Design Research Dissertation - Project 1: Research Implementation / Draft Dissertation

2/9/2022 - 16/10/2022 ( Week 1- Week 7 )

Sasilvia Cheong Pei Hoong / 0345031 / Bachelors of Design in Creative Media

Design Research Dissertation

Project 1: Research Implementation / Draft Dissertation

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INSTRUCTION

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Project 1

In project 1, we were tasked to write a dissertation draft with no less than 7000 words utilizing what we did for Design Research Methodology last semester. 

Below is the guide for the estimated word count for each sections: 

Fig. 1.1 Guide for estimated word count 

We then proceeded with identifying the themes for sub-sections literature review via the literature review matrix spreadsheet. After that we had to plan out the points for our the literature review section.

 

Fig. 1.1 Literature matrix and points 

After planning everything out we then had to proceed into writing the draft dissertation.

Fig. 1.2 Draft dissertation 1 

I rephrase most of the sentences and designed the tables and figures.

Fig. 1.3 Draft dissertation 2 

After some feedback from Dr. Hayati I made a few changes and finalize the format of the dissertation, the table of contents, list of tables and illustrations, and page numbers.

Fig. 1.4 Draft dissertation 3 

Final

Fig. 2.1 Final draft dissertation

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FEEDBACK

Week  2 -

Identify the similarities and differences for the literature review. The title should be changed to “ The study on understanding the cultural representation in anime characters”. It is better not to start the literature review with the question mark, “An overview of anime” which can be the title, with the introduction of anime. Look back at the introduction that the authors did and how they covered the content that they had. Add in anime in character design and stereotypes to specify it since it could have meant, as games, movies and so on. “Own Race Projection” can be placed together with racial categorization since the word does not click on its own. Cross-cultural acceptance should go before stereotypes. Foreigners can be changed to “International representation”. Add a comma to show that “Nihonjinron” is a foreign word.

Week  4 -

General feedback: 

50% of the draft marks comes from the literature review and discussion section. When you write a sentence think about if you have been critical enough to synthesize, have you describe effectively, did you weave the statement across different citations from the authors from the 5 articles. Be able to read the sentence and see if it makes sense, does it show the comparison, compare and contrast, show the significant in terms of strength and weaknesses. If those are included then it should not be a problem.

Personal feedback: 

The first sentence in 3.0 research methods is confusing. When you have an open-ended question regardless the amount within the quantitative instrument they are still a quantitative method, because most of it is something that you can quantify and statistically incline. However, there is qualitative findings within the quantitative instrument. In the open-ended question, in terms of analysis wise to be treated as qualitative, but they are the quantitative instrument. The open-ended question is still a quantitative instrument but the result should be treated as a qualitative result because they are open-ended questions they can't be quantified in terms of figure, number or statistic, only for these 4 questions out of 20. Instead write this “ You have chosen quantitative instruments, quantitative method, however in the instrument there is some qualitative findings based on that 4 question which is open-ended questions. In 3.1, it is designed to tell about the questions made and describe it. Support with some statements about the social media platforms that you have chosen to use. When there is rich data, put them in a table and describe what has been found, compare and contrast the data that has been collected.

Week  5 -

In 4.0 it is about analyzing and not just paraphrasing. Here are a few examples for the topic (1) data findings, (2) Research findings and analysis, (3) Research result and analysis. There should be an intro explaining the section. The analysis for the demographic findings, can be placed in a table instead of using a pie chart, the describe with description. Reflect back which findings are effective and which one is not in giving the answers.

Week  6 -

It is best to have part of the conclusion done before doing section 1. Make sure to refer to and describe the table, do not assume that people would just understand the table alone. It would be good to make the words to justify for it to look neater. After finishing the discussion, it is best to check the word count to make sure that you have made it to the required word count. Must be able to distinguish when to write 4 in numbers or 4 in numeracy, when the number is at the beginning of a sentence, for example, “200 participants” it can not be written in numbers, rather put it in spelling for. If you have enough topics to discuss to separate out the subtopics into more detailed subtopics why not, but it has to be indicated before the sub headers are placed.

Week  7 -

Do not call it research rationale anymore, it was applicable to your proposal time. You can call it the research background or significant of the study. It is to make reader’s know why is this study important. Information from the past rationale can be use but it needs to be rephrase certain things so that it does not sound like a rationale, such as the important of this research. Look at the examples in google classroom. Hint the research problem in the introduction. Reflect on the research objectives and questions, or you can put it in a table format so that people are able to see it more clearly. Try to avoid starting a sentence with “for”, instead use “In reflection of the research , the possibilities of certain engagement in future research……” . The appendix should be describe in the first few sections so that readers can go there and refer to the appendices later on. For example “refer to the appendix ?, in ? page”.

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REFLECTION

Week  1 -

Honestly, I was not ready to proceed with dissertation at all, I am extremely terrified. Everyone says it is a hard module so that did not help with my constant anxiety at all. The first thing I did was take a deep breath and accept my fate, then I proceed into rereading my critical review to refresh what I had done. After that, I started identifying the themes for the sub-sections for the Literature Review via the Literature Review Matrix sheet. When I looked at the Matrix spreadsheet, my mind went completely blank, it took me a while to be able to write things down. I found that the pros and cons were time-consuming to come up with since I did not exactly write everything down in my critical review. For sure my critical review was not perfect since I had to make major last minutes changes to it before, so minor hiccups were made where some information was not jotted down. As for the conclusion part, I had to read through the conclusion of the article again and paraphrase what I needed to write. The theme was not so bad to come up with at all, I found that in our final project in the recorded presentation slides that it was possible to use the summary from the key literature to make it the theme of the literature.

Week  2 -

This week, I did my draft dissertation on section 2. I was a little confused actually,  so it took me a while to understand what I had to write, I can’t say for sure that I did it right, my brain has not been interpreting things like usual lately. I took the old version of my critical review where I analysed the articles individually and it helped me come up with what I needed to write. I also had to make some changes in the sub-topics for the literature review, the wording of them and also taking some sub-topics out as the main topic is enough to cover it.

Week  3 -

I actually did not have much time this week to write anything, I was extremely busy with other modules since there were a lot of weekly exercises and also a deadline coming soon. I was able to write down a little for the research methodology. First, I look at the PDF notes that were given by Dr. Hayati in Google Classroom to understand what we had to write down for our research methodology section 3. I find that the second PDF file that was attached was extremely helpful in planning out what to write. I really loved how there was a detailed explanation under each section as well. For a confused person like me that PDF file was a lifesaver, however I could not really understand anything from the first PDF file at all, my brain just could not comprehend the words.

Week  4 -

It was a really busy week again, I barely had any sleep. This week we were tasked on writing the results and discussions. Since I was not done with research methodology last week yet I decided to finish it first and paraphrase some sentences as well. The research methodology was actually pretty enjoyable to write, it was the one time I did not have a mental breakdown writing something. After I was done, I went through the PDF files in Google Classroom again and then I went through my old data collection from DRM and paraphrase some of the findings.

Week  5 -

I’m a bit behind this week, there were seriously way too many assignments to do it was so hard to manage even when I spend the whole day doing them I still can’t manage to finish any of them that’s how much we have. I had multiple mental breakdowns, several art blocks and the deadline is around the corner. I did not have any time to actually touch the dissertation at all, but I hope I will be able to finish it soon.

Week  6 -

This week I was able to finish writing everything from the results analysis, discussion, conclusion, introduction and abstract thank goodness. I spend 3 days trying to complete all the work before the feedback session. I was only left with editorial stuffs like the table of contents, list of tables and figures and some double-checking to do.

Week  7 -

This week I did lots of double-checking on the dissertation, it took me around 2 days and a half to rewrite some parts, double checking and doing the editorial stuffs. One thing I learned is to always make sure everything is right before doing the table of contents because if there is a slight mistake in the numbering, you’ll have to go back and look at the table of contents all over again, the same thing goes to the list of tables and figures.

Overall  -

This project was definitely not kind to me, having to write 7000 words gave me the shock of my life. Not being a fan of reading and writing, it was a struggle to come up with words and sentences that makes sense, since sometimes in my head it makes sense but when others read it, it is just word vomit. I do feel extremely proud of myself for being able to complete this in time, as past me would find it completely impossible.