Final Thesis Proposal

Fall 2005 Thesis Roadmap

Project Description (2 pages)
Give a detailed description of the content of your creative work, as well as the proposed final form(s) of your Thesis, i.e. Web site, DVD, installation, videotape, etc. There should also be a step-by-step description of the process (production schedule/software and hardware) you will go through to complete your creative work. Please include a description of work already done, such as your early experiments. It is not necessary for students to work towards the completion of a single “Thesis Project”. A series of smaller finished pieces, experiments, prototypes, etc. is also acceptable.

Introduction (1 page)
One page 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.

Research Outline: Historical, Theoretical and Cultural Context (2 pages)
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 It should support the ideas behind your Thesis with historical references and by placing it in the wider context of digital art.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.

Proposed Bibliography (1-2 pages)
Give a working list of intended readings and reference materials, i.e. articles, books, videotapes, web sites, films, audio tapes, programming code. This bibliography should have at least 8-10 diverse references. For the final research documentation you will be expected to write a short paragraph for each of these references, 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

Detailed Schedule (1 page)
Provide a 32-week production plan with dates for milestone deadlines, important meetings (Group Leader, Thesis Advisor, conferences, lectures, meetings, openings, etc.), achievement of specific phases of your production and writing.

Footnotes (1 page)
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.

Thesis Advisor Form
Please have your Thesis Advisor (not your Thesis Group Leader) sign and complete the Thesis Advisor Form found at the end of this packet. Thesis Advisors are optional.

Sample 0405 Final Thesis Proposals in PDF format

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.