Lecture #1

Schedule

• 2:00-2:40 Introduction to Dissertation writing

• 2:40-3:20 How to avoid plagiarism

• 3:20-4:00 Academic Referencing (Harvard)

Introduction ~ What is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is a long piece of writing advancing a new point of view resulting from research / practice.

Important stages in the dissertation process include:

- choosing a topic- developing a research question- the development of individual practice- being organised and methodical while conducting your research- reporting the research

Intro to Dissertation writing - example

Intro to Dissertation writing - exampleAbstract

This exhibition comprised of forty-two new works: drawings, paintings, prints, and designs. A set of twelve drawings in coloured pencil were the centre-piece, framed and displayed in grid format. These images explore elemental and geometric forms, designs and motifs. Each was an improvised image, drawn on paper taped to a plaster wall and completed in a day.

The set, entitled Polymnia, expresses the notion of an island, either real or a construct; the elements of sea and coast; time and tide. Corresponding to this set of imagery was a group of watercolours, from the starting-point of Threshold - a pictured landscape and building in miniature, as seen through a prism or cubistic device; fragmented and reflected. Again, these watercolours express a sense of place; particularly marsh-land and agricultural fields, which are set against the controlled elements of human habitation in opposition to wildness and elemental chaos.

The drawings and watercolours were complemented by a selection of recent wood engravings. These included Sturgeon and New Zealand Little Bittern, in response to Ceri Levy's Ghosts of Gone Birds. Also, As I was going up the Stair, commissioned by Simon Lewin for Random Spectacular magazine.

Dissertation StructureTwo structures are commonly used

- Title page

- Abstract

- Acknowledgements

- Contents page(s)

- Introduction

- Materials and methods or Literature review

- Results or Sources and methods

- Discussion or Findings

- Conclusions

- References

- Appendices

How to write a Dissertation?

White & Arndt (1991) p.11

● Re-phrase

● Reference

● Signpost

● Plan

● Develop

● Complete

What I should be able to do: (after some in-class practice)

Drafting

Eunice Yunjung Nam (2013)

● Be succinct

● Academic tone, style

● Use subtlety

● Meet expectations of audience

● Reader feels obligation, necessity etc.

● Show your own point of view

What I should be able to do: (after some in-class practice)

Positioning

Bloom (1956)

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation

● Provide sufficient evidence.

● Present ideas with consistent logic.

● Focus an argument

● Express complex ideas

● Express abstract ideas with precision.

ReasoningWhat I should be able to do: (after some in-class practice)

How to avoid plagiarismYou can avoid plagiarism by knowing

what must be documented.

Specific words and phrases- Use quotation marks AND quote the source.

Information and Ideas- Information: A piece of information that isn't common knowledge .

- Ideas: not only points made and conclusions drawn, a specific method or theory,

the arrangement of material etc.

Common Knowledge- General common knowledge

- Field-specific common knowledge

Academic Referencing (Harvard)

Includes in-text and bibliography citing.

• Harvard referencing examples (document):http://www.staffs.ac.uk/assets/harvard_referencing_examples_tcm44-39847.pdf

• Academic Referencing Tool (online)

http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/referencing-tool/harvard

References

Image – Academic Englishhttp://www.englishworld.asia/academic.html

Image – Graphic Communicationhttp://art.nmu.edu/department/gcomm/faculty.html

Image – 6 steps to completing your dissertationhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/chnrdu/3899986476/

Image – What is a dissertation?http://libweb.surrey.ac.uk/library/skills/writing%20Skills%20Leicester/page_80.htm

Excerpt – What is a dissertation? (Slide 3)http://www.cee.usu.edu/htm/dissertation-thesis-guidelines-and-information

Image – Fishbone: Open Eye Galleryhttp://www.research.ed.ac.uk/portal/files/14977617/Gibbs_Open_Eye_2_Page_2.jpg

Image – Fishbone: Jonathan Gibbshttp://www.research.ed.ac.uk/portal/files/14977616/Gibbs_Open_Eye_2_Page_1.jpg

Excerpt – Fishbone: Abstract (Slide 5) http://www.research.ed.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/fish-bone-oneperson-exhibition(cbafaead-c357-4b22-b015-215a2d601038).html

References

Excerpt – Dissertation Structure (slide 6)http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/writing/writing-resources/writing-dissertation

Image – Drafting, Reasoning, Positioninghttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/may/01/what-i-really-think-creative-writing-tutorhttp://www.ehow.com/how_11372693_improve-lateral-thinking.htmlhttp://blog.band.us/2014/02/

Image – Plagiarismhttp://www.techgyd.com/avoid-plagiarism-writing-online-publications/13346/

Excerpt – Plagiarism (Slide 11)https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_plagiarism.html

Image – Referencinghttp://library.scotch.vic.edu.au/research/biblios/ScotchBib/genwebsite.htm