The Routledge Companion to Research in the Arts

eva Luating quaLity in artistiC researCh

therefore an illusive one. We want to make two specific claims about it: that it is both
relative and situated. By ‘relative’ we mean that no absolute standard of quality exists.
By ‘situated’ we mean that the factors that influence our concept of quality derive from
the context in which it is being applied, i.e. our understanding of quality varies from
one subject to another, and one application to another.
The relativity of any concept, in contrast to the possibility of absolute values, is
perhaps a philosophically discretionary point. The situation- dependency of a subject is
reflected in statements by quality agencies such as Qaa:

The outcomes of the study and practice of art and design in he contribute to

both the cultural development and the economic well- being of the individual

and of society. in both cases, an understanding of the context of the practice

is essential.

(Qaa 2007: §2.4)

The judgement of quality involves judgements of relative value:

more divergent forms of thinking, which involve generating alternatives, and

in which the notion of being ‘correct’ gives way to broader issues of value, are

characteristic of the creative process.

(Qaa 2007: §2.3)

at an apparently more particular level, the Qaa discuss subject- specific knowledge
and understanding, attributes and skills and determine that these

will be evidenced in a body of work which demonstrates the graduate’s ability

to:

generate ideas, concepts, proposals, solutions or arguments independently

and/or collaboratively in response to set briefs and/or as self- initiated activity;

employ both convergent and divergent thinking in the processes of

observation, investigation, speculative enquiry, visualisation and/or making;

select, test and make appropriate use of materials, processes and

environments;

develop ideas through to outcomes, for example images, artefacts,

environments, products, systems and processes, or texts;

manage and make appropriate use of the interaction between intention,

process, outcome, context, and the methods of dissemination;

be resourceful and entrepreneurial.

(Qaa 2007: §4.3)

however, none of these attributes and skills clarifies at what level one might expect
this to be achieved. For example, the following is a list of attributes and skills required
by 3–12 year olds under the international Baccalaureate programme:^7

They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show

independence in learning;