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ArtCenter College of Design
Exercise 6
HSCI-201 Visual Math
Final Term Project Proposal
As we are getting closer to the end of the term, each student is now tasked with choosing a topic,
approach, and form for the Final Term Project. This eventual work will show the student's
ability to perform focused research, synthesize and explore an original idea within the context
of the chosen topic, and fabricate a demonstration object to illustrate, explain, or otherwise
symbolize the concept (or set of concepts) being presented. The thrust of the Final Project should
be drawn from the topics (and related branches) explored in or suggested by the Visual Math
class.
As a reminder of the rough outline of the project, each student's final submission must include a
written summary of both the research and the object's fabrication (-5 pages, total) as well as the
"object" itself, to be discussed informally in class during the final meeting of the Term.
For this assignment, each student is required to write a one-page proposal of the work they plan
to do for the Final Term Project. The content of this Proposal may include, but is not limited to:
.
Topic of focused research, and some discussion of background, personal interest, and
open questions. Why this particular topic?
Rough ideas for where the original idea is going to lead the student, perhaps citing details
of personal practice and reasons for going in that particular direction.
• How does the original idea connect to the focused research topic?
• General ideas for the demo object/illustrative manipulative. What will be built, and how
will it be fabricated? Why was that particular form chosen, and what is hoped to be
explained by showing it in class? (Students may think of this section as a "mini proposal"
for their object.)
Citations/references that the instructor would find helpful in further explaining the
student's interest and direction. (It is also helpful to begin assembling references at this
early point!)
Illustrations, sketches, and representations of appropriate visual interest and guidance.
Some students might not yet know exactly what their "original idea" is, nor the nature of their
demonstration object. In these cases a brief discussion of options is warranted, along with a
rough description of what kind of demonstration/illustrative manipulative would be appropriate
and, more to the point, buildable by the student.
Students should expect to stay focused relatively closely on the topic chosen for the purposes of
this proposal, although the form and function of the object may change over time.
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The point will be to work with an interesting topic from within the Visual Math context that
affects personal or professional work, personal interest, society in general, or any other impact
the student might discover. Each student's work with his/her topic should lead to some synthesis
of new ideas and/or an analysis or critique of an existing theoretical framework. This might
perhaps involve an expansion or challenge of a previous researcher's work. In this way, and
combined with sufficient research to support drawn conclusions, each student may strive to
become a “local expert" of sorts in each topic area. The purpose of the project is to inform peers
of this research work and provide an interesting, compelling, and even controversial summary of
a new idea. Additionally, the student should not forget the virtue of research for its own sake. In
the end, the summary should be a detailed, well-researched summary of an interesting topic with
explanatory illustrations, explanations, and examples. Allowing the accompanying object to be a
teaching/illustrative tool will expand the points that are made in the written work.
Selected, Suggested Topics (non-exhaustive):
The history and origin of numbers/counting; invention of the number zero
The nature of irrational numbers: pi, phi, e, and the stories that surround them;
“Mystical” numbers and their mathematical properties
Dimensions and non-Euclidean geometry; the “Shape of Space"; Parallel Universes
Computers and math; thinking in the digital domain; information technology,
communications, and data compression
Fractals, self-similar geometries, and Fibonacci; the mathematics of self-assembling
machines, epidemiology and the spread of disease
Waves, color, and light; optics and digital imaging
Statistics, measurement, and error; human factors and probability; impact of probability
and statistics on design
Anything else thought appropriate within the Visual Math context; for guidance, do a
casual internet search (especially using the resources posted on dotEd) or ask the
instructor for suggestions.
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HSCI-201 Visual Math
Artcenter conege ur Design
Final Research Project
This term will conclude with a short research project, focused on a topic of each student's own
choosing. Each student shall perform independent, solo research and produce submitted work.
Please see the course dotEd site for information on due dates, etc.
The submitted work that will be graded will consist of a specific set of items:
1. An object, created by the student, meant to represent an aspect or feature of the field (or
subfield) that is being studied. The quality, type, and composition of the object are up to
each student's discretion. It may be mechanical, sculptural, illustrative, abstract, or some
combination of all of these and more). It must be largely original and fabricated by the
student (i.e., not purchased or otherwise obtained in its form without student creative
effort). The purpose of the object is to serve as a focus of discussion during our last class
meeting, when the class will “reveal their independent research via their objects in a
collaborative "show and tell” session. The object may not only be a video/film, unless it is
a self-contained object that also includes a video feature without outside equipment
(except a wall or other simple projection surface). In such cases the length of the moving
image sequence must not exceed 5 minutes. The instructor will likely photograph the
objects, but students are not required to submit them, and are welcome to take them with
them at the end of class.
2. A written work consisting of two parts, comprising no less than five (5) typewritten pages
total, not including references or illustrations.
A short research summary of the topic. This work will be graded as a technical
summary of each student's research into his or her chosen topic, and should
reflect good scholarship and research activities. The "one-page paper" as well as
the “proposal” written earlier in the term should be models for how this summary
should be executed. References sources must also be cited, with no minimum or
maximum number of sources prescribed. This written work should include a good
discussion of how the author has explored/begun to explore an "original idea"
within the context of the project.
b. Written documentation of the creation of the object, with format and content
chosen by the student, although it must be submittable/on paper/readable by the
instructor. Consider the following suggested questions, for example: “Why did
you create the object you did?” “How does it connect to the topic, and how should
it be used by the rest of the class to enhance their understanding of your topic?"
"How does the object reflect your exploration of an original idea, if at all?"
a.
The written work will be submitted to the instructor. All students will be briefly discussing their
work and their objects with each other and the instructor; although the discussions will not be
graded, a lively discussion will be helpful for understanding of each student's work.
Some Guiding Ideas to Focus Your Research
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©2014 J. Reiter, unless otherwise noted
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