INITIAL ARTIFACT ANALYSIS

One of the first key moves to make when entering an analytical perspective is to try and
suspend your initial judgments, and turn your focus on observing details and patterns. We are
very good at jumping to evaluate something, looking at a text first as either “good” or “bad.”
Please keep in mind, however, that with this assignment, the objective is not about whether
you agree or disagree with what you find the artifact is communicating. Nor is it about
whether you like or dislike it, or think it should or shouldn’t do something. In fact, the goal is
to practice pressing pause on our evaluative judgments, keeping our concentration squarely
placed on the evidence at hand.
As this is an Initial Artifact Analysis, the objective is not to settle on any central
argument. Committing to one angle of interpretation so early in the analysis could limit your
ability to observe other details of the text, and consider alternate viewpoints. Let’s work to
unpack and understand an artifact’s complexity before taking a position on how it could best
be interpreted.
This assignment emphasizes analysis, the act of breaking something down to its key elements
and determining how those elements work together to create meaning. This means that the
assignment is not just about description and summary. Although description and
summary have important roles in a compelling critical analysis, in this assignment you’re
prompted to engage with specifics and details—moving beyond summary—and pursue possible
interpretations—thereby moving beyond description.
WHAT ISN’T THIS ASSIGNMENT?
The Initial Artifact Analysis assignment asks you to choose a cultural artifact and perform a
close analysis of what it is communicating and how it is communicating it. In 2–3 pages, work
to identify the defining elements of your artifact and explain how those parts fit together to
communicate various meanings. Support the claims you make with evidence and connect the
two with clear reasoning. Please make sure to provide me with access to your chosen artifact
(attach the image, link to a url, etc.).
ANY TIPS?
INITIAL ARTIFACT ANALYSIS