Tutorial for ARCH 797: THESIS PROSEMINAR
Web page created by Patti Cossard, Subject Librarian for
Architecture and Historic Preservation
Patricia Kosco Cossard, M.A., M.L.S.
Office Phone: (301) 405-6316
Office: Architecture Library
Office Hours: by appointment
Email: pcossard@umd.edu
FAX: (301) 314-9583
Course Instructors: Brian Kelly, Professor
The University of Maryland Libraries have many resources that will help with research for ARCH 797 assignments.
If you need additional information, please e-mail Patti Cossard or speak with a Reference Librarian at either the Art or Architecture Library's Reference Desk.
Because of licensing agreements, access to bibliographic databases
and electronic journals is restricted to UM faculty, staff, and
students. These may be accessed from off campus; consult Remote
access for further information. For a complete list of electronic resources available to
University of Maryland faculty, staff, and students, as well as information about the full
range of library materials and services, consult the UM Libraries' home page.
Learning Outcomes
- After completing the workshop, students will be able to use materials and techniques appropriate to a long term project (such as extensive use of interlibrary loan, etc.)
Standard 3.A - ARLIS Information Competencies for Students in Design Principles
- After completing the workshop, students will be able to use techniques to manage selected citation information (e.g., EndNote Web)
Standard 1.A - ARLIS Information Competencies for Students in Design Disciplines
- After completing the workshop, students will be able to identify sources for project-specific information
Standard 3.B - ARLIS Information Competencies for Students in Design Disciplines
- After completing the workshop, students will be able to effectively select and use sources specific to the field (e.g. codes, product literature, graphic standards, time-saver standards, LEED Manual)
Standard 3.B - ARLIS Information Competencies for Students in Design Disciplines
- After completing the workshop, students will be able to identify specific issues related to the documentation and copyright of visual material
Standard 2.A - ARLIS Information Competencies for Students in Design Disciplines
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Getting Started: tools, techniques, and services appropriate to a long term project
Finding Tools
Inter-Library Loan (ILL) and Other Research PrivilegesIf you find that the UM Libraries don't have much in your area, you may get book, journal, newspaper articles from other libraries. Most database will have a link to the Inter-Libary Loan service through the find it button. However, you may initiate an ILL loan:
Login to initiate an ILL request and/or to check the status of a request.
Managing selected citations
Bibliographic citation managers help researchers keep track of their references for research papers, theses, dissertations, journal articles, publication lists, course reserve lists, or any other writing needs. The software also facilitates the downloading of citations directly from the Web, online databases, and online library catalogs. Using bibliographic citation managers helps researchers create bibliographies or lists of references and easily format them in a wide variety of styles.
EndNoteWeb
EndNoteWeb is a web-based service for managing and citing references in papers and creating bibliographies. It can be used in conjunction with EndNote and the ISI Web of KnowledgeSM research platform. Please note that access to EndNoteWeb is only available to University of Maryland faculty, staff, and students.
 Accessing, Using, and Getting Help with EndNoteWeb
Accessing EndNoteWeb
First-time users will need to register for an account through the Web of Science database in Research Port. (This is free for University of Maryland faculty, staff, and students.)
After registering, access EndNoteWeb from Web of Science (click on My EndNote Web at the top of the page) or directly from:
http://www.myendnoteweb.com
Using EndNoteWeb
Learn how to enter and organize sources into EndNoteWeb and how to export those sources as citations and bibliographies from this tutorial:
EndNoteWeb Online Tutorials
Getting help with EndNoteWeb
Get help with EndNoteWeb from the Frequently Asked Questions page.
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Basic Sources Specific to the Profession
Here are selected group of the type of Reference Sources you will need to complete your thesis:
- AIA Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, 13 ed. ARCH REF NA1996.A726 2001
- Architect's Handbook. ARCH REF NA2520.A67 2002
- AIA Architectural Graphic Standards, 11 ed. ARCH REF TH2031.A84 2007
- LEED New construction reference guide version 2.2. ARCH REF TH6021 .N48 2007
- Professional Practice of Architectural Working Drawings, 3 ed. ARCH REF NA2713.W34 2003
- Sweet's Guide Online
- Time-Saver Standards for Building Types. ARCH REF NA2760.D42 2001
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M.Arch. Thesis-specific Resources
Just as development of a design requires a first sketch and then repeated editing and redrawing, the development of a good piece of research requires a first search and then repeated researching at deeper levels and finding new sources.
Description and Context
- Descriptive Considerations: site selection, topic and project, scope, and location
- Contextual Considerations: architectural, cultural, social, economic, technological, and other key considerations relevant to the thesis topic
description and history of the site and rationale for selection
- Books: If site is prominent use Guides, Encyclopedias, Almanacs, Monographs
- Websites: Google the site, county/municipality/city, architect
- Newspapers: If site is less prominent use current and historical newstories
- Journals: Useful when researching a specific theme, narrow topic, and/or site is less prominent
Survey maps: show site boundaries, topography, easements, utilities, existing structures
- Websites: Google the county/municipality/city to identify what office to go to in order to obtain
Base maps:
- Websites: Google the local jurisdiction’s departments of planning and zoning, public works, and transportation where you can usually obtain base maps at diverse scales for sites in cities and counties.
plans of site and surrounding area, vegetation, soils, hydrology, wetlands, microclimate
- Books: For surrounding area look for published "Master Plans"
- Websites: Google the site, county/municipality/city, architect
- Directories: If you are doing a project on a site currently being studied for development by architects and engineers, they or their clients may be able to provide you with base maps and site data.
Drawings and photographs showing the site and surrounding area
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Precedents
Once you have analyzed your chosen site, you are ready to begin to solve its design challenges. The first step in doing this is to identify and analyze precedents that point to applicable strategies of formal typology and composition; functional patterns and spatial organization; materials and details of assembly; technical systems; scale and proportion; color and texture; sensory perception; cultural meaning; and even construction costs.
Required Types:
- programmatic (i.e. functional)
- formal (pertaining to stylistic language, composition, geometry, structure, materials etc.)
- strategic site/urban design relevance
Understanding of the nature of the project, including client and users, site and context
- Use: site description and analysis
functional program and building typology
- Use books for building types and architects who build them
- Once building type and/or architect is chosen, use Newspapers and Journals, if the type/architect is less prominent use current and historical newstories
Formal considerations: style, symbolism, spatial character, facade composition
Once style and/or corresponding architect is chosen, use: - Books: Guides, Encyclopedias, Almanacs, Monographs, if style or architect is prominent
- Newspapers and Journals, if the type/architect is less prominent use current and historical newstories
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Analysis
Site and programming analysis are built upon a strong site description and contextual understanding. It includes identifying building type, programmatic attributes, design challenges based upon cultural or functional contexts, as well as relevant influences, problems & opportunities of site. The object of analysis is to identify possible precedents, design strategies and to develop an architectural program. Analysis is original work.
Site Analysis is based upon the research process described above in the Description and Context section.
Functional Analysis is essential to developing an architectural program. It is a thorough and systematic evaluation of the interrelated values, goals, facts, and needs of a client's organization, facility users, and the surrounding community. A well-conceived program leads to high-quality design.
Functional analysis identifies the range of physical possibilities for accomodating a function's need. The object of this analysis is to provide a variety of alternative approaches and provide a systematic process for decision making based upon client values, goals, and requirements.
Research:
- site planning strategies showing relationship to existing context (urban or otherwise), buildings, roads, landscape, other features
- implications of design goals and conceptual approach
- It is based upon the research process described above in the Precedents section.
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Citation, Bibliography, and Copyright:You are honor bound by the University's Code of Academic Integrity to provide proper attributions, source citations and footnotes related to anything that is not your own work. This includes paraphrasing and quotations of ideas or texts and reproduction of images (drawings, photos) produced by others.
Style Manuals: See libraries Reference Shelf for online style manuals
- The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White.
- A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Kate L. Turabian
- Writing for Design Professionals, Stephen A. Kliment
- Guide to Style Manuals
Formatting Requirements:
The Graduate School has strict requirements governing the style, format, and physical attributes of the final thesis document, spelled out in The Style and Policy Manual. All M. Arch. candidates are solely responsible for ensuring that their document meets applicable Graduate School requirements. Keep in mind that the graduate school requires that all final documents must be electronically submitted. For detailed information about the submission process, see Terry Owen's powerpoint.
Copyright:
The products of architects, (plans, drawings, models, or a constructed building) are works of creative and intellectual property. Copyright protects architecture. Architectural works became subject to copyright protection on December 1, 1990. The copyright law defines “architectural work” as “the design of a building embodied in any tangible medium of expression, including a building, architectural plans, or drawings.” Copyright protection extends to any architectural work created on or after December 1, 1990. Also, any architectural works that were unconstructed and embodied in unpublished plans or drawings on that date and were constructed by December 31, 2002, are eligible for protection. Architectural designs embodied in buildings constructed prior to December 1, 1990, are not eligible for copyright protection.
All Master's students need to be cognizant of copyright, especially when using visual material. Familiarize yourself with these resources:
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How to get to the sources you need
Theses
For all University of Maryland theses granted before 2004, search the Catalog by keyword, include terms Maryland and Thesis.
For only Architecture School theses granted before 2004, use the ADVANCED search option in the catalog by keyword, include terms Maryland and Thesis.
For UMD theses granted after 2004, look in DRUM: the Digital Repository at the University of
Maryland.
Books
Catalog: access to material in the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI).
WorldCatUM: access to material beyond the Libraries'.
Google books: searching for books on the web
Directories
AIA Access (directory)
Catalog
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Websites
Google
Greatbuildings.com
Archinform.net
Newspapers
Washington Post Historical
New York Times Historical
LexisNexis
Journals
Avery Index
Academic Search Premier
Periodical Content Index
Garden, Landscape & Horticulture Index Index to articles that deal with space and landscape
Google Scholar finding articles through google
PapersFirst: OCLC index of papers presented at conferences worldwide
Other important Architecture and Design databases
Other important Planning databases
Maps
Guide to Map Collection
GIS Resources
United States Geological Survey
On-line Aerial Photography
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Plans
Other resources for plans
Building Plans guide.
Image Resources
Visual Resource Center
ARTstor
SPIRO: Slide and Photograph Image Retrieval Online
Other resources for images.
Materials Resources
Sweet's Guide Online
UT Austin Materials Lab
MaterialConnexion Hint: Check out the monthly materials update under the news tab.
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