MS3030 Dissertation Workshop #3 Data and writing

Structure of today What is data? How to analyse data. Exercise #1: Developing an analytical framework. Writing up your dissertation Assessment criteria Structure Final tips

data write up submit choose topic write proposal October November design and planning December Literature review/methodology February data March write up April submit May

What is data? Your data is the information you have collected together to allow you to explore the phenomenon/problem in question. There are many different kinds of data Quantitative: usually in the form of numerical statistics and proportions that relate to the incidences and relationships between different variables in a sample Content i.e. the number of times certain predefined qualities occur within a sample Attitudes i.e. the number of times respondents report agreeing with a statement within a sample Qualitative: usually in the form of text (transcripts, articles), visual images or portions of moving image content.

How do I analyse all this data? Answering the research questions: Your analysis is what you DO with the data in order to be able to draw meaningful conclusions from it about the phenomena or problem in question. In a coherent manner: Analysis usually involves manipulating, integrating, synthesising and summarising data through a pre- established procedure – an analytical framework. DO SOMETHING INTERESTING WITH YOUR DATA! Identifying patterns: Data analysis usually involves exploring your data, looking for patterns, relationships, examples of conflict or discord, areas of agreement, and so on. Re-visit the theory: Identify these, then ‘speak back to the theory’ – what can your data tell us about what is already known? What can this tell us about the broader area of study?

Example… RQ: How do cultural practitioners value the work that they do? How does this differ from official understandings of cultural value? Method: Interviews with practitioners about what they value in their work. Data: Text of interview transcripts. Analysis: Group together examples of value based upon 1) intrinsic value 2) environmental contexts of value 3) instrumental understandings of value.

Example… Findings: 1) Cultural practitioners’ understandings of the value of culture are complex and mobilise many different kinds of cultural value. 2) Many similarities between official understandings and practitioner understandings, but clear differences around the methods that should be used to represent them. Also: practitioners HATE official methods of valuing culture. Speaking back to the theory Cultural value research focusses too heavily on instrumental kinds of cultural value, at the expense of other kinds. In reality they co-exist. Cultural evaluation should pay more attention to the voices of cultural practitioners.

Tips for working with data Always keep in mind your original RESEARCH QUESTIONS Use these to develop an ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK– what are you looking for to answer these questions? Make time to EXPLORE your data – think about it, experiment with different ways of using it, what things emerge that you hadn’t at first noticed or thought of? Expect to find a mixture of obvious things, and surprising things. Working with empirical data that you have generated yourself can be very interesting and exciting – it is the best part of original research. Don’t leave it till the last minute! Speak to your supervisors!

Exercise #1: Developing an analytical framework Working in pairs or small groups, discuss your data. What data have you collected/will you collect? How will you organise this data so you can make sense of it? Write down the key things that you will need to look for in your data to address your research questions. Do these make an analytical framework? Can they speak back to the theory? Is this easy to do? Difficult? What might you need to do to be able to do this?

Questions?

The final push Submission date: Thursday 11th May (thirteen weeks from today!) Submit dissertation through Blackboard in the normal way. Work backwards from the final deadline and create your own mini deadlines. What jobs are left to be done? What order should you do them in? When do you have time to do these? Break the work down into smaller jobs that are MANAGEABLE. Tick these off as you go. Don’t leave the most difficult tasks to the end.

Assessment criteria The Argument The Research Method Presentation Has the research been located within a broader framework of enquiry, and how effectively have the appropriate sources been drawn upon? How effectively has the material been synthesized and evaluated? The Research Method How well has the problem been formulated and an appropriate methodology selected? How well has the empirical research been carried out? Including sampling, ethics. How transparent is the methodology? Presentation Logical chapter structure indicating major themes and arguments of dissertation? Clarity of exposition, accuracy of expression? Referencing?

Dissertation Structure Title Abstract Acknowledgements (optional) Table of Contents Introduction Literature Review Methodology Analysis/Findings/Discussion Conclusions Bibliography Appendices

Final tips Procrastination is the enemy! Planning, organisation, hard work. Rewriting, redrafting, proof reading. Guide the reader through your work and the development of your ideas, tell a story. Be brave and committed in your work. Think of your dissertation work as a circle – the end should look back to the beginning. What have we learned about your particular topic?