Methods lens-based
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 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.
Editing Reading, Writing & Research Methodologies - handbook information
Outcome of the seminar (trimester three)
The specific outcome for the RW&RM seminar of 2021-22 will be a 1500 word text which reflects on your own practice 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 practice. In common with all modules on the course RW&RM serves to support your self-directed research. Therefore, the text on practice 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.
Text on Practice outline 2019-2020
Please make "methods page" from your "student page"
The next four sessions will cover:
Sessions one and two – primary research (making texts about and discussing your own work)
Interviews...
Sessions five and six – synthesizing your primary and secondary research
Session One
What, How, Why
https://pad.xpub.nl/p/MethodsLB12-9-21
11:00 Intro
12:30
Describe three of your works/ projects
for each work describe
What (200 words max)
How (200 words max)
Why (200 words max)
300 word description of three works = 900 words (max)
LUNCH
15:00
Meet as a group.
UPLOAD DRAFT HERE: https://pad.xpub.nl/p/LBMethods23Sept
In groups of two or three,
Read each other's texts
Readers: give feedback (what were you given to understand by the text? how can it be improved to make it clearer?).
Spend no more than 10 MINUTES giving feedback on each text
Writer: REMAIN SILENT, do not try to defend the text, concentrate on what the text is actually communicating to your readers.
Make notes of your reader's comments
16:30 Make changes to your draft. (Keep original version below edited version)
17:00 Meet in class as group to review and to wind up.
LB
Last thing to do today:
Make a "methods page" within your "student page". Here is a good past examples of a well organised wiki page.
https://pzwiki.wdka.nl/mediadesign/User:Laurier_Rochon
and
https://pzwiki.wdka.nl/mediadesign/User:Ryan
Session two Reviewing self-directed research
THIS IS THE PAD FOR TODAY:
11:00 Steve intro
Today we will talk about progress on the self-directed research.
How can the methods class be useful in
1) articulating the self-directed research
11:30 work on this pad: https://pad.xpub.nl/p/MethodsSessionTwoLB-21-22
Talk to me about your self-directed research. Your current work.
Stage 1
30 mins:
a interviews b
a asks:
What are you making?
Why are you making it?
How does it relate to other things you have done?
How is it different to other things you have done?
What are the most significant choices have you made recently?
Throughout this exchange a takes notes on the pad
Stage 2
30 mins:
b interviews a What are you making?
Why are you making it?
Does to relate to other things you have done?
How is it different to other things you have done?
What are the most significant choices have you made recently?
Throughout this exchange b takes notes on the pad
Stage 3
60 mins
A HANDS THE TEXT OVER TO B and B EDITS THE TEXT B HAS STARTED; elaborating on the points they have made in the interview
Stage 4:
13:45 Recap and review progress
Upload text on to this page: https://pad.xpub.nl/p/MethodsSessionTwoLB-21-22
Make your own Self-Directed Research page.
Session three
We continue work on the interview publication....
OUTCOME 1: series of interviews (full draft).
OUTCOME 2: Steve's notes on your reading and writing practice: https://pad.xpub.nl/p/MethodsSessionThreeLB-21-22
Session four
Please bring THREE items with you
(1)
A video
OR
film clip
OR
art work
(2)
A text
(book
OR
article)
3) A laptop (if possible)
Method: two people will make annotations (notes, links, handy references) of each presentation on this pad.
https://pad.xpub.nl/p/MethodsSessionFourLB-21-22
Session five
n this weeks session we will be annotating two texts.
Extracts from
1) The Burden of Representation Essays on Photographies and Histories John Tagg (1988)
and extracts from
2) Duty Free Art Hito Steyerl (2017)
These texts are separated by four decades. Both texts understand that the apparatus of photography produces reality.
We will be using similar methods to last week; we will read a portion of the text and then add our own notes and observations. We will also, at the end of the day ,note the comparisons and differences between the texts. As usual in the RW&RM sessions, this method can extend and be applied to your more specific purposes.
If you get chance please read chapter one of Tagg's book,
A.Democracy of the Image:
and Hito Steyerl's Proxy Politics: Signal and Noise
This is this week's pad
https://pad.xpub.nl/p/MethodsSessionFiveB-21-22
Session Six
1) Steve tutorials (part two)
2) Writing a synopsis
Session Seven: Exercises in style
Log Line (one sentence outline)
First = make a draft longline and synopsis (1 hour)
Meet at 11:35 discuss options.
Synopsis 1
Synopsis 2 (with added jeopardy)
Example:
https://pad.xpub.nl/p/ExInStyle
PM:
14:00 Upload texts written in AM session
Continue with exercises in style and work on unfinished business from last trimester