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November 13, 2009
MA Exam Meeting
November 11, 2009 – Dr Olszewski
Questions will be gathered from all of the faculty (essay questions and images)
Ancient – Dr Niles
Medieval – Dr Olszewski
Ren/Baroque – Dr Olszewski 3-4 questions and Dr Scallen 3-4 questions
Modern – Dr Landau, Dr Helmreich, Dr Adams, Dr Carrier – each will present a few questions
Non-Western – Dr Giuffrida, Dr Petridis
DAY ONE
2 1/2 hours
30 images – 5 minute answers
Answer all 30
6 images in each of 5 areas – equally balanced painting, sculpture, architecture
Graded 0-4 points for each answer
1 point artist title and date, 3 points for discussion
5 lowest scores dropped (because not everyone familiar in all areas)
Artist title and date (don’t need location, except architecture) Some will be anonymous
May not have a specific title – be as precise as possible
Dates – as specific as you can – will vary by item
Explain the importance – in term of significance to period and larger history
If it is not unique or extraordinary – contextualize what makes it fit category (ie: peristyle temple) (Why Last Supper is an important theme)
Can be any image from the history of art
Emphasis on images from the CMA collection and Stokstad Survey book (but not limited to these sources)
ID questions will NOT be any chronological/stylistic order (may repeat a patter or sequence – don’t know what to expect)
If it is something you are unfamiliar with it, try to rationalize and say something about the work – partial answer better than none
Should be able to say something significant about very famous works.
If there is something you are unfamiliar with –> comment to the extent that you can
Visual components might relate to the essay questions the next day
DAY TWO
Also in the 5 areas
Answer 4 questions in 3 areas
(Minimum of 3 areas must be answered)
2 of 4 in area you plan to study in PhD
4 hour exam – 1 hour per essay
Spend first 5-10 minutes in making an outline (use extra blue book) – decide answer before writing
Answer the question as it is asked (give specifics to the answer and then bring in outside material – suggest fluency in the material)
If you are strong in one answer, don’t spend too long on it (will cheat other answers)
Support answer with visual references (artists, images *dates) to show visual fluency
General Information
Both Days in Mather 100 – projection – rearrange tables
Faculty will be present for questions
Blue books provided and shared between faculty in grading
Usually graded within a week
Information will come later in the semester about applying to Case’s PhD program
You have to do well in those answers
High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, Fail
PhD needs at least 2 High Passes
Image ID grade should be above 80 (want to be as high as possible)
2 HP on essays and good slide grade or 3 HP essays and mediocre slide grade = HP overall
(2 HP and 1 LP – problem)
Normal – high grade for image ID is low 90s
Dr Scallen grades images
Other faculty looks at essays
Recommended bibliography?
Visual fluency is the key!! Just keep looking at images
Then move to advanced books (Renaissance = F. Hart)
Then move to monographs
Start thinking in terms of 3 areas (don’t study what you won’t need to know)
Know major monographs
Get a sense of chronology
Impressive if you bring in methodology and historiography
Major authorities in the field should be at your disposal
Impress reader by bringing in different methodology in your essay
If you answer a question quickly – be careful
Difference between undergrad and grad
(Undergrads – say too much; Greaduates – don’t say enough)
Start with the question and then get into extraneous information
Be careful that you don’t speculate or make it clear when you are
Don’t add INCORRECT information!
Won’t mark up the blue book (don’t want to influence if there is a second reader)
Posted by bsh30 at November 13, 2009 06:52 PM
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