Standards & Guidelines » CAA Guidelines

Curriculum Vitae for Art Historians: Recommended Conventions

Adopted by the CAA Board of Directors in February 1999; revised in February 2003.

General Comments

The curriculum vitae (CV) conventions presented here are primarily for those beginning their academic careers. Approaches to CV development can vary based on years in the field, area(s) of specialization, specified institutional formats, etc.

The format CAA recommends is the “long” CV, designed to serve as a framework on which to build. It takes into account the needs of both the art historian and those reading the document. As your career progresses, you will undoubtedly need to add new categories or make changes in your format. Always remember to keep your CV up-to-date, just as you would your letters of reference.

A short CV may be required for grant applications, special events, business/commercial applications, etc. It is merely a condensed version of your curriculum vitae. It highlights your most significant professional achievements and should not be longer than three or four pages. Service and nonacademic activities are usually left out. If you have a significant number of publications, you may wish to use a heading such as “Selected Publications.”

Avoid making the CV complicated. Dramatic layouts and attempts to pad your CV will probably work against you. A beautifully constructed CV will not get you the job if your scholarship is weak. While it is important to avoid padding your cv, it is equally important that you do not leave out academic accomplishments. Be sure to list all of your degrees, not just the ones related to art history. In your efforts to keep you CV current, get into the habit of keeping a record or scrapbook of all your professional activities. Keep documentation of a lecture you gave, your conference participation, notes from publishers indicating the status of your book, etc. You may eventually have to do this is some form for salary raises, retention (renewal), promotion, tenure, and post-tenure reviews. Your record keeping should prove the existence of everything in your curriculum vitae.

The term “curriculum vitae” is commonly used, so it need not be underlined or italicized. The abbreviation “CV” does not require periods. This format has been adopted by the Modern Language Association of America (MLA).

Developing Your Curriculum Vitae

Job applicants are often unaware that individuals outside the department to which they are applying are frequently involved with the search process. There are many administrators is academia who are not familiar with the specifics of art-related fields. Make the CV easy to follow. Search committee members and administrators may need to review hundreds of applications, so your CV needs to be easy on the eye. Select fonts and font sizes that facilitate reading. Use the white space well. Do not submit your CV on a computer disk or CD-ROM unless it is specified.

Sample Curriculum Vitae (with Commentary)

List your most recent activities first (under each heading), Pagination after the first page is recommended. Use 10 pt. type or larger.

Authors and Contributors

Submitted by the CAA Professional Practices Committee (1999): Michael Aurbach (chair), Frederick Asher, Whitney Davis, Linda Hults, Dennis Ichiyama, Annette Weintraub, and Richard West. Special thanks to Ellen Konowitz.

Revised by the Professional Practices Committee (2003): D. Fairchild Ruggles, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (chair). Special thanks to Marilyn Brown, Tulane University.