A R C H I T E C T U R A L R E S E A R C H M E T H O D S A R C H 3 3 6 5 R o o m 1 5 0 – Monday and Friday 9‐10
Prerequisites
Instructor
Contact
Office Hours
Catalog Description
Program Outcomes
2009 NAAB Criteria
Format
Accommodations
Hybrid format 3 Credit Hour Undergraduate Required Course Fall 2010 English 1304, ARCH 2325, ARCH 2326, ARCH 2350, and ARCH 2351 (ES1 Structures1, History Survey 1&2) . Equivalent transfer credit must be approved by instructor.
Leonard Bachman, RA – B. Arch Univ. of Houston 1979, M. Arch Univ. of Houston 1981
LBachman@mail.UH.edu ‐ 713.743.2372 office ‐ 713.743.2400 college ‐ 713.743.2358 fax ‐ www.arch.uh.edu
Room 211 MW ‐ 11am to Noon, also available on the course learning platform at any time on the public Q&A Discussion page or WebCT Mail for personal items
Methods of research in architecture adapted to student‐generated topics.
Students successfully completing this course will have demonstrated the collateral abilities of finding and evaluating information, composing a worthy question that potentially expands the “accumulated wisdom of architecture” (Gropius), defending and critiquing the worthiness of such questions, and of formulating a systematic approach to addressing worthy questions. Underlying development of teamwork, argument, discourse, critique, and reflection on one’s own thinking are inherent in this process. A.1, A.2, A.11, C.1 Weekly block organization: Monday team meetings 9‐10am, Wednesday Writing Center consultations 9‐10am, Friday interactive topic sessions 9‐10am… this is a hybrid course with an on‐line learning platform accessible at www.uh.edu/webct . An on line quiz is due on most Wednesdays before 10pm. The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires that the university make reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities as defined in the act. Students who feel they need assistance under the ADA guidelines should approach the instructor to discuss such consideration. Table 1. COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES—See details of NAAB Student Performance Criteria in Table 2. Students who successfully complete this course will have demonstrated the acquisition of the following understanding and abilities. These learning objectives will all be evaluated on individual and team project assignments, weekly quizzes, team
meetings, class room seminar participation, class presentations, and an in-class final examination: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Use library and internet tools to search, locate, and collect appropriate and current information Distinguish between primary and secondary literature as well as scholarly, peer reviewed, professional, and popular literature Distinguish between research inquiry and design inquiry by comparing their variously differing and parallel endeavors of analysis, proposition, and synthesis Given a particular work of architectural research: Identify its techniques of inquiry in the continuums of quantitative to qualitative and positivist to naturalistic… Describe its means of evidence and truth value… and delineate the position of the researcher as embedded, involved, or detached Work within a team setting to produce a research proposal by use of shared discourse and critique, including the documentation of team discourse and the collaborative construction of concept maps Write article reviews to analyze published works of architectural research and identify their essential components: primary question and sub‐questions, situation against previously published work, epistemological and ontological assumptions, method of investigation, findings and limitations, and their generation of new lines of inquiry Identify the role of research inquiry in the practice of architecture as episodic problem solving, programming, strategic planning, precedent analysis, commissioning, post‐occupancy evaluation, and other empirical activities Distinguish between personal subjective bias and shared basis of architectural critique, including the distinctions of heuristics, fallacy, qualitative versus subjective, adductive versus inductive, normative versus positive, and other relevant philosophical cannons. Identify the components of theory development in architecture, including explanatory frameworks and compelling truth value, Kuhn’s principle of scientific evolution, and Popper’s principle of falsification Write a literature review of a discrete and specific architectural topic by organizing relevant publications into themes, critiquing each theme, and constructing a gap statement identifying potential new questions within the topic Identify a novel, unique, and useful research question and write a logical argument to illustrate its generalized merit, anticipate reasonable objections, and to indicate how the question can be practically addressed Link the nature of a research question to appropriate research methods of addressing it by selecting an appropriate mix of logical argument, case study, historical interpretive, qualitative, correlational, simulation, and experimental strategies as befits the respective characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of each strategy. Construct a written plan for addressing a research question and describe the methods, strategies, and tactics involved “From personal curiosity... to impersonal organization... to transpersonal method” (John Zeisel, Inquiry By Design, 1981)
ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODS Arch3365—Fall 2010—Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture—The University of Houston—Leonard R. Bachman lbachman@mail.uh.edu‐‐713.743.2372 ofc/msg Table 2. NAAB STUDENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA (SPC) FOR ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM ACCREDITATION THAT ARE ADDRESSED IN THIS COURSE
1.
2.
3.
4.
A.1. Communication skills: ability to read, write, speak and listen effectively. A.2. Design thinking skills: ability to raise clear and precise questions, use abstract ideas to interpret information, consider diverse points of view, reach well‐reasoned conclusions, and test alternative outcomes against relevant criteria and standards. A.11. Applied research: understanding the role of applied research in determining function, form, and systems and their impact on human conditions and behavior. C.1. Collaboration: ability to work in collaboration with others and in multidisciplinary teams to successfully complete design projects. Table 3. ASSIGNMENTS (see course matrix in Table 4 for due dates and assignment documents for project details and resources)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Proposal Projects (17% of course points) are submitted weekly on TurnItIn and cumulate in a semester long team research proposal a. Article Review 1‐ select and analyze a scholarly article related to your team project b. Article Review 2‐ select and analyze a scholarly article to further identify and focus your team project c. Bibliography‐ compile relevant materials into a team project bibliography on your topic and keep it current d. Literature Review 1‐ organize your bibliographic materials into themes according to their content e. Literature Review 2‐ critique the existing literature and current state of knowledge on your topic f.
The Question‐ develop a gap statement on current knowledge and state it as a research question derived directly from your literature review g. Rationale‐ write an argument for the value and practicality of your research question as supported by your literature review h. Introduction‐ write the introduction of your proposal by refining previous stages of the work incorporating the bibliography, question, rationale, and literature review i.
Methods 1‐ address how your question could be resolved by further collecting, organizing, and inferring from specific information or data j.
Methods 2‐ design your research investigation methods, strategies, and tactics in sufficient detail that it could be completed by other researchers following your design k. Discussion‐ describe your expected findings along with the significance and limitations of your study… suggest what new questions your investigation might stimulate Proposal (11% of course points)‐ compile and refine your work into a proposal document Poster (11% of course points)‐ present your research proposal to critics and fellow students in a public forum Weekly Team Meetings (13% of course points) are held each Monday in the studio to organize the weekly project and produce a draft in the form of a concept map or other submission at the end of class Weekly Quizzes (17% of course points) cover the assigned readings before the corresponding topic session… Each of the 12 quizzes may be taken twice and the highest score will be counted… Ten questions are randomly taken from a large question bank… You can take the quizzes on‐line per your own schedule up to the closing date for each… Work on your own Participation (13% of course points) In classroom response “clickers” are used in interactive Friday topic sessions to provide feedback on your participation and learning Attendance (7% of course points) is taken at the beginning of each interactive topic session with a clicker response survey question (no wrong answer) Final Exam (12% of course points) administered per the syllabus calendar and consists of about 30 multiple choice questions Information Structure: The crucial quality of shape, no matter of what kind, lies in its organization, and when we think of it in this way we call it form…Today functional problems are
becoming less simple all the time. But designers rarely confess their inability to solve them. Instead, when a designer does not understand a problem clearly enough to find the order it
really calls for; he falls back on some arbitrarily chosen formal order. The problem, because of its complexity, remains unsolved. Christopher Alexander: Notes on the Synthesis of Form
ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODS Arch3365—Fall 2010—Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture—The University of Houston—Leonard R. Bachman lbachman@mail.uh.edu‐‐713.743.2372 ofc/msg Table 4. COURSE GRID (a more friendly and descriptive narrative version of each week is given on the WebCT course learning platform in the Weekly Learning Modules)
Date
Topic
Activity
Read
Notes
M-1
23-Aug Introduction
Overview (anonymous blog teams assigned)
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
W
25-Aug Focus Groups on-line
Anonymous blog on-line
ARM, Chapter 1
See Discussion groups on line
F
27-Aug Scholarly Literature
Interactive clicker topic session # 1
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
M-2
30-Aug Film: William Whyte
In theater (topics announced) attendance reqd ARM, Chapter 2
W
1-Sep Syllabus and Intro Quiz A
Two attempts at open book quiz
On-line quiz due on next 12 Wed.
F
3-Sep Research Tools
Interactive clicker topic session # 2
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
M-3
6-Sep Labor Day
Permanent teams assigned
W
8-Sep Quiz B: Preface, Chapters 1 & 2
Writing Center team consult # 1 at 9:00-9:50am ARM, Chapter 3
Agnes Arnold Hall rooms 210-217
F
10-Sep Literature Review
Interactive clicker topic session # 3
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
M-4
13-Sep Team Building Discourse
Team Meeting # 1
ARM, Chapter 4
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
W
15-Sep Quiz C: Chapter 3
Writing Center team consult # 2 at 9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
F
17-Sep Research into Theory
Interactive clicker topic session # 4
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
M-5
20-Sep BIM, IP and Simulation
Team Meeting # 2
ARM, Chapter 5
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
W
22-Sep Quiz D: Chapter 4 & 5
Writing Center team consult # 3 at 9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
F
24-Sep Research into Design
Interactive clicker topic session # 5
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
Team Meeting # 3
ARM, Chapter 11
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
M-6
27-Sep Concept Map of Topic
W
29-Sep Quiz E: Chapter 11
Writing Center team consult # 4 at 9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
Interactive clicker topic session # 6
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
F
1-Oct Logical Argumentation
Team Meeting # 4
ARM, Chapter 12
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
M-7
4-Oct Facts, Ideas, Opinions
W
6-Oct Quiz F: Chapter 12
Writing Center team consult # 5 at 9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
Interactive clicker topic session # 7
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
F
8-Oct Case Study Methods
Team Meeting # 5
Review for mid-term Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
M-8
11-Oct Argument Map
W
13-Oct Quiz G: Mid Term Quiz
Writing Center team consult # 6 at9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
Interactive clicker topic session # 8
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
F
15-Oct Emancipatory Methods
Team Meeting # 6
ARM, Chapter 6
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
M-9
18-Oct Concept Map: Argument
W
20-Oct Quiz H: Chapter 6
Writing Center team consult # 7 at 9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
Interactive clicker topic session # 9
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
F
22-Oct Historical Interpretive
Team Meeting # 7
ARM, Chapter 7
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
M-10
25-Oct Method, Strategy, Tactic
W
27-Oct Quiz I: Chapter 7
Writing Center team consult # 8 at 9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
Interactive clicker topic session # 10
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
F
29-Oct Qualitative Methods
ARM, Chapter 10
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
M-11
1-Nov Outline of Proposal
Team Meeting # 8
W
3-Nov Quiz J: Chapter 10
Writing Center team consult # 9 at 9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
F
5-Nov Simulation Research
Interactive clicker topic session # 11
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
M-12
8-Nov Concept Map: Discussion
Team Meeting # 9
ARM, Chapter 8
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
W
10-Nov Quiz K: Chapter 8
Writing Center team consult # 10 at 9:00-9:50am
On-line quiz AND team consult
F
12-Nov Correlation
Interactive clicker topic session # 12
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
ARM, Chapter 9
Meet in studio with team at 9:00-9:50
M-13
15-Nov First Draft of Poster
Team Meeting # 10
W
17-Nov Quiz L: Chapter 9
On-line quiz
Interactive clicker topic session # 13
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
F
19-Nov Experiment
M-14
22-Nov Review for final exam
Interactive clicker topic session # 14
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
W
24-Nov Thanksgiving
F
26-Nov Thanksgiving
M-15
29-Nov Review for final exam
Interactive clicker topic session # 15
In Theater 150 at 9:00-9:50am
W
1-Dec Present posters in Atrium, 9:00-9:50AM Group A presents to Group B
Half of teams in each group
F
3-Dec Present posters in Atrium, 9:00-9:50AM Group B presents to Group A
Remove posters on Mon 12/6 9AM
M-16
6-Dec Study Period
W
8-Dec Final Exams
F
10-Dec ARCH3365 FINAL EXAM 8-11 AM
M-17
13-Dec Final Exams
W
15-Dec Final Exams
F
17-Dec Closing of Semester
Due
TurnItIn before 9am
Focus Group
Topic Selection
Quiz A, 10PM
Article Review 1
Quiz B, 10PM
Article Review 2
Team plan
Quiz C, 10PM
Bibliography
Team reaction
Quiz D, 10PM
Literature Review 1
Concept map
Quiz E, 10PM
Literature Review 2
Concept map
Quiz F, 10PM
The Question
Argument map
Quiz G, 10PM
Rationale
Concept map
Quiz H, 10PM
Introduction
Concept map
Quiz I, 10PM
Methods 1
Outline
Quiz J, 10PM
Methods 2
Concept map
Quiz K, 10PM
Discussion
Draft
Quiz L, 10PM
Proposal
Poster (all teams)
ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODS Arch3365—Fall 2010—Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture—The University of Houston—Leonard R. Bachman lbachman@mail.uh.edu‐‐713.743.2372 ofc/msg Table 5. READINGS AND MATERIALS
Required Reading 1. Linda Groat and David Wang, Architectural Research Methods, Wiley, 2002. (We will refer to this course text as “ARM” or as “Groat and Wang” 2. Other required weekly readings and recommended sources will be made available on WebCT or as photocopies. 3. Syllabus, calendar, all current Announcements, all From Instructor postings, Journal articles as assigned and available on the course website Recommended Reading Books most relevant to methods of architectural research Borden, Iain. 2006. The Dissertation, Second Edition: An Architecture Student's Handbook. 2nd ed. Architectural Press, January 6. Browne, M. Neil, and Stuart M. Keeley. 2009. Asking the Right Questions. 9th ed. Prentice Hall, January 23. Chappell, David. 1996. Report Writing for Architects and Project Managers. 3rd ed. Blackwell Science, June. Leedy, Paul D. 2001. Practical Research: Planning and Design. Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill Prentice Hall. Pressman, Andy, American Institute of Architects, and Smith Maran Architects. 2007. Architectural Graphic Standards. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons. Snyder, James C. 1997. Architectural Research 0687. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, June. Zeisel, John. 2006. Inquiry by Design: Environment/Behavior/Neuroscience in Architecture, Interiors, Landscape, and Planning. Revised. W. W. Norton, February 17. A few seminal book examples of architectural research Alexander, Christopher. 1964. Notes on the Synthesis of Form. Cambridge, Harvard University Press. Beranek, Leo. 2003. Concert Halls and Opera Houses: Music, Acoustics, and Architecture. 2nd ed. Springer, November 3. Corbusier, Le. 2008. Towards a New Architecture. BN Publishing, September 12 Heschong, Lisa. 1979. Thermal Delight in Architecture. The MIT Press, December 5. Jacobs, Jane. 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. [New York] Random House. Knowles, Ralph. 1981. Sun rhythm form. Cambridge Mass.: MIT Press. Reynolds, John S. 2001. Courtyards: Aesthetic, Social, and Thermal Delight. 1st ed. Wiley, November 15. Venturi, Robert, and N. Y.) Museum of Modern Art (New York. 1966. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. with a Introd. by Vincent Scully. Museum of Modern Art papers on architecture, 1; Variation: Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.).; Papers on Architecture,; 1. New York, Museum of Modern Art; distributed by Doubleday, Garden City, N.Y. Design thinking books Buchanan, Richard. 1995. Discovering Design: Explorations in Design Studies / Margolin, Victor,; 1941‐. Chicago: ; University of Chicago Press. Cherry, Edith. 1999. Programming for Design: From Theory to Practice. New York: ; John Wiley. Cross, Nigel. 1984. Developments in Design Methodology. Chichester ; New York: Wiley. Groak, Steven. 1992. The Idea of Building: Thought and Action in the Design and Production of Buildings. London ; New York: E & FN Spon. Lawson, Bryan. 2005. How Designers Think, Fourth Edition: The Design Process Demystified. 4th ed. Architectural Press, December 14. Margolin, Victor. 1995. The Idea of Design / Buchanan, Richard. A Design issues reader,;. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. Piotrowski, Andrzej, and Julia Williams Robinson. 2000. The Discipline of Architecture. University of Minnesota Press, December 26. Schon, Donald A. 1995. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Ashgate Publishing, September Other recommended books Anon. 1990. New directions in architectural research: Proceedings of the 1990 Canadian Symposium on Architectural Research, May 10‐12, 1990, the University of Calgery. Alberta Municipal Affairs. Blanco, Hilda. 1986. Pragmatism, Abduction, and Wicked Problems. Cross, Nigel, Technische Hogeschool Delft, and Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. 1992. Research in Design Thinking: Proceedings of a Workshop Meeting Held at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University Oof Technology, the Netherlands, May 29‐31, 1991 / Dorst, Kees. Delft: Delft University Press. Emmitt, Stephen, Matthijs Prins, and Ad den Otter. 2009. Architectural Management: International Research and Practice. Wiley‐Blackwell, May 4. Heath, Tom. 1984. Method in Architecture. Chichester [West Sussex] ; New York: Wiley. ———. 1993. Introduction to Design Theory. Queensland: Queensland University of Technology, Faculty of Built Environment & Engineering. International Council for Building Research, Studies and Documentation, and CIB. 1991. Building Research & Information the International Journal of Research, Development and Demonstration. London: E & FN Spon. Jong, T.M. De, and Van Der Voordt. 2005. Ways to Study and Research Urban, Architectural and Technical Design. IOS Press/Delft University Press, January 1. Kultur, Bundesamt für, and Reto Geiser. 2008. Explorations in Architecture: Teaching, Design, Research. 1st ed. Birkhäuser Basel, November 7. Pena, William M, and Caudill, Rowlett, Scott. 1969. Problem Seeking: New Directions in Architectural Programming. Houston: Caudill Rowlett Scott. Preiser, Wolfgang F. E. 1974. Research on Architecture and Human Behavior. Exchange bibliography ;; 673; Variation: Council of Planning Librarians.; Exchange bibliography ;; 673. Monticello, Ill.: Council of Planning Librarians. ———. 1983. Post‐occupancy Evaluation: A Selected Bibliography / Daish, John. Architecture series‐‐bibliography,; A‐896;. Monticello, Ill.: Vance Bibliographies. Team, Gale Reference. 2008. Analysis and applied research.(URBANISM AND ARCHITECTURE): An article from: The Architectural Review. EMAP Architecture, November 1. Temple, Nicholas, and Soumyen Bandyopadhyay. 2007. Thinking Practice: Reflections on Architectural Research and Building Work. Black Dog Publishing, December 11. ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODS Arch3365—Fall 2010—Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture—The University of Houston—Leonard R. Bachman lbachman@mail.uh.edu‐‐713.743.2372 ofc/msg Table 6. COURSE CRITERIA MATRIX
NAAB 2009 Student Performance Criteria
PROJECTS
Article Review 1
Article Review 2
Bibliography
Literature Review 1
Literature Review 2
The Question
Rationale
The Introduction
Methods 1
Methods 2
Discussion
Course Learning Objectives
A-1
A-2
A-11
C-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
12
13
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
TABLE 7. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
A Grading Form “rubric” is used to score proposal project work, both weekly and in the final submission. The completed rubric will be available to you for review after scoring. The raw rubric is published to the class and available before you begin work. Note that the rubric will list five general criteria and give examples of the qualities of work that meet each level of standards for each criterion. The standards range from 0 points (unacceptable) to 1 point (faulting), 2 points (developing), 3 points (expected), 4 points (better) to 5 points (superior). There are thus 25 points available in the rubric. The learning objectives associated with each project assignment will be used as criteria for evaluation of work submitted for that project and incorporated into the use of the Grading Form The provisional UH rubric for assessing critical thinking skills is used as a standard of expectation in this course and is available on the WebCT Learning Platform in the Course Materials folder on the Home Page or at http://www.uh.edu/writecen/Faculty/rubricdevelopment.php The provisional UH rubric for assessing writing skills is used as a standard of expectation in this course and is available on the WebCT Learning Platform in the Course Materials folder on the Home Page or at http://www.uh.edu/writecen/Faculty/rubricdevelopment.php TABLE 8. SCORE COMPONENTS OF COURSE GRADE (1500 Points total)
There are almost 70 scored point opportunities recorded for each student in this class. Note from the following table that only the highest point scores from each of five categories are counted; so in the end only about your best 55 scores are tallied toward your course grade. Dropping the other lowest scores is intended to account for absences and other course opportunities you miss participating in and also to refine your scores to what reflects your best level of learning performance. Dropping these scores also lowers the course basis points from 1725 to 1500, so your reduced point total is compared to the lower 1500 standard rather than the 1725 total points possible. Because these scores are automatically dropped there is no extra allowance for excused or unexcused absences in this course. Component
Number
Points each Sum
Percent of
Course
Lecture interaction and participation (the highest 12 of 15 total lecture scores posted)
12
16
192
13%
Lecture and review attendance (on time and taken with clicker, three absences dropped)
Quizzes (highest 10 of 12… taken any time, can be repeated once, closes each Wed)
Monday team workshop participation (highest 8 of 10 total workshop scores posted)
Projects (highest 10 of first 12 projects)
9
25
108
250
7%
17%
8
25
200
13%
17%
10
25
250
Final revised project compilation
1
165
165
11%
Final poster presented in atrium and critique of other teams’ posters
1
160
160
11%
1
175
Final exam: comprehensive (about 30 questions, score standardized to 175 points)
TOTAL FOR COURSE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
12
10
55 of 67
175
12%
1500
100%
Your total course points will be normalized to the distribution of scores for the entire class. The average point total normally corresponds to a high C or low B final course grade. Some extra credit opportunities may be offered to the class at large. No individual extra credit opportunities will be available All team members will submit a confidential review of their fellow team members at the end of the semester. This review can raise or lower your course grade as much as five percent The instructor will factor in a comprehensive and holistic evaluation of your semester work. This evaluation can raise or lower your course grade as much as five percent Workload: a. 33% of course points are for in class activity; 39% are for team efforts; 17% is for on line quizzes you can schedule at your convenience; the final exam is the other 12% b. The workload in this course is broken into many small but frequent tasks rather a few large tasks. You will need to work continuously but not feverishly. Manage your time. c. The average student, in order to make an average grade, should expect to spend 8 to 12 hours of outside time working on this course every week ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODS Arch3365—Fall 2010—Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture—The University of Houston—Leonard R. Bachman lbachman@mail.uh.edu‐‐713.743.2372 ofc/msg TABLE 9. POLICY AND EXPECTATIONS 1. Description: This course introduces methods of architectural research and their application to the theory and practice of architecture. Following Zeisel's description of "personal curiosity... impersonal organization... and transpersonal method" we will divide the process of research inquiry into the sequence: explore, critique, and propose. 2. Linkages: Relying on fundamental skills gained in architectural foundation classes and core requirements, Architectural Inquiry is a "backbone" element of the college's curriculum. It is neither history, nor design, nor technology but incorporates elements of each as well as reading, writing, discourse, critical thinking, and library skills. Through attainment of the goals and objectives of this class, participants are better prepared to undertake critical levels of inquiry in all their advanced coursework. 3. Activities: Your team will collaboratively prepare weekly submissions toward development of a research proposal. The final product will be a semester research report proposing a critical question along with a 36” x 48” presentation poster illustrating both your beginning investigation and a design for its execution. Wednesdays we will not meet face‐to‐face but will have on line activities to complete. Ten Wednesdays will involve consultations at the UH Writing Center. Monday team meetings will require team collaboration and will earn participation points. Course work generally will be uploaded to WebCT TurnitIn. 4. Teams: Collaboration is a major theme of this course. Teams will be formed according to relevant course surveys taken in class and on WebCT. You will work with your team on one semester project, a research proposal. There are weekly project due dates and weekly Friday team discussions. All participating team members will receive the same raw score, but part of your actual grade depends on the final semester evaluation of your contributions by your team mates. Furthermore, if your team mates can show that your participation is substantially lacking, they may remove you off the team by a unanimous vote. If another team does not then take you on as a member of their group within two class days after notification from the instructor of the vote, you will receive an F course grade. The instructor will generally not intervene in team member issues. 5. Role of creativity and intrinsic motivation: Research requires a great deal of creativity and personal motivation. Consequently, the course content is implicit and process driven rather than explicit and content driven. You and your team of collaborators are given the opportunity to pursue your interests, identify worthwhile problems on your own, and structure those problems according to your own design. Frameworks for how these steps can be successfully accomplished will be given to you but the synthesis and completion of the tasks will require creativity, insight, and motivation. You will find that this independence is both a luxury and a responsibility. 6. Text: Linda Groat and David Wang, Architectural Research Methods, Wiley, 2002. Other required weekly readings and recommended sources will be made available on WebCT or as photocopies. Friday discussions may draw on posted excerpts from important readings. 7. Student Workload: Expect to consistently spend eight to twelve productive hours per week on this course outside of class meeting time. Coursework is broken into weekly phases so that the load is uniformly distributed across the semester. Please manage your time very conscientiously. Use the course calendar to plan ahead and to accommodate all your other commitments. Get healthy and adequate sleep. 8. WebCT On‐line <www.uh.edu/webct> This is a required component, not an optional one. You will post your project documentation and submissions on the course WebCT page. Wednesday activities will occur here outside the classroom setting and earn participation points. Supplemental readings, internet links and other course material are also posted there for your use. Each team will have an on‐line discussion area open only to its members and the instructor. Public discussion, question and answer areas, and private WebCT mail are among some of the other available WebCT features we will employ. Your grade records will be accessible here. 9. TurningPoint classroom response system “clickers”: Participation points are earned in the interactive Friday lectures covering the text readings. You may be asked to respond to quiz questions, be called on individually, participate in team competitions, provide progress feedback, or be otherwise polled by the instructor. If you do not correctly utilize your personal clicker for any reason you will not receive these participation points 10. Exams: There will be one test‐ a comprehensive final exam. It will be administered in the classroom by printed exam paper and scantron 11. Content: Emphasis will be placed on the methods, process, and reasoning of critical inquiry. A focus on systematic and careful procedure, as well as creative and innovative design of the inquiry is far more vital to your coursework than is the specific topic you are exploring. Your topic is basically just an armature for developing the real content of the course and a means of engaging your personal interest. 12. Prerequisites: English 1304, History Arch 2350 and 2351, Systems Arch 2325 and 2326 or their UH recognized equivalent, no exceptions or exemptions, no concurrent enrollment. 13. Writing standards and expectation of competency: All writing projects will be typewritten on 8.5 x 11 page format and will be free of common errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. We will follow Chicago Manual of Style standards with additional details provided for you as we progress. Foreign students who passed the TOEFL are expected to write at Level 6: “effectively address the writing task, well organized and well developed, use clearly appropriate details to support a thesis or illustrate ideas, display consistent facility in the use of language, demonstrate syntactic variety and appropriate word choice” (http://www.freeesl.net/TOEFL/writingsection/ ). Any student with writing difficulties can utilize UH Peer Tutoring http://las.uh.edu/lss/peertutoring.asp or go to the UH Writing Center (http://www.uh.edu/writecen/ ) General tips on studying, writing, time management and stress can be found at http://las.uh.edu/lss/default.asp#Learning%20Resource%20Library . 14. Grading: Generally scores are tabulated as raw points with 1000 possible in the semester. Grades are determined from semester total scores with the class average being a high C or low B. Final determination of your grade is subject to the instructor’s comprehensive evaluation of your work and evidence of learning. Your team mates will also have input concerning your level of constructive team participation. Please do not ask for extra credit or special opportunities as these are prohibited by university policy unless offered to the class at large. Interim grades will be posted on WebCT and considered final after two weeks. SEE DETAILS IN FOLLOWING SECTIONS. 15. Attendance: Our time together is very valuable; please treat it accordingly. Role is taken by clicker at every Friday clicker topic session. There are no excused absences for any reason. If you arrive late, sit in the back and check so as not to disturb others when you arrive. By enrolling in this course you make a personal contract with me and your classmates to attend and diligently participate in every class activity. When you must miss class, please get notes from a classmate rather than the TA’s or me. 16. Tests: There will be a comprehensive final examination in multiple choice scantron format, given on one of the two UH scheduled periods for this class (this might be something we use clickers to vote on). ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODS Arch3365—Fall 2010—Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture—The University of Houston—Leonard R. Bachman lbachman@mail.uh.edu‐‐713.743.2372 ofc/msg 17. Workshops: Monday team sessions are held in the 3rd floor north studios from 9:00am to 9:50am. Exercises are conducted and due at the end of the period. Workshops are scored on a scale of 1‐
12. Workshops are organized as team projects, but always be prepared and do not rely on the help of others. Select a weekly team leader on a rotating basis. Introduce yourselves on WebCT and agree to a specific meeting place. 18. Projects: Submit outside projects on the due date BEFORE class begins. Keep a copy for your records. Late work is NOT accepted for any reason and receives a zero grade. Use 8.5 x 11 inch format with 1” borders and 12 point Times New Roman font. Always include a complete coversheet with 1). your name, 2). course number, 3). the due date, and 4). the project name. Projects may be assigned as due in class, on WebCT, or on Turnitin.com. Mostly they will be on Turnitin.com. Coversheets for hardcopy work do not need to be typewritten. 19. Time Management: The average student, to make an average grade, should expect to spend a consistent eight to twelve hours per week working on this course outside of class time. By participating in this course you are agreeing to manage your time accordingly. This expectation is also formed around the assumption of adequate sleep and healthy lifestyle that support your energy and attentiveness. If you neglect your physical needs and time management you will likely fall into a cycle of rote and automatic behavior which undermines your learning and retention. 20. Limits of Assistance and Plagiarism Policy: Students are encouraged to work and study together to the extent that everyone involved still does their own work and thinking. Group learning is extremely beneficial. Dividing or sharing assignments is not (except for team projects) and all parties to any such work will receive a zero for that grade. Collaboration of any sort during exams is, of course, prohibited. Representing the work, schemas, organization, frameworks, concepts, or ideas of others as your own will be grounds for disciplinary action per the college policy on academic honesty. Take this seriously before you even consider “helping” or receiving illegitimate “help” from others with or without their consent. In the interest of most students who work hard and do their own thinking, there is a zero tolerance policy for both parties of any plagiarisms. Consult the university policy in your student handbook. WARNING: The University provides TurnItIn.com plagiarism detection software for this course. Follow the course plagiarism policy as posted on WebCT. The use of reference sources, for example, must always be correctly cited and all literal quotes must be in quotations. Use Harvard style in text citations and Chicago (author‐date) style bibliography entries. See http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001418/141812e.pdf HINT: quote lots of sources and cite them all… it shows you can find good information and know how to use it. 21. ADA Policy: Whenever possible, and in accordance with 504/ADA guidelines, we will attempt to provide reasonable academic accommodations to students who request and require them. Please call 713‐743‐5400 for more assistance. In any case, it is the responsibility of each individual student to self‐report to the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD). Only students registered with the CSD may request academic accommodations. See http://www.uh.edu/provost/documents/disability.html#general for further information. When asked what single event was most helpful in developing the theory of relativity, Albert Einstein is reported to have answered,
'Figuring out how to think about the problem.'
A problem is half-solved if properly stated.
[John Dewey]
Well begun is half done.
[Aristotle]
When one knows what to do, there is only little time one needs for doing it. It is only when one does not know what to do that it takes
so much time. And to know what to do is the secret of it all.
[Louis Kahn]
ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODS Arch3365—Fall 2010—Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture—The University of Houston—Leonard R. Bachman lbachman@mail.uh.edu‐‐713.743.2372 ofc/msg TABLE 10: ETIQUETTE 1. GENERAL ‐‐ Behave like a scholar and a deserving candidate to the profession of architecture. Be flexible in your thinking and willing to change. Be patient and do not jump at apparent or superficial solutions. Decide that you will make difficult transitions now and not in some far off comfortable future. Stay positive and curious. Strive for learning rather than for scores. Accept that the work of a student is challenging but rewarding. Acknowledge that you will be confronting difficult and conceptually new ideas. Read as though your life work depended on it… it probably does 2. PARTICIPATE ‐‐ Study actively during class rather than just listening passively. Most lecture notes are already on line, so think along with the lecture and don’t worry about writing down everything. Of course you are always encouraged to take all notes as you see fit 3. ASK ‐‐ Multiple communication tools and opportunities are provided for you. When in doubt, just ask. Never waste time and frustration wondering. Your time and effort are precious. Try to ask questions during class, or come to live Q&A (as distinct from WebCT Q&A) in the theater on Friday from 8:30 to 9:00 right before lecture. I have another class immediately after this one and cannot delay for questions after the lecture 4. INTERACTION ‐‐ Be constantly prepared during lecture to discuss course material, work problems, answer questions, and generally to interact with the class. Bring your clicker response pad and be ready to use it constantly 5. READ ‐‐ Text readings are very important; not for complete mastery, but for familiarity with the material. The assigned chapters are listed on the Course Calendar. Tabbing of the most important figures and pages of the text is strongly recommended 6. ASSIMILATION ‐‐ This course is generally designed around the purposeful use of certain tools and protocols for design inquiry. It is not fundamentally about memorizing information (declarative knowledge: what, where, and when). Focus on the tools, procedures and protocols (procedural knowledge: how) as your objectives. Strive for understandings and insights (structural knowledge: why) that help you “put it all together” as your ultimate goals 7. NOTES ‐‐ A great many course material files are posted on WebCT to avoid wasteful stenography. Rather than having information read to you, you writing it down imperfectly, then referring to it intermittently; we can simply skip to the document where it is already written down for your direct reference. This does not mean you can’t take all the notes you want to, but don’t waste time trying to capture every detail. Learning by writing in your own words is a perfectly good way to study of course 8. DISCUSSION ‐‐ All course, project, syllabus, and policy related questions on WebCT should be posted to the public Q&A Discussion topic so everyone can see them and they do not get repeated. All grade related, personal, and private matters should be posted as WebCT Mail where it is kept private. Keep all course communications on WebCT. Discussion is always good 9. ABSENCES ‐‐ There are no excused absences in this course for any reason; instead however, multiple opportunities are provided to attain the highest number of points possible 10. ROLL ‐‐ Come to class early and be in your seat when lecture begins at the designated time. If you arrive late, then (a) sit in the back rows reserved for latecomers. 11. ELECTRONICS ‐‐ No laptops, phones, personal data assistants, or other such devices are allowed during Friday lecture without a special reason and written permission from the instructor. Tape recorders are always allowed. Disregard for this in any way will forfeit your participation credit for that day 12. SLEEP ‐‐ Sleeping in class or being mostly inattentive (in the judgment of the instructor or the TA’s) will disqualify you from participation credit for that lecture. Slouching will make you sleepy (like body, like mind; it’s psychosomatic) and is disrespectful of the class environment. Being a student is hard work and your sacrifices are appreciated, but it is important to be respectful of your fellow students and the shared course environment. It is a professional learning situation, not your living room. Get the 7 hours of sleep you need every night to be attentive and successful in class 13. LEARN ‐‐ It takes about five encounters with new material for you to learn and absorb it. Get the repetition you need in various ways: reading, labs, projects, reviews, exams, and practice, practice, practice… Focus on what fits your own learning style, but use all the different formats wholeheartedly 14. PREPARED ‐‐ Always bring your clicker response pad, textbook, calculator, and writing materials to each and every class and use them purposefully. We will refer to the text frequently and will interact with questions and problem solving during lecture 15. NEAT ‐‐ Leave the room and your seating area at least as clean as you found it 16. HUH? ‐‐ Try to ask very specific questions and indicate what you do and do not understand as well as what you feel confused about. “I don’t understand” is not a question, but a statement of frustration. Hint: sometimes just trying to write the question down will open up the problem for you 17. DUE DILIGENCE 1 ‐‐ Repeated disregard for class etiquette may compromise or void your participation in this course. Treat this syllabus like you would a legal contract 18. DUE DILIGENCE 2 ‐‐ Know your rights and responsibilities at the college. An unoffical precise of the student and faculty handbooks is posted on our WebCT course page “First the medium of architecture must be re-examined if the increased scope of our architecture as well as the complexity of its goals are to be expressed. Simplified or superficially
complex forms will not work.... Second, the growing complexities of our functional problems must be acknowledged.” Robert Venturi, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture
Man's mind is his basic tool of survival. Life is given to him, survival is not. His body is given to him, its sustenance is not. His mind is given to him, its content is not. To remain alive,
he must act, and before he can act he must know the nature and purpose of his action. Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH METHODS Arch3365—Fall 2010—Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture—The University of Houston—Leonard R. Bachman lbachman@mail.uh.edu‐‐713.743.2372 ofc/msg