Questionnaire for Art and Design Students

The Royal College of Art, in conjunction with Swansea Institute of Higher Education, is interested in the
learning processes of students taking art and design degrees. This questionnaire has been developed in
conjunction with University College London and Middlesex University to investigate a range of issues, and
we would be grateful if you could spare ten to fifteen minutes or so to answer some questions about
yourself. A few points about the questionnaire:
! For most of the questions there are no right or wrong answers — it is your opinions or feelings in
which we are interested. If you are not happy with answering some of the questions, simply leave
them blank.
! Although some of the questions may seem strange, there is always a good reason for asking
them. Similarly, some questions may seem repetitious but there is a reason for that.
! The data will be used for educational research only, and only published in an aggregated form in
which individuals cannot be identified.
! Those teaching and assessing on the courses will not have any access to the raw data from the
survey, and your answers will play no part in any form of educational assessment.
! We would prefer it if your answers to the questionnaire are not anonymous, since we would like to
be able to follow up the people in the survey. Of course, the results will be strictly confidential.
Thank you for your help with this research. If there are any problems, please contact Ms Qona Rankin at
the RCA (qona.rankin@rca.ac.uk), or Professor Chris McManus at UCL (i.mcmanus@ucl.ac.uk).
Firstly, a little on your strengths and weaknesses in various skills related to art and design.
Being as honest as possible, how would you rate your ability at the following skills, in comparison
with other people studying art and design? If you haven't carried out a skill, simply leave that
answer blank.
Much below Below About Above Much above
average average average average average
Drawing from observation (e.g. life drawing)
Drawing from imagination
Use of perspective, shadow and shading
Confidence in mark making when drawing
Use of contrast and tone in drawing
Technical drawing (geometric and engineering drawing)
Mixing, copying and using colour
Using colour for aesthetic effect
Visual composition in two dimensions
Interpreting technical drawings of 3D objects
Modelling in 3D (e.g. making sculpture)
Sensitivity to texture, feel and touch of materials
Visual composition in three dimensions
Mentally rotating objects to see them from other positions
Product design (making objects to solve verbal problems)
Using hand tools such as chisels, to craft objects
Using mechanical tools and machines
Verbal creativity (using words in novel and unusual ways)
Visual creativity (seeing objects in novel and unusual ways)
Mechanical creativity (using materials and objects in novel ways)
Public speaking and communication
Spelling
Using word-processors
Numerical skills (e.g. mental arithmetic)
Using calculators
(

If you are concerned that your performance on the coming course, or in a future career,
might be affected by difficulties with any of these skills, please indicate them in this column.
How interested are you in general in the following areas of art or design?

Very Fairly Not really Very Fairly Not really

Painting Ceramics and glass
Sculpture Product/furniture design
Print-making Film and animation
Photography Graphic design
Fashion and textiles Illustration
Theatre design Multimedia design (websites etc)
Architecture History and theory of art
Jewellery Other ___________________
If you are particularly attracted to any

(
areas for your career then tick them here -------------------------------------------------------------->

Now some questions about you as a person, your interests and your personality.
A few A few Once a A few
times a Once a times a month or times a
How often do you? Every day week week month less year Never
Listen to popular music
Listen to classical music
Go to pop concerts / discos
Go to classical music concerts / opera
Play a musical instrument
Go to museums or art galleries
Read about art in newspapers, magazines or books
Draw or paint
Read a novel
Read non-fiction books (not for work or study)
Read poetry
Go to the cinema
Go to the theatre (plays/musicals, etc)
Act or otherwise take part in theatre
Watching classical or modern ballet/dance
Going dancing (any form)
------------ Most days for -------------
4+ 2-4 1-2 1 hour 2-3 times Once a Less
hours hours hours or less a week week often
Watch television
Listen to radio
Listen to podcasts
Browse the internet

Always Usually Slightly Slightly Usually use Always

Which hand would you use? use left use left prefer left prefer right right use right

To hold a pen to write a letter?

To throw a ball at a target?
To hold a pencil while drawing a picture?
To hold the thread while threading a needle?
And also:
With which foot would you kick a ball at a goal?
With which eye would you look through a keyhole?
Are your parents left-handed? Neither / Mother only / Father only / Both / Don't know
A few questions about conditions which might give you problems
Never Rarely Occasionally Frequently All the time

Do you have difficulty in distinguishing right and left?

As a child did you have difficulty distinguishing right and left?
If someone tells you to turn left or right when driving, do you have
difficulty quickly deciding which way to turn?
Do you have difficulty when giving directions?
When reversing a car, do you have difficulty deciding which way to
turn the steering wheel to go in the direction you wish to go?

Have you ever been told that you have developmental dyslexia?
Never / No, but I've wondered if I might be dyslexic / Yes, I have been diagnosed as dyslexic (if so, at what age____ )
Have you ever been told that you have dyspraxia or other motor problems?
Never / No, but I've wondered if I might be dyspraxic / Yes, I have been diagnosed as dyspraxic (at what age?____ )
Have you ever stuttered or stammered?
Never / Yes, in the past but not any more / Yes, at present
Is there anyone in your close family (parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts or uncles) with dyslexia,
dyspraxia, stuttering or stammering? No / Yes: If Yes, who and what?

Almost everybody has problems with spelling certain words. This can be a particular problem for
people on college or university courses. It would help us if you could look at the following sets of words, and
ring the one word of each group of four which you think is correctly spelled. Please answer on your own, and
without looking up any of the words.
accademic acaddemic acedemic academic labratory laborotory labrotory laboratory
acomodation accomodation acommodation accommodation medisine medecine medicine medicen
choclate chocolete chocolate choclete necessary necesary neccessary neccesary
contempory contemporey contemprary contemporary parliment parlimant parliamant parliament
corespondance corespondence correspondence correspondance sentance sentence sentince sentense
cristal crystal crystle cristle sinserely sincerly sincerely sinserely
emphasis emphesis emphisis empheses techniques technics technicues teckniques
February Febrary Febuary Febary temprament temperament temprement temperamant
heigt hieght heigth height truley truly truely trueley
immediately imediately immedietely immediatly writeing writing writting wraiting
Each pair of phrases below describes two behaviours. Each of us is somewhere between the two
extremes. Put a mark between the two to best describe yourself.
+++ ++ + - + ++ +++
Not at all independent Very independent
Not at all emotional Very emotional
Very rough Very gentle
Not at all competitive Very competitive
Not at all kind Very kind
Not at all aware of feelings of others Very aware of feelings of others
Gives up very easily Never gives up easily
Not at all self confident Very self confident

Finally, some background questions.

What GCSEs, AS- and A-levels (or Highers) have you gained? Please give the grade for each subject.
Subject GCSE AS level A level Subject GCSE AS level A level
Art Latin
Biology Law
Business studies Mathematics
Chemistry Music
Dance Physical Education
Design & Technology Physics
Double Science Politics
Drama Psychology
Economics Religious Studies
English Language Sociology
English Literature Spanish
French Other: _______________
Geography Other: _______________
German Other: _______________
History Other: _______________
ICT (Inf'n & Comm'n Tech.) Other: _______________

What other formal qualifications do you have (e.g. degrees, etc.)? _________________________
Are you male or female? Male / Female What is your date of birth? ___(day ) / _____ (month) / 19____
What is your nationality? ________ What is your first language? English / Other _______________
If English is not your first language, how old were you when you learned English? _______
Are your parents practising artists or in related professions? Neither / Mother only / Father only / Both
Would you describe your parents as sympathetic to the arts? Neither / Mother only / Father only / Both
Now that you have completed the survey, please decide if you are willing to help us by
providing your name and contact details for a follow-up. If so, please complete and sign the
details below, and initial the declaration. If you wish to remain anonymous, the questionnaire will still
be of some use to us, and we would be pleased to have it returned.
On behalf of the research team, I wish to make clear In order to be able to assess how the answers to
that this questionnaire is entirely for the purposes of this questionnaire relate to the learning processes
research. It is confidential and will be stored safely of art and design students, we will need to be able
and electronic versions will be stored in an to follow you up later. Please therefore provide us
anonymised form. None of the information provided with contact details in BLOCK CAPITALS, and sign
will be used for the purposes of assessment, and nor below as a consent to us monitoring your course
will it be provided to those examining or teaching progress, and contacting you to take part in further
students, except in an aggregated, anonymised studies.
form. Results from the survey will only be published
in aggregated or other form in which individuals
cannot be identified. Name:

I C McManus
Address:

Professor of Psychology,
University College London E-mail address:

Signature:

Thank you very much for your help with this study