Overview

The Comps requirement in Art History is divided into two equal parts: the oral presentation and the comprehensive examination.

The Oral Presentation is given to a student audience usually drawn from one of the introductory courses on a topic chosen by the senior. It is recommended that the topic be one with which you are already familiar. The range of topics and approaches possible is broad. You might develop a topic you have previously researched for a term paper in a course (we advise this strongly). Or you might deliver the equivalent of a broad introductory lecture on a subject either covered or not covered in Art 101-102, such as the Pre-Raphaelites, or a presentation somewhat more narrowly focussed, though still conceivable for a Intro class, such as the Art of Klimt and Schiele. In any case, the presentation should be made accessible to Intro students. Terms likely to be unfamiliar to such students should be defined. An art historical context should be established that Intro students would find familiar (you might include, for example, a few works they know from their Intro course, calling attention to these as you show them). The language of your presentation should be understandable rather than dense. The presentation can certainly contain sophisticated ideas, but these should be formulated and presented such that people with no background in your subject can understand them. Beginning students from all classes will comprise your audience, as well as other majors and friends.

The Comps Examination, a three-hour test, made up and graded by an outside examiner, covers western art with emphasis on the period from the Renaissance to the present. (If a student has taken many courses in Asian art and wishes his or her exam to reflect this interest, arrangements must be made at the end of the junior year.)

Oral Presentation

During the senior year the student makes a presentation to the introductory course on a topic of his or her own choice. We strongly recommend that you select a topic with which you are already familiar. The range of topics and approaches possible is broad. You might develop a topic you have previously researched for a term paper in a course (we advise this strongly). Or you might deliver the equivalent of a broad introductory lecture on a subject either covered or not covered in Art 101-102, such as the Pre-Raphaelites, or a presentation somewhat more narrowly focussed, though still conceivable for a Intro class, such as the Art of Klimt and Schiele. In any case, the presentation should be made accessible to Intro students. Terms likely to be unfamiliar to such students should be defined. An art historical context should be established that Intro students would find familiar (you might include, for example, a few works they know from their Intro course, calling attention to these as you show them). The language of your presentation should be understandable rather than dense. The presentation can certainly contain sophisticated ideas, but these should be formulated and presented such that people with no background in your subject can understand them. Beginning students from all classes will comprise your audience, as well as other majors and friends. If you want to advertise it (and we encourage this), you are responsible for the posters.

Keep in mind that this is a lecture/presentation, not a term paper, and certainly not a senior thesis. Moreover, it is only half of a 6-credit requirement. (Students who wish to do a long-range scholarly project and try for honors in independent study should arrange an independent study course with the appropriate instructor. It is the policy of the department, though, that students undertaking independent study should have taken a prior course as foundation for the project.)

By the closest Friday to Halloween of your senior year (or the first day of classes if you plan to give your presentation during fall term), you should submit to the Chair three copies of a one-page proposal outlining the subject plus bibliography, including at least one article correctly listed, and the likely approach of your presentation. Within a week or two, she will tell you whether the topic has been accepted, and if so, choose a faculty advisor for you. You will discuss your topic with that advisor, as well as with the other faculty member(s) most familiar with your subject. It is strongly urged that you do this several times; you must take the initiative. One week before the talk is delivered before introductory students, you will give a formal presentation of the talk to your advisor in order to receive advice and criticism on both content and delivery.

As for your manner of presentation, accessibility is key here, too. We advise you to avoid reading from a script; it is recommended that you use notecards rather than a typed text. If you must read sections of your lecture, make those sections conversational in tone. In any event, you are urged to demonstrate many of your points directly in front of the works on the screen. Speak to your audience, rather than to the lectern. Allow your enthusiasm for your subject to show. Demonstrate why you chose your topic by the commitment in your voice, choice of words, gestures, etc. Videotaping your dry runs well before your presentation should help. The Media Center is happy to provide the equipment. Take advantage of this technological tool. At the end of your talk, ask if your audience has any questions. Wait for those questions. Continue waiting.

Immediately following your presentation you will meet with the art historians of the department to hear an informal critique of your talk. This is an important part of the exercise. You will have the opportunity during the critique to explain your decisions and elaborate on your conclusions (as in a studio critique). You should bring along a bibliography of the sources helpful to your talk. We would appreciate receiving a short paragraph summarizing the main points of your presentation on the same occasion or at least within the following week. If written early enough, this paragraph might be helpful to you in focussing your talk. Additional feedback may be provided by critiques that members of the Intro class write.

If you choose Power Point or OIV, you can scan images in the Visual Resources Library. See the Visual Resources Collection page for details: http://apps.carleton.edu/curricular/arts/resources/slidelibe/. If you use slides, plan ahead for it takes time to have new slides made, correctly masked, etc. After it's all over, we ask that you provide the Visual Resources Librarian with full documentation on all the slides you had taken for your presentation. We should add that slides removed from the
collection for use in the presentation should not leave the Visual Resources Library for any length of time. Put them in well-marked boxes, so that teachers likely to need these slides will know where they are. Whichever method, it is to your advantage to make every effort to find good images for these slides. Googling is usually not sufficient.

Creating digital images for a Comps Presentation

Comps Examination

A three-hour examination, made up and graded by an examiner usually from one of the larger universities, to act as an objective, outside evaluator of the breadth of your knowledge of western art history. (If a student has taken many courses in Asian art and wishes his or her exam to reflect this emphasis, arrangements must be made at the very beginning of the senior year.)

The examiner is given this directive: “The examination covers primarily western art and architecture and is three hours long. You can choose whatever format you wish, including slides. While we reserve the right to make adjustments, the only general stipulations are that, to match our curriculum, the exam will be proportioned roughly 3:1 in favor of the Renaissance-to-Modern period (including American) and that there be a variety in the types of questions asked. We should add that references to Asian art will be welcomed by students, all of whom have studied Asian topics in the surveys and taken at least one further course on Asian art." The exam often takes place the Friday before mid-term break. A folder with past exams is available in Bol. Lounge (or from the Chair of Art History), although it is worth noting that these are not necessarily very reliable guides, since each year's exam is so individual. We will make every effort to ensure that the exam is a fair one for Carleton students.