This will be a class discussion on how to begin research on a topic one knows very little about and how to narrow a topic so that the paper can be completed in the course of a semester.

READING ASSIGNMENT:

Marilyn Wyman, Looking and Writing: A Guide for Art History Students, pp. 19-27; 49-53; 65-70.

How does one choose an art history paper topic?

Obviously one must focus on a topic relevant to the parameters of the course, but beyond that, how does one narrow down a topic so that it becomes interesting and can be finished in one semester.

The trick to this is to consider completing your research in two parts. The first part is concerned with gaining a basic familiarity with your topic area. What has been written on your topic? What are the current areas of interest among scholars? What areas seem relatively unexplored? The second part is the fun part, in my opinion. It is where you begin to make your own contributions to the subject. That is, you will either bring forth a new piece of information or a new theory or you will help bolster or even tear down an old theory.

Step #1 Choose your basic topic area, i.e. Canterbury Cathedral or the misericords of Exeter Cathedral.

Step #2 As these topics are far too large to be useful, they must be narrowed. The way to do this is to focus on the visual images first. Look through picture books on the church or on the sculptures. What catches your eye? What intrigues you?

Step #3 If it is the stained glass windows of Canterbury Cathedral or the misericords associated with Aesop's fables at Exeter, start to read broadly in that area. For example, read about what misericords are and their function; read about the general iconographic program of the stained glass in Trinity Chapel in Canterbury Cathedral. To do this, you should look at encylopedias, web sites, etc. This is the beginning of your general knowledge. Take careful notes, but know that many of these notes will only help you to learn and organize the background material and will ultimately not be relevant to your final paper.

Step #4 The essence of research is asking questions and then trying to answer them. The questions vary widely. Ask yourself the following basic questions first:

• When was this object made? How was that date determined and by whom?
• What is this object made of and how was it made? Again, how has this been determined and by whom?
• What is its style? You may have to do extensive background reading in order to understand terms that are used to describe this work and what different specific styles consist of. Consider period, regional, and where known, personal artistic style. Consider how the style might have been changed over time if the object has more than one component. What might it have been influenced by and what might it have influenced?
• What does it depict? What is its iconography? How can you tell? If it depicts a biblical story or a story from Aesop's fables, how closely does it illustrate the text? Did the artist take liberties with the subject matter? Why or why not? How does it compare to other works which picture the same iconography?
• What was the function of this building/object? How were its original and its changing functions reflected in the work of art? How can you tell? What proof is there?

Explain the historical context in which your work of art was made. Avoid general discussions of who was king/pope at the time. What is more relevant is who was the patron of this work of art? What was happening in the city in which it was made? Remember that a great deal of history has nothing specifically to do with your work of art, so omit anything that does not actually influence the style, function, or iconography of the piece.

Other good ways to develop your focus is to compare or contrast the work with another work of art that either shares its iconography or style. Often this analysis will make evident what it particularly special about your work of art.

*Remember you will be reading a great deal to familiarize yourself with the topic and its dimensions and that the paper should not be a collation of this information. Rather, it should focus on your ideas and observations based on the work of others. As Bernard of Chartres stated, "We are dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants and are thus able to see further than the giants themselves."

ASSIGNMENT:

Choose a general topic area, narrow it down by asking general questions of yourself. Turn in your results the next week in class.

PLEASE NOTE: The following two cathedrals are off limits for this project: Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.