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How do I Write an Art Research Paper?
In order to write an art research paper, you must choose a focus, outline the body of the research paper and prepare a bibliography of resources used. The best art research papers include a research paper abstract that states in just one or two paragraphs the main points and conclusions made by the author of the research paper. You also must have a clear understanding of the language of the type of art and period of history about which you are writing.
Clear description is vital to a well-written art research paper. You essentially must be able to recreate with words the work of art to the point that the reader can see the artwork in his or her mind. You also will need to analyze why or how the details of the artwork are meaningful or representative of the time in history in which it was created.
The outline of an art research paper reads like a list of bullet points. Each point requires at least one paragraph to describe and analyze. The list of points should flow in a logical order; for example, a discussion of the religious atmosphere in the days of Michelangelo logically would appear earlier in the art research paper than a detailed description of Michelangelo's statue of David.
Just like any research paper, an art research paper must have a bibliography attached to the end of the paper. A bibliography is a listing of all of the sources that the author studied and used to write the art research paper. The abstract of the research paper typically is the last piece that is written. It is easier for a writer to say in brief what he or she already has fleshed out in the body of the paper. Also, writers sometimes alter their focus while writing the paper, so an accurate abstract is best written last.
AS FEATURED ON:
AS FEATURED ON:
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![Someone writing an art history paper might decide to study the works of one artist, such as Norman Rockwell, to see if they convey a moral or civic message.]()
By: Keijo KnutasSomeone writing an art history paper might decide to study the works of one artist, such as Norman Rockwell, to see if they convey a moral or civic message. -
![A research paper might look at a broad subject, such as religion and art, which might include looking at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.]()
By: Marco DesscouleursA research paper might look at a broad subject, such as religion and art, which might include looking at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. -
![Michelangelo was heavily influenced by the philosophical movement known as Humanism.]()
By: sumnersgraphicsincMichelangelo was heavily influenced by the philosophical movement known as Humanism.
Discussion Comments
@clintflint - Often you are given a choice of topics, so you might be able to make sure that you pick something with the scope you need to enjoy it. It would be more difficult to write an interesting paper on generalities than on specifics for most people.
Also it's very important to remember that enjoying yourself doesn't mean sacrificing formal language and structure. You don't want to compare David to Dave the tutor.
But you can still speculate (intelligently) on Michelangelo's motives in his choice of subject matter.
@Ana1234 - I think it does depend on the teacher and it also depends on the student. Some people are just not going to be able to get all the points they are supposed to cover into their research paper and have fun at the same time. In a lot of cases, you are expected to do a particular kind of research in order to demonstrate that you can do it and that you understand the basics of the topic. This is especially true in the lower levels of scholarship.
This advice might need to be taken with a grain of salt, depending on the professor who will be reading your paper, but I find the best way to get good marks is to have fun with the paper.
People don't seem to talk about this very much at university. They try to write good papers, or they try to write adequate papers, but it is all about finding the right points and getting them down in the right order.
Art is a gorgeous topic with a lot of interesting angles. If you can find an angle that fascinates you and you can write it in an interesting way, your teacher is going to find it interesting as well. They are people too. If you can capture their enthusiasm then they are far more likely to give you a good mark. Plus you both have fun at the same time.
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