Outline

Overview

This unit identifies the central theories and dynamics of contemporary visual art praxis that will inform the student’s year-long individual research projects. It also provides an essential framework to develop an understanding of research methodologies to support your project. Topics include approaches to researching, the artist’s methodology, the author's voice and its role in the organising and structuring of texts. You will further develop your critical and analytical skills through readings, discussion and essay writing. Students present an individual seminar on developing studio/dissertation research and write an essay identifying the concepts and practices relevant to their projects.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	CAHO4005
Academic unit	Sydney College of the Arts
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	CAHO4001 or CAHO4003 or CAHO4006 or CAHO4008
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Jan Guy, jan.guy@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Jan Guy, jan.guy@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay Essay	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 07 Jun 2022 at 23:00	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Seminar presentation Oral/visual presentation with notes	50%	Week 06 Due date: 29 Mar 2022 at 09:00	15 minutes presentation + group discuss
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Seminar presentation: Your seminar will present the ‘all-over’ picture of your project: the main concerns, ideas, aims. The focus will be on your studio work, how it has been evolving since week 1 and should include visual material of your work, and/ or video or other media as appropriate.
Essay: The purpose of this written task is to help you to develop a proficiency in theoretically unpacking and justifying what you are doing in your research project.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

result name	mark range	description
High Distinction	85-100	performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard Displays innovative and imaginative thinking. Artwork or written work demonstrates initiative and ingenuity in research and production, confident and proficient application of materials and critical skills
Distinction	75-84	performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard Artwork or written work demonstrates initiative and resourcefulness in research and production, competent application of materials and critical skills throughout, receptiveness to critical feedback, and a willingness to explore new ideas
Credit	65-74	performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard Artwork or written work displays some evidence of initiative in research and production, competent application of materials and critical skills in most areas, receptivity to critical feedback and a willingness to explore new ideas.
Pass	50-64	performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard Artwork or written work contains evidence of a broad and reasonably accurate command of material and technical proficiency, responds to critical feedback in fairly direct translation.
Fail	0-49	Does not perform the assessment task to an acceptable standard Artwork or written work displays clear deficiencies in technical skills, little or no response to critical feedback, a lack of engagement with the unit of study, fails to demonstrate any understanding of conceptual ideas and practices, does not satisfy most or all of the basic unit of study requirements.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction and Expectations Research class: what is research - an overview	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 02	Research class: getting started with research – Library Research Skills Workshop and Introduction to Endnotes	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 03	Research class: 1. Writing and speaking about art and its objects - finding a voice; 2. Critical writing; 3. The mechanics of writing your paper – formal structures, coherence, flow	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 04	Research class: 1. Critical analysis of a journal article – reading, writing, deciphering; 2. Strategies for critical reading of exhibition/art practice - visit to Sydney Biennale	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 05	Topic Seminar and discussion	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	1. Student Seminar presentations and discussion (assessment task)	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 07	Week 7 No class -Independent Research	Studio (2 hr)
Week 08	1. Student Seminar presentations and discussion (assessment task)	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 09	1. Student Seminar presentations and discussion (assessment task)	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 10	Topic Seminar and Discussion	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	1. Artist's Research Methodologies (guest) 2. Professional Practice workshop	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	1. Studio Group Critiques	Studio (2 hr)
Week 13	1. Working your First Draft (Research Paper) Group Tutorial 2. Assessment Essay content - Summaries, Challenges, Queries	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Additional requirements by the Sydney College of the Arts

Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for this unit of study, unless granted exemption by the unit coordinator or relevant delegate.
All assignments are compulsory and must be attempted. You must attend scheduled assessments to be eligible to pass.
Non-attendance at assessment on any grounds insufficient to claim special consideration will result in forfeiture or marks associated with the assessment.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit will be accessed through Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. situate your own practice within the field of other practices
LO2. demonstrate rigorous and independent thinking
LO3. engage critically with social, cultural and ethical issues and apply local and international perspectives to extend your creative practice
LO4. communicate your ideas professionally, creatively and effectively
LO5. locate your creative perspective in the broader arts and social community
LO6. demonstrate awareness, sensitivity and empathy to subjective, cultural and racial differences
LO7. use appropriate technologies and media to effectively gather and disseminate information
LO8. apply Workplace Health & Safety (WHS) to all aspects of studio practice.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Some changes have been made to this unit since it was last offered in response to student feedback.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

CAHO4005: Contemporary Arts Honours Seminar

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect