DRAFT: Interview Questions

A.L. McMichael

April, 2015

Draft of questions for CAA Interviews, evaluating digital scholarship

Questions for interviews. (Note that these may vary slightly as each conversation progresses, and according to the interviewee’s rank and role at their institution).

OVERVIEW of interview themes/directions: How digital art and architectural history is defined by the institution/program

Current Tenure & Promotion evaluation processes for digital and/or collaborative work in your institution/program: How you feel about it currently How you think it could be improved

If/when you were on a Tenure & Promotion committee of a scholar whose work was digital, would you feel qualified to assess the work? What does/would make you feel qualified?

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS for interview themes/directions:

defining/clarifying

Does your institution have a working definition of digital scholarship? Digital art/architectural history?

Do you think digital art/architectural history is the same as art/architectural history? If not, what elements of digital scholarship work do you see as distinctive, especially with regard to evaluating its quality or impact?

Do you make distinctions between the development of digital tools that have significant art/architectural historical uses vs. the use of preexisting digital tools for significant art/architectural scholarship?

Are both of these kinds of scholarship considered "art or architectural history" in your department?

current processes

How are collaborative projects more generally evaluated within your department (e.g., work on an exhibition, co-editing an anthology, etc.)? Do you have specific guidelines in your personnel bylaws for this?

Does your institution have clear standards for evaluating different kinds of digital art and architectural historical projects?

Do you (your program/department/institution) have existing evaluation criteria for digital scholarship? How would you approach the evaluation?

Does your institution require a student or faculty member to prepare a written description of their digital research project before being reviewed for promotion or tenure?

Is it necessary for the student or faculty member being evaluated to call in an expert in digital media and an expert in their sub discipline to evaluate a digital research project? If so, how are these individuals identified?

Please describe the content and technology used by students and faculty in your department who are using digital tools and sources for their primary research (including your own, if applicable).

What support does your institution offer for development and stewardship of digital research projects? Do you have support from Academic Technology or Educational Technology services? The Library? Where do you find expertise such as programmers, web developers, and other technologists to work with?

Does your institution require posting digital research in a university repository? What format is required?

open-ended questions

Are there any existing resources (tools, methods, people, etc.) that you would recommend for assessing or understanding digital art or architectural history?

What suggestions or questions would you have for a task force that plans to create guidelines for evaluating digital art and architectural history?