Data collection

1. Conducting your
research: data collection
DISSERTATION AND PRACTICE AS RESEARCH
Week
7
Dissertation
and
Practice
as
Research

2. Threshold Criteria (Dissertation)
 Demonstrate a detailed subject knowledge of well-established discipline
discourses and research methodologies.
 Critically apply appropriate methods of analysis and evaluation within
your project, synthesising a range of theories and approaches.
 Communicate ideas using appropriate conventions of grammar, spelling
and formatting, with a clear structure and adequate application of
referencing and paraphrasing.
 Work autonomously to source a relevant range of primary and secondary
research sources through selection and evaluation.
Week 5
Dissertation and Practice as Research

3. Threshold Criteria (PaR)
 Demonstrate a detailed subject knowledge of well-established discipline
discourses and practice-led/based research methodologies.
 Critically apply appropriate practice-as-research methods of analysis and
evaluation within your project, synthesising a range of theories and
practical approaches.
 Communicate ideas using appropriate technical and interpretative skills
and presentation and production values, grammar, spelling and use of
audio-visual technologies, with an adequate application of referencing.
 Work autonomously to source a relevant range of primary and secondary
research sources through both practical and theoretical engagement,
with selection and evaluation.
Week 5
Dissertation and Practice as Research

4. Threshold Criteria
 Subject knowledge – previous research, understanding and articulating
key ideas, debates, theories and methods
 Application of knowledge – designing an appropriate study – appropriate
methods – synthesised to critique your topic/practice
 Communication skills – written, spoken and performance skills –
appropriate grammar, spelling etc. appropriate technical application
 Independent research – sourcing appropriate research to support and
strengthen your own understanding
Week 5
Dissertation and Practice as Research

5. 1. What information do you need?
 Be selective
 Go back to your aims and objectives
 Mind map the key topics and subtopics
 Sketch out an outline of your dissertation
 Sketch out a chapter
 Sketch out an initial plan of your presentation
Week 7
Dissertation and Practice as Research
 Subject knowledge
 Application of
knowledge
 Independent research

6. 2. Have you decided how you are
going to analyse the results?
 Application of theory
 Developing themes
 Identifying relationships
 Statistical analysis
 Develop criteria for assessing your success
 As early as possible, start to consider how you will
make use of the information you gather.
Week 7
Dissertation and Practice as Research
 Application of
knowledge
 Independent research

7. 3. Collect your data
 Read your books
 Conduct your semiotic/performance analysis
 Attend your workshops/observations
 Conduct your interviews/questionnaires/focus groups
 Run your workshops
 Run your interventions
 Get in the studio
Week 7
Dissertation and Practice as Research
 Subject knowledge
 Independent research

8. 4. Thinking through writing
 Write down any interim interpretations
 Formulate hypotheses about what the material is
telling you and where it is leading
 It will be an iterative process
 Write down any methodological concerns you
might have – what might you have done
differently?
Week 7
Dissertation and Practice as Research
 Application of
knowledge
 Communication skills

9. Records
 Keep a list of sources – bibliography
 Keep a list of search terms used
 Keep track of the decisions you make regarding methods – and why you
changed your mind
 Keep records of the draft versions of questionnaires, workshop plans
 Design record keeping documents
Week 7
Dissertation and Practice as Research

10. Ethical
Approval
Remember you cannot
make contact or start
working with participants
until you have received
ethical approval
Dissertation and Practice as Research Week 7