Curta Type I Calculator
(1) A brief description (or visual analysis) of the artifact: What can you observe using your senses? What is the physical character of the object (colour, texture, dimensions, form, design, condition, parts)? What is the object made of? Are there any important labels, markings, logos, etc.? Why is this important?
(2) A brief discussion about function: What was it used for? What aspects of its design, materials or form tell us this (be specific – refer to physical features)? Who made or used it? How was it used? In what context was it used? How do we know this? Is this important?
*(3) An analysis of how the artifact sheds light on some aspect of scientific or technological innovation: What interesting story can you tease out about the object based on your observations, in conjunction with secondary research? The main goal of this part of the assignment is to demonstrate that the object is unique or significant for the history of innovation. Use the object as a focal point or backdrop for narrating your story (be creative!) and try to regularly refer back to the object (don’t forget this is an artifact analysis!). You may want to relate an extraordinary tale about, for example, the inventor/researcher, invention/development/manufacture process, patents/legal disputes, historical/social/political context, function/use/applications, etc.
The maximum word count is 500 words.
Though the assignment is short, you must consult at least 1 reputable, peer-reviewed source. A good place to start is the Scientific Instruments site (https://utsic.utoronto.ca/collection/utsic/?mode=def). Please list the work you have consulted at the end of your analysis under “Works Cited.” Your assignment should be properly referenced with footnotes or in-body citations, i.e. you should provide specific references to the book, article, etc. you are employing, as well as to your specific object. Analyses without citations are considered plagiarized – a serious offense. Choose one style and stick with it (e.g. APA, Chicago, or MLA).
Provide a cover page for your assignment with the following: (1) your name, (2) the artifact you have chosen with basic (“tombstone”) information (e.g. name, date, materials, dimensions, manufacturer, accession number), and (3) final word count.
Grading:
Grading for this assignment will be based on the following components: (1) Content (information about the physical makeup, function, use, historical context, etc. of the artifact) [6 points]), (2) Analysis (interpretation and discussion of the artifact as specific evidence for some aspect of the history of innovation) [10 points]), (3) Style (ability to engage the reader, presentation of the artifact as a unique piece of the historical puzzle, clarity, grammar, spelling, concision) [2 points], (4) Research (source selection, use of sources for supporting line of argumentation, citing sources, formatting of references, works cited list) [2 points], for a total of 20 points.
