Bibliography Project and In-Class Presentation

Fall 2008 Art History 251

BIBLIOGRAPHY PROJECT AND IN-CLASS PRESENTATION

A MUSEUM EXHIBIT ON ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

This project will be part research and part in-class presentation based on your research. It will be a included in your class participation grade.

This is an opportunity for you to do in depth research on ancient civilizations. Choose two ancient civilizations, one European and one non-European, which intrigue you, and research them with a specific thematic goal in mind. Your time frame for both civilizations should roughly correspond to the period of Western art history that we are covering this quarter. A beginning date is pretty flexible; don't go beyond 600 A.D. Examples of a non-European civilization would be India, China, Japan, Mesoamerica, and South America. (Be sure to check with me if you want to choose another area.)

Scenario: As a curator of major metropolitan museum you have been asked to prepare an exhibit that focuses on ancient civilizations. First you will decide on a theme for the exhibit, and second, you will present a brief overview of your exhibit to a museum audience (we will be the museum audience). This overview will feature four different images from your exhibit to help illustrate your discussion.

The Project/ Starting the Process: 1. First, choose a theme. Your theme should be one that will be appropriate for both European or non-European civilization. Thematic possibilities include images of gods, images of authority, religious architecture, architecture of authority, articulation of nature, i.e., art and nature (landscapes), portraiture, love (sacred/profane), death (funerary images, or funerary architecture), and genre scenes of life, i.e., the family, work and play.

2. Second, after choosing a theme, you will want to decide on a memorable title for your exhibit.

3. Third, you need to begin the research process. Begin by reading all the information in Gardner's Art Through the Ages that pertains to the civilizations and theme you have chosen. You will want to check in the library for the Gardner's 11th or 12th editions that includes the non-European sections; there are copies of our textbook on reserve. We will also have two library sessions that will help you further with research skills.

4. Choose four images to illustrate your discussion.

5. Create a illustrated timeline for your exhibit. Research: This is not meant to be a full-fledged research paper. However, general research guidelines apply. For this reason two library orientations have been scheduled. At the orientation a librarian will help you focus on research skills, locate sources, and show you how to analyze sources for quality information. Begin researching the civilizations with your theme in mind. Look for books, reference books and periodical articles found in the library databases, and **appropriate Internet sites to find sources that will have information related to your theme. I recommend that you start by reading all the information in Gardner's Art Through the Ages that pertains to the civilizations and theme you have chosen. In addition to the textbook, I also recommend the Dictionary of Art which is in the reference section of our library. Expect to spend a great deal of time in the library researching the civilizations and theme you have chosen. Your library research should focus on the most current sources available. Try to find material from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, or even more current information. **Don't rely on the websites for your information. Your bibliography should contain no more than two Internet sources (not including library databases); most of your bibliography should be books, reference books, magazines or periodical articles.

Prepare and present: I am not asking for a formal research paper; however, I ask that you (1) prepare and submit an annotated bibliography based on your research along with your timeline, and (2) present a brief overview to the class based on the results of your research. (The overview will be quite brief; you will have no more than five minutes.) Though you must be brief, you still need to assume that your audience has no knowledge of your specific theme, so, in a way, you will be providing them with new information. You will want the class to know your theme, why you chose it, what sources you found, what insights you now have into the specific civilizations you researched, and any pertinent information that relates to your theme. (Plan on explaining to your audience the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your theme and images.)

The annotated bibliography: You are required to submit an annotated bibliography and timeline on December 1st. Your bibliography must be in the MLA style. If you don’t already have a handbook from your English classes, you can find the MLA guide online. Research as many different kinds of sources as you can which might provide information on your topic. For example, you might search in books, art magazines, archaeology magazines, journals, newspaper articles and **appropriate web sources. Your bibliography should be extensive; a minimum of six sources are expected, e.g., at least three books, at least two periodical articles, and one of those should come from an academic journal. In addition to these sources, you may include up to two Internet sites. Your bibliography should be typed, and must be prepared using the MLA Style. Plagiarism of any material will result in a failing grade.

Crucial Dates: October 16 th and 17 th : Library Orientations on both days. The librarian will focus on finding topics related to your theme, evaluating web sites, and show you how to find a guide for the annotated bibliography. October 24 th: Web evaluation forms due. November 3 rd : Check in. Please provide me with your theme, and provide me with one resource you will include in your bibliography. The resource may be a book, periodical, or web site. December 1 st , On this day, be prepared to turn into me your annotated bibliography and timeline, and be prepared to present your timeline in class. Include in your timeline four images (minimum) to illustrate your theme. Your timeline can be as large as you want, but what you turn into me should be no larger than 8.5 x 11. Be creative in your “folding.” The presentation schedule will be determined by lottery. .

*While you may choose your own theme, the following are suggestions of areas to consider for this project.

Greek sculpture and the sculpture of Mesoamerica or China Greek architecture and the architecture of India or China Roman temples and temple architecture of India or China Egyptian pyramids and the temples of Teotihuacan (Mesoamerica) Egyptian sculpture and the sculpture of India or China Egyptian jewelry and Maya jewelry or Minoan or Greek ceramics/ pottery and the ceramics of China or Mesoamerica Etruscan frescoes and Maya wall painting

Grading: The grade for this project will be based on your presentation, the quality/depth of your information in your annotated bibliography, and your timeline which should be clear and visually attractive. If you wish to use ARTstor images for your presentation, you must get those images to me ahead of time so that they will be ready for you to show in class.

Check List Do use the most current information possible (recent scholarship has greatly increased our knowledge of the ancient civilizations). Do check the bibliography in your Gardner's textbook first; the authors have consulted some excellent sources. Do critically analyze your bibliographical material. Is the author(s) credible? Are the facts or information presented verifiable? (Web sites can be a problem; the information in books, reference books, and periodical articles is presented by legitimate scholars and is checked thoroughly for accuracy. General Internet sites have no such guarantee.) **Don't use the general Internet for more than two sources. A librarian will show you how to evaluate online sources for this project. Don't use general encyclopedias as a reference source. Encarata or Wikipedia are not acceptable sources for your annotated bibliography.