ILLU5060 - Conclusion & Dissertation Intro

Conclusion & Dissertation Intro Lecture Notes

Third year independent dissertation academic research requirement for degree with hons.
Research summary

• Formative assessment
• Plan & rationale for essay, 500 words
• + bibliography
• Research evidence: blog
• October Deadline

Dissertation

• Summative (100%)
• Academic essay 4000 words (+/- 10%)
• +Bibliography
• Referenced using Harvard system
• Deadline December

Each student to be assigned a personal tutor.
Workshops: researching, academic writing & researching.
Subject choice

• One that will sustain your interest.
• That you can do justice to within the time frame.
• Linked to some element of visual culture/ design/ your own practice.
• That has toom for debate & argument.
• A chance to test out/ explore a subject of choice.

Thinking & writing critically

• Purpose: pursuing a line of inquiry and/ or argument.
• Links with History & Practice (Year 1) & The Critical Designer (Year 2)
• Context that cultural texts carry markers of the culture in which they were created.
• Siting design/ artist texts within theoretical frameworks.
• Finding links with your own creative practice.

Things to avoid

• Potted history – chronological narrative of history.
• Anything too descriptive or fact driven. Make a point, don’t just record events.
• Designer biographies/ monographs. Avoid one singular subject without additional perspectives.
• Personal rants presented without evidence. Get some sources behind your arguments.
• Tackling too broad a subject area. Set limits on the scope.

Essay Proposal

• Initial statement of intent – subject area & approach.
• Email digital copy by 4th June.
• Initial feedback before proceeding.
• Changing ideas.

Working Title

• First attempt of many, title will be revised over & over again.
• Try to sum up your theme/ line of inquiry in one or two lines.
• Can be structured as a question or…
• A short/ succinct phrase followed by a more precise exposition of research inquiry.

Outline/ abstract

• Abstract: A paragraph prefacing an academic essay.
• Short – 150/ 350 words.
• Non subjective no first/ second person.
• Brief context/ theme.
• Scope of subject area – what will be covered.
• Specific line of inquiry.

Key aims & objectives

• What do you want to achieve in your essay?
• Address key arguments.
• Consider scope.
• Try to specify 3 key aims.
• Written as clear statements of intent.

Research Methods

• Start by constructing a reading list.
• Try to locate key-texts on your subject to help refine and explore your theme.

Secondary research

• Critical frameworks (or fields of study).
• Literature review.
• Books, online journals & magazines.
• Artist works & media texts.
• Other publicly assessable information.

Primary Research

• Formal structural analysis of texts.
• Application of theoretical ideas.
• Interviews, surveys & questionnaires.
• Observation.
• Case studies.
• Practice led research: observations, experiments & studio practice.

Find research strategies that are relevant and applicable to your theme and argument.
Research visuals – mind mapping, flow charts.
June – July
Essay proposal form – emailed by 4th June.
Make research plan – methods to suit your subject area.
Literature search – Draw up a reading list of secondary research material.
Initial reading – Effective ways of collating information – research blog, notes.
August – September
Reconsider scope – revisit initial proposal & refine if necessary
Hone subject area – formulate key ideas & arguments.
Active secondary research – begin to substantiate ideas that will form written work.
Primary research – consider surveys, conduct interviews, contact organisations/ individuals etc.
Identify/ deal with any potential problems.
Refine scope – Restrict what you can/ will cover in 4,000 words.