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Otis College of Art and Design
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Instructor’s Name
Course Title and designation AHCS 120 Introduction to Visual Culture
Class meetings day, time, and room
LAS phone number (310) 665-6920
Your office phone number, if applicable
Your Otis Email ONLY, if applicable
Mailbox location (Liberal Arts and Sciences, Room 303)
Office hours (if applicable) and meeting place
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Introduction to Visual Culture
Course description
This course introduces issues and theories that are critical to the field of Visual Culture
and representation in art and design. Students will investigate various historical and
contemporary representational practices that societies have developed to define, maintain,
and institutionalize different categories of visual culture and producers. The course will
introduce art historical and critical methodologies, emphasize the importance of cultural
diversity in defining and understanding visual culture, teach students how to research
information through a variety of library and electronic sources, and reinforce critical
reading, thinking, writing and collaboration skills.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Themes
“Through the themes of creativity, diversity, sustainability, social responsibility and
identity, the Liberal Arts curriculum cultivates an understanding of context and culture, a
persistent self-reflective stance, a willingness to rethink traditional categories, and an
opportunity to explore newly evolving realities, questioning the obvious and reaffirming
that which is of enduring value. Through the power of articulate expression and skilled
critical evaluation, you can enrich your understanding, appreciation, respect, awe, and
pleasure at the incredibly diverse record of human creativity and the immense vista of
imagination that preceded you and shaped the world you inherit”.
Debra Ballard, Chair, Liberal Arts and Sciences
Learning Outcomes
By the conclusion of Introduction to Visual Culture you will be able to:
Identify methodologies and critical strategies and be able to relate them to different
interpretations of visual culture.
Identify and explain different positions and interpretations about visual culture..
(diversity)
Identify and explain how course material relates to Liberal Studies themes of
creativity, identity, diversity, sustainability or social responsibility.
Explain the historical and contemporary construction of artist and designer and the
fine art and design fields. (identity, diversity, social responsibility)
Explain the significance of the Western canon and be able to identify some
postmodern criticisms of the canon. (sustainability, diversity)
Identify and explain connections in ideas, interpretations, and positions between
Liberal Studies and studio courses. (sustainability, creativity)
Demonstrate critical thinking and writing skills through assignments that require
research and synthesis of information.
Practice collaborative skills by successfully completing a group project and
presentation.
Identify and demonstrate the ability to locate, evaluate, and critically use library and
electronic resources.
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Required Texts
The required text for this course is the Introduction to Visual Culture Reader. Some
required material for the Information Literacy component is included in the reader. The
remainder is available online at the Otis Library information literacy website:
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/info_lit.html
Course Requirements
Attend all lectures
Do all required readings, quizzes/blogs/threaded discussions, and in-class writings
Post two reflections and paper #1 to your Learning Portfolio
Complete an individual 4-6 page paper
Complete the first Information Literacy component (ORE forms and objective
test)
Research, collaborate and present a group project
Take a midterm and final examination
Learning Eportfolio
Your Learning Eportfolio is a web-based portfolio that allows you to actively connect
content from different classes and reflect on what you are learning. You will be adding
material (called artifacts) to your Learning Eportfolio from every Liberal Arts and
Sciences class that you take for the next four years and from many of your studio courses.
Not only will this help you to understand how what you learn in specific courses
addresses greater issues and concerns such as the Liberal Arts themes, the Learning
Eportfolio will be the basis that you use to evaluate your education in the Senior year
Capstone course. In your Introduction to Visual Culture course, you will be posting an
initial reflection, your first paper, and a final reflection to the portfolio.
Communication: All email communication regarding this course and through O-Space
will be sent to your Otis Email address. You are to contact me via O-Space or using my
OTIS email.
Assignment Schedule
Quizzes/blogs/OSPACE discussions 10% Eight in total
Paper #1 15% Week 8
Otis Resource Evaluation (ORE) forms 5% Week 4
Participation Grade for Collaborative Project 5% Week 11
Collaborative project paper 10% Week 14
Presentation Grade for Collaborative Project 5% Week 15
Midterm (including Info Literacy test 5%) 25% Week 7
Reflections posted in Learning Eportfolio 5% By week 15
Final Exam 20% Week 15
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Attendance
From the Otis Student Handbook: Students are expected to attend all class sessions and
course-related activities. Attendance at all classes is mandatory and students are
responsible for all lecture material. Three absences within the semester (two during the
summer term) constitute automatic failure. Students who arrive late and or leave early
will be counted tardy. Three tardies equals one absence. Missing 45 minutes of class is
considered being absent. Faculty will inform their department when a student has missed
two sessions (one session for summer term) via an Academic Warning. The faculty will
notify the student using the Academic Warning for a third absence (second for summer
term) as it will constitute a failing grade for the class. Absence from class is a serious
matter and substantially impacts grading.
In exceptional circumstances, the department chair, at her discretion, may approve
emergency absences with medical or other legitimate reasons. Students must provide
medical documentation, make up the assigned work, and/or meet additional attendance
requirements. Students must inform the chair immediately if they expect to be absent for
a lengthy period, and should be prepared to substantiate these absences. Absences of a
short duration (i.e., one or two days) must be discussed with the individual instructors
whose classes will be missed. Absence due to observance of religious holidays must be
pre-approved by chair at least one week in advance. To have an absence excused, the
student must make up the work assigned or make up as determined by the instructor.
Students must be present for all regularly scheduled examinations and submit completed
assignments when they are due unless excused in advance. If students fail to take
examinations or to submit work on time without a legitimate excuse they should expect to
receive reduced grades or lose credit for the work not completed. With the approval of
the Provost, students may be assessed additional charges when significant additional
faculty or staff time is required to assess makeup assignments (Handbook, Academic
Policies, 19).
Holidays
Labor Day Monday, September 7
Add Deadline Tuesday, September 8
Drop Deadline Tuesday, September 15
Withdrawal Deadline Friday, October 23
Election Day Tuesday, November 3
Thanksgiving Break Wednesday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 29
Tutoring: Otis provides an excellent tutoring program, free to all students, located in the
Student Resource Center (out the front doors, then left and left again). They offer drop in
tutoring (when available), appointments, and online tutoring. Dr. Jeanne Willette is
available for help with Art History. You may make an appointment or drop in to see her.
Her hours are posted in the Student Resource Center.
Disability Accommodations: If you are a student with a documented disability
(physical, learning, or psychological) requiring reasonable academic accommodations,
you must contact Disabilities Services (located in the Student Resources Center, ext.
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2554) before you need any accommodations. Retroactive accommodations are not
provided, so please be sure to make your request early in the semester. All discussions
will remain confidential. For additional information, please visit:
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/student_life/student_affairs/student_disabilities_services.ht
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Late Paper Policy
Late papers are not accepted and you will receive a 0 (zero) for that assignment. Turning
in an incomplete paper on time is better than not turning any work in. Please do not ask
for extensions since this is not fair to the other students who have done the required work
by the deadline.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs when a person deliberately uses another person’s concepts, language,
images, music, or other original (not common knowledge) material without
acknowledging the source and/or making substantial modifications. While referencing or
appropriating may be part of a studio or Liberal Arts and Sciences assignment, it is the
student’s ethical responsibility to acknowledge and/or modify the original material.
Specific examples of plagiarism include:
Submitting someone else’s work in whole or part (including copying directly
from a source without documentation and/or alteration, or turning in studio work
that is not your own).
Having someone else produce, revise, or substantially alter all or part of a written
paper or studio assignment.
Cutting and pasting any textual or image-based work from the internet without
proper documentation or clarification of sources.
Failure to cite sources.
Proper citations in MLA style and a Works Cited page must accompany all papers. You
can find this in The College Writer’s Reference. You can also find citation information
through the Library website. http://www.lib.duke.edu/libguide/cite/works_cited.html
Using the writing, editing, or creative services of another person who
quantitatively and/or qualitatively revises the paper and/or studio work
significantly.
An editor often fixes the paper without the writer learning how to do it him/herself.
Sometimes the editor changes so much of the paper that it is no longer the student
writer’s work and thus plagiarized. A trained tutor helps the writer to learn how to revise
the papers and eventually not need the tutor’s assistance.
Instances of alleged plagiarism are reported to the Academic Integrity Committee for
review. For a complete description of the Academic Integrity Committee process, please
link to:
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/student_life/student_affairs/conduct.html
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Student Behavioral Expectations: All Otis students are expected to assist in
maintaining an environment that supports effective teaching and learning, and a culture
of civility and respect for others. Therefore, any behavior that disrupts or interferes with
the functioning of a classroom, studio, or college-sponsored off-campus venue may result
in students being asked to leave the class, and where warranted, being referred for
possible discipline according to the Otis Code of Conduct (as outlined in the current
Student Handbook). The consequences of disruptive behavior may also affect a student’s
grade.
Reading
All readings are in the Introduction to Visual Culture Reader. Complete weekly reading
assignments before coming to class. For example, the reading for Week Two should be
read before coming to class the second week. Maximize your reading time: read the
material critically and look for general themes and ideas to help with class discussions
and paper assignments. Take reading notes on each assignment so you have good review
material for examinations. One copy of the Reader will be on reserve in the library for
one hour use. This is for emergency use only and you should not count on using this as
your primary text.
Quizzes/Blogs/OSPACE Discussion (10%)
There will be eight quizzes, on-line class questions accessed through OSPACE or blog
responses. These exercises will help you understand and reflect on the readings, develop
your critical reading and writing abilities to prepare for essay exams and papers.
Papers
You will write one 4-6 page (1000-1500 words) paper with accompanying ORE forms.
Specific information on this assignment is located at the end of the syllabus under Paper
Assignment 1.
All papers must be typed or computer generated in 12-point font, double-spaced with 1”
margins. Do not quadruple space between paragraphs. Citations and Works Cited Pages
must be written in MLA style for all sources, including the Internet. You can find this in
The College Writer’s Reference and there are citation guides through the Library website
or at this link: http://library.otis.edu/help.htm
Information Literacy
We live in the information age and being able to locate, identify, and evaluate
information is a necessary life skill that goes far beyond simply finding material to write
a paper or complete an assignment. As part of Introduction to Visual Culture, you will be
required to spend approximately 3 hours on your own learning the basics of doing
college-level research. To assist you in this, the Library has prepared a website which
defines the skills you need to learn and links to tutorials that will help you learn them.
There is material in the course reader and an extensive list of very helpful websites for
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finding, identifying, and evaluating information at:
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/info_lit.html
Your research evaluation skills and knowledge of information literacy will be assessed
through the ORE forms and a midterm test.
Otis Resource Evaluation (ORE) Forms (5%)
ORE forms enable you to evaluate sources using an online form. Evaluation of sources is
a requirement for Information Literacy. Identifying sources and being able to assess and
explain how different kinds of sources are helpful to researching and writing is a
necessary skill for anyone living in the information age. Correctly completing the Otis
Resource Evaluation forms demonstrates that you can critically evaluate your author’s
credentials, the type of information (scholarly, professional, or popular), exactly how you
located the information, and how the information will help you write about your topic.
Information Literacy information is in your reader and available online at
http://library.otis.edu/oreform.php
ORE forms are available through the Pathfinder at the Library website; simply click on
Introduction to Visual Culture. You will need one ORE form for each source that you
use. You can type directly into the form and print out a hard copy to bring to class.
Electronically submitted or handwritten ORE forms will not be accepted. Help in
evaluating sources is available in the Introduction to Visual Culture Reader and at these
links: http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/information_literacy/evalinfo.html
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/information_literacy/typesofinfo.html
ORE forms are graded and count toward your final course grade. Late work will receive
a 0 (zero). The due dates for ORE forms are listed in the syllabus.
Examinations (45%)
You will take two in-class exams, a midterm in week 7 and a final exam in week 15 (each
count 20%). Each of these exams will be in essay format: 5 short essay questions and 3
longer essay questions. The five short questions will count 40% of the exam and the 3
longer essay questions will count 60%.
The midterm will also include a separate Information Literacy test (5%) that will evaluate
your understanding of how to locate, evaluate, and critically use library and electronic
information.
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Otis Grade Scale
A 4.0 95-100
A- 3.7 90-94
B+ 3.3 86-89
B 3.0 82-85
B- 2.7 78-81
C+ 2.3 74-77
C 2.0 70-73
C- 1.7 67-69
D 1.0 60-66
F 0.0 0-59
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Fall 2009 Lecture Schedule
Week 1:
Introduction to the course and requirements
Learning Eportfolio reflection prompt: What do you think is important for you to learn
in the first art history class that you take and why? Write this in the library and post it to
your new Learning Eportfolio
Assignments: Paper #1 assigned. See Paper 1, page 11.
Review the Information Literacy Section in the Reader or pick one of the online
Information tutorial options at:
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/info_lit.html
Learning Portfolio module (45 minutes) if applicable
Labor Day, Monday, September 7 No school
Week 2:
What Is Visual Culture?
Quiz/in class writing/blog/OSPACE discussion
Reading: “Practices of Looking: Images, Power, and Politics,” Marita Sturken and Lisa
Cartwright, Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture, pp. 10-20; “Art
History and the Current Visual Culture,” Kitty Zijlmans; The Image Society: Essays on
Visual Culture, pp. 68-77.
Information Literacy Module (30 minutes) Faculty or Library staff
Continue research for Paper 1; ORE forms due in two weeks
Week 3:
Identity in Art and Design
Quiz/blog/OSPACE discussion
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Reading: “Graphic Design and Art,” Graphic Design and Communication, Malcolm
Barnard, pp. 162-178; “Aesthetics, the Artist and the Audience,” David
Smith, 578-580, Art in Theory, 1900-1990, Ed., Charles Harrison and Paul
Wood.
Continue research for Paper 1: ORE forms due next week
Week 4:
Sustainability of ideas and practices through methodologies and strategies:
Formalism and canons
Quiz/blog/OSPACE discussion
ORE Forms due in class.
Reading: “Traditional Views of Art,” Stephen Addiss and Mary Erickson, Art History
and Education, pp. 15-44
Week 5:
Diversity and Creativity
Quiz/blog/OSPACE discussion
Reading: “Anticultural Positions, “Jean Dubuffet, Beauty is Nowhere: Ethical Issues in
Art and Design, pp. 9-15
ORE forms returned
Week 6:
Sustainability of ideas and practices through methodologies and strategies:
Iconography and Social History
Reading: “Twentieth-Century Methodologies in Art History,” Stephen Addiss and Mary
Erickson, Art History and Education, pp. 45-56
Midterm study guides handed out in class.
Week 7:
Midterm (25% which includes an Information Literacy section)
Bring a green book to class, available in LAS office
Week 8:
Diversity
Midterms returned
Reading: Postmodern concepts and Visual Culture,” Kerry Freedman, Teaching Visual
Culture, pp. 94-105
Assignments: Paper #1including Works Cited page due in class today
Collaborative Project assigned in class: See Project, page 19
Rubric for Collaborative Project is in the syllabus, distributed through OSPACE, and
available at the library website under the Introduction to Visual Culture
Pathfinder
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Week 9:
Diversity and Identity: Gendered perspectives
Critiquing Culture: Gendered Views
Quiz/blog/OSPACE discussion
Reading: “Feminist Debate and Fine Art Practices, Fiona Carson, Feminist Visual
Culture, pp. 25-35; Introduction in “Gay and Lesbian Studies in Art
History,” Whitney Davis, pp. 1-10.
Collaborative project class work: 30 minutes
Week 10:
Diversity, Identity, and Creativity: Race as Critique
Quiz/blog/OSPACE discussion
Reading: “The Triple Negation of Colored Women Artists”, Adrian Piper, Out of
Order, Out of Sight, 1967-1992, pp. 162-173.
Collaborative project class work: 30 minutes
Week 11:
Identity and Social Responsibility: Visual Culture and Changing Public Perceptions
Quiz/blog/OSPACE discussion
Reading: “The Wall, the Screen and the Image: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial,”
Marita Sturken, Visual Cultural Reader, ed. Nicholas Mirzoeff, 163-178;
Collaborative Project class work: 30 minutes;
Week 12:
Sustainability and Culture: Museums and Ways of Knowing
Quiz/blog/OSPACE discussion
Field trip to the Ben Maltz Gallery and a conversation with Meg Linton, Curator:
Travis Somerville: Dedicated to the
Proposition…
October 3 - December 12, 2009
Travis Somerville: Dedicated to the Proposition...
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Solo exhibition of San Francisco based artist Travis Somerville presents a
new body of work including painting, drawing, sculpture and installation,
exploring the complex inheritance of a nation trying to live up to the
challenge of being truly “dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal” as Abraham Lincoln stated in his historic Gettysburg
Address during the Civil War. The artist is interested in investigating the
tension and contradiction in America’s realization of equality and freedom
for all between the numerous examples of the nation’s successes, manifest
in Obama’s election and first 100 days, and the nation’s failures,
evidenced by the enduring and shameful aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Press Release (PDF)
Reading: “An Elite Experience for Everyone”: Art Museums, the Public, and Cultural
Literacy,” Vera L. Zolberg, Museum Culture, eds. Daniel J. Sherman and Irig
Rogoff, pp. 49-58.
Collaborative Project class work: 30 minutes
Thanksgiving Break: Wednesday, November 25—Sunday, November 29
Week 13:
Class Presentations of Collaborative Project
Week 14: Creativity
Finish Class Presentations of Collaborative Projects
Everyone should be prepared to turn in today:
1. Written version of oral collaborative presentation with any citations, Work Cited
pages, as needed (one per group)
2. Any visual materials used for the presentation (you may turn in a CD or electronic
file with scanned images of visual materials if the actual objects cannot be turned
in (i.e., work from other classes that you need or want to keep)
3. ORE forms for any sources used
4. Project journal notes (may be handwritten)
Learning Portfolio: Paper #1 posted (artifact) and common reflection: (In class
writing: (20 minutes)
What did you learn from this assignment and how does it address the learning outcomes
for the course and one or more of the Liberal Studies themes (identity, diversity,
creativity, social responsibility, and sustainability)? What were your strengths and
weaknesses in this class? How will you be able to use this course content in your future
practice as an artist and/or designer?
Review/Study questions handed out in class today.
Week 15:
Final Exam
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Paper Assignments
Paper 1
Artists and Objects in Visual Culture
Due Week 8
Assignment learning outcomes:
Identify and explain different positions and interpretations about visual culture
(identity, diversity)
Demonstrate critical thinking and writing skills that require research and synthesis
of information
Identify and demonstrate the ability to locate, evaluate, and critically use library
and electronic resources
Paper assignment: Discuss the relevance and impact of the work of an
artist/maker/designer in visual culture. Explain what his/her intentions were in making
the work, how the work functions in culture and how its representation influenced the
mainstream response to understanding the work. Finally, explain how your research
about the work has influenced your understanding of it.
1. Artist/maker/designer must be selected from the Artists and Designers List at the
Introduction to Visual Culture Pathfinder.
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/pathfinders/list_artists.html
Three good sources are required for research. One must be from a book and two
must be from the Otis Library databases. Using only the free web for sources will
result in a failure for the assignment.
2. Complete one ORE form for each of your sources and turn these in Week 4.
3. All assignment prompts must be addressed fully. See Rubric for Paper I.
4. Papers should be 4-5 pages (1000-1500 words), 12 pt. font, double spaces with 1”
margins.
5. Papers must have all citations in MLA style and must include a Works Cited
page.
The ORE forms are available on the Introduction to Visual Culture Pathfinder
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/pathfinders/intro_visual_culture.html
Follow the instructions there.
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Getting Started:
This is the first major college paper for most of you and because it involves research,
critical thinking, and a synthesis of information, the following steps will be helpful to
you. There is more specific help in locating sources at the Introduction to Visual
Culture Pathfinder:
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/pathfinders/intro_visual_culture.html
Select a work from the list of artists and designers at the Introduction to Visual
Culture Pathfinder. All the entries on this list have sufficient sources in books,
academic databases, and journals that will enable you to write the
paper.http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/pathfinders/list_artists.html
Find good sources in the library. You must have at least one book and two
articles from academic databases. The Information Literacy material in
your reader; (also online at the Library website)
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/databases.html.
Information Literacy will help you learn how to locate, identify, and
categorize information on your artist and the work. This information is
needed to complete the ORE forms which are due Week 4. Start early to get
your sources. This is especially important because books may be checked
out and unavailable to you. It may a couple of hours to find sources that will
be helpful to your topic. You will have to read through some articles, look
through book chapters to see if the information is helpful for the specific
prompts. This is part of the research process where you learn how to be
critical about the kinds of sources that you want to use. The better the
sources, the better the material for your paper.
If possible, go and see this object. This is an important step to understanding
how it functions and is represented in visual culture. How and where it is
displayed (a museum, public space, a retail space, or a gallery; is it an original
work? a reproduction? Fine art? Popular culture?). These factors make a
difference in the connotations that we make about it. Remember that all the
objects on the list can be seen in a variety of places in visual culture because
they can be reproduced. Identify other places in visual culture where the work
can be found. Remember the importance of reproduction in shaping beliefs
for mass culture. For example, you can go and see the new Disney Hall in
Los Angeles, but you can also see images of it in magazine articles,
architectural journals, and online.
Organize your schedule so that you have sufficient time to read your sources
thoroughly, think about the material, fill out ORE forms, and write the paper.
Waiting until the last week to do the reading and write the paper generally
results in poor work. Working on some part of the paper every week will be
less stressful and you will understand the material much better. Writing an
outline or a first draft is a good idea, so is talking about your ideas with your
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classmates. If you have any writing problems, be sure that you make
appointments with the tutors so they can help you with grammar,
organization, syntax, and citations.
Read the Rubric for paper 1. This gives you the standard for the paper. You
should be able to get a good sense of the quality of your paper and your grade
by comparing what you have written to the rubric criteria.
Otis Resource Evaluations (ORE) (5%) Due Week 4
Otis Resource Evaluation (ORE) forms are available online at the Pathfinder for
Introduction to Visual Culture on the Otis Library website:
http://library.otis.edu/oreform.php
ORE forms are a way to demonstrate your Information Literacy and your ability
to locate, identify, and evaluate information. There is material about this in your
reader or you can go to the Library Information Literacy site
(http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/info_lit.html) where you will find tutorials
and videos as well as written information to help you. Do not guess on the forms;
take the time to learn how to evaluate information. If you have questions, ask
your instructor or the Librarians.
Save the form as a word document.
Look for information about artistic influences on the artist/designer or other
reasons that influenced his or her work. You may find good sources in
interviews, biographies, monographs, and design and history texts, academic
databases that specialize in art and design, or the artist/designer’s own writings.
How does the artist/designer explain the work? How have others interpreted the
work? How does the work function in visual culture? What different kinds of
meanings does it communicate depending on where it is seen and who sees it.
Don’t hesitate to ask the librarian (not the student workers) if you are having
trouble finding enough of this type of information.
Type your information directly into the form and print one copy out for each
source. Be sure that you answer all parts of the form.
Final Paper (15%)
Your final paper (4-6 pages—1000-1500 pages--computer generated, double spaced with
1” margins) should have a thesis statement, be well organized, answer the assignment
prompts, include good supporting evidence, proper citations, and include a Works Cited
page. There is a rubric for the paper in the syllabus.
A Works Cited Page is an informational list that identifies all the sources that you cited in
your paper and must be written in MLA form. Help with MLA citations can be found at:
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite5.html
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Grading Rubric for Introduction to Visual Culture, Paper 1: Artists and Objects in
Visual Culture
Turn Rubric in with Paper; No Rubric is an automatic 2% reduction
Category 4 3 2 1 0 Score Comments
Introduction, Strong introduction; Good introduction Weak or general No introduction; No effort to
Focus, engaging and full and well developed introduction; ideas no apparent develop an
Purpose, development of a thesis that are intelligible but thesis or main introduction or
Thesis clear thesis that is represents a sound very general; point; ideas are thesis that
(controlling appropriate to topic understanding of the thesis is weak, weak or addresses
idea) and assignment topic and assignment unclear or very simplistic. assignment
purposes. purposes. broad. purposes.
Ideas, support Discussion is Discussion is mostly Discussion is very Weak, general Very weak
and consistently critical, consistent, although general with more discussion that discussion
development interesting, and there may be gaps in description and does not that does not
(essay content) thoughtful with all criticality and less critical address all the address
prompts addressed in thoughtful explanation. All of assignment assignment
full. Ideas work explanations. All the assignment prompts. Weak prompts with
together as a unified prompts addressed prompts may not supporting very weak or
whole with strong but supporting be addressed. evidence and no supporting
supporting evidence evidence and Weak supporting few or no evidence or
and examples used to examples may be evidence and few examples used examples
demonstrate less convincing in examples used to to demonstrate used.
significant points. some areas. demonstrate significant
significant points. points.
Organization Clearly structured Essay is well Some attempt at Weak, random, No attempt to
with one idea flowing organized but there organization but and illogical organize the
into the next, logical may be occasional paragraphs were arrangement of information.
sequencing, clear awkwardness or simple, sometimes ideas, Ideas are
transitions and a weakness in stand alones, evidence, and barely
strong conclusion. phrasing, paragraph disconnected and examples. No articulated.
Supporting evidence structure, transitions, formulaic. conclusion or
and examples supporting evidence, Supporting very weak
logically and using examples or evidence and conclusion.
effectively integrated the conclusion. examples were
into discussion. not used
effectively,
transitions may be
awkward and the
conclusion may be
weak.
Mechanics and Used effective Minimal errors in Essay has several Essay has A mess.
Documentation grammar, grammar, to many spelling, many errors Impossible to
punctuation, spelling, punctuation, grammar, that make it follow the
phrasing, word phrasing and word punctuation, and difficult to follow argument.
choice, formatting and choice. MLA phrasing errors the argument. Missing MLA
MLA citations, citations and Works although the MLA citations citations
including a correctly Cited page are sense of the and Works and/or Works
formatted Works correctly formatted. essay is not Cited page are Cited page.
Cited page. Few, if confusing. MLA incorrectly cited
any, errors in spelling, citations and/or or missing.
punctuation, Works Cited page
capitalization, and are incorrectly
grammar. formatted.
Student: _________________________________________________________ Total Points: _____
Grade: _____
Collaborative Project
Connections beyond the Visual Culture Classroom
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Presentations weeks 13 and 14: Written Work due Week 14
In his book Out of Their Minds: Learning to Be Creative Ken Robinson argues:
Creative thinking is a break with habitual patterns of thought. Creative insights
often occur by making unusual connections, seeing analogies between ideas that have not
previously been related. . . . Creativity and innovation thrive on contact between different
areas of specialism and expertise. The most creative periods in human history have been
when conventional boundaries between disciplines and ways of thinking have become
permeable or have dissolved altogether. . . This is precisely why the most creative teams
are interdisciplinary. (167-188)
As one of the core Liberal Studies courses in your college career, Introduction to Visual
Culture provides you with ideas and information that affect your lives as individuals and
as students of art and design. Studio and Liberal Studies faculty see many links between
our departments and this course. What kinds of links do you see?
Assignment learning outcomes:
Identify and explain the value of different positions and interpretations about
issues in visual culture (diversity, sustainability—or any of the LAS themes that
seem appropriate)
Identify and explain connections between Visual Culture and other Liberal
Studies and studio courses (creativity, sustainability)
Demonstrate critical thinking and writing skills that require research and synthesis
of information
Practice collaborative skills by successfully completing a group project and
presentation.
1. In this assignment, each group is going to identity an issue or problem or concept
or reading covered in Visual Culture and explain why their choice is important to
art and design students and how it connects with one of their studio courses. You
should look at the ways that an idea or concept is addressed in different courses,
at overlapping ideas or connections that you are studying in different courses, at
how material learned in Visual Culture has helped in studio classes or how studio
instruction has influenced what you think about visual culture. That is the critical
part of the assignment and each group will have to decide on what they think is
most important.
2. Each group will collaborate on a presentation for the class that demonstrates these
links week 13 and 14. Feel free to use studio work, independent work, whatever
materials or visual aids you think will effectively prove your points.
3. Besides the oral class presentation weeks 13 and 14, each group will turn in:
1. Project Journal (may be handwritten) of your weekly progress
(discussions, group decisions, group assignments, etc.)
2. One formal written paper of the presentation (4-6 pages) that is turned in
week 14, with any ORE forms if you did outside research and the Grading
Rubric. It is the group’s responsibility to collaborate on writing the paper.
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Each group may divide it up as they choose; this is the nature of a
collaborative work.
Grading for the Collaborative Project:
Each member of the group will receive the same grade for the group paper and for
the group presentation. There is a rubric for the paper and the oral presentation in
the syllabus.
Each member of the group will independently and confidentially evaluate other
group members week 15. This counts as 5% of your grade for the class. The
rubric for peer evaluation can be found at:
http://www.otis.edu/life_otis/library/pathfinders/rubric_for_group.html
Grading Rubric for Collaborative Project Paper
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Turn Rubric in with Paper; No Rubric is an automatic 2% reduction
Category 4 3 2 1 0 Score Comments
Introduction, Strong and engaging Good introduction Weak or general No introduction; no No effort to
Focus, introduction and thesis and thesis with the introduction and apparent thesis or develop an
Purpose, with the concept, concept, problem, thesis; concept, main point; Concept, introduction
Thesis problem, issue, or issue, or reading problem, issue, or problem, issue or or thesis that
(controlling reading connecting the connecting studio reading connecting reading is not addresses
idea) studio course with with Visual Culture studio with LAS is identified and the assignment
Visual Culture explained and too general or connections between purposes.
information very clearly showing a sound unclear. Paper LAS and studio are
explained and understanding of the shows some very weak,
appropriate to the topic topic and assignment confusion about the unconvincing and do
and assignment purposes. topic and the not show an
purposes. assignment understanding of the
purposes. topic or assignment
purposes.
Ideas, Discussion is Discussion is mostly Discussion is very Weak, general Very weak
support and consistently critical, consistent and all the general with more discussion that does discussion
development interesting, and prompts are description and less not explain the that does not
(essay thoughtful with all addressed. There critical explanation. connections between address
content) prompts addressed in are good All of the assignment studio and LAS, poor assignment
full. Paper looks at connections between prompts may not be or weak examples prompts with
connections between the two departments addressed. Weak that are poorly poor
the two departments but the different supporting evidence explained, does not examples or
from different perspectives and and few examples address all of the no examples
perspectives, provides examples may not be used to demonstrate assignment prompts. used or
convincing examples fully supported with the connections explained.
and strong strong explanations. between studio and
explanations. may LAS.
Organization Clearly structured with Essay is well Some attempt at No attempt
one idea flowing into organized but there organization but Weak, random, and to organize
the next, logical may be occasional paragraphs were illogical arrangement the
sequencing, clear awkwardness or simple, sometimes of ideas, evidence, information.
transitions and a strong weakness in stand alones, and examples. No Ideas are
conclusion. Supporting phrasing, paragraph disconnected and conclusion or very barely
evidence and examples structure, transitions, formulaic. weak conclusion. articulated.
logically and effectively supporting evidence, Supporting evidence
integrated into using examples or and examples were
discussion. the conclusion. not used effectively,
transitions may be
awkward and the
conclusion may be
weak.
Mechanics Used effective Minimal errors in Essay has several to Essay has many A mess.
and grammar, punctuation, grammar, many spelling, errors that make it Impossible
Documentation spelling, phrasing, word punctuation, grammar, difficult to follow the to follow the
choice, formatting and phrasing and word punctuation, and argument. MLA argument.
MLA citations, including choice. MLA phrasing errors citations and Works Missing MLA
a correctly formatted citations and Works although the sense Cited page (if citations
Works Cited page if Cited page are of the essay is not required) are and/or
required. Few, if any, correctly formatted if confusing. MLA incorrectly cited or Works Cited
errors in spelling, required. citations and/or missing. page.
punctuation, Works Cited page (if
capitalization, and required) are
grammar. incorrectly formatted.
Student: _______________________________________________________ Total Points: _____
Grade: _____Grading Rubric for Collaborative Project Presentation
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Category 4 3 2 1 0 Score Comments
Organization Information presented Information Information Audience has Audience
in logical, thoughtful, presented in logical presented but difficulty following cannot
and interesting sequence which without an organized presentation understand
sequence which audience can follow. sequence but some because the presentation
audience can easily Transitions and of the information is presenters jump because there
follow. Transitions and group interaction is hard to follow around. Little or no is no sequence
group interaction clearly generally competent because the attention paid to of information.
demonstrates thorough although presenters jump transitions and group No attention
preparation and occasionally there around. Transitions interaction. paid to
attention to how the may be and group interaction transitions or
information is awkwardness or may be clumsy or group
presented. confusion in the awkward. interaction.
sequence of their
presentation.
Eye Contact Presenters maintain Presenters maintain Presenters Presenters read their Presenters
excellent eye contact eye contact most of occasionally make notes most of the read their notes
with the audience and the time and refer to eye contact and read time and rarely make and make little
seldom refer to their notes frequently. notes most of the eye contact with the if any attempt
notes. time. audience. to make eye
contact with the
audience.
Voice Presenters use clear Presenter use clear Presenters speak in Presenters mumble, Presenters
voices and speak slowly voices most of the a range of voices speak too quickly or speak so
enough and use precise time but they may from clear to too low too quietly and quickly, quietly,
pronunciation so that all fade off occasionally or mumbling. They generally make it or mumble that
the audience members and it may be difficult may have to repeat difficult for the the audience
can hear and at times for the sections because audience to hear and had a difficult
understand the audience to hear and they speak too understand the time
presentation easily. understand the quietly or too quickly presentation. understanding
presentation easily and audience may the
because they speak have some difficulty presentation.
too quietly or too hearing the Presenters
quickly. presentation. must be
reminded to
slow down and
speak up
repeatedly.
Visual Aids Presenters use visual Presenters use Presenters use Visual aids are weak Few or no
aids that are very visual aids that relate visual aids but they or poorly chosen, visual aids,
effective in reinforcing to their points. Visual do not always relate ineffective in very little effort
the points they are aids are good, to their points. There reinforcing the made to
making. Visual aids are generally well may be some points, poorly incorporate it
well chosen, well displayed although confusion or displayed and poorly into the
displayed, and there may be some disorganization in the incorporated into the presentation,
seamlessly integrated confusion or way that the visual presentation. often they are
into the presentation. disorganization as aids are presented shown as an
they are incorporated and incorporated into afterthought.
into the presentation. the presentation.
Student: _______________________________________________________ Total Points: _____
Grade: _____
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