Research Report
Research proposal:
Rough copy due:
Assignment due:
Purpose: This research report on a computer-related art topic of your choice will serve as way into understanding the dimensions of internet research, and will help you learn how to refine your strategies, not only for finding information but also for narrowing your topic into a workable whole. You will learn the difference between merely retrieving information and making use of that information to formulate ideas based on your research. Research will provide you with an in depth understanding of your topic which may serve as a basis for future projects in Computer Application.
Goals:
•Researching and collecting data via the Internet
•Becoming familiar with various search engines
•Working between Internet and Microsoft Word
•Becoming familiar with the functions and uses of Microsoft Word
word-processing
adding images to written works
creating timelines
•Saving data and work in folders and on devices
•Learning about a computer related art topic in depth
• Post findings on your blog spot
Choosing a topic: Picking a topic is one of the first and most important steps in the research process. Below you will find a list of possible research topics. Choose one and narrow it down.
After choosing a topic you must then find information on that topic and from that information develop a thesis that you wish to prove.
Possible research topics:
Digital art
Digital artists
Digital photography
Digital photographers
Computer generated art and the controversy over the use of it as an artistic medium
Color theory in graphic design
Identity products in graphic design
Animation
3D computer graphics as special effects in the film
JEDI- the integration of cartoon characters and people
Research Proposal:
I. Topic
a. Why you are choosing the topic
b. What you hope to learn from it
II. Thesis statement
a. What do you want to prove
b How you will go about proving it
III. Outline a. Introductory paragraph including thesis statement
b. Body of paper- major stages of thought in proving thesis
c. Conclusion- summation and significance of your paper
Report Guidelines: Report should be a minimum of 3 pages, double-spaced, and typed in 12pt font. The report should begin with a brief summary of the topic or artist you are featuring. Next, you should formulate the central point that you want to prove about your subject. To arrive at a thesis or central point ask yourself questions that will lead to narrowing your topic. Whatever central point you decide to prove, support your position with ideas from your research sources. Capture images relevant to your text from the internet and integrate them into your report where appropriate. Conclude by summing up your position and explain the significance of your ideas to the reader. Document your paper using MLA parenthetical notes in the text and include a list of works cited in MLA format. See attached handouts for MLA documentation rules.
Internet Researching:
1. Carefully formulate the words you use when you submit a query through a search engine. You may simply use a keyword or two, or you may want to refine your query by using Boolean operators, terms or symbols that allow you to expand or limit your keywords. You may use “AND” or “+” to narrow the search. All words joined by “AND” or “+” must appear in the pages or documents that are pulled up. If you use “NOT” or “-“, you will also narrow the search by excluding irrelevant words. When you use “OR”, you broaden the search because only one of the terms joined by “OR” needs to appear in the document. When you want an exact phrase to appear in the document use parenthesis or quotation marks around the key phrase.
2. You may enter the world wide web privately through databases available via the college library or publicly through search engines, such as Goggle, Yahoo, etc… remember to evaluate your sources and the websites you are using particularly when they are found through a public search engine (see handout on evaluating sources taken from The Little, Brown compact handbook.)
3. Although you may take handwritten notes from sources or print out the sources you have found, keeping notes on the computer may make it easier because you can import notes as you write your paper; therefore, you may want to cut and paste material from sources into your word processing program. Images can be placed directly into a folder created for your data. All information collected on the computer must be saved on your personal drive.
Inserting and editing images in Microsoft Word
(From http://www.internet4classrooms.com/msword_images.htm)
Throughout your research reports you will be inserting, then modifying images taken from Internet sources. Remember that the images are supporting the various points in your paper.
Step 1. Open Microsoft Word.
Step 2. Open a new blank document using keyboard commands.
* Macintosh - Use Command+N (Hold down the Command key and tap the N key one time)
Step 3. Type your paper.
Step 4. Choose your sites to extract images from.
Step 5. Click and drag the Internet image into your word document.
Another alternative for inserting images is to go to the Insert menu in Word, select Picture then From File or Clip Art.
Step 6. With the picture selected, go to the Format menu and select Format Picture.
There are several things that you can do with this picture.
Actions available:
Picture
* Crop the picture one margin at a time
* Change the color to grayscale, black and white, or make a very light watermark out of the image
* Change the brightness or contrast of the image
Wrapping
* Five styles of wrapping allow you to place an image in the middle of a block of text
* Four possible alignments of text choices are offered
* Distance from the text to the picture can also be specified
Colors and Lines
* Place a block of color or a pattern behind the image
* Place a box around the image, change the thickness and character of the line making the box
Size
* Change the size of the picture using an inches scale, or a percent scale
(best done by clicking and dragging)
Resize the image by clicking and dragging. Click once on the image and it will be surrounded by eight boxes; one at each corner, and one in the middle of each line.
If you click on a box in the middle of a line and drag outward from the center of the image you will change only the width or height of the picture, causing distortion. If you click on a corner box, hold the shift key down, and drag outward from the picture you will change width and height proportionally. If the aspect ratio is locked, Word automatically does this without your having to hold down the shift key.
Position
* Change the position of the image on the page
(best done by clicking and dragging)
Move the image by clicking and dragging. Click once on the image and it will be surrounded by eight boxes; one at each corner, and one in the middle of each line. Move your cursor over the image and it becomes a pointer with a four headed arrow attached to it. Click anywhere in the picture and drag it to the desired location.
Construct a timeline relevant to your chosen research topic. For example, use your timeline to discuss developments in an artist's life, or work, advances in programs, processes or media, changes over time relating to your topic. If dates are not essential to your topic you do not need to use them. See examples below.
http://www.microsoft.com/education/TimelinesWord.mspx
Posting your timeline:
In order to post your timeline you must select all of the elements of your timeline. While in Word hold down shift, Apple/Command, and 4. A target will appear. Click and drag the mouse over the entire contents of your timeline. This will take a picture of that page which will automatically save to your Desktop as Picture 1. Open up this image in Photoshop and go to File> Save As. Create a new title such as "Timeline" and save it as a JPEG image. Save to your thumbdrive. Edit post on Blogger. Title: " " Timeline , Add picture by clicking this Icon:
Is Computer based art fine art?
Articles:
The Expanding Medium: The Future of Computer Art, Herbert W. Franke
http://www.dam.org/essays/franke02.htm
The New Visual Age: The Influence of Computer Graphics on Art and Society,
http://www.dam.org/essays/franke01.htm
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