RESEARCH PAPER OF ART HISTORY

Research Paper
Write a 800-word research paper analyzing and discussing a work of art discussed in the online text

(https://smarthistory.org).

You must research a work of art that is not included in the assigned readings or course resources. Format:
• 800 words, not including citations and bibliography.
• Include a small image of the artwork in the body of your essay.
• DO NOT include lengthy quotations. Grades will be deducted for quotations of more than two lines. • Use a minimum of three research sources, in addition to the course text.
• The assignment requires research beyond what is covered in assigned readings and course resources.

• Use quality sources for your research. Avoid internet sources without authors or clear connections to established research. For guidelines on quality research sources: https://www.library.georgetown.edu/ tutorials/research-guides/evaluating-internet-content
• Do not use Wikipedia for your assignments, since it has no academic reliability. An excellent reference for our course is Grove Art Online, accessible through the university library
• Your essay MUST include properly-formatted citations and bibliography.
• Use Chicago style formatting, with proper citation of sources.
• The Chicago Manual of Style is available through the university library: https://
uregina.libguides.com/Chicago
• Use 12 point font, double spaced, with no title page or cover.
• Include your student number, course and date on the body of your essay.
• Do not include subheadings in your paper.
• You will lose marks if you go more than 50 words over or under 800 words.
• You will lose marks if you write your paper on an artwork that is included in the assigned readings or
course resources.
• If you are unable to submit your written work on time due to illness or other serious circumstances
please contact me immediately to make arrangements.
• GRADING will be based on adherence to assignment guidelines, research, content, format, and
organization. For details, refer to the Art History Grading Criteria posted on the class UR Courses
website.
• The essay will be graded in Turnitin, where feedback will be available until the end of Dec., 2020 Submit your paper as a .pdf or .docx file

Structure:
• Write a clearly stated thesis statement in the first paragraph.
• Develop your main points in the body of the paper.
• End your paper with a concluding paragraph that summarizes your ideas.
TIPS:
• Be sure to develop an argument and structure that holds the paper together.
• Do not write the essay as if the instructor is your reader. Imagine you are writing to someone like
you. They know a little about art but have not seen this work.
• Only include biographical information on the artist if it advances your essay thesis.
• Do not write in the first person.
• Avoid statements such as “This painting jumped out at me …” or “This sculpture caught my eye…”
• Resist empty and awkward exaggeration: “she is like the greatest master who ever lived;” “his
amazing realism has dropped jaws all over the world.”
• Watch out for vague, overly general claims: “There is more to this painting than meets the eye;” “Art
makes you see the world in new ways and this watercolour is no exception.”
• Avoid repetition. Avoid repetition.
Please note that student papers will be graded using turnitin.com, a site that checks against databases of electronic books and articles, archived webpages, and previously-submitted student papers.