OUGD401 Context Of Practice Studio Brief 1 Briefing

Today we were briefed on the first studio brief from the context of practice module, as I haven't ever wrote much written work based around graphic design this was a bit daunting at first but was the brief was explained and I began to think about it the ideas started running around my head and i began to get eager to start jotting down ideas and get on with writing the essay. This brief will give you the opportunity to build-on and apply your contextual knowledge and skills in critical writing; and using practice as a method of research. You will use a variety of theoretical and practical research methods to explore a specific contextual theme (listed below), through the investigation and resolution of a given question or issue. Support from tutors will be given through tutorials, crits, seminars and workshops. There are three deliverable elements to this brief; all of which will demonstrate a synthesized ability to research, critique and examine an issue practically and theoretically.  (1) DESIGN CONTEXT BLOG Develop an online portfolio of critical responses to lectures, seminars, set tasks and independent research activities. Use you Design Context Blog to document and evidence your engagement with, and understanding of contextual, theoretical and critical concepts and ideas that you have been introduced to during the course of the academic year. Your Blog should include; lecture notes, records of activities undertaken in seminars, a collection of short writing tasks completed in response to set tasks and activities. You should also provide notes and visual records of any self-initiates trips, studio visits, galleries and research activities relevant to the development of critical understanding of the context of Graphic Design practice.  (2) 3000 WORD ESSAY & (3) BODY OF PRACTICAL WORK  Write a 3000 word essay AND produce a body of explorative practical work in response to one of the set research questions. Your essay should demonstrate that you have understood the nature of academic writing and importance of critical and analytical approaches to your chosen theme while your practical work will demonstrate that you are able to apply your critical skills to a practical context.  Your essay should aim to include:  The selection of subject matter appropriate to your own interests that will allow you to critically analyse relevant source material. A logical structure that has an introduction, a developed argument that is supported by appropriate references to at least four different academic sources and a conclusion. A bibliography of at least 10 sources presented using the Harvard referencing system & the use of Harvard conventions within the main text of the essay when paraphrasing or quoting from other sources.  Your written and practical work will both approach the same topic and give you the opportunity to consider the interrelated nature of theory and practice. Themes/Questions:  Choose one of the following themes/questions as the focus for your Contexts of Practice project. Modernism: “To what extent have Modernist design principles influenced contemporary Graphic Design?” Postmodernism: “How did Postmodernism impact on Graphic Design practice? Gender representation: To what extent does advertising construct our ideas of gender? Social/political: “Discuss the role that Graphic Design has played in Political and/or social change in a specific period in history. Consumerism: “What is the relationship between branding and The Consumer Self (Ewen)” Before I decide which question i would answer in my essay we will have lectures of which in them we will go through the five topics and then at the end of these lectures giving us information surrounding the questions we will decide which route we will go down and then choose which topic of which that relates to these questions we would like to discuss.