LA421

This course provides a framework for students to examine ideas relevant to their critical investigations and art and design projects, in order to help them contextualize their work in relation to historical, sociopolitical, scientific, and cultural perspectives. Students in this course demonstrate the ability to frame questions and concepts, and to incorporate research methodologies into ongoing inquiry presented through a variety of formats including extended note-taking, annotated Bibliographies, important terms, quotes, and summaries and responses collected in a research journal/log. The emphasis is on research as a process of critical engagement and inquiry in order to observe connections between seemingly disparate ideas, to hone a well-founded point of view, to plan future actions and strategies, to make predictions, and to ask more insightful questions. While this research will inspire creative projects (either in parallel or in the future), the actual projects are outside the scope of this class.