Assistant Professor, School of Art & Art History

John Ott Assistant Professor, School of Art & Art History

Faculty Evaluation of Assignment for ARTH 300 (The Art History Seminar, Spring 2007) Information Literacy for Teaching and Learning Workshop, 2006-2007

In conjunction with liaison librarian Mary Ann Chappell, I designed a multi-stage assignment to help art history majors learn how to conduct sustained, thorough, and effective research in the discipline. The first three stages culminated in the production of a comprehensive bibliography for a research paper on the cultural and historical significance of a single artwork; the fourth, which I had previously assigned for this course, required students to ascertain and evaluate the methodology and theoretical framework of one scholarly article or book chapter on an art-historical subject. For the first assignment (due week 3), students utilized selected internet databases and print reference materials to identify the basic specifications of your object ( the who, what, where, and when). For the second (due week 5), they employed both internet and print research tools to find object-based resources based on the categories from the first research assignment. And for the third (due week 7), they located and used additional research tools to find topical or concept-based resources. To ensure student success, I provided detailed checklists that mandated the use of multiple research tools, the inclusion of multiple categories of resources in their bibliographies (books, articles, catalogs), and the practice of performing more varied, relevant, and precise database searches. To this end I also provided the class with sample bibliographies based on one of my own current research projects. In addition, during the second week of class, Mary Ann Chappell held a tutorial in Carrier Library on how to access and make productive use of internet research databases and print reference materials. Finally, to make the experience more concrete, relevant, and useful for the students, I had them conduct their assignments on topics drawn from their concurrent or previous coursework in the discipline. In general the class found the assignment valuable, and I considered it successful. While a small minority of students had received comparable training from art history faculty or participated in similar workshops, most were largely unfamiliar with the universe of research tools at their disposal and openly commented on their usefulness. I was particularly emphatic about the limitations of relying solely on Wikipedia and JSTOR, and these assignments greatly helped me make my case to the class. Students were even more appreciative of learning how to make use of various internet databases in a more effective manner. I can speak with less certainty about the long-term efficacy of these tutorials, but I have hope that these students will access these skills for their future research endeavors in the discipline.