CTS//Dissertation Lecture II//Dissertation: Library Research with Chris Graham.

DISSERTATION LECTURE II//DISSERTATION: LIBRARY RESEARCH WITH CHRIS GRAHAM
Notes from today's lecture programme


*SEE LECTURE NOTE PACK FOR MORE INFORMATION*


FOCUS
RELEVANCE


- Choose your topic, very important. The choice of title will define the research which is carried out.
- Understanding both what is relevant, and what is irrelevant.


Dissertation title ideas, (previous titles)


- "The role of costume within the film "A Taste Of Honey""
- "Did Western society ever need cars; are they a necessity and how have they contributed to the formation of the urban environment?"


The simpler you can keep your focus, the easier it will be for you.


More title ideas...


"The importance of colour in design" 
A little too vague and wide, "design" covers a whole range of mediums- needs to be more defined and specific.


"Helvetica: what is it that made this typeface so successful and dominant within a large market of sans serif typefaces"
"How were female singers represented on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in the 60s and 70s?"
"Through case studies, what advertising strategies result in increased donations within charity advertising?"


- Last three are well defined, focused topics which are well suited to a dissertation format.


PRIMARY & SECONDARY SOURCES


PRIMARY RESEARCH


Gathering your own original data


SECONDARY RESEARCH


Making use of the research and findings of others for corroborations, disagreement, triangulation, theoretical underpinning, etc.


RESEARCH METHODS


- Visual practice, experiment, interest and enquiry (research and critical diaries).
- Questionnaires (statistical data), be well prepared to get all of the information that you need (PILOT IT FIRST, THE FIRST DRAFT TO A FEW PEOPLE- SEE WHAT YOU NEED, GIVE A TIME LIMIT FOR THE RETRN OF THEM).
- INTERVIEWS
- CASE STUDY(/IES)
- SITE VISITS


LITERATURE SEARCH 1


- Books (Academic & Image- based)
- Journals (largely text-based)
- Websites/Blogs/Online forums (not necessarily very accurate)
- Videos/DVDs
- CDs/Tape Casettes/Vinyl Records
- TV/Radio
- Newspapers/Maps/Reports
- Printed Ephemera (printed, with an intention of short-life span...flyers, mailouts, etc)


(SEE RADIO/TV INTERVIEWS WITH RICHARD REED)


*NOTE TO SELF- LOOK AT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, WHAT MADE INNOCENT IMPORTANT*


LITERATURE SEARCH 2


- Knowing where to look most effectively
- Effective use of catalogues:


// Narrowing and broadening search terms
// Using related terms
// Browsing using Dewey Decimal Classification


- Use of contents page and index
- Reading the introduction or abstract (used with journals)
- Using a book's own bibliography to inform further reading
- Library can order in books!


BOOK SEARCH


- Leeds College of Art Library
- Leeds Metropolitan University Library
- University of Leeds (SCONUL) (leeds.ac.uk/library)
- The British Library in Boston Spa (www.bl.uk) > Buy LAW The British Library has to own every book ever published within the UK
- COPAC (http://copac.ac.uk)- All the Universities in the UK combine their libraries to see if your local University has the books you need.


JOURNAL SEARCH 1


- InfoTrac, a store of online magazine articles (http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/leedscad  - Full text information, biliographic details when you print, free service)
- If at college, click "Proceed"
- tryinformarks (password for home)


JSTOR, a store of online magazine articles (http://www.jstor.org)


- Only avaiable on college computers


ATHENS, a store of password protected sites.
Each student who wishes to access this site will need to ask the Librarian for a login and password, athens.ac.uk




END NOTE


- Don't bite off more than you can chew (keep the topic focused and manageable).
- Create a sense of momentum (note taking, writing a draft section when you can, keeping your bibliography up to date).