RESEARCH PAPER: FINAL DRAFT
Due November 21, 2005
Please note that the final draft of your thesis research paper builds
upon your first draft. You are not expected to start from scratch. Please
use your first draft as the basis for your final draft. In many sections,
the content remains the same. In other sections, content expands upon
your first draft research. I have indicated below where content remains
the same.
You are expected to include any content, concept and copy edit updates
discussed in your individual meetings.
You should have your thesis writing partner read your final draft paper
before handing it in.
Thesis Writing Partners:
Amy Chan/Viveca Diaz
Ogechi Chieke/Jason Kass
Jenny Choo/ Melanie McCall
Jesse Freeman/Akira Thompson
Bryan Greene/Gerard Newland
Scott Sanders/JinYoung Shin
Seray Sun/David Sarma
Dony Permedi/Doug Lee
Jack Hazard/Jun In Yun/Katiushka Melo
Roger Hom/Jin Sung Yoo
Research Paper: Final Draft Roadmap
Tips
• A good tool for outlining your thesis is Omni Outliner. This software
is available on all the Macs in the lab.
• Have your partner proof read your paper and tell you if they understand
your ideas and research.
• Check your spelling and punctuation.
Title Page (1 page) -- UPDATE TO
REFLECT NEW DATE AND FINAL DRAFT
The following information must appear on your title page:
• The title of your research paper
• Your name
• The date
• The name of the course and school
• Your instructors' names (thesis group leader, thesis writing instructor,
and advisor - if applicable.)
• Indicate "Final Draft" on title page
Table of Contents (1 page) -- UPDATE
TO REFLECT NEW PAGE NUMBERS
The table of contents should list the main sections of your paper and
the page on which they begin.
• List of Illustrations
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Historical, Theoretical and Cultural Context
• Analysis and Synthesis
• Conclusion
• Footnotes
• Bibliography
List of Illustrations (1 page)
-- UPDATE TO REFLECT NEW PAGE NUMBERS
The list of illustrations should list the titles for all the illustrations
found in your paper, followed by the page they can be found on. For example:
1. Joshua Davis, Praystation.net, 1999...............................page
5
2. Kazimir Malevch, Black Square, 1923-29........................page
7
3. Screen shot of opening frame from artist's storyboard.....page 10
Place your illustrations within the body of the research paper. Please
make sure to include the corresponding illustration number and caption.
For example:
2. Kazimir Malevch
Black Square, 1923-29
Abstract (1 page) -- REMAINS THE
SAME FROM FIRST DRAFT
An abstract is a summary of your research paper. It should be brief: as
short as 1 paragraph or as long as 1 page. I would advise writing the
abstract after you have written your paper. It will be easier for you
to summarize your work once all your research is analyzed and concluded.
A good abstract draws in the reader. It is the "selling tool"
to get your audience engaged in your project and research paper. Start
your abstract with a strong sentence that clearly describes your project,
its form, and its significance. You should then expand it to include your
motivation for the project, its objectives, its technical conditions,
and your results/conclusions. Answers to the following questions should
be found in your abstract:
1. What did you do?
2. Why did you do it? What questions were you trying to answer?
3. How did you do it? State methods.
4. What did you learn? State major results.
5. Why does it matter? Point out at least one significant implication.(1)
Introduction/Project Description (2 - 4 pages)
-- EXPANDED FROM 1ST DRAFT
Two - four pages describing the topic of your thesis; its scope, and final
form. This means raising the key issues of your subject, and the relevance
your work has to the field of digital art. The introduction should include
a compact thesis statement, ideally one sentence, which summarizes your
artistic position.
I would recommend that you write a rough introduction at first and fine
tune this section after the historical, theoretical and cultural context
section and the analysis and synthesis section are completed. You will
have a better understanding your your research then.
*Note that some students have elected to make 2 separate sections
for the Introduction: 1 for the Project Description (1 page) and 1 for
the Introduction (2-3 pages). This is fine and can be used as an alternate
to the longer 2-4 page Introduction described above.
For more guidelines see:
Kastens,Kim, Stephanie Pfirman, Martin Stute, Bill Hahn, Dallas Abbott,
and Chris Scholz, ed. "How to Write Your Thesis." Retrieved
on September 23, 2005. http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~martins/sen_sem/thesis_org.html#Introduction
Historical, Theoretical and Cultural Context (7
- 13 pages) -- EXPANDED FROM 1ST DRAFT
Note: This section expands upon the historical, theoretical and cultural
context research initiated in your proposal. You are expected to elaborate
and fine tune your research for this first draft of your research paper.
Some of the questions you should ask yourself when preparing this section:
• What is the general background of your work?
• What projects, films, art movements, animations, theories, and
cultural events have contributed to your desire to create your work and
do your research?
• If appropriate, be sure to include a review of work done by others.
• If appropriate, explain the theories you are researching and employing
• What is the objective of your own work?
The thesis is expected to reflect the student's individual direction and
interests within the field of possibilities brought about through an awareness
of digital art and its potential uses in the chosen area of practice.
A thesis is a self-directed study, in which you define your own territory
as a computer artist in context with other artists and themes. The nature
of your research should be determined by the central questions, issues
or themes that you are addressing. In order to make your graduate Thesis
unique, you must go beyond your existing body of knowledge. The way to
do this is through research, online and at a library.
The research section of your thesis facilitates the creative work by dealing
with the ideas behind it. It should support the ideas behind your thesis
with historical references and by placing it in the wider context of digital
art. You need to learn about and describe the creative and theoretical
work that other people have done before you.
The springboard for your thesis will be your own past work and the work
of artists who have influenced you. Draw upon your strengths and then
find an area of digital art that inspires you. It is expected that you
will meet with your Thesis Group Leader to formulate your research outline.
Analysis and Synthesis (1 - 3 pages) --
REMAINS THE SAME FROM FIRST DRAFT
This is the section in which you evaluate your research and argue that
the various sources you site in your historical, theoretical, and cultural
context section provide the support for your thesis statement. You should
consider the following questions when analyzing your research:
• How has your research directly contributed to your work and/or
creative process?
• How has your research contributed to the development of your personal
aesthetic and your artistic viewpoint?
• Why is your research important?
• What in your research has helped form your unique vision and project.
Remember, the analysis and synthesis section will grow to become your
"Expanded Artist Statement" during the spring thesis writing
section. In this section you should explain the "Why" and "What"
of your artist sic purpose -- using the historical, theoretical and cultural
context research as the support for your personal artist sic voice.
Conclusion (1 page) -- REMAINS THE
SAME FROM FIRST DRAFT
Remember that the conclusion is the last part of the thesis paper that
will be read. It is therefore important to leave your reader with a strong
final impression.
A conclusion is not simply a summary or repetition of your research. It
is the section where you tie together what you have learnt from your research
and why it is important. For example, you might compare your conclusions
to the conclusions of others in the field -- are they the same or different.
You might also suggest what new projects or directions should be taken
by yourself or others to expand upon your research and findings. Your
goal in the conclusion is to demonstrate how your ideas and work are valid
and create a new way of thinking.
Bibliography (1-2 pages) -- EXPANDED
FROM 1ST DRAFT
List all books and reference materials, i.e. articles, books, videotapes,
web sites, films, audio tapes, programming code. This bibliography should
have at least 15-20 diverse references. Please break the bibliography
into reference sections: books, journals, video and films, web sites,
interviews, etc.
An annotated bibliography is optional:
In an annotated bibliography you are expected to write 1-2 sentences for
each of your bibliography entries -- summarizing the reference and describing
its relevance to your research.
If you are unsure of bibliography forms, look at the Chicago
Manual of Style or MLA
Guidelines
Footnotes (1 page) -- EXPANDED
FROM 1ST DRAFT
Please be sure to use footnotes if you are quoting or paraphrasing someone
else’s words. Again, use either the Chicago
Manual of Style or MLA
Guidelines for your footnotes.
Sample 0405 Final Draft Research Papers in PDF
format
Note that these samples are not perfect and were not the final version
of the research paper submitted in April. As in all cases, these students
were asked to make some minor corrections and revisions before including
these papers in their final thesis packet. I include these "real
life examples" to give you an overview of what is expected at this
stage of the thesis process.
Lahari Shetty
Heidi Sandecki
Yuli Ziv
(Note: this sample is written by a non-native English language speaker.
There are some odd usages of English, but I include it, because it is
well conceived and written in her own words.) Again, it is most important
that you use your own words and not someone else's.
______________________________________________________
1. Kastens,Kim, Stephanie Pfirman, Martin Stute, Bill Hahn, Dallas Abbott,
and Chris Scholz, ed. "How to Write Your Thesis." Retrieved
on September 23, 2005. http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~martins/sen_sem/thesis_org.html#Abstract