MLA format and needs turntiti
HU 103 Paper 1 Assignment: Who Owns Art? Due: 2/16 before 11:59 pm on BBL
For this assignment you will read an essay about art ownership, visit the MFA and/or the Harvard Art Museums, choose an artifact from the Egyptian, Mesopotamian, African exhibits on display at the MFA or from the Greek and Roman exhibits on display at the Harvard Art Museums. (Your object must be older than 200 C.E.). Then you will write a 4-5 page paper (1200-1500 words) according to the guidelines below. You will submit the paper on Blackboard Learn by Sunday, February 16 at 11:59 p.m.
Reading:
Read the essay: “This Art Was Looted 123 Years Ago. Will It Ever Be Returned?” by Alex Marshall. It’s available online at:
In your reading notes, identify all sides of this debate and their points to support their positions.
Museum Visit: Visit either the MFA Boston or the Harvard Art Museums.
The MFA-Boston. Visit the MFA Boston exhibits of ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian and African artifacts. Choose one of the objects on display
made prior to 200 C.E.
that you will write about. If permitted, take a non-flash photograph of the object and the object’s label. You have free entry to the MFA with your BU ID card. If you would like to join me, I will be at the MFA on Saturday, February 1 to do a walk-through of the relevant exhibits at 1 p.m. and I will repeat the walk-through at 2:30 p.m. You do not have to come to the MFA when I am there, but you do have to choose an object that is currently on display either at the MFA or Harvard.
The Harvard Art Museums: If you want to write your paper about ancient Greek or Roman artifacts, you will need to visit the Harvard Art Museums (because the MFA Greek and Roman exhibits are currently closed). You have free entry with your BU ID card.
Paper Guidelines and Content:
Imagine that the MFA-Boston or the Harvard Museums have been approached about the artifact you chose. The government of its country of origin would like it to be returned. What do you think the museum should do?
1. Description: Write a detailed physical description of the object—size, material it is made of, color, condition, and purpose. Describe where it is located in the museum and what other objects are around it.
2. Cultural values: Explain how the object relates to and reflects values of the culture that produced it. (You may use Fiero and information provided by the museum which you will need to cite as your sources.)
3. Remain or Return? Using Maxwell’s article explain why you think the object should remain at the museum or should be returned to its country of origin. Anticipate at least one counter argument to your position and respond to it. You may offer an alternative approach to this dilemma and explain it thoroughly. (You will need to cite Maxwell as your source.)
4. Sources and Citations: You may use Fiero, museum wall text, MFA or Harvard Museum online information, HU 103 lecture notes, and Maxwell’s essay. Because this is not a research paper, DO NOT USE ADDITIONAL SOURCES. Use MLA citation style. Include parenthetical citations within the body of your paper and have a Works Cited list at the end of your paper.
Papers submitted without citations in the body of the paper and papers submitted without a Works Cited list will receive a failing grade automatically.
On Saturday, February 1, I will be at the MFA-Boston. I will lead a short walk-through of the galleries at 1 p.m. and again at 2:30 p.m. Meet me inside the Huntington Ave. entrance to the MFA at the bottom of the marble staircase. You have free admission with your BU ID.
On the wall beside my office door, I will post office hour sign-up times and additional office hours so we can meet to talk about your paper. See me early in the writing process for maximum benefit—as you are developing a thesis or putting together an outline. You may get additional writing assistance at the CGS Writing Center.
Paper 1 Rubric
1. Description = 20 points.
How thoroughly and accurately do you describe the object physically? How does the museum present the object (i.e. where is it located and what objects are near it)?
2. Cultural Values = 30 points.
How thoroughly and accurately do you explain how the object relates to and reflects the values of the culture that produced it? How well do you use information from Fiero and from the museum?
3. Resolving the Problem = 30 points.
How thoroughly and accurately do you use Maxwell’s article to explain why you think the object should remain at the museum or should be returned to its country of origin. How well do you present one or more counter arguments to your position? How thoughtfully and clearly do you articulate a response? If you propose an alternative approach to this dilemma, how reasonable is it and how thoroughly do you explain it? Does your paper clearly address the paper prompt?
4. Clarity of Writing = 10 points.
How well organized is your paper? How well do you construct your introduction and conclusion in relation to the rest of the paper? How clearly and directly do you present your information? Have you checked your spelling? Is your paper 1200-1500 words?
5. Sources and Citations = 10 points.
Have you included citations throughout the body of your paper and listed all your sources in a Works Cited at the end? (Note: if you use an idea from a source, even if you write it in your own words, you must cite the source where the idea came from.) Have you put direct quotations in quotation marks and noted the source? Have you used the MLA citation style accurately?