For any student of art, writing an art history paper can be a daunting task. With so much material to cover and analyze, it can be difficult to know where to start. However, by following some basic guidelines and keeping focused on your research, you can write a well-crafted art history paper that will stand out from the rest.
Choose Your Topic
The first step in writing an art history paper is to choose a topic. You may already have a specific topic assigned to you by your professor or instructor, or you may need to brainstorm ideas for yourself.
If so, start by looking at the different periods of art history and decide which one interests you the most. After narrowing down your choices, look at what specific topics are available within that period that could make an interesting research paper.
Perform Research
Once you have chosen your topic, the next step is to perform research on it. Start by consulting scholarly sources such as books and articles in order to gain background knowledge on the subject matter. Additionally, take time to visit museums and galleries in order to observe different works of art firsthand – this will give you valuable insights into the time period and style of artwork that will be useful when writing your paper.
Outline Your Paper
Once you have done your research, create an outline for your paper that contains all of the important points that you want to cover. This will help keep your paper organized and make sure nothing is overlooked or forgotten about during the writing process. Outlining is also useful for making sure you stay on track with the main idea or argument of your essay – it can be easy to get too caught up in discussing small details instead of providing an overall analysis of the topic at hand.
Write Your Paper
Now it’s time to start putting all of your ideas together into a cohesive essay. Begin with an introduction that sets out what you are going to discuss in the essay and why it is important or relevant.
Then move on through each section of your outline, providing evidence from both primary and secondary sources as support for any claims or statements made throughout the paper.
Conclusion:
Writing an art history paper can seem like a daunting task but with careful consideration and preparation it can be accomplished successfully. Start by choosing a topic then doing research and creating an outline before finally writing out your finished essay. By taking these steps, you’ll be able to craft an effective art history paper that will make a lasting impression.