Organising Your Research Project

Organising Your Research Project

Palgrave Study Skills Critical Thinking Skills Developing Effective Analysis and Argument - Stella Cottrell

Doing Your Research Project - Judith Bell 

400 hours input 

6-9000 words min or max 10 percent over or under

Informed practical outcome answering set question/hypothesis 

14th Janu 2-4pm deadline 

Submit a substantial draft by xmas break

Indepth/cohesive research project with practical and textual outcomes

Extensive body of research primary & secondary good academic sources

Analysis and evaluation 

Coherent argument

Planning the project

Re write proposal 

Write down all questions that I want to investigate 

Consider each on there merits and focus on tow, a primary and a secondary. Complimentary or contrasting

A4 'first thoughts' sheet for each 

What is the purpose of the study? Is your question researchable? 

Working title/question

Title

Ideally the title should provide a thesis or an answerable assertion

Maybe opt for a title and a subtitle

Make notes of the key questions that your research raises as you go along. Try to encapsulate all of these in the overarching title.

15-20 words

Choose an appropriate tone

Ready for discussion with tutor on first tutorial 

Project outline

Consider timings and timescales

Where and what I want done at each stage/week/day

Think about working title and the different components that need researching, whats most important etc

Allocate timings for everything

Draw up a project outline based on above

Allow generous time for initial readings and investigations of problems

Consider presentation of outcomes eg blog and formatting collation of outcomes both physical and on blog 

Consider all tutorial sessions as mini deadlines

11th Dec 11 for turnitin 

Literature Search - 1/2 Days

Plan focused readings 

100 hours reading 

Plan what I want to find out within my reading

Find out writers who specialize in my subject 

5-6 Key base books

10 complimentary supplementary books 

15-20 books to add small support and triangulation 

www.jstor.org journals are good for precise arguments that can revolve around y question

Google scholar 

British Library 

Referencing

Start compiling a bibliography NOW using Harvard referencing 

Name, forename, date, place, publisher, page

Gather quotes etc

Structure Dissertation into chapters

Separated into set chapters

Each chapter to evidence a different theoretical/methodological approach 

Introduction to explain the structure of the chapters that will be different in focus aiming towards a conclusion that draws chapters together 

Think about how chapters relate to practical practice 

Move from general subjects and points to specific and focused 

Approaches to Research

Quantitative 

Surveys

Data Collection/Market Research

Qualitative 

Interviews

Participant observation

Reflective Journal

Action research