Week Two: Lynn's Lecture - 13/09/16

In this lecture, we discussed "introducing the research proposal" and "structuring a research project".

The Research proposal goal:

• Present a clear, concise and informed case for your research. 

The proposal builds a case for the research and makes clear how the research is driven by...

• A current issue or thinking that has current social, economic or professional significance.
• A gap in current industrial and/or academic knowledge.
• Potential connections between theories and practices.

The Research Proposal is a 3,500-word document (Due Week 10) which addresses:

• What is the proposed research about?
• What is it trying to find out or achieve?
• What is the body of relevant literature?
• What is the current thinking in this area?
• How does the literature support or inform your position?
• How will you undertake your research?
• What methods, materials and tools will you use?
• What are the expected outcomes and benefits?
• How do ou plan to structure your activity to achieve these outcomes?

Sections of The Research Proposal:

1. Abstract (Overview) 200-300 words

• The abstract is a summary of the entire proposal. Anyone should be able to read this and know what your project aim is, why this is a worthwhile research project , how you plan to go about your research and what the value of the research is.
• This is like the description on the back of a book or a Blu-ray, but it spoils the ending for the reader.
• This should be written last – it's easier to write when you have the rest of the content in place and know what the project is. 

2. Introduction (Setting the scene) 500 words

• The introduction provides an overview of the area of interest and will present enough information to make the project engaging for the reader.
• The proposal should be written for a general audience, therefore, the introduction should avoid specialist terminology and will provide enough information for the reader to understand what the rest of the document is about.
• The introduction will also highlight the main research questions within the proposed project and will finish by setting out the research aim and objectives.

3. Literature/Contextual review (Lay of the land/what have others done) 2000 words

• The case for the project is made by presenting relevant evidence from outside your own practice (i.e. you put the research aim in wider context)
• Within the research proposal, this case will be in the form of a contextual or literature review (2,000 words) which sets the scene for the research, drawing from legitimate sources (Journals, literature, video presentations, articles etc.)
• Here you will establish the conceptual, theoretical and practical context of your proposed research.

Continue building the case...

• Identify and discuss related social, artistic and/or media theories
• Discuss examples of work published or exhibited that has tried to address similar research questions
• Provide rationale for the proposed research and demonstrate the value of the research
• Underpins the proposed research methodology thus when the reader moves on to the next section they can understand why you have chosen the methods you are using. 

4. Methodology (How I will "do it"?) 500 words

• The proposal also provides a structure for the research which makes it clear how the research will be undertaken and what the outputs will be.
• This structure is presented in a methodology section which details what you will do in order to achieve the project aim.
• The methods you select will be informed by the literature/context review and should make sense to the reader

5. Project Plan (Eg. Gannt chart, plan of how to split up time) 

• The proposal includes a timeline to help to showcase that the scope of research is appropriate to the scale of the project.
• A timeline will help you to determine whether you’re trying to do too much or not enough
• It will also help to build a case for the project as it will show you have considered all practical, logistical and personal angles of the project.
• The schedule can (and will) change over the course of the project but helps to show that you are prepared to undertake this course of action.

6. Conclusion (Why is this a valuable project?) 200 words

• The conclusion will summarise why the research is valuable.
• What will the research achieve? How does this help to address the problems, ideas or knowledge gaps identified in the literature review?
• Research is all about generating knowledge and at honours level that knowledge is new to you, but should also be of interest to others at your level.

Note: 

• Don't get bogged down in specifics of the document, but start to build a foundation of knowledge now upon which you could build a case.
• The proposal is graded.
• The project can change from what is proposed, the final project in semester two is not graded against the project proposed in semester one.

Key Pipeline stages:

- "Ideation and scope" is the point I am currently at in my project.

- At this point, the project is broad. There are many questions and lots of ideas.

- In order to set a research aim, I need to find out what I don't know.

Developing Ideas

These are methods I can use to explore my questions and ideas:

Developing and structuring methods:

• Mindmapping
• Post-it's
• Sketching
• Flow Charts

Contextualising Methods: 

• Reading
• Interacting
• Seeing
• Listening
• Talking
• Critique and analysis

Ideation Process:

• Begin reacting to questions and ideas.
• Try to read something new, related to addressing these questions.
• Try to make something inspired by or exploring these questions.
• Try to analyse existing media that is dealing with similar questions.
• Reflect on everything you do - think about what worked, what didn't, what you've learnt and what questions you have now.
• Blog and start again. 

- The research proposal is a milestone. 

- It is a specific project that addresses a research aim in context. 

- It proposes a project that you believe can be achieved in the timeframe of a year.

Research Aims and Objectives:

• Research objectives are the steps you are going to take to answer your research questions, or they are a specific list of tasks you will perform to accomplish your goal.
• You must emphasise how the aims are to be accomplished.
• The aims must be highly focused and feasible.
• The aims must address the more immediate project outcomes.
• The aims must make accurate use of concepts.
• The aims must be sensible and precisely described.
• The aims should read as an individual statement to convey your intentions.