Assignments Overview

Tiered Individual Reports & Creative Displays

Note: Details of assignments will be further explored and worksheets provided in class.

You can click on the linked ‘Assignment’ titles for the specific detailed assignment instruction pages.

Introduction

The seminar will offer a variety of assignments that build upon one another toward completion of a fully realized final project. You are asked to complete four individual reports and two creative displays throughout the term that assist you in working toward your final professional display. Journal assignments are oriented toward assist your process in developing formalized reports and displays along the way. Reports and Creative Displays are oriented to focus your, ideas, energy, questions, and most importantly bring together your term’s writing, research, creative practice, peer and instructor responses, revisions, and editing to form a tailored and professional individual final class project. Tiering of Reports and Creative Displays through this process is intentional in order to provide you with peer and instructor evaluation, opportunities for revision and enhancement of research, writing skills, and creative development. Please see the Course Schedule for due dates.

Each assignment acts as a tool regarding selected findings of scientific looking and cultural artistic meaning for the problem and artistic approach you have selected to examine throughout the term. Depth of thought and quality of writing and creative process/product will be considered for grading purposes (writing and presentation rubrics for grading are posted on the course blog).

These key assignments are in addition to daily/weekly assignments related to in-class work.

As a whole, these tiered assignments focus upon the individual Final Project Paper and Creative Exhibit of your choosing focused on the artist(s) you select from a provided list (see Report 2 instructions on page two). You will pick a specific artist(s) and scientific theme upon which to focus and research throughout the term.   At the end of the term, the class will host an exhibit exploring the research work you have conducted throughout the term.

Specific Assignments

The Final Project Paper and Creative Exhibit will be an engaging culmination of your work during the term. Your final project presentation should be a rich, rewarding visual and research showcase of the work you have diligently pursued during the term through the following assignments:

Report 1: Report 1 is a critique of a specific scientific image and the context of its viewing, adopting a critical perspective regarding art, looking, interpretation, and culture. Examples of how to prepare and write critiques will be offered during class sessions and within the details of the assignment handout. This report prepares you, in part, for develop of later reports about a specific artist and science interface.

Report 2: In this report, you are asked to share your proposed selection of a specific artist from the lists provided by the instructors. You will share the artist’s approach to a scientific field and an outline of your initial understanding of his/her work. A worksheet is provided for these purposes.

Creative Display 1: Creative Display 1 will outline your proposed final creative display/response to the artist(s) you have selected in Report 2. This will be based on a course worksheet, brainstorming, and sketching/modeling in your journal.

Report 3: Report 3 will outline research to support your final project. You should find scholarly (peer reviewed) articles and books through UO Library databases, library holdings, library image files, and other sources for information on your selected topic. Focus upon the artist you selected in Report 2, exploring their specific scientific interests based on questions provided by the instructors.

Creative Display 2: Present the initial draft of creative elements for the final project. This is your artistic creation/response/visualization to your research thus far on the artist and science focus of your choice. Include visual examples (mock ups, sketches, storyboards, etc.). Though this is a draft of your work, it should give everyone in the class a clear idea of your purpose and overall visualization for the project.

Report 4: Initial Draft of Researched Creative Statement for final paper. This is the paper that accompanies your creative display for the final course exhibit. Describe, reflect upon, and answer guided questions provided by the instructors.