Wednesday 21st September - Lecture & Study
All notes taken from lectures, tutorials and meetings
In Research and development we looked briefly what the module involved and what was expected of us. The hand ins and our assessments and a more in depth way of how my dissertation will form and be marked for the year. How, What and Why were words used a lot and helped me look at my project further and got my brain thinking again.
Some artical work read today - http://nymag.com/movies/filmfestivals/newyork/2007/38025/,
http://louderthanwar.com/featured/jim-jarmusch-is-our-favourite-film-director-so-with-great-pleasure-we-reprint-this-classic-interview-with-him-by-ian-johnston,
http://aarrrggghhh.tripod.com/misnscn.html
An excellent interview with JJ - http://louderthanwar.com/featured/jim-jarmusch-is-our-favourite-film-director-so-with-great-pleasure-we-reprint-this-classic-interview-with-him-by-ian-johnston
27th September - Lecture
Scope of the proposal: What do I want to make/create, think about that and try to formulate my ideas to bring for drop in sessions or meetings.
With rationale in mind, I have to demonstrate a high level of mastery of my subject, investigate my subject or some aspect and contribute to the knowledge base. Which equates to more than how & why. Think about this when coming to do my presentation in pitch week. I really need to get across that I know what I my subject matter in terms of context and exactly why I want to do it and what I aim to get out of it personally and professionally.
When looking at scientific research - I should think in terms of gathering data or evidence from controlled experiments which ties in with comparing and contrasting, evaluating and developing objective outcomes. Theories can develop from experimental activities/methods that I use. when doiong this I have to cover all areas because there will always be a what about or have you considered question lurking about in there.
ASPECTS:
Theory - assumptions & models
Hypothesis - research question
Data/Evidence
Experiment design
Analysis
Discussion
Publication
When thinking about theory, this explains why things happen within the world. I can find therories within literarture within my subject field
Hypothesis - if I know the theory of an underlying assumption I can make a prediction. This can be used to ultimately test the theory that I have. The hypothesis can relaate to my research question and then use the theory behind it to test it using hypothesis.
Data/Evidence - with the hypothesis often being a statement cast in the form of a research question, I then have to work out what data or evidence is needed to answer said question or aim.
Once I know what data is needed I have to work out what expeirments I will need to undertake to achieve the answers I am seeking. These experiments have to be honest, fair, unbiased and verfyiable. This is my experimental design
Data analysis - once I have collected the data I need to analyse it to see if I have answered my question
Discussion - I need to discuss the data found: how does it compare to existing evidence, does it conform or contradict, does it still leave a level of uncertanty and was I correct in making my hypothesis.
Publishing - I need to be ready to share my work with fellow workers for discussing and testing
My proposal document must cover all aspects of the mentioned above
What is it about?
What am I trying to achieve?
How will I do it?
What will I learn?
Why is it worth doing?
This will be a stand alone doc, that will be read by non experts and I wont be on hand to explain it. So I need to make sure I am clear and consisce with what I am trying to convey.
We also looked at Summon. A helpful tool for finding works and journals on relevant literarture.
4th October - Meeting with Colin
I had a meeting with Colin today, I was worried my idea for a research question was looking too much like a review of a film technique. I discussed for the 15 minutes my proposal for my project and he was very helpful in terms of pointing me in the right direction. He agreed I had a project there I just had to refine it in more detail and work out how I plan to test my hypothesis in a more advanced way.
5th October - Lecture
Today we looked at the Research question. This is central to the proposal and following on from previous weeks the proposal should involve; What, Why and How.
What - describes what the research is trying to find out. Ultimately phrased in terms of research questions starting more general and becoming specific - the equivelent to aims and objectives.
Why - Justifies why the research is worth doing (think in terms of rationale). Acknowledging that resources are required and this is my arguement to why I should do my project.
How - How I plan to conduct my research and what data will be required to answer my reseach questions or objectives - once again relating to prof practice.
Hierarchy of concept - the development of research questions can be viewed as moving up or down from abstract to specific:
Research area
Research topic(s)
General research Q's
Specific research Q's
Data collection questions
Using this suggests links between levels. It should be obvious how at one level it is used to generate the level below. If this is the case the research will have validity and consistancy. I can use this to develop my propsal and communicate it. Aso helpful identifying the literature search methods.
Research topic = AIM
General Questions - OBJECTIVES
Specific questions = TASKS
All insequential to prof practice as well - inter linked.
link to the summon research page - http://abertay.summon.serialssolutions.com/
