Video:How to Write an Art History Paper

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Transcript:How to Write an Art History Paper

When you have been assigned an art history paper to write, consider some dos and don'ts.

Tips for Choosing a Topic When Writing an Art History Paper

Look through an art history book, slowly and leisurely. Look through a list of art history topics for ideas. Pick a topic based on eye appeal and compelling personal interest. Research your topic using websites, books and articles.

Be an active reader. Take notes. Search the Internet with the words, names, titles you learn. Write down interesting facts and thoughts that come to mind while you read.

Start Your Art History Paper With an Introduction

Start with an Introduction. Compose a thesis statement. Declare that you have noticed something about the art, building, artist, architect, critic, patron, or whatever your focus is for your analysis.

Then, "frame" your thesis. Tell your reader about discovering information that can help explain a work of art or building better. If you are focusing on artworks, remember to put the artist's name, the title of the work and the date in the first paragraph. You can refer to the title alone thereafter.

Order Your Art History Paper Sequentially

Describe and point out what You want the reader to notice. If you are going to include the artist's or architect's biography, begin with a short summary. Establish a sequence of information. Consider the paragraph a unit of information. Each paragraph should discuss one topic within the quantity of information you plan to cover.

Make units of information or topics such as: appearance, medium and technique, narrative, iconography, history, artist's biography, patronage, etc. - whatever will help you support your thesis. Iconography might require more than one paragraph, especially if your whole paper is about analyzing the iconography of a work of art. Write about the connections between what you described in these analyses and what you declared in the thesis statement.

Write a Good Conclusion When Writing an Art History Paper

What do you want your reader to learn from your essay? Remind your reader about your findings in a summary sentence or two. Persuade the reader that you have demonstrated that your thesis is sound based on your findings.

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