Writing an exegesis

An exegesis is the written text that accompanies a creative project. For that reason, it may not always follow the traditional thesis models of other disciplines. This is because ''practice-led research situates creative practice as both a driver and outcome of the research process; it also positions the researcher in a unique relationship with the subject of the research'' (Hamilton & Luke, 2009, p. 32). The exegesis, therefore, could be considered a new form of academic writing that adds to the diversity of thesis structure.

This page offers guidance on writing an exegesis for creative practice-based research, but it is not a prescriptive template. Exegeses are inherently fluid and varied, and the structure or emphasis can differ depending on your discipline, methodology, and the nature of your creative work.

Use this resource as a starting point, not a rulebook.

This page will help you to:

gain an overview of a research exegesis
understand essential skills required to write a research exegesis
structure and write a research exegesis.

Before you continue, reflect on your previous writing experiences and the feedback you have received. How would you rate your ability in the following skills? Rate your ability from ‘good’ to ‘needs development’.

Reflect on your answers. Congratulations if you feel confident about your skills. You may find it helpful to review the materials on this page to confirm your knowledge and possibly learn more. Don't worry if you don't feel confident. Work through these materials to build your skills.

Understanding an exegesis

This section gives a general overview of the research exegesis.

What is a research exegesis?

Exegeses are critical and reflective companions to creative research outputs. In creative practice-based higher degree research (HDR) projects, an exegesis helps to contextualise, analyse, and explain the creative work. It demonstrates how the practice functions as research and contributes to scholarly knowledge.

Whether your creative component is a novel, performance, film, exhibition, or design, the exegesis bridges your practical exploration with academic research principles. It gives you a space to explain your intentions, methods, influences, and findings.

The exegesis is not simply a description of what you created. It is an academic document that articulates the research inquiry underpinning your creative process and positions your work within relevant disciplinary conversations.

Exegesis vs. Conventional Research Paper

Similarities:

Both are grounded in research and contribute new knowledge.
Both require critical analysis, theoretical framing, and coherent structure.
Both are assessed according to academic standards and must demonstrate originality, significance, and methodological rigour.

Differences:

An exegesis supports a creative artefact as the central research outcome.
The exegesis includes reflection on creative processes as part of the methodology.
It may integrate personal voice and practice-based insights in academically appropriate ways.
Rather than simply presenting findings, it often seeks to articulate insights through the interplay between theory and practice.

The components of an exegesis

This section outlines some common components of an exegesis. However, bear in mind that exegeses are flexible and can vary in structure and emphasis based on discipline, methodology, and the type of creative work, with the outlined elements often being applicable but not necessarily fitting every project or appearing in a different form.

Introduction

A strong exegesis introduction helps the reader understand the scope, focus, and rationale for your research. It sets up the creative work and explains how the exegesis supports it academically. While structures can vary depending on discipline and project, the following moves are commonly expected:

See a short sample below. Your introduction is likely to be significantly longer than this.

Look at the sections below and organise them to match the order of the moves of an introduction.

Contextual review (literature review)

A literature review in a traditional thesis focuses almost entirely on academic sources such as journal articles and scholarly books, synthesising this literature to define a research gap and justifying the research question.

In contrast, an exegesis literature or contextual review combines academic sources with creative precedents—such as artworks, performances, films, or compositions—establishing both a scholarly and creative lineage for the project.

Often referred to as a contextual review, it reflects the practice-based and cultural positioning of creative research. While traditional reviews are typically objective and distanced, the exegesis review is often more situated and reflective, explicitly linking sources to the creative process and showing how thinking and making are intertwined.

It also blends critical analysis with reflective insight, particularly when discussing creative works, and may include the researcher's perspective when framed appropriately.

Finally, where traditional reviews rely almost exclusively on peer-reviewed academic literature, exegesis reviews adopt a broader and more interdisciplinary approach, treating creative artefacts as texts to analyse and incorporating sources such as artist statements, interviews, and exhibition catalogues.

See below some tips for writing a contextual review.

Look at the sentences and decide what function they serve.

Methodology and creative process

The Methodology and Creative Process section of the exegesis explains how your creative research was conducted. It outlines the methodological framework underpinning your practice and reflects critically on the creative decisions, materials, and processes you engaged with.

This section gives examiners and readers insight into the research strategies, artistic techniques, and iterative development of your creative work. It also demonstrates your ability to think reflectively, showing how your practice evolved in response to feedback, experimentation, theory, or new discoveries.

See a short sample below. Your section is likely to be significantly longer than this.

exegesis methodology and creative process

Analysis/Discussion

The Analysis / Discussion section is where you demonstrate how your creative work functions as research. Its main purpose is to offer critical insight into your creative practice by interpreting key moments, choices, or structures in relation to your research questions, contextual review, and methodology.

This section is not simply a description of what you made—it is an opportunity to analyse your creative outcomes and explain what they reveal, explore, or challenge. It allows you to reflect on how your creative decisions were shaped by (and, in turn, shaped) the ideas, theories, and processes you engaged with throughout the project.

In doing so, this section:

shows how theory and practice interact in your research
demonstrates the originality and significance of your creative contribution
makes visible the insights that emerged through making, reflecting, and revising

See below some tips for writing an analysis/discussion section

Conclusion

The conclusion is the final section of the exegesis and serves several important purposes:

To summarise the project’s key insights and contributions
To reflect on how the creative and theoretical components addressed the research questions
To acknowledge the limitations of the project
To suggest future directions for practice or research
To provide a clear summary of the creative and conceptual outcomes
To provide a about the project’s contribution to knowledge, practice, or understanding
To provide a brief reflection on limitations—technical, conceptual, or scope-related
To offer suggestions for further exploration or future creative/research directions

Your conclusion will include:

a clear summary of the creative and conceptual outcomes.
a statement about the project’s contribution to knowledge, practice, or understanding.
a brief reflection on limitations—technical, conceptual, or scope-related.
a suggestions for further exploration or future creative/research directions.

As you write your conclusion, ask yourself:

What did my project reveal or make visible that was not obvious at the outset?
How did my creative work generate, test, or challenge particular ideas?
In what ways does this project extend or contribute to creative practice research?
What limitations or constraints shaped the outcome?
What questions remain unanswered or open for future investigation?