‘Lay of the land’: a descriptive look at art practice dissertations 2018–2021

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to describe the descriptive and dynamic characteristics of the role that practice currently plays in fine art doctoral dissertations. We examined fine art dissertations published in the ProQuest Global database from 2018 to 2021, guided by the methodological design of a qualitative meta-study. The descriptive and dynamic characteristics of each dissertation were analyzed. The results of the descriptive analysis indicate that the role of practice in art doctoral dissertations is active, particularly in the United Kingdom, and it is used within a variety of art disciplines. The results regarding the dynamic characteristics of practice dissertations underscore the issues of medium, emerging methodologies, and the complexity of assigning practice-type categories to research. In summary, practice-based research within art doctoral research plays a significant role in both its use and contributions to the dynamics of a dissertation. By considering the challenges of increasing the clarity of concepts, understanding the issues associated with word count, the development of taxonomies for focusing research, giving greater attention to writing abstracts, and encouraging increased publication in academic journals, practice dissertations will continue to play an important role in fine art doctoral work.