WEEK 1: RESEARCH

Dr Scott Turner

WHY ME?•PhD•Successful PhD students•Professional researcher•Published

Module Assessment 1: Proposal (15%)

Due within the next six weeks.

Assessment 2: Dissertation (85%) Due September. Due January with written agreement of Peter Leadbetter.

Today

Introduction Activities Library

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

DO SOMETHING YOU ARE INTERESTED IN

...BUT CONSIDER OTHERS AS WELL.

Question

Refine the Question

SO WHAT? PRINCIPLES

So What?

Why is this work interesting?

So What?

What is new?

So What?

What is going to impress?

So What?

Why is it going to impress?

So What?

Could it be published?

WHEN DO YOU START?

...NOW

TIME IS NO EXCUSE

Activity 1

What is the Semantic Web? (1 ½ Hours with break)

SUPERVISORS

Your first point of contact for your project.

Get one as soon as possible!

Project is your responsibility not theirs.

It is expect you look at the course material for duties of each party.

Ultimate Two Aims

To get an MSc

Ultimate Two Aims

To convince people you are right!

ALL COMES DOWN TO EVIDENCE

For example

Experimental Support from others work

PLANNING AND PREPARATION

Time

Read around Write Test Build Design Refine

Resources

What? Where? When? Why?

Methods

What are the options?

Activity 2

Create a plan for a project that uses the Semantic Web (1/2 Hour)

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

AIM

Single general statement outlining the project.

Objectives

Individual activities to reach the aim.

Objectives

All most be... SMART

Specific

Be precise about what you are going to do.

Specific

Use actions verbs – e.g. build, conduct, develop, design.

Measurable

How is that objective going to be measured.

Achievable

Can it be done?

Achievable

If it is not achievable/too big what use is it?

Achievable

Objectives should motivate.

Realistic

Do you have the resources?

Realistic

Can it be done in the time?

Timely

When will the objective be achieved?

OBJECTIVES SHOULD MOTIVATE

Activity 3:

Background: To go into schools and deliver a series of workshops activities to year 7 to 10 students that combines engineering, computing and waste management.

Activity 3: Objective 1

To have delivered a minimum of six session sessions (12 hours) of the funded project to 120 students by March 2011.

Is this SMART?

Activity 4

Go to the NILE sites and either Use the print/view version of the course

material (pg 30) Self test on the learning objects under

the aims and objectives section.

Do this activity (starting now and bring back next week)

Activity 5

14:00-15:30 : IT room 1 in Avenue Library

Session: Library and searches. To be lead by: Helena Beeson Helena can be there for guidance for

the whole time if need be.

Meet at the entrance to the library at 14:00.

Activities : outside class Complete activity 4 Meet potential supervisors Refine your research question Literature search for your project

WEEK 2: PLANNING AND SOURCES

Sources

Select a topic

Sources

Define your terms and terminology

Not always as easy as it sounds

Sources

Not always as easy as it sounds

Sources

Define your parameters

Information overloading

Sources

Identify the sources

Sources

What is a good source?

‘Paper’ Sources

Books Journals Thesis and Dissertations

Internet and electronic sources Google ? Google Scholar? What else? E-Journals/Electronic version of Journals

REVIEWING LITERATURE

Why?What?How?

Reading

Not just reading

Previous similar products

Reading

Basically knowing what others have done.

As you read...

Become critical

Look for relationships

Not acceptable

Only present facts /figures

Incoherent presenting pattern

Not acceptable

Only other people’s thoughts It is your work!

Not acceptable

Unnecessarily limited evidence of reading.

Activity 6:approx. ½ hour

Why we reference? How we reference? How to be construct a reference? How do we use references with in the

text? Go to

http://www.glomaker.org/samples/GLOMaker_Ref_books/GLO_Player.html

This can be found on page 41 of the notes or Exercise 1 on the Learning Object

Considerations

Avoid getting bogged down

Considerations

You can’t read everything

Considerations

Avoid getting distracted

Considerations

What has been published /produced lately

Considerations

Go to original documents when possible.

Referencing and Quotes

Use Harvard Referencing at all times.

Referencing and Quotes

Only use quotes

... if they add to your argument.

Referencing and Quotes

Give authors credit for their work

Record everything

...throw nothing away

Example of what’s is to be recorded Author(s) Title of journal Volume number Date of issue Page numbers Publisher ISSN Number Your Comments

WHY PLAN AND HOW?

Planning tools: Mind Maps

Planning tools: Activity Diagrams

Planning Tools: Gantt Chart

Activity 7: With your dissertation idea in mind. Do the following tasks.

Find three references that relate to your dissertation idea.

write a 250-500 word summary (not including the reference list)

Add the reference list (using Harvard Referencing) as well at the end.

Present a one minute verbal pitch on your project.

Activities : outside class Produce a plan for your work using

Gantt chart and either Memory Map/Activity Diagram/other

appropriate tool (UML?) Meet (potential) supervisors Refine your research question Literature search for your project

WEEK 3: SUPERVISORS, RECORDS AND METHODS

HANDLING YOUR SUPERVISOR

Contact

Schedule should suit both of you.

How time will you have with them.

Contact

What are the best ways to contact each other?

Boundaries

Be clear where you can expect help.

What is different?

Two-way relationship - you work with them.

There as a guide.

Individuals

Style is individual.

Needs

Understand the supervisor’s needs as a supervisor.

Meetings

You should manage them .

Stick to the appointments.

Meetings

Are there objectives?

What is the outcome(s) of the meeting?

What are the action points?

Meetings

You need to plan for them.

What do you want specifically :

-to get out of the meeting?-to ask?-to know?

Meeting

Think of the meeting time as a resource – have you just wasted it?

Meetings

Have you kept a log of the meetings?

It is your responsibility – not the supervisors.

WHY KEEP RECORDS?

Why?

You might want it later!

Why?

Stops you repeat!

Considerations

How much to you store depends on the project.

Considerations

Don’t throw it away!

Considerations

Always record source.

How to store it.

Log Book

Log Book

Notebook

Log Book

Loose-leaf folder

APPROACHES

The Big Two

Quantitative v Qualitative Research

Quantitive

Objective . Factual data. Often in numeric form.

Qualitative

Subjective Opinions, perceptions and experiences.

Often non-numeric.

WHICH IS BEST?

METHODS AND METHODOLOGY

Methodology

System of methods used?

Empirical

Experimental Getting evidence to test a hypothesis.

Examples

Lab work Field Tests

Reporting expectation

Objectives Theory Methods Results Analysis Conclusions

Can be concerned with a comparison between different groups of people

Warning: still need to control the experimental conditions.

Surveys

The information may be obtained in a number of ways: From a groups of people. Observation of events, From literature or documents.

The first two types involve some fieldwork

third type is essentially deskwork.

The data obtained can be in numeric form and hence can be analysed statistically.

ETHICS, COLLECTING DATA, INTERVIEWS

Collecting Data

Methods and Evidence

Interviews

Types and purpose

Ethics

Issues and mediation

Activity 1

Work through the material on the learning material for the following: If you haven’t already done it,

material upto collecting data.- Outside of the class.

The material including exercises on collecting data, interviews and ethics.

Activity 2

Add to your proposal the following: Ethical, social and legal issues How are you going to evaluate the project? Explain why this particular approach(es) is/are to be used.

Activity 3

Bring to the next session Draft copy of your proposal. 5 min only presentation on your

project. Written answer to this question:

What do you think is the difference between an MSc and BSc dissertation?

DATA INTERPRETING AND PRESENTING

Week 5

Data Collection

Well designed data collection methods

Useless Data

Data is useless until it is analysed.

Useless Data

Analysis is limited until it is presented well.

Is it really there?

Does the data show it...over generalisation

Is it enough?

Too little data...unsupported claims

Too little data?

...might be all you are going to get.

Is it enough?

A lot of data...where do I start?

DISSERTATION STRUCTURE

Classic structure

Title page List of contents Abstract Introduction (approx. 10%) Literature review (approx. 20%) Methodology (approx. 15%) Presentation and analysis of data (approx. 25%) Critique of outcomes or findings (approx. 20%) Conclusions (10%) References

Word count

Approx 12000-12500 words Not including

Tables Figures References Code

Format – Requirement

25 mm margins double spaced lines single sided printing 12 point font size Bound – can be spiral bound.

Title Page example

Quality Assurance in Internet Engineering

By M. Mouse BScSubmission date: 15 August 2010

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science in Computing at The University of Northampton

Abstract

Provide potential readers with a quick overview of the dissertation

Useful to start draft the abstract before the dissertation is completed.

Modified Structure- experimentalThere can be modification to this classic dissertation

structure. Title page List of contents Abstract Introduction Literature review Experiment

(a) Methodology (b) Presentation and analysis of data (c) Comments and critique of outcomes or findings, ideally that lead to the next set of experiments

Conclusions References

Discuss it!

The structure is not set in stone. However, the elements contained in the classical structure must be present in whatever structure you decide to adopt

Discuss structure with your supervisor.

non-discriminatory language Basic principle: writing in such a way

that is does not denigrate or excluded particular groups of people on the basis of what may be fairly arbitrary characteristics, such as sex, age, race, religion, physical and mental abilities or sexual orientation. (Blaxter et al 1996, p. 224)

Drafting

Begins as soon as you start to collect data. There will be a number drafts and revisions

before you arrive at the final document. It is a good idea to write up as you gather

information. Editing will then take place

as more information is gathered to take account of the word limit and to link

the sections of the dissertation together

Drafting

If you encounter difficulty in starting to write then try writing the introduction to the dissertation. Although you will have to redraft this a number of times it should help you to focus your thoughts with regard to the collecting of data and other relevant information.

Drafting

Writing blocks may occur at any time. If this happens process any information you have gathered just to try and remove block, the way forward may then emerge during this activity.

Drafting

Sometimes when writing the ideas just flow.

Leave clear pointers to the topic to be to introduced, perhaps by a series of bullet points so you can recommence writing.

Headings

limited number of main headings. If you use sub-headings it must make

the text more accessible, not turn it into a directory of short paragraphs with no coherent flow of ideas

Headings

If you need to go to headings such as 3.1.1.1 re-think your structure.

Headings

No more than three levels

1. Heading1.1 Subheading

1.1.1 Subheading1.1.2 Subheading

1.2 Subheading

When to start

Now: you should not wait until you have gathered all the information and data you think you require before you commence writing the dissertation.

Remember that the final dissertation will be an account of

what you have done?why you did it?what you found out?

Interesting read

Does it have to be an interesting read? As far as possible it should be whilst keeping the language formal – this should be a piece of professional quality work.

Activity A

Read a dissertation and then use the marking sheets to grade the dissertation you to take the role of the second marker.

Ignore the oral/viva/presentation part.

Time: 1 Hour.

Activity B

You are to draft out the structure of your dissertation.

Consider What are you going to be put in each

sections What are the sections Use notes and bulletpoints to this aim Initial headings.

Time: 1 Hour.

Activity C

Pair up with the other person who had the same dissertation and agree a final grade and comments.

Do you pass it or fail? Explain your decision as if you were

explain it to an external person.