Each essay may not exceed 800 words, excluding footnotes and bibliography if use Chicago-style cites, or excluding the “works cited” section if use MLA-style cites. essay must include its
word count after the body of the text, but before the footnotes and bibliography or, as applicable, the “works cited” section. The
point of the word count is for you to gain familiarity and experience not just in writing but in editing what you write, so that your essay is clear, organized, pithy, and without unnecessary—circular, digressive,
repetitive, etc.—filler.
word count after the body of the text, but before the footnotes and bibliography or, as applicable, the “works cited” section. The
point of the word count is for you to gain familiarity and experience not just in writing but in editing what you write, so that your essay is clear, organized, pithy, and without unnecessary—circular, digressive,
repetitive, etc.—filler.
The goal of each essay is meaningfully to compare and contrast the particular pair of assigned artworks for that module, specifically focusing on how they are importantly similar and/or different. For example, do they
share, or are they differentiated by, significant ideas, influences, meanings or themes? How is their artistic style or historical background, their political or sociological context, or the like, importantly similar and/or
different?
share, or are they differentiated by, significant ideas, influences, meanings or themes? How is their artistic style or historical background, their political or sociological context, or the like, importantly similar and/or
different?
Compare & contrast: Because the goal of the essay is to identify and examine significant issues, including meaningful similarities and/or differences, as well as substantial points of comparison and/or contrast that
specifically focus on the particular pair of assigned artworks for that module, for each issue or point you discuss with respect to one artwork, you must then, immediately, discuss that same issue or point with
respect to the other one. Think of your essay as creating a dialogue between the pair of artworks, by continuously comparing and/or contrasting them issue by issue and point by point throughout your essay. Thesis & conclusion: Your essay must begin with a thesis statement, which briefly encapsulates the main points your essay will make; then proceed to a detailed discussion of these main points, supporting your
thesis statement with a variety of illustrative examples, issues that you analyze, points that you argue, etc.; and, finally, end with a conclusion that does not merely copy and paste or, otherwise, repeat your thesis
statement.
specifically focus on the particular pair of assigned artworks for that module, for each issue or point you discuss with respect to one artwork, you must then, immediately, discuss that same issue or point with
respect to the other one. Think of your essay as creating a dialogue between the pair of artworks, by continuously comparing and/or contrasting them issue by issue and point by point throughout your essay. Thesis & conclusion: Your essay must begin with a thesis statement, which briefly encapsulates the main points your essay will make; then proceed to a detailed discussion of these main points, supporting your
thesis statement with a variety of illustrative examples, issues that you analyze, points that you argue, etc.; and, finally, end with a conclusion that does not merely copy and paste or, otherwise, repeat your thesis
statement.
Writing that merely juxtaposes the pair of artworks or that merely lists things about them, instead of actually comparing and contrasting them: Do not discuss one artwork, full stop; then discuss the other
artwork, full stop; then tack on a paragraph at the end that finally gets around to the hard work of actually comparing and contrasting them. Merely juxtaposing a discussion of X with a discussion of Y is not the
same thing as actually and continuously comparing and contrasting X and Y issue by issue and point by point, which is the whole point of the essay assignment. In particular, any sections of your essay that merely
discuss one artwork separately from, and irrespective of, the other artwork—instead of actually and continuously comparing and/or contrasting them issue by issue and point by point—will not count as having
completed the essay assignment.
artwork, full stop; then tack on a paragraph at the end that finally gets around to the hard work of actually comparing and contrasting them. Merely juxtaposing a discussion of X with a discussion of Y is not the
same thing as actually and continuously comparing and contrasting X and Y issue by issue and point by point, which is the whole point of the essay assignment. In particular, any sections of your essay that merely
discuss one artwork separately from, and irrespective of, the other artwork—instead of actually and continuously comparing and/or contrasting them issue by issue and point by point—will not count as having
completed the essay assignment.
Each essay must support its analysis and argument with specific references to the assigned materials for that module; and it must clearly and explicitly cite all its
sources. The point is to gain familiarity and experience with doing basic research (by meaningfully engaging with the assigned materials) and, in turn, with synthesizing that body of research into an essay grounded
in coherent analysis and argument about that module’s particular pair of assigned artworks. Variety of cites: Each essay must not just reflect and incorporate, but actually cite, a meaningful and well-chosen variety of the assigned materials for that module. Assigned materials, only: In researching and writing your essay, you may only use or, in any way, rely on the assigned materials for that module; your personal observations supported by these sources; and
your careful—concrete, detailed, and specific—visual analysis of the artworks themselves. Only means only: essays that use or, in any way, rely on sources other than the foregoing will be downgraded. Proper cites: Your essay must properly cite its sources. You may use either Chicago-style (which require footnotes and a bibliography) or MLA-style (which require in-text, parenthetical citations and a “works
cited” section). (Questions about either style? Go to: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/resources.html )
(1) Instead of Chicago or MLA, you may also cite your sources as brief, parenthetical texts that immediately follow the ideas or words to which they refer. In this case, each cite must include three pieces of
basic information, set within parentheses, in the following order: the last name of the author(s); the abbreviated, short-form title of the work; and its page number(s) if printed text, its short-form URL
address if online text, or its date if notes from lectures. For example: for a webpage with text, something like Tronchin, “Rediscovery of Pompeii,” khanacademy.org; for a webpage with audio or video, to
mark the specific time in the media file to which you are referring, something like MoMA, “Women Artists and Postwar Abstraction,” youtu.be/NrNQvA9K96M, 00:01:15; for a textbook, something like
Wood, Edwards, Art of the Twentieth Century, p. 100; for notes from lectures, something like Lecture notes, “ARTH 256,” 20 July 2020. Then, at the end of the essay, include a “works cited” section. No academic dishonesty: Any ideas or words in your essay that are not your own, including not just quotes of someone else’s words, but paraphrases of their words or ideas, must be clearly and explicitly
cited. (Questions about cheating, plagiarism, internet plagiarism, unfair advantage, and other forms of academic dishonesty, which are punishable by a range of penalties, including a failing grade, a suspension,
and even an expulsion: http://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-resources/academic-integrity-policy/ ) Any essay that uses or, in any way, relies on any source that it does not
clearly and explicitly cite will be failed with a grade of zero, and that grade will not for any reason or under any circumstances be dropped, even if you submit three essays. Academic dishonesty includes
the use of AI (including, without limitation, ChatGPT), in any way and to any extent, to research or write any essay you submit.
sources. The point is to gain familiarity and experience with doing basic research (by meaningfully engaging with the assigned materials) and, in turn, with synthesizing that body of research into an essay grounded
in coherent analysis and argument about that module’s particular pair of assigned artworks. Variety of cites: Each essay must not just reflect and incorporate, but actually cite, a meaningful and well-chosen variety of the assigned materials for that module. Assigned materials, only: In researching and writing your essay, you may only use or, in any way, rely on the assigned materials for that module; your personal observations supported by these sources; and
your careful—concrete, detailed, and specific—visual analysis of the artworks themselves. Only means only: essays that use or, in any way, rely on sources other than the foregoing will be downgraded. Proper cites: Your essay must properly cite its sources. You may use either Chicago-style (which require footnotes and a bibliography) or MLA-style (which require in-text, parenthetical citations and a “works
cited” section). (Questions about either style? Go to: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/resources.html )
(1) Instead of Chicago or MLA, you may also cite your sources as brief, parenthetical texts that immediately follow the ideas or words to which they refer. In this case, each cite must include three pieces of
basic information, set within parentheses, in the following order: the last name of the author(s); the abbreviated, short-form title of the work; and its page number(s) if printed text, its short-form URL
address if online text, or its date if notes from lectures. For example: for a webpage with text, something like Tronchin, “Rediscovery of Pompeii,” khanacademy.org; for a webpage with audio or video, to
mark the specific time in the media file to which you are referring, something like MoMA, “Women Artists and Postwar Abstraction,” youtu.be/NrNQvA9K96M, 00:01:15; for a textbook, something like
Wood, Edwards, Art of the Twentieth Century, p. 100; for notes from lectures, something like Lecture notes, “ARTH 256,” 20 July 2020. Then, at the end of the essay, include a “works cited” section. No academic dishonesty: Any ideas or words in your essay that are not your own, including not just quotes of someone else’s words, but paraphrases of their words or ideas, must be clearly and explicitly
cited. (Questions about cheating, plagiarism, internet plagiarism, unfair advantage, and other forms of academic dishonesty, which are punishable by a range of penalties, including a failing grade, a suspension,
and even an expulsion: http://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-resources/academic-integrity-policy/ ) Any essay that uses or, in any way, relies on any source that it does not
clearly and explicitly cite will be failed with a grade of zero, and that grade will not for any reason or under any circumstances be dropped, even if you submit three essays. Academic dishonesty includes
the use of AI (including, without limitation, ChatGPT), in any way and to any extent, to research or write any essay you submit.