MC53001B Dissertation: Workshop Five Module convenor: Richard Smith Workshop leaders: Veronica Barassi, Richard Smith   Virtual Learning Environment: https://learn.gold.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=837 Online reading list: https://gold.rl.talis.com/lists/DEEDDD94-91D6-4AF7-F55E-6A83000E2FDF.html

Workshop Five Developing your proposal The literature review Some archival sources Questions?

Refining your proposal Aim to convince yourself and the reader the project is do-able in both theoretical and practical terms. Strike a balance between your aspirations and what is possible with the time and other resources available. Write for a reader who is hearing about your topic for the first time. Convince the reader you: have a clear sense of what you hope to achieve know how you want to do it why you want to do it. Be prepared for responses, criticisms, and new ideas when you receive feedback. This should provide further direction and encouragement.

Elements of the proposal Working title Description of the topic Research question and sub-questions Initial literature review or annotated bibliography Proposed methodology Work plan Bibliography (unless you have chosen an annotated bibliography)

Submitting your proposal Please use the proposal template and notes on the VLE at: https://learn.gold.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=315057 and https://learn.gold.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=315058 Proposal deadline: 2.00 p.m. on Monday 7 November 2016 to be submitted via the link at: https://learn.gold.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=837 The proposal comprises 20% of the overall grade for the undergraduate dissertation

The literature review (with thanks to Marianne Franklin) a process or ‘review of the literature’ and a product – the first chapter of the dissertation where you frame an argument and identify a set of concerns/themes demonstrates your knowledge of the field sets your agenda and original contribution

Think strategically when developing your reading list Is the literature review: A set of book reviews; laced with copious quotations? A shopping‐basket of Big Books, Big Names, Big Ideas important to you? A strategic compilation of books, thinkers, or theories to make others happy? A compilation of all possible work that may apply to this study? Proof that you’ve read the right amount of books? One chosen thinker or select group of thinkers? All the literature from one discipline? An inter-disciplinary smorgasbord? A rundown of everything you have read during your studies?

What a literature review should achieve Justify the need for this research Support your case for the significance of the research Acknowledge precursors and contemporaneous work – which debates have framed the field so far? Provide a theoretical framework Highlight gaps in the literature May touch on the methodology and how you plan to conduct your research Achieves balance between breadth – range of debates, key texts – and depth – awareness of nuances, specifics, a selection of thinkers or ideas or even a focus on one.

[A] literature review helps to determine whether the topic is worth studying, and it provides and insight into ways in which the researcher can limit the scope to a needed area of inquiry (Creswell 2014: 23). Use the proposal as a starting point Refine your literature review as your dissertation develops Refer back to the literature in the course of your case-study discussion

Resources to help you compile a reading list The library has a subject guide for Media and Communications at http://www.gold.ac.uk/library/subject-support/media-communications from where you can access journal abstracts, indexes and databases relevant to your research. To list the media and communications journals in the College library do the following. In the online catalogue select the ‘All Fields’ search and type: media perej. Press ENTER. Article search+ allows you to search and access journal articles online: http://mlplus.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=44GOL_V1   You can join the main University of London Library, Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU http://www.senatehouselibrary.ac.uk by visiting with a current Goldsmiths id card. Joining Senate House will vastly increase your access to electronic journals as well as books.