Reading, Writing & Research Methods
Reading, Writing, and Research Methodologies 2014-2015
Handbook description: "The Reading, Writing, and Research Methodologies Seminar is tailored towards (further) developing research methods within the first year of this master. By establishing a solid foundation of research skills, it will eventually prepare students for their Graduate research in the second year. Through reading core theoretical texts, they will establish a common vocabulary and set of references to work from. They will learn the practice of classic ‘essayistic methodologies’, including close reading, annotation, description and notation, students learn to survey a body of literature, filter what is relevant to their research and create comparative pieces of analysis. The seminar helps students to establish methodical drafting processes for their texts, where they can develop ideas further and structure their use of notes and references. The course takes as axiomatic that the perceived division between ‘practice’ and ‘theory’ is essentially an illusion."
Curriculum:
The seminar over the two trimesters will involve:
(a.) Identifying the object of your research: description and analysis of your work
(b.) Contextualizing your work through description and reflection on contemporary and historical practices.
(c.) Identify research material key to your practice.
(d.) Synopsis and annotation of key texts
(e.) Writing machines: creating methods for group and individual writing.
Throughout, there will be an emphasis on working collectively, whether in a larger discussion group or in smaller reading and writing groups.
General notes:
1) Communication - Think of the reader. It is not safe to assume they have knowledge of what you are writing about. Even if they do have knowledge this needs to be contextualized. Generally people appreciate clarity.
2) Description - Remember to describe the texts you are citing (synopsis of relevant arguments) and the things you are discussing (your own work, the work of others).
3) Citation - give appropriate acknowledgment of the text/work you are citing. Do not leave it to the end of the process to place citations, as your texts grow more complex and longer this becomes a tedious task so give citations as you go. Use the Harvard method.
4) Notation - always take notes and log your sources. The alphabet code is an excellent memory storage system - use it.
5) Identify and eliminate bad habits as you go - this saves time. Examples: its/it's / i/I
6) Bibliography
n) stop wiki sloppiness - this is the page through which we communicate so always make a link to the latest version on this page
Basic style sheet
Titles and works = italics
Essays = Title in Caps
Notation = Harvard System (writer, page number) = (Smith, 26)
URL = make link
18-Sept
WhoWhatWhy # 1
upload texts here
02-Oct
WhoWhatWhy # 2
What is context and why # 1
http://piratepad.net/VpkbeMzbsW
Bring along a text, an art object (repro) by another and a piece of popular media (film,clip &c)
Make notes together on pirate pad
16 Oct
AM: note taking # 2
1) Watch film together
2) Take notes Individually
3) Review notes in big group
4) Form editorial teams (of three): make text by combining information from each other's texts.
5) Publish texts on wiki below
PM: What is context and why #2
150 words on art piece, text piece or media piece.
Write alone
Review texts in groups 3:30
Make changes 4:00
Upload here: 4:45
30 Oct
Kate Briggs: What is a Synopsis?
Some synonyms for the verb to synopsize include: to sum up, to encapsulate, abstract, to boil down, to digest... Our work today will be to produce a sequence of synopses of different sorts of texts (one of which you will bring along with you), to practice synopsizing as a research tool - a useful way of dealing with the texts you read -, but also as a provocative writing strategy in its own right.
For the seminar bring a text of max 2 pages that you have been reading recently
Outline:
11:00 Intro to Kate, what she does and what she will be doing today.
11:30 Split into writing-reading groups of 3 to work on a short "synopsizing" exercises
12:30 Read aloud and share the work we have done.
13h Begin work on a synopsis of the texts you have brought with you, working with different lengths: a sentence; 3 sentences; a short paragraph.
15:00 Meet as large group to review what we have done so far (upload drafts to the wiki)
15:30 Resume work in groups
17:30 Review work done
18:00 Round up
11/Nov
Writing Machines
10:00: Intro by Steve.
Versions 2014
(extract) Molly (sucking stones) and What Where : Samuel Beckett
Writing Machines. N. Katherine Hayles wrote a book called Writing Machines, Andrew Goldsmith talks about them in his own book Uncreative Writing. They offer ways of making texts and ways of understanding what text is. Today we will look at examples and design and operate our own.
10:30: Discuss how to design and operate a writing machine
12:45 Meet to discuss designs and tests &c
11:00: Work in groups
12:45 Review designs
16:30 Meet as group to discuss progress
upload writing machine design and outcome here
27 Nov
Writing Machines Week Two
Also. Tutorials with Steve = in groups of two or singularly
Meet as group - recap writing machines
10-Dec
Madi - Interviewed by Kari At the N C.A.C
10:00 = Steve outlines the project=
what is the N C.A.C and what are we doing there? The curator's brief
11:00 = into groups of two
11:00 = prepare interview 1
11:10 = conduct interview 1 (20 minutes max)
11:20 = prepare interview 2
11:30 = conduct interview 2 (20 minutes max)
12:00= transcribe interview
LUNCH
13:00 = continue transcription
14:00 = edit your partner's text
16:00 review in group
Outcome:
The specific outcome for the RW&RM seminar of 2013-14 will be a 1500 word text which reflects on your own method and situates your work in relation to a broader artistic and cultural context. The various texts produced within the RW&RM seminar will serve as source material for your text on method. In common with all modules on the course RW&RM serves to support the other elements of the course (Self-directed Research, Issues in Art & Theory, Practice-Group Critiques &c.). Therefore, the text on method will inform your Self-Evaluation at the end of the third trimester and provide the basis for your Graduate Project Proposal that you will produce in the fourth trimester.
Brief for 1500 word methods text (which you will do at the end of the second trimester).
The aim of this assignment is to use description of your work as a way of identifying and articulating your method. Describing first what and then how and why you make work often leads to discussions of the works context (what work is similar to the work you describe; what are the key ideas the work deals with).
The theoretical elements of the texts you write should therefore emerge from, and have a very clear connection with, the work you are making. For this experiment I am asking you to follow the method outlined above so that you can begin to reflect and write quite deeply about the work you are making. A second method you will find useful is to draw on annotations of texts you have read which have a particular relation to the work you make.
THE PROPOSAL DRAFT 2014-15
please link to draft proposals below:
myDraft (Steve)
- Sol Archer (United Kingdom)
- Sighle Bhreathnack-Cashell (Ireland)
- Tiffin Breen (Canada)
- Susanna Browne (Canada)
- Hunter Longe (USA)
- Alice Mendelowitz (United Kingdom)
- Vasiliki Sifostratoudaki (Greece)
- Sriwhana Spong (New Zealand)