to present many superficially. The closer and more detailed the analysis, the stronger the paper.
11. Stay on point and avoid excessive discussion of your own background and experiences.
12. Consult BOOKS specifically related to your topic. Students who check out books from the library and use them in their research generally write stronger papers.
13. If possible, include a few images in your paper.
14. If you are running into problems, consult me sooner rather than later.
15. Start early. It is doubtful you will write a strong paper if you begin it a few days before the submission deadline. Working steadily over a longer period of time always yields superior results.
16. Consult the Sample final essay in the Files and take it as a model of the word length, detail, lucidity, and research I expect in a strong essay.
Your paper must be uploaded to Canvas by 5pm on Thursday June 6. This is a hard deadline, for I need time to read and grade your papers. Late papers sent to me by email will not be accepted. To receive credit, a late submission will require a doctor's note confirming a medical emergency. Computer problems, Internet outage, or coursework for other classes are not acceptable excuses for submitting a late paper. Please remember that there are no exams or quizzes in this course and that the assignment prompts and deadlines have been available since the beginning of the quarter.
I discourage students from taking an Incomplete (I), since many never complete the course work at a later date and do not receive course credit. To pass the course, you will need to submit your paper by the above date or provide me with a documented medical explanation of why you cannot do so.