Assignment: Project Paper

The Project Paper focuses on a suggested topic related to art, architecture, history, music, or literature. The project will reflect your views and interpretation of the topic. This project is designed to help you stretch your mind and your abilities to be the creative, innovative, and critical thinker you already are!

Choose one of the topics from the list of topic choices below. Read the topic carefully. Write a three to four page paper that responds to each of the items described in the topic.

Note: Your instructor may require you to submit your topic choice for approval before the end of Week 5.

For the topic you choose:

Support your ideas with specific, illustrative examples. If there are questions or points associated with your chosen topic, be sure to answer all of the listed questions and address all of the items in that topic. If your topic requires you to do several things related to the topic, be sure to do each of the things listed.

While some of the topics tend to lend themselves toward particular writing genres, you are not restricted to the specific format suggested for the individual topic. For example, you may do an "interview," a "proposal," a "letter," a "short story," a "blog," an "essay," an "article," or any other written genre for almost any of the topics. The project is intended to be fun as well as informative, so feel free to be creative with the delivery of your information.

Use at least three good quality academic sources with one source being the class text. Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not quality as academic resources. You are highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of your Blackboard page.

Topic choices (pick 1):

1. Self-Portraits. Journal. The Renaissance artists Titian, Rembrandt, and Durer have each painted self-portraits. Imagine yourself as one of these artists (or another artist of your choice that has painted a self-portrait) and write a journal expressing your thoughts on "your" art (in other words, the journal entries the artist would probably write.)

(1) Explain "your" primary reason for painting a self-portrait.

(2) Describe "your" artistic choices in composition: use of color, space, etc.

(3) Explain what the portrait represents about "you" (as the artist.)

(4) Explain "your" choices of subject with regard to at least three other specific pieces "you" have painted.

2. Ladies & Gentlemen. Survey & Report. Some may believe that being "gentleman" or a "lady" in today's society is an outdated notion, but others may disagree.

(1) Briefly summarize the main characteristics of a well-rounded person, "l'uomo universal," referring to specific sections within the excerpt from The Courtier which identifies these characteristics.

(2) Create a "survey" based on the identified characteristics and "poll" at least ten people to find out whether or not the characteristics are relevant for a "gentleman" or "lady" of today.

(3) Tabulate and discuss the responses in terms of gender, age, vocation, etc. of your survey participants, making note of any interesting or surprising results which show up in your poll answers.

(4) Finally, explain whether or not you agree with the characteristics expressed by Castiglione in The Courtier.

3. BayeuxTapestry Experience. Letter. Imagine yourself as one of the figures in the battle depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry; in a letter home, you describe your experience to your family.

(1) Write a first-person account of this historical event from the perspective of one of the figures in tapestry.

(2) Use your senses to describe your impression of the event. Describe specific elements of the scene such as uniforms, weaponry, fighting styles, etc.

(4) Explain why you believe your side was justified in participating in the battle and how you would like the battle to be remembered.

4. Ancient Emperors. Deathbed Memoir. Pretend you are one of the emperors we have studied, such as Shihuangdi, Constantine, Ashoka, or Charlemagne. You are on your deathbed and want to write a brief account of your life. As you look back over your life, what do you consider your greatest accomplishments in

1) politics,

2) art / architecture,

3) religion, philosophy or intellectual life? Finally

(4), describe and explain anything you have done for which you fear history will judge you harshly, or present the proudest aspects of your legacy.

5. Other topic choice recommended and approved by the professor and supported by the grading rubric.