Design Research Methodology // Proposal

01.09.22 - 25.09.22 (Week 1- Week 4) 

Emelyne How Sok Hing (0352938) 

Bachelor of Design (Hons) Creative Media 

Design Research Methodology // Proposal 

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LECTURES
Week 1: 
What is research? 
- It is the systematic and creative investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. 
- Increase the stock of knowledge. (humans, culture and society) 

- Pursuit of knowledge. 

Why should I do research? 
- Expands understanding and knowledge of your academic field.

- Defines your academic, career and persona interests. 

- Gain academic experiences

- Develop critical thinking, leadership, time management, and communication skills

- Explore research techniques

How should I start? 
- Identify your field of interest. 

- Delve into further research about it to establish an area

- In the form of a statement, write a bit more extensively about the research problem.

- Formulate a research question that is derived from the research problem.

- Identify research objective(s) that you would like to achieve from conducting this research. 

The Research Problem
Factors to take into consideration:

1. Interest

2. Expertise

3. Data availability

4. Relevance

5. Ethics

Steps in Research Problem Formulation
Step 1 - Identification of subject area

Step 2 - Problem definition and identification

Step 3 - Literature Review

Step 4 - Selection of research design, subjects and data collection techniques 
Step 5 - Data Gathering

Step 6 - Data Processing and Analysis

Step 7 - Implications and conclusions

Step 8 - Publish and communicate results

4 key Characteristics of Sub-Problems
1. Each sub problem should be a completely researchable unit.

2. Each sub problem must be clearly tied to the interpretation of the data.

3. The subproblem must add up to the totality of the problem.

4. Sub problems should be small in number.

Week 2: 
Problem statement, Research question, Research Objective

Problem Statement 
It is a concise description of an issue to be addressed or a condition to be improved upon. It identifies the gab between the current (problem) state and desired (goal) state of a process or product. 

How to write a problem statement 

• What is the goal of a statement of problem? 

It is to transform a generalised problem (something that bothers you; a perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem one that can be resolved through focused research and careful decision-making. 

A persuasive problem statement consists of three parts: 

1. The ideal

Describes a desired goal or ideal situation, explains how things should be.

2. The reality 

Describes a condition that prevents the goal, state or value from being achieved or realised at this time. 

3. The consequences

Identifies the way you propose to improve the current situation and move it closer to the goal or ideal. 

4 steps to write a statement problem

Step 1: Construct Statement 1 by describing a goal or a desired state of a given situation, phenomenon etc. 

Step 2: Describe a condition that prevents the goal, state or value from being achieved.

Step 3: Connect steps 1 and 2 using a term such as 'but', 'however', 'unfortunately' or 'in spite of'

Sep 4: Using specific details show how the situation in step 2 contains little promise of improvement unless something is done. Then emphasise the benefits of research by projecting the consequences of possible solutions as well. 

Research Question
It is an answerable inquiry into a specific concern or issue. Also known as the initial step. The latter means that after we established a research problem in the form of a statement,, the research question is the first active step. 

Basic Process in writing a research question
1. Specify your specific concern or issue.

2, Decide what you want to know about the specific concern or issue

3. Turn what you want to know and the specific concern into a question

4. Ensure that the question in answerable

5, Check to make sure the question is not too broad or too narrow

Developing Your Research Question

A good research question defines the investigation, sets boundaries and provides direction. 

Research Objective
It describes what we expect to achieve by a project. It can be linked with a hypothesis or can be used as a statement of purpose in a study that does not have a hypothesis. 

It can also serve to guide the activities of a research.

Hypothesis 
It is a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables. It is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in a study.

Hypothesis does not have to be correct. 

Variables
It is something that can be changed or varied. 

Week 3: 
Formulating Research Questions & Connecting to Research Objective

What is research question? 

Uncertainty = data needs

Refining 'ideas' into research questions
- Begins with general uncertainty about a creative industry issue. 

- Narrows down to a concrete, researchable issue. 

Translating uncertainty to research question

- Frames problem in specific terms (Cultural Identity / Character for Animation)

- Focuses on one issue

- Is written in everyday language

- Can use more than one verb, if needed

- Should link the question to the potential action that would be taken once the question is answered

- Is stated as a question!

Sources of Research Questions

1. Mastering the search of published literature.

- Continue review of work of others in the area of interest

2. Being alert to new ideas and techniques

- Observe scholar and practitioner research outcomes / conferences / pod cast and other forms of publication.

- Having a skeptical attitude about prevailing beliefs

- Applying new technologies to old issues

3. Keeping the imagination roaming

- Careful observation; teaching and learning, tenacity

4. Your supervisor or peer as guide/mentor

Two categories of research questions

1. Descriptive questions

- Involve observations to measure quantity

- No comparison groups/interventions

2. Analytical questions

- Involve comparisons / interventions to test a hypothesis

Steps in conceiving a research question

1. Review of state-of-art information

2. Raise a question

3. Decide worth investigating by peer-review

4. Define measurable exposures & outcomes

5. Sharpen the initial question

6. Refine the question by specifying details

Good research question should pass the ‘so what?’ test

1. Feasible

Adequate number of participants, technical expertise & resources

2. Interesting

3. Novel

- Confirms, refutes or extends previous findings

- Provides new information

4. Ethical

- Amenable to a study that ethics committee will approve

5. Relevant

- Advance creative media knowledge, improve practice, influence policy (broadcasting, information and cyber law)

Statement of research hypothesis

- A specific version of research question

- Summarizes main elements of study

- Establishes basis for test(s) of statistical significance

- Main elements : Sample, Exposures and Outcomes

- Stated for analytical questions with comparison groups

- For research questions with terms: greater or less than, causes, leads to, compared with, more likely than, associated with, related to, similar to or correlated with

- Purely descriptive questions DO NOT require hypothesis

Characteristics of good hypothesis
1. Simple
2. Specific
3. Stated in advance

Translating research questions to objectives

- Frame in systematic creative terms

- Take the question in a few limited axis

- Write in systematic creative language

- Make use of no more than one verb for each

- Sort as primary and secondary

- Be clear about the type of question:

- Descriptive questions (Measuring a quantity)

- Analytical/experimental questions (Testing a hypothesis)

Descriptive: Estimating a quantity

Use the verb “Estimate”

Analytical: Testing a hypothesis
Use the verb “Determine”

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INSTRUCTIONS

Week 1: 

Our task for those 4 weeks is to find a topic which needs to be related to our field of specialisation. After finding what we want to do, we are to write a proposal consisiting of a Title, Research Theme, Research Topic, Research Problem, Hypothesis (optional), Research Rationale, Problem Statement, Research Objectives & Questions and finally References. 

After trying to find some articles on Google Scholar, I came up with this first draft. 

Figure 1.0 First draft of my proposal, 3rd September 2022

Week 2: 

After hearing some feedbacks from the lecturer, I realised that my topic was way too broad and that if  wanted to do something that I would be able to complete in this semester, I needed to narrow down my options. So, here is the second draft that I made. 

Figure 1.1 Second draft of my proposal, 9th September 2022

Week 3: 

Well, this time at least I am a bit more closer to what I am expected to do. I was able to narrow down my options but I guess that this time it was a bit too much. So, referring to the feedbacks that I got, here I am with my third draft. 

Figure 1.3 Third draft of my proposal, 15th September 2022

Week 4: 

This time I would say that I'm almost done with my proposal but I just need to make some more adjustments. 

Final Proposal 

Figure 1.4 Final Proposal, 24th September 2022

Revised Final Proposal 

Figure 1.5 Revised Final Proposal, 16th October 2022

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FEEDBACKS

Week 1:

General feedback: We were told to choose a topic related to our field of specialisation. We were also recommended to use Google Scholar as a site to do our research and find articles

Week 2: 

Special feedback: I was told to narrow down my research topic and try to find something more specific and easy. 

General feedback: Preferably use Google Scholar as it is easier to find the files and articles.

Week 3: 

Special feedback: Instead of focusing on only 1 principle of animation, it would be better if I did all of them. Maybe try to find articles based on studies of the 12 principles of animation. 

Week 4: 

Special feedback: The title of my research problem sounds too objective. I need to rephrase it and try to use other words. I also need to pick some movies so as to find some study cases and narrow down my choices. Moreover, I should keep 2 objectives and try to find at least 3 research questions based on both. 

General feedback: We should attend the library workshop at 12.00 sharp so that we have enough time to complete what we are requested to do. 

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REFLECTIONS

Honestly, at first glance I was not very much excited for this course as I knew that we would have to write and do a lot of research. Even after 4 weeks I would not say that I am the most enthusiastic about this subject. When we were requested to choose a topic based on our specialisation, I wanted to do something based on the behind the scenes of animators as I thought it would be an interesting topic for me based on mental health. However, as things did not go as plan, I was a bit clueless on what to do and what kind of topic would interest me rather than what I chose at first. After some more research, I picked the principles of animation as I remember that I was told that I should choose something that would help me evolve and improve when I will be doing my specialisation in animation. So, I thought of going with the basics. I would say that writing a problem statement and a rationale is way harder than it looks. It can be confusing at times but also frustrating because a lot of times despite reading and watching the lectures, I still felt lost on what I had to write. After a while, I was able to find something which at least looked a bit interesting to me and that I knew I would be able to continue with it without getting too bored or tired of it. I found out that doing this subject will require a lot of research, reflection and critical thinking.