In this post, I’m going to reflect on the feedback that was given to me in regards to Assignment 1. Obviously, since it was the first I’d done, I was expecting and hoping for some constructive criticism. Whilst I enjoy writing essays and responding to an overall question, I’d not done anything like it since finishing my A Levels two years ago so wasn’t sure what exactly was expected.

I enjoyed the experience of studying independently and the responsibility that comes with it. It was hard not to procrastinate at times but overall I think I worked hard and am pleased with the content I produced in this first unit.

I’m glad I chose to keep an online learning log in the form of a blog, being able to look back at different exercises is useful and I know this will benefit me throughout the course. So far I’ve preferred to write my initial notes by hand but find it relatively easy to type them up as a final draft in my learning log.

In regards to Part A of the assignment, my tutor encouraged me to go into more detail with the points I make. For example, I should reference particular works of art rather than making more open and generic comments.

I was also reminded that I need two separate bibliographies for both Part A and B. I’d say this was definitely one area I was expecting to receive some improvements on as I’ve not used the Harvard Referencing System before. My tutor gave some helpful tips, especially in regards to the references in Part B – like ensuring I always put the last name first of the artist, author etc. I’ve now spent more time looking back at the referencing system and hope to use it in my work more consistently.

Additionally, my tutor said that I made some perceptive comments in Part B but that some were more generalised and could be improved if I backed it up with a specific piece of art. For instance, I referenced Baroque paintings but didn’t name a particular piece.

These are all things that I think should be fairly straightforward to improve upon when working towards my future assignments, however one aspect that I did have some trouble with was the word count. I’m definitely someone who writes a lot so sticking to a strict word count was a challenge and the thought of having to add in extra detail did make me wonder how on earth I’d fit it in! I actually read over my assignment again to add in some of the specific artworks and then tried to make my points more precise to stick to the word count. It was something I found easier than I thought I would and am glad I practised a bit before doing the next assignment.

At this early stage I’m not sure if I would choose to pursue Contemporary Art at a higher level, however I feel more confident in my ability to write a critical essay based on my research and know this will only improve as I progress through the course.

Overall I think the main aspects that I need to work on going ahead is my references and bibliography, as well as ensuring I utilise my research and the pieces of work I’ve looked at in my learning log. Hopefully, I can make these improvements in my future assignments.