Synopses
– MA Research Methods – 01 October 2021
Introduction to MA Research Methods and What is Research and Research Design
This first MA Research Methods session elucidated the lecture series; indeed, over the span of 10 weeks, an impressive array of speakers are going to be discussing the importance of research in the context of design.
During the lecture, Dr Danah Abdullah explained that whilst primary research is collected by the researcher, secondary research is data that has already been sourced and that can be found by said researcher. There are also several means to go about gathering primary and secondary research. Dr Abdullah also explained that there are two kinds of data that can be acquired: qualitative data focuses on characteristics and descriptions whereas quantitative data relies on measurable variables.
Research Design is the plan that the researcher comes up with to conduct a study. It implicates an objective, a research question, as well as the types of research and data that will be required.
– MA Research Methods – 08 October 2021
Literature Review and Research Question(s)
A literature review is a text that ‘describes, summarises, evaluates, and clarifies the literature’. It is a body of work that is edited and iterated throughout the writing process. It offers insight on related studies and establishes the relevance, context and importance of the research. Furthermore, it helps ‘articulate the relationship between the literature and the field of research’.
Research questions take on different forms, depending on the information that they aim to distribute (how, what, why…). Good research questions are open-ended, evolving, and draw attention to the significance of the research.
Exercise: Take the work of a contemporary designer you are interested in and construct a research question regarding their work.
The contemporary design team that I have chosen is Koto Studio; a branding agency that I got to discover through a GDC professional talk at Chelsea College of Arts. The team has worked with a wide range of clients of various sizes and prides itself in its optimistic character.
The research question that I have formulated is the following:
How do contemporary social issues impact Koto’s creative decisions?
– MA Research Methods – 15 October 2021
Mapping & research methods
This week’s MA Research Methods lecture was delivered by Peter Hall. Mapping is an engaging way to present information and can be utilised across several domains including politics and psychology.
– MA Research Methods – 22 October 2021
Introduction to practice-based research ethics in art and design at UAL
Delivered by Tim Stephens, this week’s MA Research Methods lecture surrounded the topic of ethics, particularly in the context of writing a post-graduate research piece. Stephens explained that whilst most student-lead projects do not require an ethics form, ethically complex projects might require one.
An engaging conversation with an interviewee might entail asking questions that might come off as direct, complex or challenging. Setting boundaries is a crucial preliminary step to the interview process; participant information and consent form might be helpful in setting the level of involvement that they might be willing to have in one’s project as well as the rights that they hold (recordings/data is management…).
Values, beliefs, morals, principles, duties and ethics all play a role in the interview process. The hierarchy of these terms is personal and their involvement in a project might be conjured up during the interview. Stephens offered an interpretation of the terms — whilst principles add a level of formality to the work, morals are negotiated and agreed upon. Ethics were said to be the most important as they provide the framework of the other notions.
Dialogues help clarify ethical issues within projects. Within the University context, the dialogue process is presented as the following:
Ethical Concern -> Dialogue with Tutor -> Tutor dialogue with CL (Course Leader) -> CL dialogue with PD (Programme Director) -> PD sends to EESC (European Economic and Social Committee)
Finally, a project’s standard of ethics might be dependant on certain factors such as time, available resources, knowledge, and modes of representation & experiencing. Whilst most practice research dose not involve significant risk, some subjects and modes of speech/behaviour must be avoided (i.e. hateful, exploitative, obscene and indecent speech/behaviour). Some courses include risk-taking as part of their learning outcomes as it might help exhibit a sense of originality that might otherwise not be displayed.
Manage risk and be ethically mindful and aware.
– MA Research Methods – 5 November 2021
Visual research and Deconstruction
This MA Research Methods session was delivered by Caryn Simonson and Dr Sian Weston and touched on the complexities of visual imagery within creative practices — particularly its production, reception and interpretation.
Visual analysis can help amplify visual literacy: visual imagery does not exist in a vacuum as it usually comes in the form of a ‘product of cultural construction’. Regardless of its form (e.g. an advertisement or a film), the visual imagery that surrounds us is, most often, carefully crafted to send a specific message. Imagery viewers have an active role to play: ‘using critical analysis and theory to uncover underlying potential meanings’. Visual analysis is therefore heavily reliant on the viewer, their ‘bank of knowledge’ (as referred to by Simonson). As previously mentioned, imagery does not stand in isolation: the viewer is constantly referring to other images, be it consciously or subconsciously. By deconstructing an image, one can find a lot about a brand’s record, ideologies and identity.
– MA Research Methods – 19 November 2021
Making and Prototyping
This online MA Research Methods lecture was given by Simon Maidment. Maidment touches on the topic of Intelligent Making which is defined as design that takes into account a material’s values, properties and capabilities. Existing methods of making can be deconstructed, applied in various ways and contexts and can lead to exciting results. Knowledge surrounding materials can best be acquired practically, by working in close proximity with them.
– MA Research Methods – 26 November 2021
Researcher Participant Place
This week’s lecture was delivered by Luise Vormittag and surrounds the topic of ethnography; the depiction of individuals within their cultures and environments. Often assumed to be a neutral act, writing about others is embedded with subjectivity and can only be considered a partial truth. Being mindful of biases, partial perspectives, and working closely with the individuals that one may be writing about helps in telling their story.
– MA Research Methods – 10 December 2021
Data Analysis
This week’s MA Research Methods lecture was delivered by Dr Danah Abdulla and surrounded the topic of data analysis. Dr Abdulla kick-started the session with a reminder of the two main types of research that we can source for our research: quantitative data and qualitative data. Data presentation takes on several forms (e.g. research design, literature review, raw data) and can be sourced from traditional (e.g. letters to newspapers) or non-traditional (e.g. videos) sources.
Analysing data requires a plan:
- Data Collection and Management
- Organising and Preparing Data
- Coding and Describing Data
- Classifying, categorising, identifying themes
- Connecting and interrelating data
- Interpretation, creating explanatory accounts, providing meaning
The researcher has to be selective in choosing data – the research might otherwise be too overwhelming. Analysing data early on helps the researcher understand if they need to collect more data to help them further in responding to their question. It also suggests whether or not the data is relevant or if they might have any questions that surround the topic. It is important for the researcher to be transparent with the reader (sample) and inform them;
- how/why they’re collecting the data
- what type of design they’re using and why
There are several tools & techniques for collecting data (e.g. recorders, cameras, notebooks, observational drawings, recording body language) It’s also important for the researcher to validate the accuracy of the information that they source and share. In terms of structure, on should be able to justify why one method/strategy is better/more efficient than another.
Last but not least, it’s worth noting that writing is a reflection of one’s own interpretation based on several factors such as culture, social class and personal politics. The writer is conscious of the biases, values, and experiences that they bring to a study.