ARHALLY/301/4/2023

Tutorial Letter 301/4/2023

ARHALLY

Semesters 1 & 2
and Year modules

REFERENCE TECHNIQUES AND

PRESENTATION OF ACADEMIC WRITING

Department of Art and Music

This tutorial letter contains important information about your module.
Bar code
 CONTENTS

1 GENERAL GUIDELINES ............................................................................................ 6

1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 6

1.2 THE BLIGHT OF PLAGIARISM ................................................................................. 6
1.3 THE USE OF THE LIBRARY...................................................................................... 7
1.4 SOURCES .................................................................................................................. 8
1.4.1 Primary sources .......................................................................................................... 8
1.4.2 Secondary sources ..................................................................................................... 8
1.4.3 Tertiary sources .......................................................................................................... 9
1.5 LITERATURE ON REFERENCE TECHNIQUES ........................................................ 9

2 THE COMBINED HARVARD METHOD AND RUNNING NOTES METHOD ............ 10

2.1 SOURCE REFERENCE IN THE TEXT ..................................................................... 10

2.1.1 Name of author as part of a sentence ....................................................................... 10
2.1.2 Author’s name in parentheses................................................................................... 11
2.1.3 Reference pertaining to a group of sentences ........................................................... 11
2.1.4 Composite works ...................................................................................................... 11
2.1.5 Encyclopaedias and dictionaries ............................................................................... 12
2.1.6 Unisa study guides.................................................................................................... 12
2.1.7 Electronic resources ................................................................................................. 13
2.2 THE RUNNING NOTES METHOD............................................................................ 14
2.2.1 Footnotes .................................................................................................................. 14
2.2.2 Use of notes.............................................................................................................. 15
2.2.2.1 Notes as subtext ....................................................................................................... 15
2.2.2.2 Translation in text...................................................................................................... 15
2.2.2.3 Background information ............................................................................................ 15
2.2.2.4 Empirical data ........................................................................................................... 15
2.2.2.5 Source unknown ....................................................................................................... 15
2.3 QUOTATIONS .......................................................................................................... 15
2.3.1 Direct quotations ....................................................................................................... 15
2.3.1.1 Short quotations ........................................................................................................ 15
2.3.1.2 Long quotations ........................................................................................................ 16
2.3.1.3 Quotations within quotations ..................................................................................... 16
2.3.1.4 Punctuation .............................................................................................................. 16
2.3.1.5 Omissions in quotations ............................................................................................ 16

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2.3.1.6 Foreign language quotations .................................................................................... 17

2.3.1.7 Words added to a quotation ...................................................................................... 17
2.3.1.8 Accentuation of part of a quotation ............................................................................ 17
2.3.1.9 Exact details of a primary source .............................................................................. 18
2.3.1.10 Errors in quotations ................................................................................................... 18
2.3.2 Indirect quotation ...................................................................................................... 18
2.4 ABBREVIATIONS AND PUNCTUATION ................................................................. 19
2.4.1 Full stops and spaces ............................................................................................... 19
2.4.2 Initials and acronyms ................................................................................................ 19
2.4.3 Abbreviations in the text ............................................................................................ 19
2.4.4 Numbers in the text ................................................................................................... 20
2.5 REFERENCES TO ARTWORKS .............................................................................. 20
2.6. BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................... 22
2.6.1 Books........................................................................................................................ 23
2.6.2 Periodicals (Burger 2010, 2.86-2.91)........................................................................ 23
2.6.3 Newspaper reports.................................................................................................... 25
2.6.4 Conferences ............................................................................................................. 25
2.6.5 Exhibition catalogues ................................................................................................ 25
2.6.6 Unpublished documents............................................................................................ 25
2.6.7 Archival material (Burger 2010, 2.118-2.125) ............................................................ 25
2.6.8 Personal communications (Burger 2010, 2.105)........................................................ 26
2.6.9 Electronic resources (Burger 2010, 2.131) ................................................................ 26
2.7 EXAMPLE OF A BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................... 27

3 ASSIGNMENTS: APPROACH AND PRESENTATION ............................................ 31

3.1 RELEVANCE ............................................................................................................ 32

3.1.1 Select and apply ....................................................................................................... 32
3.1.2 Be direct and concise ................................................................................................ 32
3.1.3 Be clear and simple .................................................................................................. 32
3.2 METHOD AND APPROACH .................................................................................... 33
3.2.1 Read ......................................................................................................................... 33
3.2.2 Analyse the question ................................................................................................. 33
3.2.3 Collect ....................................................................................................................... 34

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3.2.4 Plan .......................................................................................................................... 34
3.2.4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 34
3.2.4.2 Body of text ............................................................................................................... 34
3.2.4.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 35
3.2.5 Write ......................................................................................................................... 35
3.3 PRESENTATION ...................................................................................................... 35
3.3.1 Essay form ................................................................................................................ 35
3.3.2 Continuity .................................................................................................................. 35
3.3.3 Page numbering........................................................................................................ 35
3.3.4 Length....................................................................................................................... 36
3.4 COMPONENTS ........................................................................................................ 36
3.4.1 Assignment cover ..................................................................................................... 36
3.4.2 Title page .................................................................................................................. 36
3.4.3 Declaration................................................................................................................ 36
3.4.4 Essay ........................................................................................................................ 37
3.4.5 Illustrations................................................................................................................ 37
3.4.6 List of illustrations ..................................................................................................... 37
3.4.7 Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 37

4 PRESENTATION OF A RESEARCH ARTICLE ....................................................... 38

4.1 LAYOUT ................................................................................................................... 38

4.1.1 Fonts and spacing.................................................................................................... 38
4.1.2 Numbering of pages.................................................................................................. 38
4.1.3 Headings and sub-headings..................................................................................... 38
4.1.4 Illustrations............................................................................................................... 40
4.2 COMPONENTS OF A RESEARCH ARTICLE .......................................................... 40
4.2.1 Title page .................................................................................................................. 40
4.2.2 Declaration............................................................................................................... 41
4.2.3 Table of contents ...................................................................................................... 41
4.2.4 List of illustrations ..................................................................................................... 41
4.2.5 List of abbreviations .................................................................................................. 41
4.2.6 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 42
4.2.7 Main body of the text ................................................................................................. 42
4.2.8 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 42

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4.2.9 Appendices (optional) ............................................................................................... 42

4.2.10 Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 43
4.2.11 Illustrations................................................................................................................ 43

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 1 GENERAL GUIDELINES

1.1 INTRODUCTION

All students registered for Art History and Visual Arts should become acquainted with
research sources and how to use them. You should acquire research skills and learn to
use the Harvard method of reference techniques, which we will explain in this tutorial
letter.

Use this method consistently when you produce assignment answers and research
articles. The correct use of source material is a means of communicating and of
convincing the reader/examiner that you have undertaken, acknowledged and
understood research.

Use references to acknowledge sources from which you have obtained information. If
you do not acknowledge the source you are guilty of plagiarism which is a serious
academic offence (see 1.2).

1.2 THE BLIGHT OF PLAGIARISM

NOTE THAT THIS UNIVERSITY ADOPTS A POLICY OF ZERO TOLERANCE ON

CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM!

The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1983) defines the verb to “plagiarise” as to “take and
use another person’s (thoughts, writings, inventions, or abs.) as one’s own”. This means
that you commit plagiarism when you use someone’s ideas but fail to acknowledge your
source. This source must be acknowledged in the text as a source reference and it
must be listed (with all bibliographical data) in the bibliography. If you fail to include
source references in the text or to present a complete bibliography you will be penalised.

In the past few years we have seen an alarming increase in dishonest practices such as
the unlawful use of existing texts which are all easily obtainable on the Internet. Some
students resort to the practice of cutting and pasting large sections from these texts,
paraphrasing the text slightly and presenting it as their own work. This is blatantly
plagiarist, unlawful and a criminal act which could see you expelled from academic study
at this University.

The increase in problems of plagiarism and downright dishonest academic practices has
been identified at ALL South African tertiary institutions. They have been working non-
stop to put specialised systems in place and to create forensic research units to counter
this blight. Please take note that we have mechanisms and programmes in place to
recognise plagiarised texts.

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Of course, the Internet is a useful tool to acquaint yourself with the subject matter or to
set you on your path of research but the information that one gains from the Internet
remains, in many instances, mere abbreviated, one-dimensional information, nothing
more. One could be referred to specialist articles on a given theme or subject matter via
the Internet. The Unisa Library provides access to many online academic sources so
please make use of this service (see 1.3).

In short, please do not take chances and jeopardise your position as a student as there
is no sound academic underpinning or input in the presentation of the type of assignment
mentioned above. What is meant by academic input is that you need to provide clear
evidence that you have read and researched the topic and that you have analysed and
understood the different ideas and viewpoints of various authors. The only way to
achieve this is to read, read and read widely from books and articles listed in your study
material.

1.3 THE USE OF THE LIBRARY

The my Study @ Unisa booklet, which is part of your registration package, lists all the
services offered by the Unisa library at https://my.unisa.ac.za/portal/

Students are encouraged to make use of the library’s excellent facilities on the main
campus in Pretoria, or to use the library online. To find the library’s homepage, point
your browser to http://www.unisa.ac.za, then click on library, then on library catalogue.
The page header is oasis library catalogue, and library services listed under search
options and other options respectively.

Access to online library services and resources is provided by your student number
and myUnisa password. All the request services are listed under other options. You
can open your recommended journal articles (aka electronic reserves) in full text PDF
by clicking on library course material and use the library’s other digital information
resources via search subject databases.

The librarian responsible for the information needs of the department of Art History,
Visual Arts and Musicology is Dawie Malan. His contact details are: e-mail:
malandj@unisa.ac.za; phone: +27 12 429 3212.

If you intend visiting the Pretoria campus, you are welcome to make an appointment
with your Personal Librarian for a training session on how to use the library’s information
resources or consult the Branch Librarians at the Information Desk. The branch
librarians at each Unisa regional centre also offer training in the use of the library’s
catalogue and keyword searches.

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1.4 SOURCES

1.4.1 Primary sources

The major primary source for studying the history of art is the artwork. We consider
original written works by the artist on his/her own work as primary sources and creative
and original works by authors where they try to solve problems, or to interpret and
assess artworks.

Whenever you read about artworks make sure you study the original artworks
themselves or use slides or good quality reproductions. Ideally, you should study the
work prior to any reading and you should make notes of your observations and
responses. Do not read and then check an author's comments against the artwork: this
can restrict your own responses and inhibit your recognition of different interpretations.

Be sure to locate good quality slides or reproductions for study. You should study as
many views and angles of the structure as possible in order to understand sculpture and
architecture. Study photographs of interiors and exteriors of buildings, together with
architectural drawings (plans, sections and elevations) where these are available.

Primary sources exist in the following forms:

 artworks
 monographs
 research dissertations or theses of an original nature (e.g. PhD theses)
 journal articles
 diaries (e.g. Delacroix's Journals)
 interviews with artists (fieldwork)
 exhibition catalogues (if they contain primary source material)
 archival material (Archives on South African art and architecture are housed at
various universities and galleries in the country. Information may be obtained from
the subject reference librarian, Mr D Malan, (012) 429-3212. You may consult the
archives at Unisa by means of microfiche at the main library, 4th level, audio-visual
section).

Many art galleries and museums house archives which have been established for their
own use, but which can be made accessible to students and researchers upon request.
1.4.2 Secondary sources

The author of secondary sources is concerned with the writing and ideas of others.
Secondary sources, therefore, exist in the form of commentaries on the creative and
original ideas found in primary sources. They evaluate and assess the ideas of other
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authors. This kind of assessment, as a form of re-interpretation, deals primarily with the
original ideas of others, but is also creative and original in a sense.
Secondary sources exist in the following forms:

● monographs
• specialised histories (eg HH Arnason´s A history of modern art)
• journal articles
• commentaries
• introductions to subjects
• MA dissertations
• exhibition catalogues
• exhibition reviews

1.4.3 Tertiary sources

These are works that are three steps removed from the original creative work. They
consist of encyclopaedias, dictionaries, bibliographies and indexes. Primary and
secondary sources are mentioned in these. Data are collated, but not evaluated in
tertiary sources. Examples of tertiary sources include the following:

• The Oxford companion to art

• Art index (Some of the articles listed in the index are in the Unisa Library, and you
may order others through the interlibrary loans section of the Unisa Library.)
• Dissertation abstracts international
• Art bibliography
• Encyclopaedia of world art
• Computer data search (This provides reference to diverse sources such as journals
not included in the Art index.)

1.5 LITERATURE ON REFERENCE TECHNIQUES

An important source of information on the Harvard Method and Running Notes Method
is:
Burger, M. 2010. Bibliographic style & reference techniques. Pretoria: University
of South Africa. (Available at the Sales Section of Unisa Press).

Buy this book and consult it concurrently with this tutorial letter. Should you come across
conflicting information, follow this tutorial letter rather than Burger.

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 2 THE COMBINED HARVARD METHOD AND RUNNING NOTES
METHOD

2.1 SOURCE REFERENCE IN THE TEXT

The Harvard method of bibliographic reference gives full details of publications in the
bibliography which is located at the end of the text. Bibliographic references are
supplied in parentheses in the text.

These references in the text contain the name(s) of the author(s), date and page
number(s):

(Goodyear 1981:72)

Only the surname of the author is given in the text. Initials or FIRST names are not
used, unless two authors with the same surname and date of publication appear in the
bibliography.

If the date is not known, use the abbreviation [Sa] for the Latin sine anno (without year):

(Sangiro [Sa]:12)

If the printed text has no page numbers, use the abbreviation [sp] for the Latin sino
pagina (without page):

(Siebrits, Eksteen & Rademeyer 2004:[sp])

2.1.1 Name of author as part of a sentence

If the name of the author forms part of the sentence, the name is not repeated in
parentheses and the reference follows the author’s name immediately. For example:

According to Indiana (1984:174) it is possible to ...

Dyer (1986:10) is of the opinion that the “real” person remains hidden.

When the name of the author is mentioned for the first time in your text, you need to
provide the author’s first name as well. For example:

In terms of the feminist concepts formulated by Linda Nochlin (1972) it can be

argued….
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2.1.2 Author’s name in parentheses

If the author's name does not form part of the sentence, the surname, year and page
number(s) are given in parentheses. For example:

The manner in which information is presented by means of style and technique

in order to "defamiliarise" (Holub 1984:17) objects gives rise to a new relationship
between reader and text.

2.1.3 Reference pertaining to a group of sentences

Place a reference pertaining to a group of sentences or a paragraph at the end of the

last sentence. You can incorporate the name of the author in the FIRST sentence to
avoid any confusion (including the date and page number if you wish), but the author's
name, date and page number(s) must appear in parentheses before the last full stop at
the end of the last sentence or paragraph. This is sufficient to indicate the beginning and
the end of the source of certain information in the text. For example:

Eco (1981:7) is of the opinion that to make a text readable, the author must accept
that the codes which he or she uses are shared by a probable reader. He or she
must therefore be mindful of a "model" reader. This reader should be able to
understand the expressions which the author presents in a creative manner (Eco
1981:7).

2.1.4 Composite works

Composite works are either edited by one or more editors, or separate sections of the
book are written by separate contributors who are all mentioned as authors. In the text,
refer to the author of that particular section. For example:

Heller (1990:4) writes:

Three consecutive generations have appeared since the Second World War:
the existentialist generation, the alienation generation and the postmodernist
generation.... Modern cultural movements appeared in waves, and this
happened for the simple reason that each new generation has to "come of age"
in the sense of creating a new "imaginary institution" before it could take over
the torch from the former generation.

Employ cross references to identify the source in the bibliography. The bibliographical
description of this source would be:

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 Heller, A. 1990. Existentialism, alienation, postmodernism: cultural movements
as vehicles of change in the patterns of everyday life, in Postmodern
conditions, edited by A Milner, P Thomson & C Worth. New York: Berg:1-13.

NB: The page numbers pertaining to the beginning and the end of the relevant chapter
are given in the same way as is done with a periodical article in the bibliography.

List this book under the names of the editors in the bibliography too:

Milner, A, Thomson, P & Worth, C (eds). 1990. Postmodern conditions. New

York: Berg.

2.1.5 Encyclopaedias and dictionaries

When you refer to books in which the information is listed alphabetically, such as
encyclopaedias and dictionaries, provide the item, not the volume or page number in
the text and in the bibliography. Precede the reference to the item by the abbreviation
"Sv" (Sub verbo), meaning "under the word". See also Burger (2010, 2.98-2.101).

You can also abbreviate the title of the work in parentheses in the text, for example,
Encyclopaedia of world art can become EWA. (Be sure to provide a list of abbreviations
at the beginning of your text.)

The reference in the text will be: (EWA 1966. Sv "portraiture")

The reference in the bibliography will be:

Encyclopaedia of world art. 1966. Sv "portraiture". New York: McGraw-Hill. List this book
under the names of the editors in the bibliography too:

2.1.6 Unisa study guides

The use of a Unisa study guide must also be acknowledged.

The reference in the text will be: (ARH2601 study guide 2010:15)

The references in the bibliography will be:

ARH2601 study guide see University of South Africa. Department of Art and
Music.

University of South Africa. Department of Art and Music. 2010. The arts and
ideology 1: only study guide for ARH2601. Pretoria.
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Online study material available on myUnisa must be referenced as follows:

Reference in the text: (ARH3702 learning unit 1 2022)

Reference in the bibliography:

ARH3701 The Arts and Ideology 1, Learning Unit 1: Afrikaner nationalism

as ideology. 2022. University of South Africa. Department of Art and Music.
https://mymodules.dtls.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=37259&section=2
(Accessed 31 August 2022)

2.1.7 Electronic resources

The collective name electronic resources is used to refer to the Internet (web sites, e-
mail, e-journals, e-books, e-newspapers, virtual conference paper, etc), CD-ROMs,
sound recordings, motion pictures, television broadcasts, video recordings, computer
programs, and so on.

A problematic difference between the referencing methodology in a hard copy and an

electronic document lies in the interactive aspect found in most electronic documents.
An interactive text is mostly not paginated and is based on the principle of navigation
through linked text and buttons. In this case, reference must be made to key headings
or special words using the abbreviation "Sv" (Sub verbo).

Another problem concerns the volatility of documents (web pages) on the Internet. It is
easy for authors to edit, change or even remove such pages. This aspect brings into
question the authenticity and sustainability of such sources. In this case, the answer lies
in recording the date of accessing the web page. This should be standard practice in
referencing to the Internet, although authenticity still cannot be guaranteed.

When referring to a source that is available in electronic format, you must use the same
reference method pertaining to hard copy documents (see all the above).

Example: When the author is known:

The reference in the text will be: (Samuels 2001)

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The reference in the bibliography will be:

Samuels, M. 2001. Art as a healing force. Sv "Artists".

http://www.artashealing.org/ahfw7 (Accessed 23 November 2001).

Example: When the author is unknown:

The reference in the text will be: ﴾www.artashealing.org)

The reference in the bibliography will be:

www.artashealing.org/ahfw7 (Accessed 23 November 2001).

2.2 THE RUNNING NOTES METHOD

Footnotes and endnotes are used to provide further information. In this department,
we prefer the use of footnotes which must be presented in paragraph form and
single spacing.

2.2.1 Footnotes

Footnotes appear at the bottom of a page on which additional explanation or discussion

is required. Footnotes are separated from the last line of text on the page by additional
space, and/or by a horizontal line, and/or by a smaller typeface (Burger 2010, 4.187).

The numerical sequence of footnotes should run consecutively throughout a chapter

(starting with 1 for each new chapter), or throughout the whole text in the case of an
article which is not divided into chapters.

Place the footnote number directly after the relevant word or sentence which needs
elaboration. If you place the number at the end of the sentence, it comes after the
punctuation. Place the number slightly above the relevant word or sentence.

For example:

Text:
The meanings of codes which are presented by the artist are "open"¹ for
interpretation by the viewer. The viewer becomes an important part of the
interpretative process.²

Notes:
1 The Italian semiologist, Umberto Eco, differentiates between "open" and "closed"
texts (Eco 1981:8, 9). A "closed" text conveys a message in a direct and
unambiguous way (eg issues such as "good" and "bad" in Superman comics) (Eco
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1981:8). An "open" text requires active participation in the interpretation process by

the reader. "[T]he ... process of interpretation ... is a structural element of its
generative process" (Eco 1981:9).
2 The importance of the receiver (the viewer in the case of art), also referred to as
"reception theory", forms an important part of poststructuralist thought. "Reception
theory" or "reader-oriented theories" are discussed by various authors, amongst
others, Holub (1984) and Selden (1989).

NB: We acknowledge source references in the notes in the same way as in the
text.

2.2.2 Use of notes

2.2.2.1 Notes as subtext

Use notes to comment on and expand upon information which, if discussed in the text,
will divert attention from the core argument. They therefore serve as a subtext to extend
information in the main text.

2.2.2.2 Translation in text

If you translate a passage freely in the text, supply the original text in a note.

2.2.2.3 Background information

Notes may refer to background information, such as historical data, or they may explain
the theoretical underpinnings of a particular term.

2.2.2.4 Empirical data

Use notes to supply full empirical data on artworks referred to in the text (see 2.5).

2.2.2.5 Source unknown

If details of a source are unknown or you are uncertain about the data, explain this in a
note.

2.3 QUOTATIONS

2.3.1 Direct quotations

In literal quotations, give the wording, spelling, punctuation (except inverted commas),
italics, underlining or bold typeface exactly as in the original.

2.3.1.1 Short quotations

Incorporate literal quotations in double quotation marks in the text when they are a
maximum length of five printed lines. You need not always quote full sentences; you

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can quote words or phrases as part of a sentence. Place the quoted words in double
quotation marks.

2.3.1.2 Long quotations

Indent quotations of more than five typed lines. When you indent quotations, do not use
quotation marks at the beginning and end of the quotation. Furthermore use single
spacing and/or a smaller typeface, for example:

The problem for Marx was to explain how an art and literature produced in a long-obsolete
social organisation can still give us aesthetic pleasure and be regarded as "a standard and
unattainable ideal". He seems to be accepting reluctantly a certain "timelessness" and
"universality" in literature and art; reluctantly, because this would be a major concession
to one of bourgeois ideology’s premises (Selden 1989:25, 26).

2.3.1.3 Quotations within quotations

Place quotations within short quotations in single quotation marks, irrespective of how
they appear in the original quotation. For example:

Seldon (1989:42) writes: "Eagleton, like Althusser, argues that criticism must
break with its 'ideological prehistory' and become a 'science'".

Place words that occur in inverted commas within indented quotations, in double
inverted commas irrespective of how they appear in the original quotation. (See the
example in 2.3.1.2.)

2.3.1.4 Punctuation
If a sentence in the text is followed by a short quotation which consists of a full sentence,
precede the quotation with a colon. For example:

Rorty (1976:5) gives the following reason why it is necessary to know that a
person remains constant over a period of time: "We assign crucial responsibilities
to individuals, assuming important continuing relations to them in the belief that
certain of their traits are relatively constant or predictable".

2.3.1.5 Omissions in quotations

Indicate omissions in quotations by three ellipsis points (...). We call this the sign of
omission. A sign of omission indicates that one or more words have been left out in the
middle of a sentence, or that one or more entire sentences have been left out between
two sentences.
You may also use the sign of omission at the end of a quotation. For example:

I try to capture a subject's gravity and dignity ... to achieve total effectiveness... .
You have to have had a reading of your model – an awareness of a set of qualities
radiating. Then what moves do you make formally...?
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(George Segal quoted by Henry 1975:36).

NB: There is a space between the full stop at the end of a sentence and before or after
the sign of omission, in order to make it clear where the sentence begins or ends. Also
note the placing of the question mark and the space preceding it as well as the full stop
after the parenthesis.

We seldom use the sign of omission at the beginning of a quotation, even when the first
sentence of the quotation is incomplete. If the incomplete sentence can stand on its
own, the FIRST word is capitalised, but the capital is placed in square brackets.

[C]ommunication is a dynamic process, that ... involves creating shared meaning,

and that meaning results from sending and receiving messages via commonly
understood codes. Our system of verbal language is one such code ... . [There
are also] nonverbal codes based on body movements, physical appearance, the
voice, touch, space, time and artifacts (Burgoon & Saine 1978:5).

Square brackets indicate that you have changed the original letter and that words in the
square brackets are your own.

2.3.1.6 Foreign language quotations

Give foreign language quotations that appear in the text either in the original language
or as a translation. If the translation is your own, add "own translation" at the end in
parentheses. If you have translated the work in the text, provide the original language
in a footnote

2.3.1.7 Words added to a quotation

If you wish to make a comment for clarification, enclose it in square brackets at the
relevant place in the quotation. For example:

"The identity theory [connected to 'physicalism'] says that there is a mind-body

identity ..." (O'Connor 1969:12).

2.3.1.8 Accentuation of part of a quotation

If you want to emphasise or call attention to a fact in a quotation, you can underline the
relevant words, place them in italics or emphasise them, provided that you add the words
"my italics", "my underlining" or "my emphasis" in parentheses at the end of the
quotation, before the parenthesis containing reference to the author. For example:

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 He states: "You cannot use the text as you want, but only as the text wants you
to use it. An open text, however 'open' it be, cannot afford whatever interpretation"
(my italics) (Eco 1981:9).

2.3.1.9 Exact details of a primary source

If possible, give exact details of a primary source. For instance, the textual reference:
Courbet said: "I can't paint an angel", should be cited as:

Courbet, in his 1867 Manifesto, published in Mercure de France, March 1867,

cited by Clark (1980:10) said: "I can't paint an angel".

We prefer that, in a case like this, you do not simply use the reference (Clark 1980:10).
If you feel that this information is too lengthy to place within the text, provide a footnote.
However, if the exact details are not available, you should use the reference (Clark
1980:10).

2.3.1.10 Errors in quotations

Place the word sic (Latin for "thus" or "so") in square brackets after the erroneous word
where an error occurs in the original quotation. For example:

According to Danto:
A picture of the Duke of Wellington has him, the Duke, as its content in a way
which grammar will not discriminate from the way in which a bottle of rum has
rum as its content. This may sound fanciful, but my point is that the "of" is deeply
prepositional in both cases, and not ... a surface transformation of a deep
genetive [sic] (Danto 1984:2).

The "sic" here refers to the spelling mistake in the word "genitive".

2.3.2 Indirect quotation

You should still acknowledge information which derives from a particular source but
which you give in your own words, by means of a reference in parentheses at the
relevant place in a sentence. For example:

Henry Moore's work of the early 1930s was influenced by Surrealist sculpture
(Arnason 1977:543), as is evident in a number of his Reclining Figure series of
this time.

You usually know when to acknowledge a source when the reader can ask the question:
"How do you know this?”.

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2.4 ABBREVIATIONS AND PUNCTUATION

2.4.1 Full stops and spaces

Omit full stops after abbreviations, for example: vol 1, fig 1, no 5. Note that we do not
substitute spaces for full stops: NT (New Testament).

2.4.2 Initials and acronyms

Write initials without full stops and do not leave spaces between initials, for example:

BM Stafford, EA Aiken, A Goldin, U Eco.

Acronyms are abbreviations that are deliberately devised to be enunciated as words, for
example, Unisa, Sanlam. In these examples you will notice that only the FIRST letter is
capitalised, the rest are written in lower case. In instances where we enunciate every
letter separately, we capitalise all the letters, for example, CSIR, HSRC.

2.4.3 Abbreviations in the text

We generally write out abbreviations in the text therefore: "for example", not "e.g.” This
also applies to other abbreviations such as "cannot" (not "can't"), "do not" (not "don't");
et cetera. In the following instances abbreviations are allowed in the text:

• In parentheses, for example: (White et al 1984:6) or (fig 20).

• Abbreviations for degrees and diplomas: BA, MA (FA), PhD.
• Abbreviations of titles preceding a name, for example: Prof, Dr, Ms.
• In chronological references, such as BC, AD.
• Abbreviations of names of institutions: SABC, CSIR, HSRC, Unisa. We advise
you to write the name out in full when it occurs the first time and to supply the
abbreviation in parentheses after the name. Thereafter you can use the
abbreviation alone. You should also supply a list of these abbreviations at the
beginning of your dissertation or thesis (see 4.2.7).
• Abbreviations are also allowed in footnotes. For example, you may use metric
symbols, especially where the symbols are accompanied by numbers: "40 x 30
cm" when providing the empirical data on an artwork in an endnote. (See 2.5
below.)

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2.4.4 Numbers in the text

Write out numbers from one to nine. Thereafter use Arabic figures, for example: seven,
33 and 106.

2.5 REFERENCES TO ARTWORKS

The FIRST time you refer to an artwork in the text, and the artwork is not illustrated in
the text itself, you should give its full empirical data in a footnote (see Example 1). When
you refer again in your text to the same artwork, only the following is necessary: artist,
title (in italics), date and figure number. See also Burger (2010, 2.138).

When the artwork is illustrated in your text, its full empirical data must be provided in the
"list of illustrations" (see Example 2). In your assignments, this list is placed before the
bibliography (for articles, dissertations and theses, see 4.2.6).

Under the illustration appears the caption. In the caption you only need to mention the
number of the figure, artist, title (in italics) and date, followed by a full stop.

Full empirical data consist of the following (Burger 2010, 2.139-2.140):

• Number of figure (if applicable) followed by a full stop. These numbers follow on
in sequence in the text, notes or list.
• Name of artist (name and surname), followed by a comma.
• Title of artwork, underlined or in italics. All important words of the title begin with
a capital letter and the rest of the title appears in lower case. However, if the artist
has used capital letters or punctuation marks to add meaning to the work, give
the title as the artist intended it to be given, for example: Marcel Duchamp,
L.H.O.O.Q. Depending on the language in which a dissertation et cetera is
written, titles of artworks may be translated into Afrikaans or English. Certain titles
remain unchanged such as Guernica or Las Meninas.
• Date, in parentheses, followed with a full stop.
• Alternative titles, if applicable, are given.
• Medium, followed by a comma.
• Size of work in centimetres, first the height, then the width. We usually give the
height of sculptures excluding the base. The size is followed by a full stop.
• Signature and date, if inscribed on the work, should be given. It is mentioned
just as it has been inscribed. (See example 1 below.)
• Collection. Provide the name of the person in whose collection the work is, or
the name of the gallery or museum where it is housed, and the name of the city
where the collection or museum is located. For example: Mrs Mary Sisler, New
York. If the collection is unknown, or if the work is in a private collection, you
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state: Collection unknown, or Private collection.

• Catalogue number of institutions owning works of art should be given.
• Source of illustration, if printed, is placed in parentheses. Give the page number
and the figure number mentioned in the source of reference, if available (see
example 1). When the artwork is illustrated in electronic format, the web address
is not placed in parentheses – only the date when you accessed the web site
(see example 4).

EXAMPLES:

Example 1: When the artwork is not illustrated:

Text:
Bruegel's De Mensenhater (1568)1 is a lone misanthropic figure.

Notes:
1 Pieter Bruegel the Elder, De Mensenhater (1568). Alternative title: The
Misanthrope. Tempera on canvas, 86 x 85 cm. Signed and dated:
‘BRVEGEL 1568’. Museo e Gallerie Nazionali di Capodimonte, Naples.
Catalogue number: 585. (Martin 1978:95, fig 37.)

Example 2: Acknowledge references to photographs in the following manner:

Text:
Sidney Harpley's sculpture of Jan Smuts (1964) (fig 4) is not a likeness of the
outward appearance of the man Jan Smuts.

List of illustrations:
4. Sidney Harpley, Jan Smuts (1964). Bronze, approximately twice life size.
Gardens, Cape Town. (Photograph taken by Frieda Harmsen. Reproduced
by permission of Frieda Harmsen.)

Example 3: Reference to an architectural building will contain the following data in a

note:

7. Parthenon. The temple of Athena Parthenos on the Acropolis at Athens. It was

built between 447 and 438 BC, under the supervision of lctinos and
Callicrates. It is an example of the Doric order.

21
Example 4: Reference to a video/film will contain the following data:

Penny Siopis, My Lovely Day (1997). 8mm film transferred to digital video,
single channel with sound, 21 minutes 12 seconds. https://vimeo.com/87411663
(Accessed 5 January 2020).

Example 5: When the artwork is illustrated:

List of illustrations:
8. Georges Braque, Grand Nu (Large Nude) (1908). Oil on canvas, 140 x 100
cm, Collection Alex Maguy, Paris.
http://faculty.etsu.ed/koterbay/20thtest1.html (Accessed 20 July 2014).
Caption:
8. Georges Braque, Grand Nu (Large Nude) (1908).

2.6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Strictly speaking, a bibliography comprises a list of sources in a particular subject or field

(therefore a reading list). However, this department requires that you list only cited and
other important sources, not every source you consult. Do not list books, periodicals,
catalogues and other categories of reference sources separately. Arrange the entries
alphabetically and do not number them. (See 2.7 for an example of a bibliography.)

The bibliography contains references to the following:

• books, which include encyclopaedias, dictionaries, sacred scriptures, state

publications, departmental readers, study guides and tutorial letters
• periodicals, which include subject oriented publications such as de arte as well
as newspaper reports, reviews and articles
• conferences
• exhibition catalogues
• unpublished documents
• archival material
• personal communications

You should give the components of a bibliography, such as author, title and issue
number slightly differently in terms of the different categories of reference sources.
These are discussed extensively in Burger's book Bibliographic style & reference
techniques.

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2.6.1 Books

• Author. Surname followed by a comma, then initial(s) followed by a full stop after
the last initial. For variations on the author, see Burger (2010, 2.11-2.50).

• Year of publication. Followed by a full stop. If you do not know the date of
publication, use the abbreviation [Sa] for the Latin sine anno (without year). See
Burger (2010, 2.51-2.55).

• Title. Followed by a full stop. The titles of published works appear in italics. The
title is underlined in handwritten or typed manuscripts. Give the full title as it
appears on the title page. Capitalise the initial letter of the FIRST word of the title;
the rest of the title appears in the lower case unless it contains words which are
normally capitalised, such as proper names, for example: Painting in South
Africa. For variations on references to the title, see Burger (2010, 2.56-2.68).

• Edition. Mention only the second or subsequent editions. Do not include this
information if it is the FIRST edition. Also see Burger (2010, 2.69-2.71).

• Place of publication. Followed by a colon. Give the place of publication in the

language of the title page. Use the place of publication mentioned FIRST on the
title page if there is more than one given (Burger 2010, 2.72-2.76). If the place of
publication is not known, use the abbreviation [Sl] for the Latin sine loco (without
place).

• Publisher. Followed by a full stop. Mention the name of the publisher FIRST in
the briefest form: George G Harrap & Co becomes Harrap. Also see Burger
(2010, 2.77-2.81). If the publisher is not known, use the abbreviation [sn] for the
Latin sine nomine (without name).

Note on electronic publications

When citing a web address, the bibliographic principles are the same as for printed
sources. The only difference lies in the indication of the web address. Note that there
is no full stop at the end of the web address. Also include the exact date when you
accessed the source at the end in parentheses. See Burger (2010, 2.84-2.85).

2.6.2 Periodicals (Burger 2010, 2.86-2.91)

• Author. Surname followed by a comma, then initial(s) followed by a full stop.

23
• The year of publication appears after the name of the author.

• The title of the article is not underlined or italicised or placed in quotation marks.
Give the full title as it appears in the periodical. Capitalise the initial letter of the
first word of the title; the rest of the title appears in the lower case unless it
contains words which you would normally capitalise such as proper names. If
foreign word terminology appears in the title, place the word(s) in inverted
commas. If the title of a work of art or the title of a book occurs in the title,
underline the title or put it in italics. For example: The "tabula rasa" in Beckett's
Waiting for Godot.

• Place the title of the periodical in italics. Unlike titles of books, capital letters
are used for the main words of the periodical or newspaper, for example: Art in
America or Art Journal. Do not put punctuation marks after the title. Follow the
title by the volume number, with a space in between them. Consult Burger (2010,
2.89-2.91).

• Use Arabic numerals to indicate the volume number and the issue number.
Note that we do not use the abbreviation "vol" before the number. If you do not
know the volume number, place the issue number in parentheses after the title.
See Burger (2010, 2.92).

• Month or season. Place the month or season (if it appears on the periodical)
after the issue number. If you do not know the issue number, put it after the
volume number. Precede the month or season with a comma. For example: Art
History 12(2), June; Art Journal 40, Winter. See Burger (2010, 2.93).

• Page numbers. Place page numbers at the end of the reference, preceded by a
colon. Give the numbers of the first and last pages of the article. For example:
46(3):185-192. or 21, August:42-49. See Burger (2010, 2.94). In the case of a
split in the page numbers of an article, use a comma between the first set of page
numbers and the second. For example: 55(2):1-11, 74.

Note on electronic articles

Some journal articles are available online only, or in print as well as online. Only describe
the format that you have used. You may, however, provide both the printed and
electronic details. See Burger (2010, 2.95). For example:

Brandon, VK. 2001. Information seeking tactics. Search Strategy Journal

9(3):12-18.
OR

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Brandon, VK. 2001. Information seeking tactics. Search Strategy Journal

9(3):12-18.

http://www.apcp.org/topics/articles/km01.htm (Accessed 11 June 2001).

2.6.3 Newspaper reports

If you know the author of a newspaper article, list the report (as in the case of a journal
article) in the bibliography under the author's name. The problem with newspaper
reports is, however, that they do not usually supply the name of the author and the title
of the report. In such cases it is easier to identify a specific issue by giving the full name
and date of the newspaper in the text. For example: (Die Burger, 9 January 1979:7).
See Burger (2010, 2.102-2.104).

NB: You need not include numerous references to newspaper reports (when this
occurs) in the bibliography. However, you should include them in the text in parentheses.
If you wish to include newspaper reports in the bibliography, you may do so.

2.6.4 Conferences

List a conference under its official name. Capitalise the initial letters of all significant
words.

2.6.5 Exhibition catalogues

In the bibliography you should give all the information as for a book, but you have to add
in parentheses the place and date of the exhibition. For example:

Skawran, KM, Huntley, M & Arnold, M. 1989. Battiss and the spirit of place.
Pretoria: University of South Africa. (Exhibition catalogue, Unisa Art Gallery,
Pretoria, 18 May – 24 June.)

2.6.6 Unpublished documents

Do not italicise the title of an unpublished document. Cite the author, date (if known),
the title and the location. Do not give these details in the same fixed order as in published
works. Examples of unpublished works are dissertations, theses, archival material and
papers read at a meeting.

2.6.7 Archival material (Burger 2010, 2.118-2.125)

25
2.6.8 Personal communications (Burger 2010, 2.105)

These involve persons with whom personal or telephonic interviews have been
conducted, or with whom correspondence (including e-mail) was conducted about the
subject. Give the name of the person who was interviewed first. For example:

Carruthers, J. 2009. Personal interview. 27 July, Pretoria.

If preferred, the position of the person (if applicable) may be given directly after the
name:

Preller, JF, Director of Archives. Pretoria. 1966. Correspondence. 15 November,

Pretoria.

Personal e-mail messages are very important sources of information since they may
contain academic arguments, personal impressions of papers delivered at conferences,
contact persons, et cetera. As a source of information, you should include e-mail
messages in the bibliography. For example:

Sloan, M. 2005. Extended databases, e-mail, 6 November.

2.6.9 Electronic resources (Burger 2010, 2.131)

As mentioned under 2.1.7 the term electronic resources is used to refer to the Internet,
CD-ROMs, sound recordings, motion pictures, television broadcasts, video recordings,
computer programs, and so on. Some sources appear in more than one format, for
example, a journal in printed as well as electronic format, a sound recording can be an
LP as well as a CD.

Most of the general principles discussed above are applicable to electronic media as
well, except that the concept of ‘author’ is replaced by terms such as ‘artist’,
‘photographer’ and ‘producer’.

It is also necessary to indicate the specific format of the source if it is not printed. For
Internet sources the URL is used, but for other formats wording in brackets after the
date (in the case of title entries) and after the title (in the case of entries under personal
or corporate author) is used for this purpose. For example:

Aldus Pagemaker version 3.0. 1987-1988. [Computer software]. Seattle, Wash:

Aldus Corporation.

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Bertolucci, B. 1988. The last emperor. [Motion picture]. Los Angeles: Columbia
Pictures.

Hawking, S. 1994. A brief history of time: an interactive adventure. [CD-ROM].

Sacramento: Crunch Pod Media.

Illinois State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. 1971. [Microfiche].

Toys for early development of the young blind child: a guide for parents. ERIC
Document Reproduction Servixe. No ED 065 201.

Rock and roll classics. 1986. [LP]. San Diego: Calif: Uptown Sound.

In the case of Kindle and other e-books, the bibliographic principles are again the same
as for printed sources, but you need to acknowledge the specific format of the source in
brackets after the title. In lieu of publisher information, you must include the book’s DOI
or where you downloaded the e-book from (if there is no DOI). For example:

Brill, P. 2004. The winner’s way. [Adobe Digital Editions version].

DOI:10.1036/007142363X

Gladwell, M. 2008. Outliers: the story of success. [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved

from Amazon.com

2.7 EXAMPLE OF A BIBLIOGRAPHY

ARH2601 study guide see University of South Africa. Department of Art and Music.

ARH3701 The Arts and Ideology 1, Learning Unit 1: Afrikaner nationalism as ideology.
2022. University of South Africa. Department of Art and Music.
https://mymodules.dtls.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=37259&section=2
(Accessed 31 August 2022)

Arnason, HH. 1978. A history of modern art. Revised and enlarged edition. London:
Thames & Hudson.

Barthes, R. 1977. lmage - music - text. Translated by S Heath. Glasgow: Collins.

Bible. Joshua. 1988. The Bible. Cape Town: Bible Society of South Africa.

27
Boon, KG. [Sa]. Het zelfportret in de Nederlandsche en Vlaamsche schilderkunst.
Amsterdam: Van Holkema & Warendorf.

Brill, P. 2004. The winner’s way. [Adobe Digital Editions version].

DOI:10.1036/007142363X

Brilliant, R. 1987. Editor's statement: portraits: the limitation of likeness. Art Journal
46(3), Fall:171-172.

British Museum. 1975. Visitor’s guide. London.

Carroll, L. 1994. Alice's adventures in Wonderland. Texinfo edition. Dortmund:

WindSpiel. http://www.germany. eù.net/books/carroll/alice.html (Accessed 12
June 1999).

Carruthers, J. 2009. Personal interview. 27 July, Pretoria.

Carta stradale della Svizzera. [Road map of Switzerland]. 1986. Roma: Vionni.

Colliers English dictionary. 1986. 2nd edition. Sv "character","personality" and

"physiognomy". London: Collins.

Degenaar, J. 1987. Writing and re-writing. Paper presented at the Third Conference of
the South African Association of Art Historians, 10-12 September, University of
Stellenbosch.

Encyclopedia of world art, vol 11, 1966. Sv "portraiture". New York: McGraw-Hill.
Frank, M & Haverkamp, A (Hrsg). 1988. Individualität. (Poetik und Hermeneutik,
vol 13.) München: Fink.

Gladwell, M. 2008. Outliers: the story of success. [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved from
Amazon.com.

Grundy, SA. 2008. The projected image and the introduction of individuality in Italian
painting around 1270. DLitt et Phil thesis, University of South Africa, Pretoria.

Hutcheon, L. 1988. The poetics of Postmodernism. London: Routledge.

Irani, KD. 1980. Conceptual changes in the problem of the mind-body relation, in Body
and mind: past, present, future, edited by RW Rieber. New York: Academic:57-77.

Joshua see Bible. Joshua.

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 ARHALLY/301/4/2023

Le Roux, C. 2000. ‘Ararat’ vra vrae oor tegnologie, siel. Krit 28 Maart:5.

Microsoft Encarta '95 for Windows: the complete interactive multimedia encyclopaedia
[CD-ROM]. 1995. 3rd edition. Microsoft Corporation, USA. Sv "Parthenon".

Milner, A, Thomson, P & Worth, C (eds). 1990. Postmodern conditions. New York: Berg.

Price, J. 1994. Using the World-Wide Web to deliver complex electronic documents. The
public-access computer systems review 5(3):5-21.
gopher://info.lib.uh.edu:70/00/articles/e-
journaIs/uhIibrary/pascreview/V5/N3/pricewiI. 5N (Accessed 4 June 1998).

Pluralism in art and art criticism. 1980. Art Journal 40(1/2), Fall/Winter:377-379.

Poësie in die skil van ‘n aartappel. 1997. Beeld 13 Mei:2. http://152.111.1.88/argief/

berigte/beeld/1997/05/13/4/2.html (Accessed 10 June 2010).

Rieber, RW (ed). 1980. Body and mind: past, present, future. New York: Academic.

Samuels, M. 2001. Art as a healing force. Sv "Artists".

http://www.artashealing.org/ahfw7 (Accessed 23 November 2001).

Sangiro. [Sa]. The adventures of a lion family. London: Longmans, Green.

Selden, R. 1989. A reader's guide to contemporary literary theory. 2nd edition.

Worcester: Billing.

Sheales, F. 2017. The history, significance and usage of Asante Royal Regalia, in
Asante Royal Regalia in the British museum collection, British Museum Online
Research catalogues,
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/online_research_catalogues/ag/asante_
gold_regalia/i_history-significance-usage.aspx (Accessed 6 September 2017).

Siebrits, W, Eksteen, F & Rademeyer, S. 2004. Stefanus Rademeyer surface depth.

Johannesburg: Warren Siebrits Modern and Contemporary art. (Exhibition
catalogue, Warren Siebrits Modern and Contemporary art, Johannesburg,
October 2004.)

Tatransky, V. 1983. Abstract qualities in George Staempfli's drawings. Art lnternational

XXVl(4), September/October:23-27.

29
Tweetalige woordeboek. 1984. Agste hersiene en vermeerderde uitgawe. Sv "mind".
Kaapstad: Tafelberg.

University of Oxford. 1981. Classical languages. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

University of South Africa. Department of Art and Music. 2010. The arts and ideology 1:
only study guide for ARH2601. Pretoria.

Van Haute, B. 2008. African tourist art as tradition and product of the postcolonial exotic.
Inter-national Journal of African Renaissance Studies - Multi-, Inter- and
Transdisciplinarity 3(2): 21- 38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/18186870902840325
(Accessed 10 June 2009).

Vattimo, G. 1988. The end of modernity: nihilism and hermeneutics in post-modern

culture. Translated by JR Snyder. Cambridge: Polity.

Woods-Marsden, J. 1987. "Ritratto al Naturale": questions of realism and idealism in

Early Renaissance portraits. Art Journal 46(3), Fall:209-216.

www.professional.asha.org/news (Accessed 23 July 2003).

Zizek, S. 2013. Karl Marx and Hegel (Full).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lpUTmvQLb8 (Accessed 16 September
2013).

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3 ASSIGNMENTS: APPROACH AND PRESENTATION

The differences between the Art History modules on first, second, third and Honours
level are not merely differences of syllabus content. General standards and the
expectations of the Department will also naturally differ from one year of study to the
next. Information, guidance and instructions in this regard are given in the Study Guides
and Tutorial Letters for the individual modules.

The following basic instructions concerning the approach to and the presentation of
assignments are, however, relevant to all three levels. These are to be carefully studied
by all students on commencement of their art history studies at Unisa and are to be
referred to regularly thereafter.

Many students do not understand how to set about the writing of answers to assignment
(and examination) questions. Far too often, students do the necessary reading and
collection of material but still obtain very poor marks for their answers. There are two
main reasons for this:

• The question is misinterpreted, or the specific instructions of the question are

ignored.
• The "answer" contains material that is irrelevant to the question asked or there is
insufficient concentration on the precise requirements of the question.

The result in every case is that the question is simply not answered.

In assignment, activity and examination questions, words such as "describe", "discuss",

"analyse" and "assess" are not used loosely or indiscriminately. They are precise
instruction words. They indicate the expectations of the person who set the question.
They determine the nature of your investigation and the direction and emphasis of your
answer. It is thus crucial to do exactly what the instruction words entail.

Furthermore, all the questions set as assignments, activities and in the examinations
have one thing in common: they all require a SELECTIVE modus operandi. Every
question is a test of your ability to select (from a body of information) that which is
relevant to the specific question or problem posed, and to apply that which has been
selected in such a way that the exact requirements of the question will be fulfilled.
The measure of this ability is also, to a large extent, a measure of your grasp of the
subject being examined. This brings us to the all-important question of relevance.

31
3.1 RELEVANCE

3.1.1 Select and apply

Students often fail to answer the set question because:

• they include a lot of information which has no direct bearing on the requirements of
the question, i.e. they are not SELECTIVE in their choice of material for inclusion
• they include material which is relevant, but make no conscious systematic effort to
link this material with the requirements of the question, i.e. they do not USE and
APPLY the chosen material adequately.

Every student is confronted with a large body of published material: factual and
descriptive information together with the views and interpretations of various authors.
The ability to SELECT from this mass of material (with the exact requirements of a
particular question in mind) and to APPLY that which has been selected in such a way
that these requirements will be fulfilled is the very essence of a university discipline. This
must always be your primary concern.

3.1.2 Be direct and concise

Each assignment poses a specific problem: one that is limited in scope to the extent
that, if you confine yourself to the exact requirements, its solution can be well expounded
within the stipulated length. Avoid writing long general introductions of a page or more.
An introduction, no less than the rest of your text, must be directly relevant to the
problem posed. Get straight to the point.

In ensuring the relevance of an answer the question is more often "What shall I leave
out?" rather than "What shall I put in?”. If you are suitably ruthless about the exclusion
of irrelevancies, you will find that much of the information assembled in the preparatory
stage will not be used in the actual answer. This "unused" material will, however, form
an important part of the collected notes in your work file. It will be an invaluable store
from which to draw when you are preparing for the examination where your knowledge
and understanding of aspects of the subject other than those tested in the assignment
will be examined.

3.1.3 Be clear and simple

Language and expression are to be simple, unambiguous and unpretentious. Meaning

is to be clear. Do not try to "impress" the lecturers with a lot of erudite-sounding
statements (borrowed from texts you have read). The temptation to do this is one to
which first-year students are particularly prone. The overall impression must be that the
statements made are your own and not merely a compendium of regurgitated bits and
pieces you have "lifted" from published sources.
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3.2 METHOD AND APPROACH

Your task when tackling an assignment involves five distinct stages, FOUR of which will
constitute preparation for the writing of the answer and not the answer itself:

3.2.1 Read

Read the relevant parts of the study guide and of the general reference books available
in order to acquaint yourself with the broad outline of the field of study and equip yourself
with a foundation on which to build.

The contents of the study guides will furnish you with a background and a point of
departure. The one-volume general histories fulfil a similar function. Unless you are
already conversant with the field of study, it is important that this background knowledge
be acquired at the outset. Without it, the study of the more specialised references
(Recommended reading) can easily lead to confusion: to a situation where you will be
unable to see the wood for the trees.

It must be emphasised, however, that in many cases the notes in the guides and the
general art histories will give you no more than a foundation upon which you are
expected to build. This "building" will comprise the study of the more specialised
recommended books, and always the study of reproductions of the artwork in question.

3.2.2 Analyse the question

Study and analyse the wording of the question and establish clearly in your own mind
what the precise requirements are. Each assignment and examination question poses
a specific problem. You will not be asked to deal with subjects in general terms. You will
be asked to investigate a particular theme.

Questions are carefully worded so that the requirements are made clear. You are asked
to write out the full question on the title page of an assignment in order that these
requirements may be kept constantly in mind. Do not give your own abbreviated version
of the question as your answer may have little bearing on what was actually asked.

A sound method of analysing the exact requirements of a question (in other words, of
establishing what its theme is) is to underline the key words in the question. Show this
underlining on your title page as a reminder to yourself concerning required direction
and emphasis.

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3.2.3 Collect

By studying relevant reproductions and drawings, reading some of the recommended

literature and taking notes, collect a store of relevant information.

3.2.4 Plan

In conjunction with (3.2.2) and (3.2.3), work out a logical plan for your answer. Analysing
a question and establishing its theme and emphasis by underlining the key words can
give you the basis of a plan for your answer.

There can, of course, be no hard and fast rules with regard to the planning of answers.
Many questions can be answered with equal success in several different ways —
provided that two essentials are observed:

● The answer must be planned with strict reference to the precise requirements of
the question.
● The answer must be planned in such a way that there will be a logical progression
from one point to the next.

Decide on a clear and systematic structure before you start writing your assignment.
Plan your introduction, the contents of your paragraphs (one crucial point per paragraph)
and your conclusion in advance.

3.2.4.1 Introduction

Remember that an introduction is not supposed to be a generalised preamble about the

background of any given artist or movement. Something along the lines of: "The Dutch
genius Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn was born in 1606 in ..." cannot be regarded as a
proper introduction. Get straight to the point.

Your introduction is expected to identify the key issues or problems which you will be
arguing in your text. Some indication of your intention should therefore be conveyed.

3.2.4.2 Body of text

If examples are required, you should always integrate your analysis with the main body
of the text. Often analyses of specific examples read as isolated interruptions of your
line of argument. Remember—formal or iconographical analysis should always be used
to illustrate a particular point. If the choice of examples is left to you, you should motivate
your choices clearly in the light of the requirements of the question.

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3.2.4.3 Conclusion

Very few students conclude their assignments properly. A conclusion is supposed to

present your ultimate findings in as clear and short a manner as possible. You cannot
provide fresh information in your conclusion, since your conclusion must be
substantiated by your text.

3.2.5 Write

Very few students conclude their assignments properly. A conclusion is supposed to

present your ultimate findings in as clear and short a manner as possible. You cannot
provide fresh information in your conclusion, since your conclusion must be
substantiated by your text.

The best way to demonstrate the relevance of your material is to refer back regularly to
the key words in the question. This may introduce an element of repetition, but that is
better than losing sight of the requirements of the question.

It is hoped that these notes will help you to avoid the major pitfalls in the answering of
assignment and examination questions and will reduce the frequency of our having to
make comments such as "off the point", "irrelevant", and "answer the question"!

3.3 PRESENTATION

3.3.1 Essay form

Assignment answers are to be presented in essay form. If a question is set with

subdivisions or subheadings, the answer should be presented accordingly, but
comparative tables and other schematic modes of presentation are unacceptable.

3.3.2 Continuity

Whether subdivisions are required or not, there must be a logical flow of thought: a
reasoned progression from one point to the next. This must be firmly established at the
planning stage. Some students submit what appear to be the preliminary drafts of
assignment answers: answers which lack continuity and are full of afterthoughts and
deletions. The Department expects you to write a rough draft of an assignment answer,
to edit this carefully and then to write or type a final version for submission.

3.3.3 Page numbering

The pages must be numbered at the bottom of the page.

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3.3.4 Length

The Department requires concise answers from which all irrelevant information and
discussion have been expunged. A length stipulation for assignment answers in the
various modules is stated in Tutorial Letter 101. As a general rule, the length of answers
is expected to be:
• Level 1: around 1200 words (short essay)
• Level 2: around 2000 words
• Level 3: around 2500 words
• Level 4: around 3000 words.

3.4 COMPONENTS

Every assignment you submit must comprise the following components:

Assignment cover
Title page
Declaration
Essay
List of illustrations
Bibliography

3.4.1 Assignment cover

The assignment cover must include the following: Your name, student number, subject
and module/course code (eg ARH1501) and the unique number of the assignment given
in Tutorial Letter 101.

3.4.2 Title page

The first page inside the assignment cover is the title page which bears the full
assignment question as given in Tutorial Letter 101.

3.4.3 Declaration

In view of Unisa’s policy of zero tolerance on cheating and plagiarism, you are required
to submit a signed declaration with each assignment you send to Unisa, stating:

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 ARHALLY/301/4/2023

DECLARATION

Name:
Student number:
Module:
Assignment number:
I declare that this assignment is my own original work. Where secondary material
has been used (either from a printed source or from the internet), this has been
carefully acknowledged and referenced in accordance with departmental
requirements as explained in Tutorial Letter ARHALLY/301. I understand what
plagiarism is and am aware of the department’s policy in this regard. I have not
allowed anyone else to copy my work.

Signature:

3.4.4 Essay

The subsequent pages comprise the text of the assignment which is subdivided into an
introduction, the main body of the text and a conclusion.

3.4.5 Illustrations

When making use of illustrations (which is always preferable), these must be inserted in
the text where the artwork is discussed. Number each image consecutively and provide
a caption underneath the photograph mentioning the artist, title (in italics) and date. The
full empirical data are contained in the list of illustrations (see 3.4.6).

3.4.6 List of illustrations

When artworks are illustrated in your text, their full empirical data must be provided in
the list of illustrations. This list is placed before the bibliography.

3.4.7 Bibliography

The last page of your assignment must contain the bibliography.

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 4 PRESENTATION OF A RESEARCH ARTICLE

4.1 LAYOUT

When writing a dissertation or thesis, it is advisable to work in MS Word. The final

version must be presented in accordance with the following directives:

4.1.1 Fonts and spacing

The supervisor and the candidate will agree on a font. The size is usually 12, depending
on the font. Use double spacing in the text, except for longer indented quotations and
footnotes which are presented in single spacing.

4.1.2 Numbering of pages

Do not use numbering on the title page, declaration, summary and table of contents.
Use Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv) to number pages containing the preface, list of
abbreviations and list of illustrations. Use Arabic numbering (1, 2, 3, 4,) for the remainder
of the text, starting with the introduction.

Numbers may appear at the head or foot of the page on the right-hand side. Their
position should remain consistent throughout the dissertation or thesis.

4.1.3 Headings and sub-headings

4.1.3.1 Typeface

CHAPTER 1
Roman upper case

Title of chapter
Bold upper and lower case

First level: 1.1 BOLD UPPER CASE

Second level: 1.1.1 Bold upper and lower case
Third level: 1.1.1.1 Italicised upper and lower case
Fourth level: a Italicised upper and lower case
Fifth level: i Italicised upper and lower case

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 ARHALLY/301/4/2023

LISTED ITEMS

The following levels are generally used:

First level: (1)

Second level :( a)
Third level: (i)
Fourth level: •

4.1.3.2 Numbering

For the sake of consistency in numbering the different sections and sub-sections of the
report, the introduction is called Chapter 1 and the conclusion is also called a chapter.
For example:

CONTENTS: Page

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS i
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iii
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1
1.2 LITERATURE REVIEW 1
1.3 THEORETICAL APPROACH 3
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4
1.5 OUTLINE OF THE CONTENTS 5
CHAPTER 2 The early years (1880–1890) 6
2.1 TRAINING
2.2
CHAPTER 3 The middle period (1891–1905) 11
3.1
3.2
3.3
CHAPTER 4 The late period (1906–1920) 19
4.1
4.2
CHAPTER 5 Conclusion 26
Appendices [optional]
Appendix 1

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CHRONOLOGY 28
Appendix 2
LIST OF EXHIBITIONS 29
BIBLIOGRAPHY 31

4.1.4 Illustrations

You should use clear colour illustrations. You can choose to either include the images
in the text or present the text in volume I and the illustrations in volume II.

4.2 COMPONENTS OF A RESEARCH ARTICLE

The following are the components of a research article and the sequence in which you
should present them:

• Title page
• Declaration
• Table of contents
• List of illustrations/scores/recordings
• List of abbreviations (optional)
• Introduction
• Main text
• Conclusion
• Appendices (optional)
• Bibliography
• Illustrations (optional)

4.2.1 Title page

You should set out the title page as follows:

TITLE
by
FULL NAME
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
HONOURS BACHELOR OF ARTS
in the subject of
ART HISTORY
at the
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
SUPERVISOR: NAME OF SUPERVISOR
DATE (only month and year)

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 ARHALLY/301/4/2023

4.2.2 Declaration

The declaration consists of the following statement:

I declare that ... [title of research article] is my own work and that all the sources
that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of
complete references.

As the candidate you should sign and date this declaration which should follow the title
page.

4.2.3 Table of contents

This is entitled "Contents" and includes the complete headings of various sections of the
research article as well as the page numbers.

4.2.4 List of illustrations

You should number photographic images included in your article and list them under the
heading "List of illustrations". Provide full empirical data for each image as explained in
2.5. A gutter margin on the right hand side of the empirical data should give the page
number on which the illustration appears, and the illustration and page number should
correspond to this information. For example:

Fig 1. Joshua Reynolds, Mrs Siddons as the Tragic Muse (1789). Oil on canvas,
138, 5 x 147, 5 cm. Dulwich College, London. (Hendy 1974:92.)

4.2.5 List of abbreviations

Dissertations or theses that contain only abbreviations such as "fig", or "vol" need not
include a list of abbreviations. However, if a dissertation includes less well-known
abbreviations, for example: "JAAC" for Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism or
abbreviations that have been invented for the sake of convenience, these should be
listed under the heading "Abbreviations". They should be set out as follows:

JAAC Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism

MOMA Museum of Modem Art
The Census The Census at Bethlehem
Still Life with Apples Still Life with Apples, Pears, Fruit Basket, Statuette

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4.2.6 Introduction

In the introduction, you are expected to elaborate on the scope and nature of the study,
which has been mentioned briefly in the preface. A good introduction provides the
foundation for your overall discussion. In the introduction you state your research
problem and you explain why the topic needs to be researched. You also give an
indication of your theoretical framework and research methods and briefly outline the
content of the various sections or chapters. To distinguish these different elements, it is
preferable to subdivide the introduction using the following subheadings:

• Statement of the problem

• Literature review
• Theoretical framework
• Research methodology
• Outline of the contents

4.2.7 Main body of the text

The body of the research article is made up of several sub-divisions (you may call these
“Sections” or “Chapters” depending on your discipline) in which you provide the
substance of your research. Give each chapter a suitable heading. Take care to
establish links between chapters. You should also make sure that each chapter proves,
sustains and develops an overriding argument. Every chapter must clearly introduce its
main topic (in support of your central topic) and end with a concluding paragraph drawing
together your findings.

4.2.8 Conclusion

The conclusion should draw together arguments and information provided in the
previous chapters. It functions essentially as a means of presenting deductions from
issues discussed in the main body of the text. The conclusion must not be treated as a
summary or restatement of the research problem, but should offer a final point or insight
based on the data you have collected. Furthermore, the conclusions should indicate how
the aim of the research has been met and how the research questions were answered.

4.2.9 Appendices (optional)

Use appendices for information that is useful to the reader but that cannot be
conveniently placed in either the text proper or in the references or notes. Typical
information located in an appendix includes the following: a scheme or a diagram; an
artist’s chronology; a list of exhibitions by an artist or group; an interview; a short
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document; an interview schedule; an observation schedule; and letters of permission or

informed consent.

4.2.10 Bibliography

A full list of references must be provided. Note that you should list only the sources you
have actually mentioned in the research report.

4.2.11 Illustrations

Include illustrations of all artworks that are examined in any detail in the text. Number
each image consecutively and provide a caption underneath the photograph mentioning
the artist, title (in italics) and date. The full empirical data are contained in the list of
illustrations (see 4.2.6).

Tutorial Letter compiled by

Prof BMR Van Haute

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