csym023 dissertation and module - university of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or...

53
CSYM023 Dissertation and module guide Course: CSYM023 2 Table of Contents Module Introduction Module Guide Introduction Draft Scheme of Work Assessment & Delieverable The Process M-level Dissertation Roles General Introduction Introduction Selecting an area of research Focusing Research Proposal You and your supervisor Students Responsibilities Supervisors' role Case Study External Actvities Aims and Objectives Introduction SMART Self Test Planning and sources Introduction Planning tools Topic Use of Library

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Page 1: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

CS

YM

023 D

isserta

tion

an

d m

od

ule

g

uid

e

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

2

Tab

le o

f Co

nte

nts

Mo

du

le In

trod

uc

tion

Mo

du

le G

uid

e

In

trodu

ctio

n

D

raft S

ch

em

e o

f Work

A

sse

ssm

en

t & D

elie

ve

rab

le

T

he

Pro

ce

ss

M

-leve

l Dis

se

rtatio

n

R

ole

s

G

en

era

l

Intro

du

ctio

n

In

trodu

ctio

n

S

ele

ctin

g a

n a

rea

of re

sea

rch

F

ocu

sin

g

R

ese

arc

h P

rop

osa

l

Y

ou

an

d y

ou

r su

perv

iso

r

S

tude

nts

Re

spo

nsib

ilities

S

up

erv

iso

rs' ro

le

C

ase

Stu

dy

E

xte

rnal A

ctv

ities

Aim

s a

nd

Ob

jectiv

es

In

trodu

ctio

n

S

MA

RT

S

elf T

est

Pla

nn

ing a

nd

so

urc

es

In

trodu

ctio

n

P

lan

nin

g to

ols

T

op

ic

U

se

of L

ibra

ry

Page 2: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

3

S

ou

rce

s 1

U

se

of th

e In

tern

et

E

lectro

nic

jou

rnals

Re

vie

win

g L

itera

ture

In

trodu

ctio

n

W

hat to

do?

E

xe

rcis

e 1

W

hat is

this

Lite

ratu

re R

evie

w?

F

ind

ing

info

rma

tion

W

hat n

ee

ds to

be re

co

rded

B

iblio

gra

ph

ic S

oftw

are

Q

uo

ting

E

xe

rcis

e

Kee

ep

ing

Re

co

rds

In

trodu

ctio

n

M

akin

g N

ote

s

K

ee

pin

g N

ote

s

L

og b

oo

k

R

eco

rd A

ctiv

ity

App

roa

ch

es

In

trodu

ctio

n

Q

ua

ntitv

e v

Qu

alita

tive

Re

se

arc

h

M

eth

od

s a

nd

Meth

od

olo

gy

E

xp

erim

enta

l/Em

piric

al

S

urv

eys

A

ctio

n R

ese

arc

h

E

xte

rnal A

ctiv

ities

S

ele

ctio

n E

xerc

ise

Co

llectin

g D

ata

In

trodu

ctio

n

C

ho

osin

g m

eth

od

s

M

eth

od

s o

f co

llectin

g d

ata

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

4

D

ocu

me

nta

ry E

vid

ence

E

xp

erie

me

nta

l Data

Q

ue

stio

nn

aire

s

In

terv

iew

s

O

bse

rva

tion

Inte

rvie

ws

In

trodu

ctio

n

W

hen

is it a

pp

rop

riate

?

Q

ue

stio

n T

yp

es

W

hat ty

pe

of q

ue

stio

n

In

terv

iew

s

F

ocu

s G

roup

s

S

elf T

est 1

Eth

ics

In

trodu

ctio

n

R

ese

arc

h E

thic

s

E

thic

s C

om

ittee

Da

ta In

terp

retin

g a

nd

Pre

se

ntin

g

In

trodu

ctio

n

In

terp

retin

g a

nd P

rese

ntin

g

P

rese

ntin

g M

eth

ods

S

am

ple

An

aly

sis

Me

tho

ds

C

om

pu

ting M

eth

ods

Dis

serta

tion S

tructu

re

In

trodu

ctio

n

S

tructu

re o

f Cla

ssic

Dis

se

rtatio

n

T

o b

e c

on

sid

ere

d

E

xp

erim

enta

l-Typ

e D

isse

rtatio

n

S

tyle

an

d v

oic

e

A

pp

en

dic

es

Page 3: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

5

Mo

du

le In

trod

uc

tion

To

pic

: M

od

ule

Intro

ductio

n

Th

is m

odu

le ta

kes th

e fo

rm o

f a s

erie

s o

f eig

ht le

arn

ing p

acka

ges. T

he

aim

of th

e m

od

ule

is p

rovid

e

yo

u w

ith th

e b

asic

rese

arc

h s

kills

that y

ou

req

uire

in o

rde

r to s

ucce

ssfu

lly c

om

ple

te y

ou

r rese

arc

h. Y

ou

a

rea

lso

en

co

ura

ge

d to

read

mo

re e

xte

nsiv

ely

on

rese

arc

h m

eth

od

s, a

nd

the

bo

oks g

ive

n in

the

rea

din

g lis

t pro

vid

e a

mo

re d

eta

il on

rese

arc

h m

eth

od

s. S

om

e o

f the

se

bo

oks a

re a

va

ilab

le fro

m th

e

un

ive

rsity

libra

ries o

r pu

rch

ase

d v

ia th

e In

tern

et, e

.g. fro

m A

ma

zo

n.c

o.u

k.

"Re

sea

rch

is d

efin

ed

as s

ee

kin

g th

rou

gh

me

tho

dic

al p

roce

sse

s to

ad

d to

on

e's

ow

n b

od

y o

f kno

wle

dg

e

an

d, h

op

efu

lly, to

tha

t of o

the

rs, b

y th

e d

isco

very

of n

on

trivia

l facts

an

d in

sig

hts

" [Sh

arp

an

d H

ow

ard

, 1

99

6, p

7].

Mo

du

le C

on

ten

ts

Mod

ule

Gu

ide

Intro

ductio

n

Aim

s a

nd

Ob

jectiv

es

Pla

nn

ing

an

d s

ou

rce

s

Re

vie

win

g L

itera

ture

Ke

ee

pin

g R

eco

rds

Ap

pro

ach

es

Co

llectin

g D

ata

Inte

rvie

ws

Eth

ics

Da

ta In

terp

retin

g a

nd

Pre

se

ntin

g

Dis

se

rtatio

n S

tructu

re

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

6

Mo

du

le G

uid

e

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Dra

ft Sch

em

e o

f Work

Assessm

en

t & D

elie

ve

rab

le

Th

e P

roce

ss

M-le

ve

l Dis

se

rtatio

n

Ro

les

Gen

era

l

Page 4: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

7

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

SC

HO

OL

: Scie

nce

an

d T

ech

nolo

gy

FIE

LD

Co

mp

ute

r Syste

ms

MO

DU

LE

TIT

LE

Com

pu

ting

Dis

serta

tion

Mod

ule

Co

de

CS

YM

02

3

Dr S

co

tt Tu

rne

r

IMP

OR

TA

NT

:

Afte

r the p

rop

os

al h

as

be

en

su

bm

itted

yo

u a

re e

xp

ecte

d to

wo

rk o

n th

e d

iss

erta

tion

as

if the

p

rop

os

al h

ad

be

en

ac

ce

pte

d.

DO

NO

T w

ait u

ntil y

ou

ge

t the

pro

po

sa

l ba

ck b

efo

re s

tartin

g w

ork

on

the

dis

se

rtatio

n.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

8

To

pic

: D

raft S

chem

e o

f Work

This

sch

em

e is

wo

rk is

ind

ica

tive

on

ly. T

he

tau

gh

t se

ssio

n a

re d

esig

ne

d to

be

flexib

le d

ep

en

din

g o

n n

ee

d

so

the

re m

ay b

e s

om

e m

ove

me

nt o

f the s

essio

ns.

wee

k

Mo

rnin

g

Afte

rno

on

1

Ta

ugh

t: Intro

ductio

n a

nd a

skin

g th

e q

uestio

ns a

nd

a

ims/o

bje

ctiv

es

Cla

ss-b

ased

Activ

ity: M

ini p

roje

ct –

Se

ma

ntic

W

eb

Exte

rna

l:

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for m

ini p

roje

ct

Cla

ss-b

ased

Activ

ity: M

ini P

roje

ct

Ta

ugh

t 2: E

xte

rna

l Sp

ea

ke

r:

Exte

rna

l:

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for m

ini p

roje

ct

2

Ta

ugh

t: Pla

nn

ing

an

d s

ou

rce

s

Cla

ss-b

ased

Activ

ity: Refin

e y

ou

r pro

po

sa

l

Exte

rna

l:

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for fin

al p

roje

ct

Ta

ugh

t2: R

evie

win

g L

itera

ture

Cla

ss-b

ased

Activ

ity: R

efin

ing

yo

ur

pro

po

sa

l

Exte

rna

l:

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for fin

al p

roje

ct

3

Ta

ugh

t: Ke

ep

ing

Re

cord

s

Cla

ss-b

ased

Activ

ity: Refin

e y

ou

r pro

po

sa

l

Exte

rna

l:

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for fin

al p

roje

ct

• R

efin

e p

ropo

sa

l

Ta

ugh

t: Meth

od

s a

nd

Ap

pro

ache

s

Cla

ss-b

ased

Activ

ity: R

efin

e y

ou

r pro

po

sa

l

Exte

rna

l:

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for fin

al p

roje

ct

• R

efin

e p

rop

osa

l

4

Ta

ugh

t 1: C

olle

ctin

g D

ata

and

Ap

pro

ach

es

Inde

pe

nd

en

t stu

de

nt c

en

tred

wo

rk

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for fin

al p

roje

ct

• R

efin

e p

ropo

sa

l inclu

din

g a

pla

n

Cla

ss-b

ased

Activ

ity:

• R

efin

e y

our p

rop

osa

l

• D

ata

Exe

rcis

e

Ta

ugh

t 2: D

ata

Inte

rpre

tatio

n

Cla

ss-b

ased

Activ

ity: p

rese

ntin

g d

ata

Exte

rna

l:

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

Page 5: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

9

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for fin

al p

roje

ct

• R

efin

e p

rop

osa

l

• C

on

sid

er th

e d

ata

nee

ds o

f the

d

isse

rtatio

n

• C

on

sid

er th

e s

ocia

l, eth

ica

l is

su

es

5

Dis

se

rtartio

n s

tructu

re a

nd o

wn

vo

ice

Cla

ss a

ctiv

ity

Inde

pe

nde

nt s

tude

nt c

en

tred

wo

rk

• M

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

• R

efin

e y

our re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n

• lite

ratu

re S

ea

rch

for fin

al p

roje

ct

• R

efin

e p

rop

osa

l inclu

din

g a

pla

n

• C

on

sid

er th

e d

ata

nee

ds o

f the

d

isse

rtatio

n

• C

on

sid

er th

e s

ocia

l, eth

ica

l is

su

es

• C

on

sid

er a

ll the

reso

urc

e n

ee

ds.

6

Ha

nd

in y

ou

r pro

po

sa

l

Pre

pa

re y

our p

resen

tatio

n

pre

se

nta

tions

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

10

Page 6: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

11

To

pic

: T

he P

roce

ss

Th

e m

od

ule

be

gin

s w

ith a

serie

s o

f tuto

rials

wh

ich

he

lp y

ou

to u

nd

ers

tan

d th

e d

iffere

nce b

etw

ee

n a

M

aste

rs le

ve

l an

d u

nd

erg

rad

ua

te le

ve

l dis

se

rtatio

n.

· As e

arly a

s p

ossib

le y

ou

mu

st s

ele

ct a

top

ic. E

ach c

om

pu

ting

tuto

r will o

utlin

e s

uita

ble

top

ics;

yo

u m

ay c

ho

ose

on

e o

f tho

se. A

ltern

ativ

ely

, you

ma

y c

ho

ose

yo

ur o

wn

topic

. In e

ithe

r case

, yo

u m

ust

als

o a

pp

roa

ch a

tuto

r req

ue

stin

g th

em

to b

e y

ou

r dis

se

rtatio

n s

upe

rvis

or.

· Yo

u s

hou

ld d

iscu

ss y

ou

r cho

se

n to

pic

with

yo

ur s

up

erv

iso

r in o

rde

r to a

scerta

in e

xactly

the

na

ture

of y

our d

isse

rtatio

n. Y

ou

sh

ou

ld b

oth

sig

n a

"Dis

se

rtatio

n s

ub

ject/s

up

erv

iso

r form

" an

d h

an

d it

in to

the M

od

ule

Le

ad

er.

· Afte

r a fe

w w

ee

ks y

ou

mu

st h

an

d in

a w

ritten p

ropo

sa

l for y

ou

r dis

serta

tion

. Deta

ils o

f ho

w to

w

rite y

ou

r pro

posa

l will b

e g

ive

n in

the

ea

rly lectu

res/tu

toria

ls.

· Yo

ur p

rop

osa

l sh

ou

ld in

clu

de

a w

eek b

y w

ee

k p

lan

for y

ou

r dis

se

rtatio

n; fo

r exam

ple

, in th

e

form

of a

Ga

ntt c

hart (th

ere

's a

n e

xa

mp

le o

n N

ile).

· Yo

u s

hou

ld a

pp

roa

ch

the

libra

rian fo

r he

lp re

ga

rdin

g th

e lite

ratu

re re

vie

w a

sp

ect o

f yo

ur

pro

po

sa

l an

d la

ter o

n th

e d

isse

rtatio

n. Y

ou

sh

ou

ld re

qu

est a

n A

the

ns u

se

rna

me

/pa

ssw

ord

for

acce

ssin

g b

iblio

gra

ph

ies a

nd

Jo

urn

al p

ap

ers

if work

ing

outs

ide

the u

niv

ers

ity c

am

pu

s. (O

ne o

f the

se

ssio

n y

ou

will h

ave

is w

ith th

e lib

raria

n)

· Yo

u a

re a

lso

req

uire

d to

ma

ke

an

info

rma

l pre

se

nta

tion o

f yo

ur p

rop

osa

l.

· Yo

ur p

rop

osa

l will b

e m

ark

ed

by th

e m

od

ule

lea

de

r and

mod

era

ted

.

· Yo

u w

ill ne

ed to

dis

cu

ss w

ith yo

ur d

isserta

tion s

up

erv

iso

r ho

w to

con

tact th

em

ove

r the

su

mm

er b

reak. It is

vita

l tha

t yo

u p

rog

ress w

ith th

e w

ork

wee

k b

y w

eek. It is

yo

ur re

sp

on

sib

ility to

man

ag

e y

ou

r wo

rk in

clu

din

g a

ny m

ee

ting

s w

ith y

ou

r sup

erv

isor. Y

ou

sh

ou

ld k

ee

p a

log

of yo

ur

pro

gre

ss a

nd m

ee

ting

s.

· Yo

u m

ay o

pt to

pre

se

nt y

ou

r wo

rk in

Se

pte

mb

er o

r in th

e fo

llow

ing

Ja

nu

ary

. Sh

ou

ld y

ou

w

ish

to s

ub

mit y

ou

r wo

rk in

Ja

nu

ary

yo

u m

us

t no

tify th

e C

ou

rse

Lea

de

rin w

riting

be

fore

the

en

d o

f Au

gu

st.

· At th

e e

nd o

f the

Mod

ule

you

must s

ubm

it for m

ark

ing

the

follo

win

g ite

ms:

(a) tw

o p

ap

er c

op

ies o

f yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n,

(b) o

ne

ele

ctro

nic

cop

y o

f yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n,

(c) o

ne

ele

ctro

nic

co

py o

f an

y s

oftw

are

de

velo

pe

d a

s p

art o

f yo

ur d

isserta

tion

. Th

e p

ap

er c

op

ies

sh

ou

ld b

e b

oun

d a

s d

escrib

ed

in th

e e

arly

tuto

rial a

nd

no

tes.

· Fin

ally y

ou

mu

st a

tten

d a

"viv

a v

oce

" ex

am

ina

tion

. Th

is w

ill last a

roun

d 4

5 m

inute

s a

nd

u

su

ally

co

nsis

ts o

f thre

e p

arts

: wh

ere

yo

u e

xpla

in y

ou

r wo

rk, d

em

on

stra

te a

nyth

ing

yo

u h

ave

de

ve

lop

ed

e.g

. softw

are

, an

d a

nsw

er a

few

qu

estio

ns o

n y

ou

r wo

rk. T

he

au

die

nce w

ill co

nsis

t of y

our

su

pe

rvis

or, a

se

con

d d

esig

na

ted m

ark

er, a

nd

an

y o

the

r tuto

rs in

tere

ste

d in

you

r wo

rk.

· Th

e d

iss

erta

tion

is in

de

pen

de

ntly

ma

rke

d b

y y

ou

r su

pe

rvis

or a

nd

the

se

co

nd

de

sig

nate

d

ma

rke

r. Th

ey th

en

me

et to

ag

ree

a g

rad

e.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

12

To

pic

: M

-level D

isse

rtatio

n

· Yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n to

pic

sho

uld

be

ch

ose

n v

ery

ca

refu

lly. It s

ho

uld

be

rele

van

t to th

e s

ub

jects

yo

u h

ave s

tud

ied

or p

ertin

ent to

the

wid

er to

pic

of In

tern

et c

om

putin

g. It m

ust h

ave

an

ele

me

nt o

f re

se

arc

h.

· Yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n m

ay in

vo

lve y

ou

: (a) a

ttem

ptin

g to

pro

ve s

om

e h

yp

oth

esis

or (b

) atte

mp

ting to

so

lve

a p

roble

m. It m

ay n

ot b

e m

ere

ly a

stu

dy o

f wh

at o

the

rs h

ave

do

ne. It n

ee

ds to

ha

ve a

n e

lem

ent

of y

ou

r ne

w w

ork

.

· Be

cau

se

of th

e n

atu

re o

f you

r Ma

ste

rs d

egre

e, y

ou w

ill usua

lly d

eve

lop

so

me

end

pro

du

cts

(e.g

. softw

are

) as in

teg

ral p

arts

of y

ou

r dis

se

rtatio

n.

Yo

u n

ee

d to

:

Page 7: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

13

To

pic

: R

ole

s

5. T

he

role

of y

ou

r su

pe

rvis

or

Yo

ur s

up

erv

iso

r's re

spo

nsib

ility is

to:

· ad

vis

e y

ou

on

the

topic

of yo

ur d

isserta

tion

an

d o

n a

va

ilab

le re

so

urc

es,

· ad

vis

e y

ou

on

risk a

ssessm

en

t if app

rop

riate

,

· dis

cu

ss w

ith y

ou

the

pro

gre

ss o

f yo

ur w

ork

,

· offe

r gu

ida

nce o

n th

e s

tructu

re a

nd

pre

se

nta

tion

of y

our d

isse

rtatio

n,

· offe

r yo

u fe

ed

back o

n v

ario

us s

ectio

ns o

f yo

ur d

isserta

tion

,

· ad

vis

e y

ou

on

rese

arc

h m

eth

odo

log

y,

· ad

vis

e y

ou

on

the

de

sig

n, im

ple

me

nta

tion

, testin

g a

nd e

va

lua

tion

of a

ny "e

nd

pro

du

ct",

· ad

vis

e y

ou

on

refe

ren

cin

g a

nd

pla

gia

rism

,

· en

su

re th

at a

ny e

xte

rna

l co

mm

unic

atio

n y

ou

wis

h to

ma

ke

co

nce

rnin

g y

ou

r dis

se

rtatio

n is

a

pp

ropria

te a

nd

ca

rried o

ut p

rofe

ssio

na

lly,

· assis

t yo

u in

ide

ntify

ing

pro

ble

ms,

· main

tain

reg

ula

r sup

erv

isory c

onta

ct w

ith y

ou

,

· ad

vis

e y

ou

on

eth

ica

l pra

ctic

e w

ithin

yo

ur w

ork

whe

re a

pp

rop

riate

,

Yo

ur s

up

erv

iso

r will n

ot:

· mic

ro-m

an

age

yo

ur w

ork

;

· feed

ba

ck o

n a

full d

raft o

f yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n b

efo

re y

ou s

ub

mit it;

· co

nta

ct y

ou

if you

fail to

atte

nd s

up

erv

iso

ry s

essio

ns;

· pro

vid

e a

dvic

e o

n in

form

atio

n s

ou

rce

s

Yo

ur re

sp

onsib

ility a

s a

dis

se

rtatio

n s

tud

en

t is to

:

· ag

ree

a s

ch

edu

le o

f me

etin

gs, e

nsu

ring

tha

t the a

gre

ed

sch

edu

le is

ad

he

red to

an

d th

at

de

ad

line

s a

re m

et;

· use

this

su

perv

iso

ry tim

e a

lloca

ted e

ffectiv

ely

;

· ke

ep

an

y a

pp

oin

tmen

ts m

ad

e;

· main

tain

a re

co

rd o

f the

su

pe

rvis

ory

me

etin

gs;

· man

ag

e th

e in

tera

ctio

n w

ith y

ou

r sup

erv

iso

r;

· ag

ree to

act re

sp

on

sib

ly a

nd p

rofe

ssio

nally

.

Yo

u s

ho

uld

recog

nis

e th

at fe

ed

back w

ill be s

pe

cific

to y

ou

r work

and

rele

va

nt to

the

sta

ge a

t wh

ich

yo

u a

re. S

up

portiv

e c

om

me

nts

do

not n

ece

ssarily

ind

ica

te h

igh p

erfo

rma

nce

no

r is

co

nstru

ctiv

ecritic

ism n

ece

ssa

rily in

dic

ativ

e o

f low p

erfo

rma

nce

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

14

To

pic

: G

en

era

l

Th

e p

rop

osa

l stru

ctu

re

Yo

u w

ill ne

ed

to d

iscu

ss e

xa

ctly w

ha

t you

r pro

po

sa

l will c

on

tain

with

yo

ur s

up

erv

iso

r an

d m

od

ule

le

ad

er.

Ple

ase

no

te th

at m

ate

rial in

clu

de

d in

yo

ur p

rop

osa

l ma

y b

e re

-used

with

in y

ou

r dis

se

rtatio

n. H

ow

eve

r,

it is im

po

rtan

t to n

ote

tha

t you

r pro

po

sa

l has d

eta

ils o

f "wha

t yo

u p

rop

ose to

do

", an

d o

f co

urs

e, "w

hy

yo

u p

rop

ose

to d

o it in

a p

artic

ula

r wa

y". W

hile y

ou

r writte

n d

isse

rtatio

n h

as d

eta

ils o

f wha

t yo

u d

id.

Sty

le o

f writin

g

Th

is w

ill be d

iscu

sse

d d

urin

g th

e In

trod

ucto

ry le

ctu

res

Citin

g s

ou

rce

s

Yo

u m

ust u

se

the

Ha

rva

rd s

tan

dard

wh

en re

fere

ncin

g o

the

rs' w

ork

. Ple

ase

se

e th

e d

ocu

me

nt

Ha

rvard

.doc o

n N

ile o

r use

the

follw

oin

g lin

k: h

ttp://lib

rary

.no

rtha

mp

ton

.ac.u

k/file

s/g

uid

es/h

arv

ard

.do

c .

Yo

u m

igh

t als

o fin

d it u

sefu

l to try

the

on

-line

Refe

ren

cin

g tu

toria

l:

http

://libra

ry.n

orth

am

pto

n.a

c.u

k/lib

era

tion

/ref/

Page 8: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

15

Intro

du

ctio

n

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Se

lectin

g a

n a

rea

of re

se

arc

h

Fo

cusin

g

Re

se

arc

h P

rop

osa

l

Yo

u a

nd

yo

ur s

up

erv

iso

r

Stu

de

nts

Re

sp

onsib

ilities

Su

pe

rvis

ors

' role

Ca

se

Stu

dy

Exte

rna

l Actv

ities

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

16

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

Th

e p

urp

ose

of th

is le

arn

ing

pa

ckag

e is

to:

- pro

vid

e g

uid

ance

on

the s

ele

ctio

n o

f a re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n a

nd

a

wo

rkin

g title

- pro

vid

e g

uid

ance

on

the in

itial p

lan

nin

g o

f yo

ur re

sea

rch

pro

ject

Th

is p

acka

ge

is c

on

cern

ed

with

initia

l pla

nn

ing

of a

resea

rch

pro

ject.

Th

e a

im to

pro

vid

e th

e s

kills

tha

t let y

ou a

nd

yo

ur s

up

erv

iso

r be

rea

so

na

ble

con

fide

nce

that th

e a

rea

of re

sea

rch is

via

ble

in th

e tim

e

ava

ilab

le a

nd is

ap

pro

pria

te to

the

level o

f stu

dy (M

Sc, M

Ph

il or P

hD

).

Page 9: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

17

To

pic

: S

ele

ctin

g a

n a

rea o

f resea

rch

Yo

u m

ay n

ot a

ch

oic

e in

the

pa

rticu

lar a

rea

to re

se

arc

h, th

e m

on

ey fo

r yo

ur re

se

arc

h is

for a

pa

rticu

lar

are

a. W

ithin

this

the

re is

ofte

n s

om

e fle

xib

ility o

n h

ow

an

d w

ha

t yo

u a

ctu

ally

loo

k a

t with

in th

e a

rea

of

rese

arc

h.

Th

e o

the

r form

is y

our o

wn

ide

a. T

his

is o

ften

a d

ifficu

lt pa

rt of y

ou

r rese

arc

h a

nd

ha

s to

beg

in w

ith a

ca

refu

lly c

on

sid

ere

d in

itial id

ea

.

Fo

r eith

er ro

ute

, yo

u s

ho

uld

ch

oo

se

to d

o s

om

eth

ing

yo

u a

re a

ctu

ally

inte

res

ted

in, th

is w

ork

is

go

ing

to ta

ke u

p a

lot o

f yo

ur tim

e.

Th

e id

ea

the

n n

ee

ds to

be

turn

ed

into

yo

ur re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n, i.e

. wh

at is

it yo

u w

an

t to fin

d th

e

an

sw

er to

? F

urth

er q

uestio

ns th

en

follo

w n

atu

rally

from

this

su

ch

as:

C

an

the

qu

estio

n b

e a

nsw

ere

d in

the p

erio

d o

f time a

va

ilab

le?

H

ow

an

d w

he

re c

an

I obta

in th

e in

form

atio

n I n

ee

d?

W

hat m

eth

od s

ho

uld

I use

to g

ath

er th

e d

ata

?

Th

e to

pic

you

se

lect to

resea

rch

sh

ould

ha

ve s

om

e o

rigin

ality

. This

do

es n

ot m

ea

n it n

eed

s to

be

e

ntire

ly o

rigin

al, fo

r exam

ple

. Orig

ina

lity c

an re

sult fro

m u

sin

g a

lrea

dy k

no

wn m

ate

rial b

ut w

ith a

ne

w

inte

rpre

tatio

n, o

r from

takin

g a

top

ic fro

m th

e c

ours

e a

nd

ca

rryin

g o

ut a

n e

xte

nde

d s

tud

y. T

he

level o

f o

rigin

ality

thou

gh

de

pe

nd

s o

n th

e le

ve

l of th

e s

tudy, a

Ph

D h

as to

ha

ve

mo

re o

rigin

ality

than

an

MS

c.

If you

are

still u

nsu

re o

f the

rese

arc

h to

pic

, follo

w th

e s

tep

s g

ive

n b

elo

w:

In

itially

co

nsid

er a

nu

mb

er o

f top

ics.

D

ecid

e o

n th

e to

pic

yo

u w

ish to

rese

arc

h. T

his

sh

ou

ld id

ea

lly b

e a

n a

rea

tha

t inte

rests

yo

u,

sp

on

so

red

stu

de

nts

may h

ave

a to

pic

impo

se

d o

n th

em

by th

eir e

mp

loye

r.

D

o s

om

e in

itial re

ad

ing

su

fficie

nt to

giv

e a

n in

dic

atio

n th

at th

ere

is e

no

ugh

ava

ilable

info

rma

tion

to

allo

w y

ou

to c

ontin

ue

.

D

ecid

e o

n th

e in

itial re

sea

rch

qu

estio

n.

T

alk

to y

ou

r su

pe

rvis

or.

T

hin

k a

bo

ut y

ou

r qu

estio

n a

nd

the

n g

ive

it pre

cis

e fo

cu

s. C

arry

ou

t furth

er re

ad

ing

if req

uire

d.

A

rrive

at a

wo

rkin

g title

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

18

To

pic

: F

ocu

sin

g

Le

t us a

ssu

me

yo

u a

re in

tere

ste

d in

find

ing

ou

t if usin

g th

e in

tern

et le

ad

s to

mo

re e

fficie

nt in

du

strie

s.

Th

e in

itial re

se

arc

h q

uestio

n m

ay th

en

be

:

Do

es u

sin

g th

e in

tern

et le

ad

to m

ore

effic

ien

t ind

ustrie

s?

Fro

m w

hic

h a

wo

rkin

g title

ca

n b

e fo

rme

d, s

uch a

s:

“Imp

rove

men

ts in

ind

ustry

by th

e u

se

of th

e in

tern

et”

At firs

t sig

ht th

is a

ppe

ars

to b

e a

n in

tere

stin

g a

rea o

f stu

dy, b

ut n

ow

co

nsid

er th

e title

ag

ain

st th

e

follo

win

g q

uestio

ns:

1. W

hat in

du

stry

are

to b

e c

on

sid

ere

d? D

oe

s th

is a

pp

ly to

all in

dustrie

s?

2. H

ow

is th

e d

ata

on

effic

ien

cy to

be

ob

tain

ed

? F

rom

pu

blis

he

d d

ata

? B

y s

urv

eyin

g c

om

pa

nie

s?

3. H

ow

lon

g w

ill it take to

ga

the

r the d

ata

and

co

mp

lete

the

rese

arc

h?

Oth

er q

ue

stio

ns c

an

als

o b

e p

osed

, but c

on

sid

era

tion

of th

ose a

bo

ve

is a

de

qu

ate

to s

ho

w th

at th

e

se

lecte

d to

pic

is a

ve

ry b

roa

d a

rea

of re

se

arc

h th

at w

ill req

uire

a c

on

sid

era

ble

am

ou

nt tim

e a

nd

effo

rt to

co

mp

lete

. We c

an

co

nclu

de

the

refo

re th

at it its

pre

se

nt fo

rm it is

no

t a s

uita

ble

MS

c re

sea

rch

topic

.

So

me

focu

s c

ould

be

giv

en

by c

on

sid

erin

g o

nly

on

e in

du

stry

an

d th

e e

ffects

on

usin

g th

e in

tern

et.

Eve

n th

en, it m

ay b

e d

ifficu

lt to d

ete

rmin

e a

ny c

on

clu

siv

e lin

k b

etw

ee

n th

e in

trod

uctio

n o

f the in

tern

et

an

d e

fficie

ncie

s th

at h

ave o

ccu

rred

.

Fu

rthe

r focusin

g m

ay b

e re

quire

d in

ord

er to

be

rea

so

nab

ly s

ure

tha

t the

dis

se

rtatio

n c

an b

e

su

cce

ssfu

lly com

ple

ted

to th

e re

quire

d s

tan

dard

an

d in

the

time

ava

ilab

le.

It is a

pp

are

nt th

at fo

cusin

g m

akes y

ou

co

nsid

er n

ot o

nly

the

rese

arc

h q

ue

stio

n, b

ut a

lso

the m

eth

od

(s)

yo

u w

ill use

to g

ath

er d

ata

an

d th

e tim

e re

qu

ired

for c

om

ple

ting th

e d

isse

rtatio

n.

Page 10: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

19

To

pic

: R

ese

arc

h P

rop

osa

l

Th

e n

ext lo

gic

al s

tep

is to

dra

w u

p y

ou

r initia

l pla

n fo

r the re

sea

rch

. It sh

ou

ld in

clu

de

:

A

wo

rkin

g title

ba

sed

on

the re

sea

rch q

ue

stio

n.

A

brie

f dis

cussio

n o

f the m

ain

pro

ble

m y

ou

wis

h to

so

lve. T

his

will in

clu

de

the

aim

an

d o

bje

ctiv

es o

f th

e s

tudy a

nd

ad

dre

ss th

e s

eco

nd

ary

qu

estio

ns th

at fo

llow

from

the s

ele

cte

d re

searc

h q

ue

stio

n.

A

brie

f de

scrip

tion

of th

e m

eth

od

, or m

eth

ods, y

ou in

ten

d u

sin

g to

ga

the

r the

da

ta y

ou

req

uire

to

an

sw

er th

e re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n.

A

n a

ctio

n p

lan

in th

e fo

rm o

f a G

antt c

ha

rt.

Y

ou

r tho

ug

hts

on th

e m

ain

pro

ble

ms th

at y

ou a

ntic

ipa

te e

nco

un

terin

g d

urin

g y

ou

r rese

arc

h a

nd

ho

w

these

mig

ht b

e o

ve

rco

me.

In

itial re

fere

nces.

Usin

g th

e p

roce

dure

s in

this

pa

ckag

e s

ele

ct a

n in

itial re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n a

nd

then

giv

e it fo

cu

s to

arriv

e

at th

e fin

al q

ue

stio

n a

nd

he

nce

a w

ork

ing

title.

If you

ha

ve

alre

ad

y d

ecid

ed

on

a re

sea

rch

qu

estio

n th

en

ch

eck it fo

r focu

s a

nd

decid

e o

n a

wo

rkin

g

title.

Ha

vin

g d

ecid

ed

on

a re

se

arc

h q

ue

stio

n a

nd

wo

rkin

g title

do

yo

u th

inkth

at y

ou

co

uld

co

mp

lete

the

dis

se

rtatio

n in

the p

erio

d J

un

e to

Se

pte

mb

er?

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

20

To

pic

: Y

ou

an

d yo

ur s

upe

rvis

or

On

ce

yo

u h

ave

a s

up

erv

iso

r the

y a

re th

e firs

t po

rtal o

f ca

ll. If yo

u a

re u

ns

ure

of a

nyth

ing

to d

o

with

the

dis

se

rtatio

n th

ey a

re w

ho

yo

u a

sk

first.

Do

I ha

ve

to a

gre

e w

ith w

ha

t the

su

pe

rvis

or s

ays?

No

, the

y c

an

on

ly advis

e it is

you

r dis

se

rtatio

n. B

UT

(a

nd

it is a

ve

ry b

ig b

ut) y

ou

ne

ed

a v

ery

go

od re

aso

n to

go a

ga

inst a

dvic

e. T

he id

ea

l is th

e s

up

erv

iso

r a

nd

the

dis

se

rtatio

n s

tud

en

t ca

n ta

lk a

bou

t the d

isse

rtatio

n w

ork

an

d a

gre

e a

fter a

dis

cussio

n o

n th

e

wa

y forw

ard

. An

MS

c s

tud

en

t sh

ou

ld b

e a

ble

to d

iscu

ss th

e d

isserta

tion, b

e a

n in

de

pe

nd

ent

rese

arc

he

r an

d th

ere

fore

ap

pro

pria

tely

arg

ue

their c

ase

for th

e d

irectio

n o

f the

work

.

Do

I ha

ve

to m

eet m

y s

up

erv

iso

r reg

ula

rly?

Ye

s. P

ast e

xp

erie

nce(a

nd

yo

ur s

up

erv

iso

rs a

re e

xp

erie

nce

d) s

ug

ge

st th

ose

tha

t me

et re

gula

rly w

ith

the s

up

erv

iso

rs a

re lik

ely

to h

ave

gre

ate

r succe

ss. Y

ou

r su

perv

iso

rs c

an

no

t he

lp if y

ou

do

n’t k

ee

p in

co

nta

ct a

nd

me

et.

My s

up

erv

isors

did

no

t tell m

e w

hat I h

ad

to d

o a

nd

wh

en!

Th

ey a

re n

ot m

ea

nt to

. Yo

u a

re in

cha

rge

of m

ana

gin

g th

e w

ork

no

t the

su

pe

rvis

or.

Page 11: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

21

To

pic

: S

tude

nts

Respo

nsib

ilities

Ta

ke

n fro

m th

e U

niv

ers

ity's

Dis

se

rtatio

n P

olic

y

To

:

• a

gre

e a

sche

du

le o

f me

etin

gs,

• e

nsu

ring th

at th

e a

gre

ed

sch

edu

le is

ad

he

red to

an

d d

ea

dlin

es m

et,

• u

se s

up

erv

iso

ry tim

e a

lloca

ted

effe

ctiv

ely

, ma

na

ge tu

toria

l time

effe

ctiv

ely

by p

rep

arin

g fo

r the

tu

toria

l in a

dvan

ce

,

• ke

ep

ap

po

intm

en

ts w

hic

h h

ave b

ee

n a

rran

ge

d,

• m

ain

tain

a re

co

rd o

f sup

erv

iso

ry m

eetin

gs,

• a

gre

e to

act re

sp

on

sib

ly a

nd

pro

fessio

na

lly w

he

n o

n fie

ldw

ork

,

• u

nd

ers

tan

d th

e re

gu

latio

ns w

ith re

ga

rd to

pla

gia

rism

,

• ta

ke

ad

va

nta

ge

of U

niv

ers

ity s

up

po

rt me

ch

anis

ms (s

ee

ap

pe

nd

ixA

.4),

• m

ake u

se o

f NU

PA

D g

uid

an

ce

an

d d

ocu

me

nta

tion

to p

lan

an

d m

on

itor p

rog

ress o

f the

d

isse

rtatio

n,

• to

maxim

ise

the b

en

efit o

f tuto

rial s

up

po

rt, an

d to

imp

lem

en

t ag

ree

d a

ctio

n fo

r de

ve

lop

me

nt,

• re

co

gn

ise th

eir e

thic

al re

spo

nsib

ilities.” (U

oN

20

07

pp

4)

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

22

To

pic

: S

up

erv

isors

' role

Ta

ke

n fro

m th

e U

niv

ers

ity's

Dis

se

rtatio

n P

olic

y

To

ad

vis

e o

n:

o th

e to

pic

of th

e d

isse

rtatio

n a

nd

on

reso

urc

es

o ris

k a

sse

ssm

en

t, wh

ere

ap

pro

pria

te

o m

eth

od

olo

gie

s

o re

fere

ncin

g / p

lagia

rism

o e

thic

al p

ractic

e, a

s a

pp

rop

riate

o in

form

atio

n s

ourc

es, in

clu

din

g N

UP

AD

ma

teria

l, to s

up

po

rt pla

nn

ing

, mo

nito

ring

and

pro

gre

ss o

f the

d

isse

rtatio

n

o s

tructu

re a

nd

pre

sen

tatio

n o

f the

dis

se

rtatio

n

To

dis

cu

ss p

rog

ress o

n th

e d

isse

rtatio

n

To

offe

r fee

db

ack o

n p

artia

l vers

ion

s o

f the

dis

serta

tion

To

assis

t the

stu

de

nt in

ide

ntify

ing

pro

ble

ms/is

su

es a

nd

su

gg

est/a

gre

e s

pe

cific

actio

n to

ad

dre

ss th

ese

To

ma

inta

in re

gu

lar s

up

erv

iso

ry c

on

tact

To

co

nta

ct a

ny s

tud

en

t who

fails

to a

tten

d s

up

erv

iso

ry sessio

ns

To

ad

vis

e th

e s

tud

en

t on

dis

se

rtatio

ns w

hic

h a

re c

on

sid

ere

d e

xe

mp

lars

of g

oo

d p

ractic

e.”(U

oN

, 20

07

p

p.5

)

Page 12: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

23

To

pic

: C

ase S

tud

y

Ca

se

Stu

dy - S

em

an

tic W

eb

You

ne

ed

to a

nsw

er th

ese tw

o ta

sks

Ac

tvity

T

ask

1

Wha

t is th

e S

em

an

tic W

eb?

2

Cre

ate

a p

lan fo

r a p

roje

ct th

at u

se

s th

e s

em

antic

we

b.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

24

To

pic

: E

xte

rnal A

ctv

ities

For e

ach q

ue

stio

n, in

dic

ate

the

co

rrect a

nsw

er b

y pla

cin

g a

ma

rk in

the c

olu

mn

to th

e le

ft.

Qu

es

tion

1

Ha

ve

yo

u m

ee

t yo

ur p

ote

ntia

l su

perv

iso

rs

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

Y

es

N

o

Qu

es

tion

2

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

Y

es

N

o

Qu

es

tion

3

Have

yo

u c

om

ple

ted

the

litea

rture

revie

w fo

r the

ca

se

stu

dy?

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

Y

es

N

o

No

te: A

nsw

ers

ap

pe

ar o

n th

e n

ext p

ag

e.

Page 13: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

25

An

sw

er 1

Ha

ve

yo

u m

ee

t yo

ur p

ote

ntia

l su

perv

iso

rs

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

Y

es

N

o

Co

rrec

t An

sw

er F

ee

db

ac

k: G

oo

d.

An

sw

er 2

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

Y

es

N

o

Co

rrec

t An

sw

er F

ee

db

ac

k: G

oo

d, b

ut k

eep

at it.

An

sw

er 3

Have

yo

u c

om

ple

ted

the

litea

rture

revie

w fo

r the

ca

se

stu

dy?

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

Y

es

N

o

Co

rrec

t An

sw

er F

ee

db

ac

k: W

hat d

id y

ou le

arn

ab

ou

t do

this

? w

ha

t too

ls d

id y

ou

use

?

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

26

Aim

s a

nd

Ob

jec

tives

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

SM

AR

T

Se

lf Test

Page 14: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

27

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

You

r dis

se

rtatio

n a

nd

pro

po

sal b

oth

mu

st h

ave

an

aim

an

d a

set o

f obje

ctiv

es.

Ele

men

t D

eta

il

Aim

A

sin

gle

ge

ne

ral s

tate

me

nt o

utlin

ing

the d

issera

tion

.

Ob

jectiv

es

All o

bje

ctiv

es m

ust b

e S

MA

RT

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

28

To

pic

: S

MA

RT

All o

bje

ctiv

es m

ust b

e S

MA

RT

Te

rm

Me

an

ing

Q

ue

stio

ns to

as

k y

ou

self

Sp

ecific

N

ee

d to

be p

recis

e a

bou

t wh

at y

ou

are

go

ing

to

ach

ieve

.

Use v

erb

s s

uch a

s b

uild

, con

duct, d

eve

lop

, d

esig

n, e

tc.

• W

ha

t exa

ctly

are

we

go

ing

to

do

?

• W

ho

are

go

ing

to in

volv

e?

• W

ha

t stra

tegie

s w

ill be

use

d?

• Is

the

ob

jectiv

e w

ell

un

de

rsto

od

?

• Is

the

ir a c

lea

r ou

tco

me

?

• W

ill this

obje

ctiv

e le

ad

to

rse

ults

wa

nte

d?

Mea

su

rab

le

Ho

w a

re y

ou

go

ing

to m

easu

re th

e o

bje

ctiv

e?

If yo

u c

an

't me

su

re it h

ow

do

yo

u k

no

w y

ou

h

ave a

ch

ieve

d it?

• C

an

the o

bje

ctiv

e b

e

me

asure

d?

• D

oe

s th

e m

ea

su

rem

en

t ha

ve

re

leve

an

ce

to th

e o

utc

om

e?

Ach

ieva

ble

C

an

it be d

on

e?

If the o

bje

ctiv

e is

no

t ach

ieva

ble

or is

too

big

, yo

u w

ill find

it diffic

ult (o

r imp

ossib

le) to

a

ch

ieve

.

An

ob

jectiv

e s

ho

uld

pro

vid

e m

otiv

atio

n.

• C

an

we

get it d

on

e in

time

ava

ilab

le?

• W

ha

t are

the lim

its?

• C

an

we

do th

is w

ith th

e

reso

urc

es a

va

ilab

le?

• Is

this

po

ssib

le?

Re

alis

tic

Can

it be d

on

e in

the

time

yo

u h

ave a

nd

the

re

so

urc

es a

vaila

ble

toy y

ou

. Th

is d

oe

s N

OT

m

ea

n e

asy!

• D

o y

ou

ha

ve

the

reso

urc

es

ava

ilab

le to

ach

ieve

?

• C

an

this

ob

jectiv

e b

e

ach

ieve

d?

Tim

ely

W

he

n th

e th

e o

bje

ctiv

e b

e a

chie

ve

d, b

e

sp

ecific

.

Se

t rea

listic

de

ad

line

s

wh

en w

ill this

obje

ctiv

e b

e

com

ple

ted?

Is th

e d

ea

dlin

e s

tate

d?

Each

ob

jectiv

e s

hou

ld m

atc

h th

e c

riteria

for a

ll of th

ese

.

As a

n e

xa

mp

le o

bje

ctiv

es m

od

ified fo

m a

rea

l pro

ject

To h

ave

de

lievere

d a

min

imu

m o

f six

se

ssio

ns o

f a p

artic

ula

r fun

de

d p

roje

ct, to

120

stu

de

nts

by M

arc

h

20

11

?

Page 15: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

29

The

pro

ject is

to d

elie

ve

red

to a

t lea

st s

ix s

essio

ns (S

pe

cific

) to 1

20

stu

de

nts

(this

with

the s

ix s

essio

ns is

m

ea

sura

ble

). Yo

u m

ake th

e ju

dg

em

ent a

bou

t how

rea

listic

an

d a

ch

ieva

ble

it is. It a

lso

ha

s a

sp

ecifie

d

time

limit (T

ime

ly)

Ca

n y

ou

refin

e th

is?

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

30

To

pic

: S

elf T

est

No

w p

lea

se

do

the

follo

win

g

(i) Se

t a s

ing

le a

im fo

r yo

ur re

se

acrh

.

(ii) Se

t thre

e o

bje

ctiv

es fo

r yo

ur re

se

arc

h

(iii) Whe

n p

arts

(i) an

d (ii) 's

wap

' yo

ur a

im a

nd o

bje

ctiv

es w

ith a

no

the

r mem

be

r of th

e g

rou

p fo

r the

ir co

mm

en

t.

(iv) T

hin

gs fo

r the c

on

sid

er a

s th

e re

vie

wer:

Are

the

ob

jectiv

es S

MA

RT

Do

es th

e a

im g

ive

a g

ene

ral o

ve

rvie

w o

f the

rese

arc

h to

be d

on

e?

Fro

m th

e a

im a

nd

the

ob

jectiv

e c

an y

ou s

ee

• H

ow

the

pro

jects

will b

e a

chie

ve

d?

• W

hen

will th

e o

bje

ctiv

es b

e m

et?

• Is

the p

roje

ct re

alis

tic a

nd

ach

ievab

le?

• C

an

yo

u s

ee h

ow

the

su

cce

ss o

f the

ob

jectiv

es w

ill be

me

asu

red?

• Is

that m

ea

su

re a

ppro

pria

te?

(v) W

he

n ta

sk (iv

) is c

om

ple

ted

giv

e y

ou

r feed

ba

ck a

nd

su

gg

estio

ns to

the

pers

on

wh

o s

et th

e a

im a

nd

o

bje

ctiv

e fo

r the

ir co

nis

dera

tion

.

(vi) M

ake

an

y c

ha

ng

es to

yo

ur o

bje

ctiv

es a

nd

aim y

ou

fee

l are

ap

pro

pria

te a

nd

sw

ap

the

m w

ith a

d

iffere

nt p

ero

sn

in th

e g

rou

p a

nd re

pe

at (iii) a

nd (iv

).

Answ

er fo

r this

qu

estio

n c

an

be

writte

n in

the

sp

ace

pro

vid

ed

be

low

.

Page 16: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

31

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

32

Pla

nn

ing

an

d s

ou

rces

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Pla

nn

ing

too

ls

To

pic

Use o

f Lib

rary

So

urc

es 1

Use o

f the

Inte

rne

t

Ele

ctro

nic

jou

rna

ls

Page 17: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

33

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

He

re is

a s

um

ma

ry o

f thin

gs th

at y

ou

sh

ou

ld c

on

sid

er w

hen

ca

rryin

g o

ut a

litera

ture

se

arc

h.

1. S

ele

ct a

top

ic: T

his

is a

rela

tive

ly o

bvio

us s

tartin

g p

oin

t. Yo

u m

ay, h

ow

eve

r, ha

ve s

eve

ral o

ptio

ns

in m

ind

for a

rese

arc

h to

pic

, an

d s

ele

ct th

e m

osta

ppro

pria

te o

ne

de

pe

nd

en

t on p

relim

ina

ry re

ad

ing

.

2. D

efin

e th

e te

rmin

olo

gy: T

hin

k c

learly

ab

ou

t wh

at y

ou m

ean

to a

ch

ieve fro

m y

ou

r rese

arc

h to

pic

.

Se

t yo

urs

elf ta

rge

ts, a

nd th

ink a

bo

ut th

e c

onte

xt in

wh

ich

yo

ur re

se

arc

h is

set.

3 D

efin

e p

ara

me

ters

: Se

t yo

urs

elf p

ara

me

ters

in th

e a

rea

of y

our re

se

arc

h. E

.g. w

ha

t is th

e tim

e

pe

riod

of th

e s

tud

y (1

99

0 to

the

pre

sen

t da

y) o

r wh

at s

ecto

r (inte

rne

t ap

plic

atio

ns in

the

leis

ure

in

du

stry

).

4 L

ist p

os

sib

ly re

late

d s

ou

rce

s: T

hin

k a

bo

ut p

ossib

le a

ltern

ativ

es to

find

ing

info

rma

tion

on

yo

ur

ch

osen

top

ic. F

or e

xa

mp

le, y

ou

ma

y fin

d in

form

atio

n o

n lift fire

da

ma

ge

un

de

r bu

ildin

g fire

da

ma

ge

, or

fire b

riga

de re

po

rts e

tc.

5 S

ele

ct s

ou

rce

s: U

se

a s

ub

ject-b

ase

d a

pp

roa

ch

with

the

term

s s

ele

cte

d a

bo

ve. M

ake

a n

ote

of

libra

ry c

lassific

atio

ns a

nd

ind

exe

s, a

s y

ou

ma

y w

ell fin

d re

late

d in

form

atio

n in

this

su

bje

ct a

rea. O

ne

so

urc

e o

f refe

ren

ce

will in

va

riab

ly re

su

lt in a

‘ca

scad

e’ to

pro

du

ce fu

rthe

r use

ful s

ou

rces.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

34

To

pic

: P

lann

ing to

ols

We g

oin

g to

loo

k a

t so

me

so

ftwa

re to

ols

tha

t can

be

use

d to

he

lp s

tructu

re a

nd

pla

n y

ou

r wo

rk.

Te

ch

niq

ue

D

eta

il

Min

dm

ap

s

Min

d m

ap s

oftw

are

allo

w y

ou o

rga

niz

e th

ou

gh

ts, b

rain

sto

rmin

g id

eas o

r list m

akin

g in

to

a d

esira

ble

min

d m

ap d

iag

ram

. As M

ind

ma

pp

ing

dia

gra

m is

usefu

l be

ca

use

it rep

rese

nt w

ord

s, id

ea

s, ta

sks, o

r oth

er ite

ms lin

ke

d to

and

arra

ng

ed

aro

un

d a

ce

ntra

l ke

y

wo

rd o

r ide

a. P

lus m

ore

, Min

d m

aps a

re u

se

d to g

en

era

te, v

isu

aliz

e, s

tructu

re,

an

d c

lassify id

eas, a

nd a

s a

n a

id in s

tud

y.

Exa

mp

les c

an

be

fou

nd

at:

http

://bu

bbl.u

s

http

s://b

ub

bl.u

s/b

eta

/

http

://ww

w.m

ap

ul.c

om

/#

http

://ww

w.te

ch

mix

er.c

om

/free

-on

line-m

ind

-ma

pp

ing

-to-d

raw

-min

d-m

ap

-dia

gra

m/

Page 18: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

35

Activ

ity/d

ecis

io

n

Dia

gra

m

You

ca

n u

se

activ

ity d

iagra

ms/n

etw

ork

s to

help

with

pla

nn

ing

wh

he

n a

ctiv

ities n

eed

to b

e d

one

.

A u

sefu

l free d

ow

nlo

ad is

QS

EE

lite ( h

ttp://w

ww

.lee

dsm

et.a

c.u

k/q

see

/co

mp

lete

.htm

) wh

ich

wa

s

se

vera

l diffe

ren

t tools

Gan

tt C

har

t

A s

imp

le v

isu

al to

ol fo

r pro

ject s

che

du

ling

, bre

akin

g th

e w

ork

do

wn

into

tasks. It illu

stra

te th

e

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

36

sta

rt an

d fin

ish

date

s o

f the ta

sk.

A d

ow

nlo

ada

ble

free

pie

ce

of s

oftw

are

can

be

foun

d a

t: http

://ww

w.g

anttp

roje

ct.b

iz/

This

so

ftwa

re w

as u

se

d to

pro

du

ce

the

ch

art a

bo

ve

.

Spre

ad

she

et p

acka

ges c

an

be

use

d to

do th

is a

s w

ell.

Page 19: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

37

To

pic

: U

se o

f Lib

rary

So

me

of th

e p

itfalls

of ju

st g

oin

g to

the

libra

ry a

nd

se

e w

ha

t ha

pp

en

s a

re h

igh

ligh

ted

on

the

w

ebsite

(http

://ww

w.a

llena

nd

un

win

.co

m/e

stu

dy/re

se

arc

h.a

sp

#re

se

arc

h)

thou

gh

it was w

ritten

for u

nd

erg

rad

ua

te s

tud

en

ts, s

om

e o

f the

pitfa

llsa

nd a

dvic

e is

the s

am

e.

Th

e m

ain

bits

of a

dvic

e b

ein

g:

- If in d

ou

bt a

sk th

e lib

rary

sta

ff for h

elp

;

- Get to

kn

ow

the la

yo

ut o

f the

libra

ry, fo

r exa

mp

le w

he

re th

e b

oo

ks a

nd

journ

als

like

ly to

use a

nd

w

here

the

ph

oto

co

pie

rs a

re.

Ca

rryin

g la

rge n

um

be

rs o

f bo

oks fro

m tw

o flo

ors

up

seve

ral tim

es c

an

get a

bit tirin

g;

- Set th

e g

oa

l of w

hy yo

u a

re g

oin

g in

to th

e lib

rary

. Kn

ow

wh

y y

ou

are

go

ing

into

the

libra

ry o

n th

is

da

y. It is

ea

sy to

ge

t dis

tracte

d,

if you

find

so

me

thin

g th

at m

ight b

e a

n in

tere

stin

g la

ter in

the

rese

arc

h, m

ake

a n

ote

of it fo

r ano

the

r tim

e.

- Set re

alis

tic tim

e lim

its fo

r ho

w lo

nge

r you

are

go

ing to

sta

y in

the

re.

- Acce

pt y

ou

r pro

ba

bly

ne

ve

r go

ing

to 1

00

%, n

o q

ue

stio

n, fu

ll kno

wle

dge

of e

very

thin

g th

at h

as b

ee

n

pu

blis

he

d. T

his

can

lea

d to

‘We

ll, I no

t su

re I h

ave e

no

ug

h to

sta

rt’. Sta

rt the

litera

ture

revie

w, a

nd

ch

an

ge

if nece

ssary

, late

r.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

38

To

pic

: S

ou

rce

s 1

Th

ese

aH

avin

g s

ele

cte

d a

top

ic, d

efin

ed

the

term

ino

log

y a

nd

pa

ram

ete

rs, a

nd

se

lecte

d a

pp

ropria

te

se

arc

h te

rms, y

ou

are

in a

po

sitio

n to

be

gin

lookin

g fo

r mate

rials

. Here

is a

brie

f sum

mary

of p

ossib

le

so

urc

es o

f info

rma

tion

:

1 B

oo

ks

A u

se

ful to

ol is

the

Britis

h N

atio

na

l Bib

liogra

ph

y (B

NB

) or N

atio

nal e

qu

iva

len

t for th

ose

ou

tsid

e th

e

U.K

., wh

ich

sh

ou

ld b

e a

va

ilab

le in

most p

ublic

libra

ries. It lis

ts a

ll bo

oks a

vaila

ble

, as w

ell a

s s

om

e

go

ve

rnm

ent p

ublic

atio

ns. T

he

ind

ex m

ay g

ive

yo

u s

om

e id

ea

of o

ther re

late

d te

rms y

ou

ha

ve n

ot

thou

gh

t of. M

ost lib

rarie

s a

lso h

ave

a c

om

pu

teris

ed

ca

talo

gu

e th

at y

ou c

an

use

wh

en

se

arc

hin

g.

2 J

ou

rna

ls a

nd

Artic

les

Sh

ou

ld b

e y

ou

r ma

in s

ou

rce

of in

form

atio

n. F

or m

ore

spe

cific

and

rece

nt m

ate

rial, y

ou

sh

ou

ld c

on

su

lt a

pp

ropria

te jo

urn

als

. Th

e lib

rary

ma

y h

ave

so

me

ele

ctro

nic

me

ans o

f se

arc

hin

g fo

r a p

artic

ula

r jou

rna

l o

r artic

le, o

r yo

u m

ay h

ave

to c

on

su

lt the in

de

x.

Most jo

urn

als

pu

blis

h a

co

mp

lete

inde

x fo

r the

yea

r. An e

ve

r incre

asin

g a

mo

un

t of jo

urn

als

are

a

va

ilab

le o

n th

e In

tern

et.

3 D

ata

ba

se

s

Man

y s

pe

cific

da

tab

ase

s re

latin

g to

jou

rna

ls a

nd

ab

stra

cts

can

be fo

un

d o

n th

e In

tern

et. S

om

e o

f th

ese

are

free a

nd o

thers

yo

u m

ust p

ay to

ga

in a

cce

ss. M

an

y a

re s

ub

scrib

ed

to b

y U

oN

lea

rnin

g

reso

urc

es, e

.g. th

e ‘W

eb o

f Scie

nce’ a

nd

yo

u s

ho

uld

co

nta

ct th

e F

acu

lty o

f Ap

plie

d S

cie

nce

s lib

raria

n,

or th

e h

elp

de

sk fo

r mo

re in

form

atio

n o

f wh

at is

ava

ilab

le a

nd h

ow

to g

ain

acce

ss. T

he

y w

ill als

o b

e

ab

le to

assis

t you

with

findin

g in

form

atio

n fo

r yo

ur re

se

arc

h to

pic

, and

with

the

loan

of b

ooks a

nd

jo

urn

als

from

oth

er lib

rarie

s (in

ter-lib

rary

loan

s). G

o to

the

ir web

site

at

http

://ww

w.n

orth

am

pto

n.a

c.u

k/lrs

/inde

x.h

tml fo

r more

de

tails

.

4 T

he

ses a

nd

dis

se

rtatio

ns

Th

ese

s a

re a

usefu

l too

l to s

ee

wh

at w

ork

has b

ee

n d

one

, or is

cu

rren

tly b

ein

g d

on

e in

yo

ur s

ub

ject.

An

ind

ex a

nd a

bstra

ct is

gene

rally

ava

ilable

in a

ca

de

mic

libra

ries (e

ithe

r ele

ctro

nic

or p

rinte

d).

So

me

the

se

s a

re a

vaila

ble

for in

ter-lib

rary

loa

n, a

nd

som

e m

ay n

ot b

e re

lease

d. T

his

de

pe

nds o

n th

e

co

nfid

en

tiality

of in

form

atio

n c

on

tain

ed

in th

e th

esis

.

Th

e a

bo

ve

list o

f refe

rence

so

urc

es is

far fro

m e

xh

au

stiv

e, a

nd

yo

u m

ay w

ell fin

d o

ther u

sefu

l

info

rma

tion in

pla

ce

s s

uch

as m

an

ufa

ctu

rers’ c

ata

log

ue

s, in

tern

al c

om

pan

y d

ata

sh

ee

ts, e

xte

rna

lly

pro

du

ce

d re

po

rts a

nd p

ap

ers

etc

.

Th

e k

ey re

ally

is to

try a

nd lo

ca

te a

s m

uch

rele

va

nt m

ate

rial a

s y

ou

ca

n w

ithin

the tim

e a

llow

ed

, bu

t n

ot to

be

too

am

bitio

us. Y

ou

will a

lwa

ys w

an

t to o

bta

in m

ore

info

rma

tion

, bu

t mu

st re

sis

t the

tem

pta

tion

at th

e e

xp

en

se

of d

ep

rivin

g o

the

r are

as o

f you

r dis

se

rtatio

n w

ork

.

Page 20: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

39

To

pic

: U

se o

f the In

tern

et

Lik

e th

e lib

rarie

s b

eca

use

of th

e v

ast a

mou

nt o

f info

rma

tion

that is

availa

ble

on

-line

the

use o

f the

in

tern

et h

as it is

po

sitiv

e a

nd n

eg

ativ

e a

sp

ects

.

Fo

r an

inte

rne

t co

mp

utin

g it h

ad

se

e h

ow

yo

u g

ot h

ere

with

ou

t usin

g s

earc

h e

ng

ine

s, s

o w

e w

ill no

t d

iscu

ss h

ow

to u

se th

em

. The

pro

ble

m w

ith th

ese is

the

am

ou

nt o

f info

rmatio

n p

rod

uce

d a

nd

the

re

liab

ility o

f the

info

rma

tion

. An

yo

ne

ca

n p

rod

uce a

we

bp

ag

e a

nd

the

info

rma

tion

is n

ot a

lwa

ys

revie

we

d b

y a

nyb

od

y (m

ore

so

than

jou

rnals

an

d b

oo

ks) s

o is

no

t ne

ce

ssarily

co

rrect. T

he

sh

ee

r a

mo

un

t of in

form

atio

n c

an

be

ap

rob

lem

.

As a

n e

xp

erim

en

t, try th

is U

RL fo

r inte

rne

t co

mp

utin

g re

se

arc

h

http

://ww

w.g

oo

gle

.co

.uk/s

ea

rch

?h

l=e

n&

q=

inte

rne

t+co

mp

utin

g+

rese

arc

h&

meta

=

At th

e tim

e o

f writin

g th

is h

ad

ab

out 1

5 5

00 0

00

resu

lts, s

o m

an

y to

wo

rk th

roug

h.

So

su

gg

estio

ns o

f ho

w to

use th

em

:

- Sta

rting w

ith th

e m

ore

obvio

us c

ha

ng

e th

e s

earc

h to

be

mo

re s

pe

cific

. Fo

r exa

mp

le in

ste

ad

of ju

st

inte

rne

t co

mp

utin

g re

se

arc

h, m

ake

it mo

re s

pe

cific

by lo

okin

g fo

r exa

ct p

hra

se

s “in

tern

et c

om

putin

g

rese

arc

h”

(http

://ww

w.g

oo

gle

.co

.uk/s

ea

rch

?h

l=en

&q

=%

22

inte

rne

t+co

mpu

ting

+re

se

arc

h%

22

&m

eta

= ) w

hic

h

red

uce

d it d

ow

n to

17

8 re

su

lts.

- Aim

to m

ain

ly u

se

site

s fo

r ide

ntifia

ble

so

urc

es.

- Aim

to s

ites s

pecific

yo

u b

elie

ve

to b

e re

sp

ecta

ble

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

40

To

pic

: E

lectro

nic

jou

rnals

A lo

t of e

lectro

nic

jou

rna

ls a

re n

ow

ava

ilab

le. L

ibra

ries o

ften

ha

ve

ele

ctro

nic

so

urc

es(h

ttp://lib

rary

.no

rtham

pto

n.a

c.u

k/d

ata

ba

se

s/in

de

x.p

hp

?vie

w=

az) fo

r se

arc

hin

g th

rou

gh th

em

. S

om

etim

es th

ese

ne

ed

a s

pe

cific

use

rnam

e to

ge

t acce

ss, s

o y

ou

wo

uld

ne

ed

to th

e ta

lk to

the lib

rary

sta

ff.

Page 21: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

41

Re

vie

win

g L

itera

ture

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Wha

t to d

o?

Exe

rcis

e 1

Wha

t is th

is L

itera

ture

Revie

w?

Fin

din

g in

form

atio

n

Wha

t ne

ed

s to

be re

co

rde

d

Bib

liog

rap

hic

Softw

are

Quo

ting

Exe

rcis

e

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

42

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

An

y p

iece

of re

se

arc

h, irre

sp

ectiv

e o

f its m

eth

od

or s

cale

, will in

vo

lve

rea

din

g a

bo

ut w

hat o

the

r pe

op

le

ha

ve

alre

ad

y w

ritten

or d

isco

ve

red

abo

ut th

is a

rea. T

his

info

rma

tion

will b

e u

se

d to

su

pp

ort o

r refu

te

yo

ur o

wn fin

din

gs a

nd

tho

ug

hts

on

the

su

bje

ct. W

hils

t, for s

ma

ll-sca

le re

sea

rch

, yo

u w

ill no

t be

re

qu

ired

to p

rod

uce

a d

efin

itive

acco

un

t of a

ll of th

e m

ate

rial a

nd

rese

arc

h fo

r yo

ur c

ho

se

n to

pic

, yo

u

will n

ee

d to

de

mo

nstra

te th

at y

ou

ha

ve a

gra

sp o

f the

cu

rren

t sta

te o

f kn

ow

led

ge.

Idea

lly, th

e m

ajo

rity o

f yo

ur re

ad

ing

an

d lite

ratu

re s

ea

rch

ing

sh

ou

ld b

e in

the

ea

rly s

tage

s o

f yo

ur

pe

riod

of re

se

arc

h. In

pra

ctic

e, h

ow

eve

r, a n

um

be

r of a

ctiv

ities a

re u

su

ally

‘on th

e g

o’ a

t any o

ne

time

, a

nd

yo

ur lite

ratu

re s

ea

rch

ing

an

d re

vie

win

g m

ay s

pill o

ver in

to o

the

r are

as o

f you

r resea

rch

pro

po

sal

ou

tline

. Yo

u n

eed

to ta

ke c

are

tha

t rea

din

g d

oe

s n

ot ta

ke

up m

ore

time

tha

n y

ou

ha

ve a

llow

ed

. It is

rare

ly p

ossib

le to

ob

tain

all th

e s

ou

rce

s o

f ma

teria

l yo

u re

qu

ire, a

t the tim

e w

he

n y

ou

wa

nt th

en

, so

yo

u w

ill ine

vita

bly

ha

ve

to re

-org

an

ise

yo

ur p

lan

s w

hile

yo

u a

re w

aitin

g.

Page 22: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

43

To

pic

: W

hat to

do

?

Re

ad

ing

as m

uch

mate

rial a

s tim

e a

llow

s a

bo

ut y

ou

r rese

arc

h to

pic

ma

y g

ive

yo

u p

len

ty o

f ide

as o

n

ho

w b

est to

ap

pro

ach

you

r resea

rch

. It ma

y a

lso

giv

e y

ou

ide

as a

bo

ut h

ow

you

co

uld

cla

ssify

an

d

pre

se

nt th

e in

form

atio

n y

ou

gath

er. Y

ou m

ay e

ven

de

cid

e to

gath

er s

om

e d

ata

of y

ou

r ow

n fo

r a

na

lysis

.

It is n

ot s

uffic

ient fo

r yo

ur re

se

arc

h to

me

rely

pre

se

nt a

nd d

escrib

e in

form

atio

n a

nd fa

cts

that y

ou

find.

Yo

u m

ust o

rga

nis

e in

form

atio

n in

to a

co

he

ren

t pa

ttern

, an

d p

rovid

e a

ratio

na

l dis

cu

ssio

n o

f yo

ur o

wn

th

ou

gh

ts g

ive

n y

ou

r find

ing

s.

As y

ou

rea

d:

• yo

u m

ust b

egin

to g

et in

to th

e h

abit o

f critic

ally

an

aly

sin

g w

ha

t oth

er p

eo

ple

ha

ve

pre

sen

ted

on

yo

ur re

se

arc

h to

pic

.

• Y

ou

will a

lso

beg

in to

se

e re

latio

nsh

ips to

oth

er is

su

es.

Th

is w

ill giv

e y

ou

so

me

ide

as o

n h

ow

to o

rgan

ise y

ou

r ow

n re

se

arc

h a

nd

are

es

se

ntia

l sk

ills fo

r an

M

Sc

Dis

sera

tion

/ Res

ea

rch

Stu

de

nt

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

44

To

pic

: E

xerc

ise 1

Ok, le

ts w

ork

thro

ug

h s

om

e m

ate

rial o

n re

fere

ncin

g.

We a

re g

oin

g to

loo

k:

• W

hy w

e re

fere

nce

?

• H

ow

we

refe

rence

?

• H

ow

to b

e c

on

stru

ct a

refe

ren

ce?

• H

ow

do w

e u

se

refe

ren

ce

s w

ith in

the te

xt?

http

://ww

w.g

lom

ake

r.org

/sam

ple

s/G

LO

Ma

ke

r_R

ef_

bo

oks/G

LO

_P

laye

r.htm

l

Page 23: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

45

To

pic

: W

hat is

this

Lite

ratu

re R

evie

w?

Fo

r the d

isse

rtatio

n, y

ou

are

req

uire

d to

und

erta

ke

a lite

ratu

re re

vie

w. T

he

pu

rpose

of th

is re

vie

w is

for

yo

u to

inve

stig

ate

wh

at in

form

atio

n a

lrea

dy e

xis

ts o

n y

ou

r pa

rticu

lar c

ho

se

n to

pic

. It is s

ho

uld

be

more

than

mere

ly a

‘list’ o

r ‘accou

nt’ o

f the

so

urc

es o

f info

rma

tion

that y

ou

ha

ve

co

nsu

lted

. It sh

ou

ld

de

mo

nstra

te th

at y

ou

have

stu

die

d e

xis

ting

wo

rks in

yo

ur fie

ld o

f inte

rest, a

nd h

ave

ap

pra

ise

d th

em

w

ith s

om

e c

ritica

l insig

ht.

Writin

g a

go

od

litera

ture

revie

w c

an

be

a d

em

an

din

g p

roc

es

s! It s

hou

ld p

rovid

e th

e re

ad

er, a

lbeit

in a

su

ccin

ct fo

rm, w

ith th

e c

on

text in

wh

ich

the

rese

arc

h is

bein

g u

nd

erta

ke

n –

wh

y are

yo

u d

oin

g th

is

an

d w

ha

t has a

lrea

dy b

ee

n d

one

.

It sh

ou

ld in

clu

de:

• th

e c

urre

nt s

tate

of k

no

wle

dge

• m

ajo

r qu

estio

ns in

the fie

ld o

f inte

rest;

• so

me o

f yo

ur o

wn th

oug

hts

an

d id

ea

s, b

acke

d-u

p b

y th

e s

ourc

es re

ferre

d to

.

It is a

co

mm

on

erro

r to ju

st p

ut d

ow

n a

list o

f this

pe

rso

n s

aid

this

, etc

. It sh

ould

be

a lo

t mo

re g

ivin

g

the re

ad

er a

sen

se

of w

ha

t yo

u th

ink a

nd

ho

w it re

late

s to

yo

ur w

ork

.

Th

ere

are

ma

ny g

oo

d s

ou

rce

s o

f gu

ida

nce

into

critic

ally

revie

win

g lite

ratu

re, a

nd

dis

cu

ssio

n o

f the

‘litera

ture

revie

w’ p

roce

ss in

va

riab

ly occu

rs in

all b

oo

ks o

n re

sea

rch

meth

od

s a

nd

tech

niq

ues. T

ake

a

look a

t so

me

of th

e re

co

mm

en

de

d b

oo

ks o

n th

e b

oo

k lis

t for th

is m

od

ule

,and

you

will b

e a

ble

to fin

d

so

me

exa

mp

les.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

46

To

pic

: F

ind

ing in

form

atio

n

We w

ill com

e b

ack to

this

top

ic la

ter in

the

mod

ule

. Just to

sta

rt with

, he

re a

re s

om

e k

ey p

oin

ts.

In o

rder to

pro

ce

ed

with

yo

ur lite

ratu

re re

vie

w, it fo

llow

s th

at y

ou

mu

st b

eg

in b

y lo

catin

g in

form

atio

n

reg

ard

ing

yo

ur c

ho

se

n s

ub

ject. If yo

u a

re g

iven

a to

pic

to in

ve

stig

ate

, the

n y

ou

ma

y a

lso

be

giv

en

a

pre

limin

ary

list o

f refe

ren

ce s

ou

rces. If y

ou

ha

ve

cho

se

n y

our o

wn

top

ic, y

ou

will n

ee

d to

find

ou

t for

yo

urs

elf w

ha

t ha

s b

ee

n p

ub

lish

ed in

yo

ur fie

ld, e

ve

n if tim

e o

nly

pe

rmits

you

to re

ad

a s

ele

ctio

n o

f b

oo

ks a

nd

artic

les.

Wha

teve

r yo

ur to

pic

, it is im

po

rtan

t that y

ou

co

nsid

er th

e fo

llow

ing

ke

y p

oin

ts:

1. T

ry to

find

the m

ost re

levan

t pub

lish

ed m

ate

rials

as q

uic

kly

as y

ou

ca

n. R

em

em

ber, th

e b

ulk

of y

ou

r re

ad

ing

sh

ou

ld c

om

e a

t the b

egin

nin

g o

f yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n s

tud

ies.

2. A

vo

id g

ettin

g to

o b

og

ge

d d

ow

n. T

he lite

ratu

re re

vie

w o

nly

form

s a

pa

rt of y

ou

r dis

se

rtatio

n. It w

ill not

be

po

ssib

le in

the

time p

erio

d fo

r yo

u to

rea

d e

very

thin

g w

ritten

on y

ou

r ch

ose

n to

pic

. Try

to b

e

se

lectiv

e.

3. G

et in

to th

e h

ab

it of re

cord

ing

an

d c

ate

go

risin

g in

form

atio

nfo

un

d d

urin

g y

ou

r rea

din

g, s

o th

at it m

ay

be

mo

re e

asily

use

d a

t a la

ter d

ate

. (We w

ill dis

cu

ss th

is la

ter)

Page 24: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

47

To

pic

: W

hat n

ee

ds to

be re

co

rded

Wh

ich

eve

r refe

ren

cin

g s

yste

m y

ou c

ho

ose

(mo

re o

n th

is la

ter), y

ou w

ill alw

ays n

ee

d to

record

the

fo

llow

ing

de

tails

of s

ou

rce

s

Bo

oks

• A

uth

or’s

su

rna

me

, fore

na

me

or in

itials

• D

ate

of p

ublic

atio

n

• T

itle (u

nd

erlin

ed

)

• P

lace o

f pu

blic

atio

n

• N

am

e o

f pu

blis

he

r

• Y

ou

r Co

mm

en

ts a

nd

No

tes

jou

rna

ls:

• A

uth

or(s

)

• T

itle o

f jou

rnal

• V

olu

me n

um

be

r

• D

ate

of is

su

e

• P

ag

e n

um

bers

• P

ub

lish

er

• IS

SN

Nu

mb

er

• Y

ou

r Co

mm

en

ts

Fo

r artic

les in

co

llectio

ns (i.e

. in a

boo

k):

• A

uth

or/e

dito

r

• D

ate

• T

itle o

f bo

ok

• P

lace o

f pu

blic

atio

n

• N

am

e o

f pub

lish

er

• P

ag

e n

um

bers

• Y

ou

r Co

mm

en

ts

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

48

To

pic

: B

iblio

gra

phic

Softw

are

Th

ere

are

so

ftwa

re a

ltern

ativ

es (a

nd

so

me

fee

l mo

re a

ppro

pria

te) to

the

ca

rd in

de

x th

at d

oes th

e s

am

e

thin

g.

Th

e firs

t and

sim

ple

st is

to s

et u

p y

ou

r ow

n d

ata

ba

se

or s

pre

ad

sh

ee

t to s

tore

them

.

Alte

rnativ

ely

the

re a

re s

pe

cia

list s

oftw

are

that d

oe th

is b

ut w

ill als

o lin

k th

e re

fere

nce

into

a W

ord

d

ocu

me

nt (e

.g. y

our d

isse

rtatio

n). E

nd

No

te is

a w

ide

ly u

se

d c

om

me

rcia

l pa

cka

ge

. Th

ere

are

a

ltern

ativ

e o

pe

nso

urc

e (i.e

free

) pa

ckag

e s

uch

as B

ibu

s a

vaila

ble

. Ha

ve

a lo

ok a

t the

follo

win

g U

RL

it co

nta

ins a

com

pa

rison

of v

ario

us ty

pe

s

http

://en.w

ikip

ed

ia.o

rg/w

iki/C

om

pa

riso

n_

of_

refe

ren

ce

_m

an

ag

em

en

t_softw

are

Page 25: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

49

To

pic

: Q

uo

ting

Yo

u m

ay w

ish

to u

se d

irect q

uo

tatio

ns in

yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n in

ord

er to

illustra

te a

po

int, o

r to a

dd a

n

extra

dim

en

sio

n to

an

arg

um

en

t. It is im

po

rtan

t tha

t yo

u m

ake

an

accu

rate

an

d fu

ll co

py o

f an

y

po

ten

tial q

uo

tatio

n y

ou

wis

h to

use, in

clu

din

g fu

ll de

tails

of th

e s

ourc

e fro

m w

hic

h it c

am

e. Q

uo

ted

mate

rial s

hou

ld b

e p

rese

nte

d a

s in

the

‘refe

ren

cin

g g

uid

e’ in

clu

ded

, and

an

y w

ord

s th

at h

ave

be

en

left

ou

t mu

st b

e m

ad

e c

lea

r to th

e re

ad

er. T

he

so

urc

e o

f the q

uo

te m

ust b

e s

uita

bly

ackn

ow

ledg

ed

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

50

To

pic

: E

xerc

ise

With

yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n id

ea

in m

ind

. No

w h

ave

a g

o a

t the

follo

win

g ta

sks.

Ta

sk

A

ctiv

ity

1

Fin

d th

ree

refe

ren

ce

s th

at re

late

to y

ou

r dis

se

rtatio

n id

ea

.

2

Usin

g th

e re

fere

nces fo

und

du

ring ta

sk 1

, write

a 2

50

-50

0 w

ord

su

mm

ary

(not in

clu

din

g th

e

refe

ren

ce lis

t)

Ad

d th

e re

fere

nce

list (u

sin

g H

arv

ard

Re

fere

ncin

g) a

s w

ell a

t the e

nd.

3

No

w p

ost y

our s

um

ma

ry o

n y

ou

r Univ

ers

ity w

eb

are

a.

Page 26: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

51

Ke

eep

ing

Rec

ord

s

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Makin

g N

ote

s

Ke

ep

ing

No

tes

Lo

g b

ook

Re

co

rd A

ctiv

ity

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

52

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

An

essen

tial p

art o

f the

rese

arc

h p

roce

ss is

ke

epin

g a

ccu

rate

record

s a

nd

no

tes o

f you

r find

ings.

Th

rou

gh

ou

t yo

ur re

se

arc

h y

ou

will in

evita

bly

make

refe

rence

to m

an

y s

ourc

es o

f info

rma

tion

, and

ma

y

als

o g

ath

er d

ata

for a

na

lysis

. It is im

porta

nt th

at a

ll thro

ug

h th

is re

se

arc

h y

ou

ke

ep

an

accura

te a

nd

w

ork

ab

le re

co

rd o

f all o

f this

info

rma

tion

in o

rde

r to b

e a

ble

to c

arry

out la

ter a

na

lysis

or re

fer to

, and

p

rod

uce th

e fin

al d

isse

rtatio

n w

rite-u

p.

He

re a

re tw

o s

imple

exam

ple

s o

f wh

y k

eep

ing

accu

rate

reco

rds is

so im

porta

nt:

1. Y

ou

ma

y d

iscard

info

rmatio

n, w

hic

h y

ou

wis

h to

use la

ter. T

his

co

uld

be

info

rma

tion

, wh

ich

, at th

e

time

, ma

y s

ee

m u

nim

po

rtan

t to y

ou

ma

y la

ter p

rove

just w

ha

t yo

u n

ee

d. W

itho

ut c

lea

r and

co

nsis

ten

t re

co

rd k

ee

pin

g, y

ou

ma

y n

eve

r find

yo

ur w

ay b

ack to

this

sou

rce

.

2. Y

ou

ma

y b

e u

na

ble

to u

se

a s

ou

rce o

f info

rmatio

n o

n w

hic

h y

ou h

ave

ma

de

inco

mp

lete

or u

ncle

ar

no

tes. T

his

co

uld

ha

ve

be

en

a u

se

ful s

ou

rce

, bu

t yo

u c

an

no

t be

use

d in

the d

isse

rtatio

n if y

ou

ha

ve

n

ot re

cord

ed

the

au

tho

r and

pu

blic

atio

n d

eta

ils. Y

ou

ma

y th

en

ha

ve to

sp

end

ma

ny h

ou

rs try

ing

to

locate

the

orig

inal s

ou

rce

.

Th

ere

a fe

w ‘g

old

en

rule

s’ to

help

yo

u k

eep

track o

f this

va

lua

ble

info

rma

tion

– a

ll of w

hic

h a

re

rela

tive

ly c

om

mo

n s

ense!

Page 27: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

53

To

pic

: M

akin

g N

ote

s

Th

e a

mo

un

t of n

ote

makin

g y

ou

do

, and

the fo

rm it ta

ke

s w

ill de

pe

nd

on

yo

ur re

se

arc

h to

pic

. An

an

aly

tica

l topic

ma

y re

qu

ire th

at yo

u re

co

rd v

ast a

mou

nts

of d

ata

usin

g a

co

mp

ute

r, wh

ere

as a

litera

ture

-ba

se

d to

pic

ma

y re

qu

ire n

o ‘d

ata’ b

ut re

fere

nce

to m

an

y b

oo

ks a

nd

jou

rnals

.

Wha

teve

r yo

ur to

pic

, yo

u s

ho

uld

aim

to k

ee

p y

our n

ote

s a

s b

rief a

s p

ossib

le w

itho

ut lo

sin

g th

e d

eta

il of

wh

at y

ou

are

tryin

g to

reco

rd.

En

din

g u

p w

ith v

ast re

am

s o

f no

tes m

ay p

rove

of little

va

lue

whe

n y

ou

co

me

to o

rga

nis

e th

em

for y

ou

r w

rite-u

p. If y

ou

ha

ve a

rela

tive

ly c

lea

r ide

a o

f yo

ur re

se

arc

h to

pic

be

fore

sta

rting

, the

n y

ou m

ay b

e a

ble

to

take fe

wer n

ote

s.

If you

jud

ge

tha

t yo

u m

ay n

ee

d a

pa

rticu

lar s

ou

rce

at a

late

r da

te, b

ut n

ot a

t pre

sen

t, the

n y

ou

ne

ed

o

nly

record

a b

are

outlin

e o

f its d

eta

ils.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

54

To

pic

: K

ee

pin

g N

ote

s

Th

e firs

t decis

ion

tha

t yo

u m

ust m

ake

is w

he

the

r to k

ee

p n

ote

s in

hard

-cop

y o

r in e

lectro

nic

form

at.

Yo

u m

ay d

ecid

e to

ke

ep

the

m in

bo

th fo

rmats

. Th

ere

are

me

rits w

ith b

oth

me

tho

ds, w

hic

h y

ou m

ust

ca

refu

lly a

sse

ss, h

ow

eve

r, a g

oo

d fo

rma

t is in

a lo

ose

-lea

f file. In

this

wa

y, y

ou c

an

be

gin

to o

rga

nis

e

info

rma

tion in

to s

ectio

ns, a

nd

form

cro

ss-re

fere

nces b

etw

ee

n re

late

d ite

ms. W

hate

ve

r ap

pro

ach y

ou

a

do

pt, it is

a g

oo

d id

ea

to d

eve

lop

yo

ur o

wn

syste

m a

nd

to re

main

co

nsis

ten

t. He

re a

re a

few

ide

as fo

r g

oo

d p

ractic

e:

U

se

he

ad

ing

s to

gro

up

facts

an

d id

ea

s in

a m

ea

nin

gfu

l wa

y.

U

se

a n

um

berin

g o

r ind

exin

g s

yste

m.

U

se

un

de

rlinin

g o

r hig

hlig

hte

rs to

em

ph

asis

e k

ey p

oin

ts.

U

se

ab

bre

via

tion

s (b

ut re

me

mb

er w

ha

t the

y m

ea

n).

U

se

sp

ace

rs a

nd

div

ide

rs to

ca

teg

oris

e in

form

atio

n.

A

lwa

ys

rec

ord

the s

ou

rce

of in

form

atio

n.

Yo

u m

ay a

lso

wis

h to

kee

p a

nd

ind

ex p

hoto

co

pie

s o

r ele

ctro

nic

cop

ies o

f info

rma

tion (p

ag

es fro

m

bo

oks, jo

urn

als

etc

). Re

me

mb

er to

obse

rve a

ny c

op

yrig

ht le

gis

latio

n, a

nd

to k

ee

p a

n a

ccura

te n

ote

of

the in

form

atio

n s

ou

rce.

Page 28: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

55

To

pic

: L

og b

ook

Ke

ep

ing

a lo

g b

oo

k is

go

od

pra

ctic

e. In

the lo

gb

oo

k y

ou

sh

ould

reco

rd a

ll activ

ities re

latin

g to

you

r

rese

arc

h p

roje

ct –

an

d th

e d

ate

s o

n w

hic

h th

ese

we

re c

arrie

d o

ut e

.g. d

ate

s o

f vis

its a

nd

inte

rvie

ws,

ba

sic

find

ing

s o

f rea

din

g, q

ue

stio

ns a

nd id

ea

s, ra

nd

om

tho

ug

hts

if yo

u w

ish e

tc. S

uch

a d

ocum

en

t p

rovid

es a

use

ful c

hro

no

log

ical re

co

rd o

f the

pro

gre

ss o

f yo

ur re

se

arc

h.

Th

is c

an

en

ab

le b

oth

yo

u a

nd

you

r resea

rch

su

pe

rvis

or to

mo

nito

r yo

ur re

se

arc

h p

rogre

ss, a

nd

als

o

form

s p

art o

f the

asse

ssm

ent p

roce

ss. M

ostly

it is fo

r yo

u to

ke

ep tra

ck o

f yo

ur p

roje

ct th

oug

h.

Th

e fo

rma

t of th

e lo

gb

oo

k m

ay b

e:

• A lo

ose-le

af fo

lde

r;

• A

note

bo

ok;

• A p

ag

e-p

er-d

ay d

iary

;

• A

box-file

with

eve

ryth

ing

in it;

• S

om

e p

eo

ple

do

it all e

lectro

nic

ally

.

Th

e im

po

rtan

t po

int is

yo

u m

ust re

co

rd w

ha

t yo

u d

o. Y

ou

ca

n b

et th

at th

e p

iec

e o

f info

rma

tion

yo

u d

id n

ot re

co

rd is

the o

ne

yo

u n

ee

d.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

56

To

pic

: R

eco

rd A

ctiv

ity

Op

en

follo

win

g U

RL

S

http

://cite

se

erx

.ist.p

su.e

du

/vie

wd

oc/d

ow

nlo

ad?

do

i=1

0.1

.1.6

1.1

053

&re

p=

rep

1&

typ

e=

pd

f

http

://cite

se

erx

.ist.p

su.e

du

/vie

wd

oc/d

ow

nlo

ad?

do

i=1

0.1

.1.6

1.1

053

&re

p=

rep

1&

typ

e=

pd

f

http

://cite

se

erx

.ist.p

su.e

du

/vie

wd

oc/d

ow

nlo

ad?

do

i=1

0.1

.1.8

3.4

30&

rep

=re

p1

&ty

pe

=p

df

Ac

tivity

D

eta

ils

1

For e

ach

usin

g th

e H

arv

ard

Re

fere

ncin

g s

yste

m. W

rite a

refe

ren

ce fo

r ea

ch

of th

ese

.

Afte

r ea

ch

of th

ese

write

a s

ho

rt su

mm

ary

of e

ach

on

e (e

ach s

ho

uld

be

no

more

tha

t 25

0

wo

rds)

2

Takin

g o

f the

se

write

a n

ote

on

how

so

me

pa

rt of th

is c

ou

ld b

e im

ple

me

nte

d.

Page 29: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

57

Ap

pro

ach

es

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Qua

ntitv

e v

Qu

alita

tive

Re

se

arc

h

Meth

od

s a

nd

Me

tho

do

log

y

Exp

erim

en

tal/E

mp

irica

l

Su

rve

ys

Actio

n R

esea

rch

Exte

rna

l Activ

ities

Se

lectio

n E

xe

rcis

e

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

58

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

Th

is le

arn

ing

pa

cka

ge

aim

s to

ma

ke

yo

u a

wa

re o

f the

va

riou

s re

se

arc

h

meth

od

s a

va

ilab

le to

rese

arc

he

rs a

nd h

en

ce

to e

na

ble

yo

u to

se

lect a

meth

od

or m

eth

ods s

uita

ble

for y

ou

r are

a o

f resea

rch.

Fin

din

g a

ny te

xtb

oo

ks th

at d

ea

l sp

ecific

ally

with

rese

arc

h m

eth

ods in

tech

no

log

y b

ase

d s

ub

jects

is d

ifficu

lt. How

eve

r, this

is o

f no

gre

at

co

ncern

sin

ce

the m

eth

od

olo

gy o

f rese

arc

h is

we

ll esta

blis

he

d a

nd

do

cu

me

nte

d in

oth

er d

iscip

lines s

uch

as th

e s

ocia

l scie

nce

s a

nd

ed

ucatio

n. A

lthou

gh

a g

rea

t de

al o

f ph

ilosop

hic

al d

eb

ate

take

s p

lace

reg

ard

ing

the e

xa

ct m

ean

ing

s to

be

atta

ch

ed th

e v

ario

us re

se

arc

h

meth

od

s, a

ll is in

ten

ded

in th

is le

arn

ing

pa

cka

ge

is to

cre

ate

an

aw

are

ne

ss o

f the g

en

era

l me

tho

ds th

at a

re a

pp

rop

riate

to th

e d

iscip

line

of te

ch

no

log

y-b

ase

d s

ub

jects

an

d p

rese

nt th

em

in a

stra

igh

tforw

ard

man

ne

r.

Page 30: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

59

To

pic

: Q

ua

ntitv

e v

Qu

alita

tive

Re

sea

rch

Th

ese

are

the tw

o b

roa

d re

sea

rch

cate

go

ries w

ith w

hic

h y

ou

sh

ou

ld b

eco

me fa

milia

r. As in

dic

ate

d

ab

ove, th

ere

is m

uch

ph

iloso

ph

ica

l de

ba

te re

ga

rdin

g th

e e

xa

ct n

atu

re o

f qu

alita

tive

an

d q

ua

ntita

tive

re

se

arc

h. W

hils

t beyo

nd

the

sco

pe in

gre

at d

eta

il he

re, it is

a d

eb

ate

wh

ich

you

sh

ou

ld e

xp

lore

ou

t of

pe

rso

na

l inte

rest.

Qua

ntita

tive

rese

arc

h is

ob

jectiv

e a

nd c

on

ce

rne

d w

ith g

ath

erin

g fa

ctu

al d

ata

, usua

lly in

nu

me

ric fo

rm,

an

d its

an

aly

sis

.

Qua

litativ

e re

se

arc

h, o

n th

e o

the

r han

d, is

su

bje

ctiv

e in

na

ture

an

d c

on

ce

rned

with

gath

erin

g d

ata

in

the fo

rm o

f op

inio

ns, p

erc

ep

tions a

nd

exp

erie

nces. T

he

da

ta is

ge

nera

lly n

on

-nu

me

ric. T

he d

istin

ctio

ns

ca

n b

e illu

stra

ted

by c

onsid

erin

g th

e p

erfo

rman

ce

of a

we

bsite

.

- Da

ta c

ould

be

co

llecte

d o

ve

r a p

erio

d o

f time a

nd

an

aly

se

d in

term

s o

f num

be

r of p

eo

ple

vis

iting

the

w

ebsite

. As lo

ng

as th

e p

erfo

rma

nce is

de

term

ine

d in

a fa

ctu

al m

an

ne

r the

resea

rch

is c

lea

rly

qu

antita

tive

. Th

is s

hou

ld b

e c

lea

rly s

tate

d in

the

aim

s a

nd

ob

jectiv

es s

ho

uld

be

cle

arly

sta

ted a

t the

ou

tse

t. - Ho

we

ve

r, if yo

u fo

rm o

pin

ion

s o

n th

e p

erfo

rma

nce

base

d o

n w

ha

t peo

ple

thin

k th

en

this

is

su

bje

ctiv

e a

na

lysis

, wh

ich

is a

ssocia

ted w

ith q

ua

litativ

e re

sea

rch

. - An

alte

rna

tive m

eth

od

wou

ld b

e to

su

rve

y th

e v

isito

rs o

ver th

e s

am

e p

erio

d o

f time

se

ekin

g th

eir o

pin

ion

s o

n th

e p

erfo

rman

ce

of th

e s

ite.

Th

e d

ata

an

d its

ana

lysis

are

su

bje

ctiv

e, e

ve

n if y

ou

atta

ch

nu

mb

ers

to th

e d

ata

for th

e p

urp

ose

of

gro

up

ing

an

d c

ate

go

risin

g p

assen

ge

r resp

onse

s. T

his

is c

lea

rly q

ua

litativ

e re

se

arc

h.

Ok, n

ow

it gets

co

mp

licate

d. In

co

mp

utin

g re

sea

rch

yo

u o

ften

ha

ve

to d

o a

bit o

f bo

th. Y

ou

mig

ht h

ave

to u

sab

ility o

f a p

rod

uct (s

ub

jectiv

e th

ere

fore

, qu

ala

titive

) bu

t in th

e s

am

e d

isse

rtatio

n y

ou

mig

ht h

ave

be

en c

olle

ctin

g fa

ctu

al in

form

atio

n a

s w

ell.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

60

To

pic

: M

eth

ods a

nd M

eth

odo

log

y

Th

e e

xam

ple

s a

bo

ve

ind

ica

te s

om

e m

eth

ods th

at c

an

be

used

to g

ath

er d

ata

in te

ch

nolo

gy-b

ase

d

are

as.

To

so

lve

the p

rob

lem

a m

eth

od

or m

eth

od

s o

f gath

erin

g d

ata

is re

quire

d. F

or th

e p

urp

ose

of th

is

co

urs

e th

e te

rm m

eth

od

olo

gy m

ay b

e ta

ke

n to

mea

n th

e s

yste

m o

f meth

od

s u

se

d. Y

ou s

ho

uld

h

ow

eve

r be

aw

are

tha

t me

tho

do

log

y d

oes h

ave

a b

roa

der p

hilo

so

ph

ica

l me

an

ing

.

Th

e re

se

arc

h m

eth

ods a

pp

rop

riate

to c

om

pu

ting

or c

om

pu

ter e

ng

ine

erin

g a

nd

the

ir ma

in

ch

ara

cte

ristic

s a

re o

utlin

ed

be

low

.

Page 31: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

61

To

pic

: E

xperim

en

tal/E

mpiric

al

Exp

erim

en

ts a

re te

sts

or in

ve

stig

atio

ns d

esig

ne

d to

pro

vid

e e

vid

en

ce

for o

r ag

ain

st a

hyp

oth

esis

. Th

ey

ma

y b

e c

arrie

d o

ut in

a la

bo

rato

ry o

r as fie

ldw

ork

. With

lab

ora

tory

exp

erim

en

ts th

e h

yp

oth

esis

is o

ften

e

xp

ressed

as a

n o

bje

ctiv

e a

nd th

e re

po

rt inclu

de

s m

eth

od

, resu

lts, a

na

lysis

and

co

nclu

sio

n. T

he

e

xp

erim

en

t ma

y b

e c

once

rne

d w

ith e

sta

blis

hin

g h

ow

on

e p

hysic

al q

ua

ntity

(y) v

arie

s a

s a

noth

er

ph

ysic

al q

ua

ntity

(x) is

ind

epe

nd

ently

va

ried. H

en

ce

, y is

refe

rred

to a

dep

en

de

nt v

aria

ble

an

d y

as a

n

ind

ep

en

de

nt v

aria

ble

. Th

e b

asic

exp

erim

en

t to d

ete

rmin

e h

ow

cu

rren

t ch

an

ge

s w

ith c

han

ge

s in

re

sis

tan

ce

illustra

tes th

ese

po

ints

. If the v

olta

ge

ap

plie

d to

a v

aria

ble

resis

tor is

main

tain

ed

co

nsta

nt

then

cu

rren

t (I) ca

n o

nly

ch

an

ge

if the v

alu

e o

f resis

tance (R

) is c

han

ge

d a

nd

so

I is a

de

pen

de

nt

va

riab

le a

nd R

an

inde

pe

nd

en

t va

riable

. Th

is b

asic

exam

ple

als

o re

ve

als

so

me

thin

g fu

rthe

r reg

ard

ing

th

e e

xp

erim

enta

l co

nd

itions, b

ecau

se

resis

tance

is a

lso

de

pe

nd

en

t on

tem

pe

ratu

re a

nd

so

the

te

mpe

ratu

re m

ust b

e a

cco

un

ted

for d

urin

g th

e e

xp

erim

ent. It fo

llow

s th

at fo

r exp

erim

enta

l de

sig

n g

rea

t ca

re is

ne

ede

d in

ide

ntify

ing

all th

e c

on

ditio

ns im

po

se

d o

n th

e s

yste

m a

nd

co

ntro

lling

/me

asu

ring

them

so

as to

elim

ina

te e

rrone

ou

s o

r mis

lea

din

g re

su

lts.

In th

e s

ocia

l scie

nces e

xp

erim

ents

are

usu

ally

con

ce

rned

with

a c

om

pa

riso

n b

etw

ee

n tw

o g

rou

ps o

f p

eo

ple

whe

re in

de

pe

nde

nt v

aria

ble

s a

re m

an

ipu

late

d. A

ga

in, c

are

is re

quire

d in

esta

blis

hin

g a

nd

co

ntro

lling th

e e

xpe

rime

nta

l co

nd

ition

s p

artic

ula

rly w

ith re

ga

rd to

the s

ele

ctio

n o

f sa

mp

le g

rou

ps.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

62

To

pic

: S

urv

eys

Su

rve

ys a

re c

once

rne

d w

ith th

e c

olle

ctio

n o

f

info

rma

tion. T

he in

form

atio

n m

ay b

e o

bta

ine

d in

a n

um

be

r of w

ays:

F

rom

a g

rou

p o

f pe

op

le.

O

bserv

atio

n o

f eve

nts

, e.g

. from

ob

se

rvin

g th

e n

um

be

r of p

ers

on

s

usin

g a

we

bsite

in a

giv

en

pe

riod

of tim

e, w

ha

t featu

res th

e u

se a

nd

do

n’t u

se.

F

rom

litera

ture

or d

ocu

me

nts

.

Th

e firs

t two ty

pes in

vo

lve

so

me

field

work

wh

ere

as th

e th

ird ty

pe

is

esse

ntia

lly d

eskw

ork

.

Su

rve

ys h

ave

the

sp

ecific

ad

va

nta

ge

s th

at th

ey c

an

be

ca

rried

ou

t both

rela

tive

ly q

uic

kly

an

d a

t rela

tive

ly lo

w c

ost. F

urth

erm

ore

the

data

ob

tain

ed

ca

n b

e e

asily

exp

resse

d in

nu

me

ric fo

rm a

nd

he

nce

ca

n b

e

an

aly

se

d s

tatis

tica

lly.

Page 32: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

63

To

pic

: A

ctio

n R

esea

rch

Actio

n re

sea

rch

is a

pplie

d re

se

arc

h a

nd is

we

ll

su

ited to

those

wh

o w

ish

to c

arry

ou

t resea

rch

at th

eir p

lace

of w

ork

. It

is p

rob

lem

-focu

sse

d re

se

arc

h in

a p

artic

ula

r con

text th

at a

ims to

brin

g

ab

out im

pro

ve

me

nts

in w

ork

ing

pra

ctic

e. T

he

ke

y p

oin

t ab

ou

t actio

n

rese

arc

h is

the

pe

rso

n d

oin

g th

e re

se

arc

h is

no

t an o

uts

ide

expe

rt

co

nd

uctin

g e

xpe

rime

nts

on

su

bje

cts

, but a

re c

o-w

ork

ers

doin

g re

sea

rch

with

and

for th

e p

eo

ple

co

nsid

ere

d. T

he re

sea

rch

er is

pa

rt of th

e

rese

arc

h. It is

an

itera

tive

pro

cess th

e re

su

lts fro

m e

ach

cycle

feed

in

to th

e n

ext c

ycle

. As a

n e

xam

ple

if yo

u w

ere

lookin

g a

t ho

w w

eb

desig

n

imp

lem

en

t de

sig

ns, th

e firs

t cycle

wo

uld

invo

lve

loo

kin

g h

ow

desig

ns

an

d im

ple

me

ntin

g a

nd

thin

kin

g a

bo

ut p

rob

lem

s ra

ise

d. T

he

ne

xt c

ycle

s

wo

uld

invo

lve

take

the

pro

ble

ms ra

ised

in th

e la

st c

ycle

an

d th

en

imp

lem

en

ted

ch

an

ge

s, a

nd

the

n o

bserv

e th

e h

ow

de

sig

ns a

re

imp

lem

en

ted

. Th

e g

oal b

ein

g to

imp

rove

the

pra

ctic

e o

f de

sig

nin

g w

eb

pa

ges.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

64

To

pic

: E

xte

rnal A

ctiv

ities

For e

ach q

ue

stio

n, in

dic

ate

the

co

rrect a

nsw

er b

y pla

cin

g a

ma

rk in

the c

olu

mn

to th

e le

ft.

Qu

es

tion

1

Have

yo

u m

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

Y

es

N

o

No

te: A

nsw

ers

ap

pe

ar o

n th

e n

ext p

ag

e.

Page 33: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

65

An

sw

er 1

Have

yo

u m

ee

t po

ten

tial s

up

erv

iso

rs

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

Y

es

N

o

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

66

To

pic

: S

ele

ctio

n E

xerc

ise

No

w it is

time

to p

ractic

e m

akin

g in

form

ed

ch

oic

es. If y

ou

ha

ve

a d

isse

rtatio

n id

ea

use

this

, if yo

u d

on

no

t h

ave

yet th

e d

isse

rtatio

n id

ea

is "U

sin

g th

e s

em

an

tic w

eb

as to

a to

ol fo

r imp

rovin

g a

we

bsite

's p

ag

e

ran

kin

g"

You

ca

n c

ha

ng

e y

ou

r min

d la

ter. P

lea

se

dis

cu

ss a

nd

sha

re id

ea

s o

nth

ese

activ

ities in

gro

up

s.

Ac

tivity

T

as

k

1

Na

me

four a

pp

roa

ch

es. W

ith th

e d

isse

ratio

n id

ea

in m

ind

, pro

du

ce

a ta

ble

sta

ting

the

a

dva

nta

ge

s a

nd

dis

ad

va

nta

ges o

f ea

ch

for th

e d

isse

rtatio

n id

ea

.

2

Ba

se

d o

n th

e ta

ble

pro

du

ce

ab

ove

make

a ju

stifie

d a

rgu

me

nt fo

r the

ap

pro

ach

to b

e u

sed

.

Page 34: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

67

Co

llectin

g D

ata

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Ch

oo

sin

g m

eth

od

s

Meth

od

s o

f colle

ctin

g d

ata

Do

cu

me

nta

ry E

vid

en

ce

Exp

erie

me

nta

l Da

ta

Que

stio

nna

ires

Inte

rvie

ws

Obse

rva

tion

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

68

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

Wha

teve

r top

ic y

ou c

ho

ose

for y

ou

r rese

arc

h, th

is w

ill ine

vita

bly

invo

lve th

e c

olle

ctio

n a

nd a

na

lysis

of

da

ta o

f so

me

form

or a

no

ther.

Fo

r exa

mp

le, y

ou

r rese

arc

h m

ay b

e in

vo

lve

d w

ith th

e c

olle

ctio

n a

nd

critic

al a

pp

rais

al o

f litera

ry

info

rma

tion, o

r with

the

ga

the

ring

an

d a

na

lysis

of ra

w d

ata

. In th

is le

arn

ing

pa

cka

ge

we s

ha

ll co

nsid

er

a v

arie

ty o

f diffe

rent s

ou

rces o

f da

ta, a

nd

so

me

ke

y p

oin

ts to

their c

olle

ctio

n. W

e s

hall n

ot, a

t this

sta

ge

, loo

k a

t ho

w to

an

aly

se

, inte

rpre

t or p

rese

nt d

ata

– w

hic

h w

ill be

co

ve

red in

the n

ext le

arn

ing

p

ackag

e.

Page 35: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

69

To

pic

: C

ho

osin

g m

eth

ods

The

me

thod

or m

eth

od

s b

y wh

ich

you

se

lect to

pe

rform

yo

ur re

se

arc

h w

ill larg

ely

de

term

ine

the

me

tho

d

by w

hic

h d

ata

colle

ctio

n a

nd

an

aly

sis

will b

e u

nde

rtaken

. Th

e e

sse

nce

of e

ffectiv

e re

se

arc

h is

askin

g th

e

right q

uestio

ns. T

he

que

stio

ns th

at y

ou

inte

nd

to a

nsw

er th

rou

gh

yo

ur re

se

arc

h w

ill influ

en

ce y

ou

r se

lectio

n o

f me

tho

do

log

y, an

d h

en

ce

yo

ur m

eth

od

s o

f da

ta c

olle

ctio

n a

nd

an

aly

sis

. Here

is a

brie

f recap

of s

om

e o

f ‘qu

estio

nin

g’ a

nd ‘re

se

arc

h’ a

pp

roa

che

s y

ou

ma

y d

ecid

e to

take.

Me

tho

d

De

sc

riptio

n

De

scrip

tive o

r T

he

ory

T

estin

g

Th

is is

ofte

n th

e firs

t sta

ge in

the re

sea

rch

pro

ce

ss, a

nd

is s

om

etim

es c

alle

d

‘explo

rato

ry re

se

arc

h’. T

he

qu

estio

ns a

ske

d h

ere

are

gen

era

lly b

roa

d o

r va

gu

e –

su

ch

as “W

hat is

go

ing

on

with

the lifts

in th

is b

uild

ing

?”. A

n e

ntire

pro

ject m

igh

t be

b

ase

d o

n d

escrip

tive

or e

xplo

rato

ry re

se

arc

h, a

nd

en

d w

ith a

pla

n fo

r furth

er

rese

arc

h.

Pu

re a

nd

Ap

plie

d

Re

se

arc

h

So

me

kin

d o

f resea

rch

pro

jects

will in

volv

e fin

din

g th

ing

s o

ut (p

ure

resea

rch

) Oth

ers

w

ill invo

lve

the

ap

plic

atio

n o

f wh

at is

fou

nd

ou

t, or th

e m

akin

g o

f reco

mm

en

da

tion

s

for a

ctio

n (a

pp

lied

rese

arc

h). L

oo

k a

t you

r pro

ject a

nd

de

cid

e w

hic

h c

ate

go

ry it fa

lls

into

.

Te

stin

g a

H

yp

oth

esis

F

or s

om

e re

se

arc

h, ra

ther th

an

askin

g q

uestio

ns, w

e m

ay w

ish

to m

ake

sta

tem

ents

that c

an b

e te

ste

d. T

he

se

sta

tem

en

ts a

re c

om

mo

nly

refe

rred

to a

s ‘h

yp

oth

ese

s’.

Th

is ty

pe o

f rese

arc

h p

rocess is

refe

rred

to a

s ‘h

ypo

the

sis

testin

g’, a

nd

rese

arc

hers

o

ften s

et a

bo

ut p

rovin

g o

r dis

pro

vin

g a

hypo

the

sis

by te

stin

g it. E

.g. If th

e a

ccid

en

t ra

te o

n lifts

has fa

llen th

en th

is m

ust b

e d

ue

to im

pro

ve

d s

afe

ty s

tan

dard

s.

Befo

re w

e p

roce

ed to

a d

iscu

ssio

n o

f so

me

actu

al te

ch

niq

ue

s fo

r colle

ctio

n o

f da

ta, y

ou s

ho

uld

reca

p o

n

the

bro

ad

rese

arc

h m

eth

odo

log

ies w

hic

h th

ey fa

ll un

de

r. You

will b

e a

ble

to fin

d a

more

deta

iled

e

xpla

na

tion

of e

ach

of th

ese

in L

ea

rnin

g P

acka

ge L

P2

, an

d in

the

rese

arc

h b

oo

ks o

n th

e re

co

mm

en

de

d

rea

din

g lis

t for th

is m

od

ule

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

70

To

pic

: M

eth

ods o

f colle

ctin

g d

ata

Th

e m

eth

od

s b

y wh

ich

you

de

cid

e to

ga

the

r data

for y

ou

r resea

rch

pro

ject a

nd d

isse

rtatio

n m

ay b

e

man

y a

nd

va

ried

, bu

t will g

en

era

lly fa

ll into

on

e o

r mo

re o

f the

follo

win

g c

ate

gorie

s:

D

ocum

en

tary

evid

en

ce

or d

ata

E

xp

erim

en

tal d

ata

Q

uestio

nna

ires

In

terv

iew

s

O

bserv

atio

n

Le

t us lo

ok b

riefly

at e

ach

of th

ese

ca

teg

orie

s. Y

ou

will b

e a

ble

to fin

d m

uch g

rea

ter d

eta

il of th

ese

in

the re

sea

rch b

oo

ks o

n th

e re

co

mm

en

de

d re

ad

ing

list, w

hic

h y

ou s

ho

uld

stu

dy.

Page 36: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

71

To

pic

: D

ocum

en

tary

Evid

en

ce

For y

ou

r rese

arc

h p

roje

ct y

ou

will b

e e

xp

ecte

d to

sh

ow

som

e a

na

lysis

of d

ocu

me

nta

ry e

vid

en

ce

. This

m

ay b

e th

e c

ore

of y

our re

se

arc

h, o

r ma

y be u

se

d to

sup

ple

me

nt in

form

atio

n th

at y

ou

ga

in fro

m o

ther

so

urc

es. It is

a p

artic

ula

rly u

se

ful te

ch

niq

ue

wh

ere

acce

ss to

the

su

bje

ct o

f yo

ur re

se

arc

h is

diffic

ult. B

ut

wh

at is

mea

nt b

y d

ocu

me

nta

ry e

vid

en

ce?

In a

dditio

n to

loca

ting

and

an

aly

sin

g th

e u

sua

l bo

oks a

nd

jo

urn

al a

rticle

s e

tc., o

the

r so

urc

es s

uch a

s film

s, v

ide

os a

nd e

lectro

nic

so

urc

es s

uch

as th

e In

tern

et c

an

be

cla

ssifie

d a

s ‘d

ocu

me

nta

ry e

vid

en

ce’. D

ocu

men

ts c

an b

e d

ivid

ed

into

two

ma

in g

rou

ps –

prim

ary

an

d

se

con

da

ry.

Gro

up

s

De

scrip

tion

an

d D

eta

il

Prim

ary

T

hese

are

sou

rce

s w

hic

h c

am

e a

ha

nd’ s

uch a

s th

e m

inu

tes o

f a m

ee

ting, o

r da

ta,

qu

estio

nn

aire

.

Se

con

da

ry

Th

ese

are

acco

unts

or in

terp

era

tion

s o

f prim

ary

so

urc

es e

.g. a

n a

naly

sis

of th

e m

inu

tes

of th

e m

ee

ting

s, o

r an

an

aly

sis

of q

uestio

nna

ire d

ata

.

Te

rtiary

'T

hird

ha

nd’, a

nd

essen

tially

an

accou

nt o

f pre

vio

us a

cco

un

ts.

Try

to id

en

tify th

e ty

pe

of s

ou

rce fro

m w

hic

h y

ou

are

rese

arc

hin

g.

Do

cu

me

nta

ry e

vid

en

ce m

ay a

lso

co

nta

in n

um

be

rs a

s w

ell a

s w

ord

s,a

nd

so

its a

naly

sis

ma

y b

e q

ua

litativ

e

or q

ua

ntita

tive

. Whate

ve

r the

so

urc

es o

f info

rma

tion

use

d, y

ou

mu

st re

me

mb

er th

at itis

imp

orta

nt to

o

bta

in a

go

od

rep

resen

tatio

n o

f info

rma

tion

from

as m

an

y w

riters

on th

e s

ubje

ct a

s y

ou

ca

n. A

naly

sis

an

d

pre

sen

tatio

n o

f info

rmatio

n fro

m d

ocu

me

nta

ry s

ou

rce

s m

ust a

lso

be

mo

re th

an

a s

imp

le a

cco

unt, a

nd

so

m

ust b

e d

on

e c

ritica

lly. Y

ou

mu

st a

lso

ackno

wle

dge

all s

ou

rce

s o

f ma

teria

l use

d in

yo

ur re

sea

rch

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

72

To

pic

: E

xperie

me

nta

l Data

Yo

u m

ay d

ecid

e th

at y

ou

wis

h to

carry

ou

t so

me

exp

erim

en

tal w

ork

,and

the g

ath

erin

g a

nd

an

aly

sin

g o

f th

e d

ata

wh

ich

yo

u o

bta

in. Y

ou

ma

y a

lso

find th

at th

e ra

w d

ata

that y

ou

req

uire

is a

lrea

dy a

va

ilable

, a

nd

on

ly re

qu

ires a

na

lysis

. Re

me

mbe

r tha

t an

y e

xp

erim

en

tal w

ork

mu

st b

e b

acked

-up

by s

uita

ble

an

d

su

fficie

nt re

ad

ing

an

d re

se

arc

h o

f the

rese

arc

h to

pic

.

One

techn

iqu

e o

f exp

erim

enta

l rese

arc

h is

to ta

ke a

n a

ctiv

e s

et a

nd

a c

ontro

l set a

nd

to fo

rm a

co

mp

aris

on

be

twe

en

the

se

. An

oth

er is

to s

imp

ly g

ath

er ra

w d

ata

from

an

exp

erim

en

t or e

xe

rcis

e.

Wha

teve

r tech

niq

ue

s y

ou c

ho

ose

for g

ath

erin

g a

nd

an

aly

sin

g d

ata

, rem

em

be

r no

t to g

et to

o b

og

ged

-d

ow

n. T

he

am

ou

nt o

f data

yo

u o

bta

in, a

nd

the

co

mp

lexity

of its

an

aly

sis

must b

e c

hose

n to

su

it bo

th

the re

qu

irem

ents

an

d tim

e c

onstra

ints

of y

ou

r rese

arc

h p

roje

ct.

Page 37: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

73

To

pic

: Q

ue

stio

nnaire

s

Que

stio

nna

ires a

re a

noth

er w

ay in

wh

ich

you

ma

y d

ecid

e to

gath

er d

ata

an

d in

form

atio

n. Y

ou

will firs

t n

ee

d to

de

cid

e th

e p

urp

ose o

f the q

ue

stio

nn

aire

, the

kin

d o

f qu

estio

ns y

ou

wis

h to

ask, a

nd

ho

w y

ou

in

ten

d to

an

aly

se

the

resu

lts. A

gre

at d

ea

l of c

are

must b

e ta

ke

n w

ith th

eir d

esig

n a

nd

adm

inis

tratio

n,

an

d y

ou

will b

e a

ble

to fin

d s

uita

ble

gu

ida

nce in

mo

st re

se

arc

h m

eth

od

s b

oo

ks. A

ran

ge

of d

iffere

nt

tech

niq

ue

s e

xis

ts fo

r the ty

pe

an

d s

tyle

of q

uestio

ns th

at yo

u c

an

se

t. Be

ca

refu

l with

wo

rdin

g, a

nd

do

n’t m

ake

the

qu

estio

nn

aire

un

nece

ssa

rily lo

ng

or c

om

plic

ate

d. Y

ou

sh

ou

ld a

lso

be

aw

are

of e

thic

al

issue

s w

he

n d

esig

nin

g e

stio

nna

ires, a

nd

the

na

ture

of y

ou

r inte

nd

ed a

ud

ien

ce

.

Th

e q

ue

stio

nn

aire

sh

ou

ld a

lwa

ys b

e p

ilote

d b

efo

re fin

al is

su

e. T

he d

ata

wh

ich

yo

u g

ath

er m

ay b

e

an

aly

se

d u

sin

g b

oth

qu

an

titativ

e a

nd q

ua

litativ

e te

ch

niq

ues, d

epe

nd

ing

on

the

typ

es o

f que

stio

n y

ou

se

t. We s

ha

ll take

a m

ore

de

taile

d lo

ok a

t an

aly

sis

an

d p

rese

nta

tion

of re

su

lts in

a la

ter le

arn

ing

p

ackag

e. In

ge

nera

l, the re

sp

on

se

(retu

rn ra

te) to

qu

estio

nn

aire

s m

ay b

e s

om

ew

ha

t po

or a

nd

d

isap

po

intin

g, a

nd y

ou

must p

lan

a c

on

ting

en

cy in

to y

ou

r resea

rch

pro

ject s

ho

uld

this

occur. A

n

alte

rna

tive

to a

ctu

ally

se

tting a

nd

ad

min

iste

ring

qu

estio

nn

aire

s is

to a

na

lyse

da

ta a

lrea

dy o

bta

ined

by

so

me

on

e e

lse

thro

ug

h a

que

stio

nna

ire. V

ast a

mo

un

ts o

f da

ta s

ets

are

no

w fre

ely

ava

ilab

le, o

r a

va

ilab

le a

t a s

uita

ble

co

st fro

m v

ario

us re

se

arc

h c

ou

ncil d

ata

arc

hiv

es n

d o

the

r so

urc

es. Y

ou

will, o

f

co

urs

e, n

ot b

e a

ble

to s

et y

ou

r ow

n q

uestio

ns –

bu

t ha

ve

to u

se th

e o

ne

s a

lread

y s

et. T

his

is w

orth

e

stig

atio

n!

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

74

To

pic

: In

terv

iew

s

An

oth

er m

ea

ns b

y w

hic

h y

ou

ma

y d

ecid

e to

gain

info

rma

tion

is th

rou

gh

inte

rvie

ws. A

ga

in, y

ou n

ee

d to

d

ecid

e w

ha

t info

rma

tion

yo

u w

ish

to fin

d o

ut, w

ha

t qu

estio

ns to

ask, a

nd

ho

w y

ou

will a

na

lyse

an

d

pre

se

nt fin

din

gs a

nd re

sults

. The

re a

re a

few

ke

y g

uid

elin

es w

hic

h y

ou

sho

uld

follo

w w

he

n c

arry

ing-

ou

t inte

rvie

ws, a

ll of w

hic

h a

re d

iscu

ssed

in d

eta

il in re

se

arc

h m

eth

ods b

oo

ks.

Inte

rvie

ws m

ay b

e s

tructu

red

, wh

ere

yo

u p

repa

re a

nd

ask a

set o

f qu

estio

ns (ra

ther lik

e a

q

ue

stio

nn

aire

), or u

nstru

ctu

red

wh

ere

the

inte

rvie

we

e m

ay s

pe

ak m

ore

op

enly

. Yo

u s

hou

ld d

ecid

e

wh

ich

ap

pro

ach

to ta

ke, in

ligh

t of h

ow

yo

u w

ill late

r an

aly

se

yo

ur fin

din

gs. It is

alw

ays a

goo

d id

ea

to

pilo

t you

r inte

rvie

w q

ue

stio

ns b

efo

re ‘g

oin

g liv

e’. M

ake s

ure

that y

ou

cle

ar a

ll the

ne

cessa

ry c

ha

nn

els

, b

oo

k a

n a

pp

oin

tme

nt fo

r the

inte

rvie

w, a

rrive

on tim

e, a

nd

ke

ep w

ithin

a s

pe

cifie

d tim

e lim

it. The

in

terv

iew

ma

y b

e re

co

rde

d b

y ta

kin

g a

pp

ropria

te n

ote

s (s

tructu

red

in th

e fo

rm o

f a g

rid, o

r u

nstru

ctu

red

), or b

y u

sin

g a

tap

e re

cord

er, w

ith a

pp

rop

riate

perm

issio

n o

f the

inte

rvie

wee

. Yo

u s

ho

uld

, if a

pp

rop

riate

, ch

eck th

e a

ccura

cy o

f the

facts

that y

ou

ha

ve

reco

rde

d w

ith th

e in

terv

iew

ee

be

fore

p

ub

licatio

n, a

nd

als

o re

sp

ect th

eir rig

ht fo

r an

on

ym

ity if re

qu

este

d.

Re

me

mbe

r tha

t inte

rvie

ws a

re tim

e c

on

sum

ing

. Th

ey h

ave

to b

e s

etu

p a

nd

then

un

de

rtake

n a

nd

the

resu

lts h

ave to

be

ca

refu

lly re

co

rde

d a

nd a

na

lyse

d. G

ain

ing

acce

ss, a

nd a

rran

gin

g a

mu

tua

lly

ag

ree

ab

le tim

e w

ith a

bu

sy in

terv

iew

ee

ma

y p

rove

to b

e a

pro

ble

m. If th

e in

terv

iew

wa

s ta

pe

d, th

en

yo

u m

ay re

qu

ire th

is tra

nscrib

ing fo

r an

aly

sis

, ad

din

g m

ore

time

an

d e

xp

en

se

. The

y m

ay, h

ow

eve

r, p

rovid

e a

cle

are

r resp

onse

than

a q

ue

stio

nn

aire

, as a

pa

rticu

lar is

su

e c

an

be

cla

rified

an

d d

eve

lop

ed

a

s re

qu

ired.

Se

e N

ext L

ea

rnin

g P

acka

ge

for fu

rthe

r deta

il

Page 38: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

75

To

pic

: O

bse

rvatio

n

An

oth

er w

ay in

wh

ich in

form

atio

n m

ay b

e g

ath

ere

d is

by o

bse

rvin

g a

nd

reco

rdin

g w

ha

t is a

ctu

ally

g

oin

g o

n. T

his

tech

niq

ue

will m

ost lik

ely

not b

e a

pplic

ab

le to

yo

ur re

se

arc

h p

roje

ct, a

nd

is q

uite

diffic

ult

to u

nd

erta

ke. P

lann

ing

is a

ga

in th

e k

ey. D

ecid

e w

hat in

form

atio

n y

ou

wis

h to

find

ou

t, ho

w y

ou

pro

se

to

und

erta

ke th

is, a

nd

if this

is re

ally

the m

ost a

pp

ropria

te m

eth

od

.

A s

uita

ble

me

tho

d h

as to

be

de

vis

ed

(po

ssib

ly th

e u

se o

f a g

rid o

r the lik

e) fo

r record

ing

the

activ

ity b

ein

g o

bse

rved

e.g

. the

actio

ns o

f pa

sse

ng

ers

wh

en

wa

iting

for lift s

erv

ice a

t a la

nd

ing

, or d

iscu

ssio

ns

at a

pro

ject te

am

me

etin

g. A

pilo

t stu

dy a

nd

an

y revis

ion

is a

lwa

ys a

go

od

ide

a b

efo

re th

e a

ctu

al

eve

nt. A

fter th

e d

ata

has b

ee

n c

olle

cte

d, it h

as to

be

co

llate

d a

nd

ana

lyse

d. T

he

re a

re a

ga

in e

thic

al

issue

s to

co

nsid

er w

he

n o

bse

rvin

g a

nd

repo

rting

pe

op

le’s

be

havio

ur. T

he p

rese

nce

of a

n o

bse

rve

r m

ay in

fluen

ce

the

actio

ns o

f tho

se

be

ing

ob

serv

ed

in s

om

e w

ay, a

nd

so

the re

sults

ma

y not b

e e

ntire

ly

na

tura

l.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

76

Inte

rvie

ws

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Whe

n is

it ap

pro

pria

te?

Que

stio

n T

yp

es

Wha

t typ

e o

f qu

estio

n

Inte

rvie

ws

Fo

cus G

rou

ps

Se

lf Test 1

Page 39: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

77

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

Inte

rvie

ws v

ary

in s

tyle

ba

se

d o

n h

ow

stru

ctu

red

the in

terv

iew

is.

Ta

kin

g th

e d

efin

ition

s fro

m R

ob

son

C(2

00

2):

F

ully

Stru

ctu

red

Inte

rvie

ws: Q

ue

stio

ns w

ork

ed o

ut b

efo

re-h

and

ve

ry fix

ed

in a

ve

ry fix

ed

ord

er in

the

m

ain

.

S

em

i-Stru

ctu

red

Inte

rvie

ws: Q

uestio

ns a

re w

ork

ed

ou

t be

fore

ha

nd

but th

e o

rde

r of th

e th

em

, or

wh

eth

er to

inclu

de p

artic

ula

r qu

estio

ns is

alte

red

by th

e in

terv

iew

er b

ased

on

wh

at h

app

en

s w

ith a

p

artic

ula

r inte

rvie

we

e. T

he a

ctu

al w

ord

ing is

so

me

time

s c

ha

ng

ed

de

pe

nd

ing

wh

at h

ap

pe

ns w

ith a

p

artic

ula

r inte

rvie

we

e.

U

nstru

ctu

red

Inte

rvie

ws: T

he

inte

rvie

w h

as a

ge

ne

ral a

rea

bu

t lets

the

co

nve

rsa

tion

de

ve

lop

. It ca

n

be

form

al o

r info

rma

lly do

ne

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

78

To

pic

: W

hen

is it a

ppro

pria

te?

If a s

tudy fo

cu

se

s o

n fin

din

g w

ha

t a p

artic

ula

r item

mea

ns to

a p

artic

ula

r pe

rso

n, g

rou

p o

r o

rga

niz

atio

n.

Whe

n y

ou n

ee

d to

find

ou

t ho

w th

ings h

ave

be

en

do

ne

be

fore

, find

ing

ou

t ho

w p

artic

ula

r ch

ang

es

eve

nts

will e

ffect th

e p

artic

ipan

ts.

Afte

r ne

w s

yste

m h

as b

ee

n in

pla

ce a

nd

yo

u w

an

t to fin

d o

ut h

ow

it is w

ork

ing

ou

t. Wh

en y

ou

wa

nt to

m

ea

su

re e

ffects

of th

e n

ew

syste

m, c

larify

pro

ble

ms o

r va

lidate

tha

t the m

easu

res o

r wo

rkin

g.

Page 40: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

79

To

pic

: Q

ue

stio

n T

yp

es

Qu

estio

n

Typ

e

De

tail

Clo

se

d

Clo

sed

qu

estio

ns fo

rce a

n in

terv

iew

ee

to c

ho

ose

from

a lis

t of fix

ed

alte

rna

tives.

Ope

n

Op

en

qu

estio

ns a

re th

ose

pro

vid

e v

ery

loose

restric

tion

s o

n th

e c

on

tent o

f the

rep

ly.

The

on

ly re

al re

stric

tion

is th

e re

ply

ha

s b

e a

bo

ut th

e s

ub

ject th

e in

terv

iew

focu

ses o

n.

The

se

are

co

mm

on

use

d in

inte

rvie

ws. T

he

se

ha

ve

the a

dva

nta

ge

of b

ein

g fle

xib

le; c

an

le

ad

mo

re d

ep

th u

nd

ers

tand

ings; c

an e

nco

ura

ge

be

tter c

o-o

pe

ratio

n; g

et u

nexp

ecte

d

an

sw

ers

. So

me

pe

op

le a

rgue

yo

u c

an

ge

t a m

ore

‘accu

rate’ re

spo

nse

. Th

e

dis

ad

va

nta

ge

s a

re m

ain

ly th

ey c

an

mo

re d

ifficu

lt to a

na

lyse

or th

e in

terv

iew

er lo

ses

co

ntro

l.

Sca

le

The

se

are

those q

ue

stio

ns th

at m

ea

su

re d

eg

ree

s o

f agre

em

en

ts. T

he d

esig

n c

an v

ary

so

me

pe

op

le u

se

a fiv

e-p

oin

t sca

le, w

hic

h m

ea

ns th

ere

is a

mid

dle

va

lue

. Th

ere

is a

b

elie

f that p

eo

ple

pre

fer to

se

lect th

e m

idd

le v

alu

e if g

ive

n a

cho

ice. S

om

e re

sea

rch

ers

u

se a

fou

r sca

le to

forc

e p

eo

ple

to a

gre

e o

r dis

ag

ree

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

80

To

pic

: W

hat ty

pe o

f que

stio

n

For e

ach q

ue

stio

n, in

dic

ate

the

co

rrect a

nsw

er b

y pla

cin

g a

ma

rk in

the c

olu

mn

to th

e le

ft.

Qu

es

tion

1

Wha

t type

of q

uestio

ns a

re m

ultip

le c

ho

ice q

ue

stio

ns in

ge

nera

l?

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

C

lose

d

O

pe

n

S

cale

Qu

es

tion

2

Wha

t type

of Q

ue

stio

ns is

"De

scrib

e w

ha

t yo

u th

ink o

f the

inte

rne

t?"

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

C

lose

d

O

pe

n

S

cale

Qu

es

tion

3

Wha

t type

of q

uestio

n is

the

follo

win

g:

"Wh

at d

id y

ou th

ink o

f the

se

ssio

n c

ircle

the

ap

pro

pra

ite n

um

be

r

Poo

r 1 2 3 4 5

Exce

llen

t"

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

C

lose

d

O

pe

n

S

cale

Page 41: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

81

No

te: A

nsw

ers

ap

pe

ar o

n th

e n

ext p

ag

e.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

82

An

sw

er 1

Wha

t type

of q

uestio

ns a

re m

ultip

le c

ho

ice q

ue

stio

ns in

ge

nera

l?

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

C

lose

d

O

pen

S

ca

le

Co

rrec

t An

sw

er F

ee

db

ac

k: C

orre

ct

An

sw

er 2

Wha

t type

of Q

ue

stio

ns is

"De

scrib

e w

ha

t yo

u th

ink o

f the

inte

rne

t?"

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

C

lose

d

O

pen

S

ca

le

Co

rrec

t An

sw

er F

ee

db

ac

k: C

orre

ct, it is

ope

n to

the

resp

ond

en

t to re

ply

with

as little

or a

s m

uch

info

rma

tion

as th

ey w

an

t.

An

sw

er 3

Wha

t type

of q

uestio

n is

the

follo

win

g:

"Wh

at d

id y

ou th

ink o

f the

se

ssio

n c

ircle

the

ap

pro

pra

ite n

um

be

r

Poo

r 1 2 3 4 5

Exce

llen

t"

Sele

ct th

e c

orre

ct a

nsw

er.

C

lose

d

O

pe

n

Page 42: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

83

S

cale

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

84

To

pic

: In

terv

iew

s

Inte

rvie

w

Typ

es

D

eta

il

Stru

ctu

red

Th

ese

are

sim

ilar to

qu

estio

nn

aire

s a

nd s

urv

eys. T

he

se

are

the

ea

sie

st to

an

aly

se

of

the

inte

rvie

w ty

pe

s. T

he

inte

rvie

wer h

as c

on

trol d

o to

the

infle

xib

ility o

f the typ

e.

Se

mi-

stru

ctu

red

T

his

typ

e h

as a

certa

in a

mo

un

t of fle

xib

ility. T

he in

terv

iew

er s

till ha

s th

eir q

ue

stio

n lis

t a

nd

the

top

ics th

at n

ee

d to

be

co

ve

red

. Th

e fle

xib

ility is

the

inte

rvie

w h

as fle

xib

ility to

a

lter th

e o

rde

r of th

e q

ue

stio

ns a

nd

word

ing u

sed

. It is a

bit lik

e a

n a

cto

r imp

rovis

ing

th

ey m

ay a

list b

ut it is

up to

the

m h

ow

it is u

se

d a

nd

all th

at m

atte

rs is

gettin

g

the

info

rma

tion.

It is u

su

al th

ou

gh

to h

ave

so

me

stru

ctu

red

ele

men

ts. A

lot o

f inte

rvie

ws w

ill use

stru

ctu

red q

ue

stio

nin

g w

he

n th

ey a

re a

fter s

om

e typ

es o

f info

rmatio

n a

nd m

ore

op

en

q

ue

stio

ns fo

r oth

er ty

pe

s. A

s a

n e

xa

mp

le a

ma

rket re

se

arc

her m

igh

t has b

asic

set o

f stru

ctu

red q

ue

stio

ns, d

epe

nd

ing

on

the

an

sw

er g

o to

mo

re o

pe

n q

ue

stio

ns to

pu

ll ou

t th

e a

nsw

ers

.

Un

stru

ctu

red

T

he

se

ca

n b

e o

pe

n-e

nd

ed a

nd

in-d

epth

. In th

is ty

pe o

f inte

rvie

w th

ere

is a

lot o

f fle

xib

ility, b

ut th

e ro

le o

f the in

terv

iew

er is

a little

diffe

rent th

ey h

ave

guid

e th

e

inte

rvie

we

e. T

ele

ph

on

e in

terv

iew

s c

an

ofte

n b

e o

f the

se

typ

es.

Page 43: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

85

To

pic

: F

ocu

s G

rou

ps

He

re is

the

co

nfu

sin

g b

it, the

y d

o n

ot b

e in

a g

rou

p, th

ey c

an

be

on

e-to

-on

e (b

ut o

ne

-to-o

ne

of s

eve

ral

ind

ivid

ua

ls in

a g

rou

p). In

term

s o

f

stru

ctu

re th

ese c

an b

e a

ny o

f the

ab

ove. F

ocu

s g

rou

ps a

re m

ea

nt to

get a

gro

up

to ‘fo

cu

s’ o

n s

pe

cific

to

pic

. Usu

ally

the

se

are

op

en

-en

de

d d

iscu

ssio

ns a

nd u

su

ally

no

t qu

ick to

co

llect th

e re

spo

nse

s. T

he

inte

rvie

wer ro

le is

to g

uid

e th

e d

iscu

ssio

n. T

he

se a

re e

fficie

nt m

eth

ods a

s th

e a

mo

un

t of d

ata

co

llecte

d

from

se

ve

ral p

eo

ple

sim

ulta

ne

ously

incre

ase

s th

e q

uan

tity o

f the

da

ta. G

rou

p d

yn

am

ic c

an

he

lp to

fo

cu

s th

e to

pic

, and

en

ab

le s

ha

red v

iew

s to

be

se

en

. No

t an e

xp

en

siv

e m

eth

od

an

d p

artic

ipan

ts c

an

be

stim

ula

ted

by th

e c

om

me

nts

of o

the

rs.

Th

ere

are

dis

ad

va

nta

ge

s th

ou

gh. N

um

be

r of q

uestio

ns h

as b

e v

ery

limite

d a

nd

to b

e e

ffectiv

e th

e

rese

arc

he

r ne

ed

s to

be

skille

d. B

ias is

a p

ote

ntia

l pro

ble

m, a

s th

ose

with

stro

ng ‘p

ers

on

alitie

s’ c

an

d

om

ina

te.

Co

nfid

en

tiality is

limite

d b

y th

e g

roup

na

ture

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

86

To

pic

: S

elf T

est 1

No

w y

ou

ha

ve w

ork

thro

ug

h th

e m

ate

rial n

ow

co

nsid

er q

ue

stio

n ty

pe

s, in

terv

iew

an

d fo

cu

s g

rou

ps.

(Yo

u d

on

't ha

ve

to u

se

the

sp

ace

pro

vid

ed

be

low

to a

nsw

er th

e fo

llow

ing

qu

estio

ns)

1.F

or e

ach

of th

ese

thin

k o

f an e

xa

mp

le o

f ho

w th

ey c

ou

ld b

e u

se

d s

uccessfu

lly in

yo

ur d

isserta

tion

w

ork

.

2. N

ow

co

nsid

er th

e th

ree

yo

u a

re m

ost lik

ely

to u

se a

nd

sta

te a

dva

nta

ge

s a

nd

dis

adva

nta

ges.

Answ

er fo

r this

qu

estio

n c

an

be

writte

n in

the

sp

ace

pro

vid

ed

be

low

.

Page 44: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

87

Eth

ics

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Re

se

arc

h E

thic

s

Eth

ics C

om

ittee

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

88

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

Th

e fo

llow

ing d

ictio

na

ry d

efin

ition

s p

rovid

e a

use

ful s

tatin

g p

oin

t wh

en

co

nsid

erin

g th

e m

ea

nin

g o

f e

thic

s:

“1. (u

su. tre

ate

d a

s s

ing

.)Th

e s

cie

nce

of m

ora

ls in

hum

an

co

nd

uct; m

ora

l ph

iloso

ph

y. 2

a (tre

ate

d a

s

pl) m

ora

l prin

cip

les; ru

les o

f co

nd

uct

b (o

ften

treate

d a

s p

l.) a s

et o

f the

se

(me

dic

al e

thic

s)” [T

he

co

ncis

e O

xfo

rd D

ictio

na

ry]

Fro

m th

ese

de

finitio

ns it is

cle

ar th

at e

thic

s is

ab

ou

t mora

l va

lue

s a

nd

co

de

s o

f beh

avio

ur. A

ll p

rofe

ssio

na

l bo

die

s h

ave

the

ir ow

n c

od

e o

f pro

fessio

na

l co

nd

uct, w

hic

h d

ete

rmin

es th

e e

xp

ecte

d

mora

l va

lue

s a

nd c

ode

s o

f beh

avio

ur w

ithin

the

pro

fessio

n. T

he

en

gin

ee

ring

institu

tion

s, in

ad

ditio

n to

th

eir c

od

e o

f pro

fessio

na

l co

nd

uct, a

lso

issue

a s

erie

s o

f gu

ide

s th

at p

rovid

e in

form

atio

n o

n th

e

reco

mm

en

de

d p

roce

du

re to

be a

do

pte

d in

are

as o

f wo

rk re

late

d to

the p

rofe

ssio

n. If y

ou

are

a

mem

be

r of a

pro

fessio

na

l bo

dy o

bta

in a

cop

y o

f the

ir co

de

of p

rofe

ssio

na

l co

nd

uct.

Page 45: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

89

To

pic

: R

ese

arc

h E

thic

s

Wheth

er y

ou c

arry

ou

t qu

alita

tive re

se

arc

h o

r qu

an

titativ

e re

se

arc

h y

ou w

ill be

co

nce

rne

d w

ith g

ath

erin

g

da

ta, w

hic

h w

ill then

be

an

aly

se

d a

nd

pre

se

nte

d in

the

final re

po

rt.

Issu

e

De

scrip

tion

H

elp

to a

vo

id p

rob

lem

s/ is

su

es to

co

ns

ide

r.

Pla

ga

rism

the

dire

ct c

op

yin

g o

f wo

rk

by o

the

rs a

nd

pre

se

ntin

g

it as y

ou

r ow

n w

eth

er

inte

ntin

ally

or n

ot, a

nd

the

ne

ed

to a

ckn

ow

led

ge

an

d c

orre

ctly re

fere

nce

all d

irect q

uo

tatio

ns u

se

d

in y

ou

r rep

orts

.

Corre

ct re

fere

ncin

g (u

sin

g th

e h

arv

ard

syste

m).

Th

e U

niv

ers

ity h

as a

n N

ILE

mo

du

le c

alle

d U

NP

AC

a

im to

he

lp.

Fro

m th

e L

ibra

ry L

iera

tion

( h

ttp://lib

rary

.no

rtha

mp

ton

.ac.u

k/lib

era

tion/)

Co

nfid

en

tiality

If y

ou

inte

nd

to g

ath

er

da

ta fro

m c

om

pan

ies o

r fro

m in

div

idu

als

yo

u m

ust

se

ek th

eir p

erm

issio

n a

nd

e

xp

lain

the p

urp

ose

for

whic

h it is

to b

e u

se

d.

An

y agre

em

en

t reach

ed

on th

e u

se

of th

e m

ate

rials

m

ust b

e o

bse

rve

d a

nd th

e p

rovid

er o

f the

da

ta m

ay

req

uire

evid

en

ce

of th

is.

If yo

u u

se

da

ta th

at is

alre

ad

y p

ub

lish

ed

make

su

re

tha

t it is c

orre

ctly

ide

ntifie

d a

nd

refe

ren

ce

d in

yo

ur

rep

ort.

Th

ere

is a

furth

er p

roble

m h

ere

with

the s

po

nso

rs o

f th

e p

roje

ct a

re th

e o

rgan

isa

tion

yo

ur u

sin

g a

s a

ca

se

stu

dy. W

hat d

o y

ou d

o if y

ou

r rese

arc

h re

sults

rais

e

po

ints

tha

t wo

uld

po

tentia

lly b

e d

etrim

en

tal to

the

o

rga

nis

atio

n. T

he

y a

re s

po

nsorin

g y

ou, b

ut yo

ur

resu

lts th

at h

ave

to b

e s

ee

n b

y p

eo

ple

ou

tsid

e th

e

org

an

isa

tion

. The

re is

a c

on

flict o

f inte

rest. W

hat d

o

yo

u d

o?

An

on

ym

ity

Th

is fo

llow

s fro

m

co

nfid

en

tiality

, e.g

. if a

co

mp

an

y o

r ind

ivid

ua

l su

pply

ing

da

ta w

ish

es to

re

ma

in a

no

nym

ous.

Ho

w d

o y

ou

pre

sen

t the d

ata

so

tha

t the

y c

an

no

t be

ide

ntifie

d?

Info

rme

d

Co

nse

nt

In re

sea

rch

that in

vo

lve

s

oth

ers

pa

rticip

atin

g in

yo

ur re

se

arc

h. T

he

pa

rticip

an

ts m

ust b

e fu

lly

info

rme

d a

bo

ut th

e

rese

arc

h p

roje

ct b

efo

re

the

y a

gre

e to

take p

art.

Defin

ing

wh

at in

form

ed

co

nse

nt m

ean

s is

d

ifficult, b

ut fro

m a

p

ractic

al p

oin

t of v

iew

we

Yo

ur re

se

arc

h m

igh

t inclu

de

un

co

ve

ring

pe

op

les

pe

rso

n v

iew

on h

ow

the

inte

rne

t is u

sed

with

in th

eir

org

an

iza

tion

s. S

o a

pote

ntia

l pa

rticip

an

t mig

ht h

ave

q

ue

stio

ns th

at n

ee

d to

be a

nsw

ere

d b

efo

re ta

kin

g

pa

rt such

as:

- Will m

y o

rga

niz

atio

n fin

d o

ut w

hat I s

aid

?

- Ho

w w

ill the

da

ta p

rod

uced

be

use

d?

- Will th

e in

form

atio

n b

e p

ub

lish

ed

?

- Ca

n I p

ull o

ut o

f the

rese

arc

h a

t an

ytim

e? If s

o

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

90

ha

ve d

esig

n th

e c

onse

nt

to in

clu

de

an

y info

rmatio

n

the

pa

rticip

an

t is lik

ely to

n

eed

to d

ecid

ed w

he

the

r to

take p

art o

r not.

ho

w?

It is u

su

al to

inclu

de

a ‘c

oo

ling

-off’ p

erio

d b

etw

ee

n

ag

ree

ing

to ta

ke p

art a

nd

actu

ally ta

kin

g p

art. S

om

e

stu

die

s h

ave

a c

oo

ling o

ff pe

riod o

f 24

ho

urs

, the

len

gth

of p

erio

d d

ep

en

ds o

n th

e n

atu

re o

f rese

arc

h.

It is p

ossib

le th

at p

rovid

ing

so

me

info

rma

tion

co

uld

b

ias th

e re

se

arc

h in

ce

rtain

dire

ctio

ns.

Th

e in

form

ed

co

nse

nt s

tag

e is

als

o w

he

re th

e

qu

estio

n o

f conflic

t of in

tere

st c

an

als

o b

e a

dd

resse

d

by s

ayin

g w

ha

t is g

oin

g to

ha

pp

en

with

the

resu

lts.

Pro

fessio

na

lism

T

he m

ean

s w

ork

ing

a

ccord

ing

to la

id d

ow

n

co

de o

f pro

fessio

na

l co

ndu

ct

an

d p

resen

ting y

our

rep

ort in

a m

an

ne

r that

ad

he

res to

the

ge

nera

lly

ag

ree

d s

tand

ard

s fo

r the

e

ng

ine

erin

g p

rofe

ssio

n.

Fo

llow

ing

dire

ctly

from

th

is p

oin

t, the

wa

y th

e

rese

arc

h is

carrie

d o

ut

an

d d

ata

is g

ath

ere

d a

nd

p

rese

nte

d in

yo

ur re

po

rt n

eed

s to

be

hon

est a

nd

fre

e fro

m a

mbig

uity

.

Hen

ce

an

y fo

rm o

f frau

d is

un

accep

tab

le.

Pla

gia

rism

ha

s a

lrea

dy b

ee

n m

entio

ne

d a

nd

to th

is

ca

n b

e a

dde

d, a

mo

ng

st o

the

rs, fo

rgin

g o

f da

ta a

nd

ob

fuscatio

n, w

hic

h is

to m

ake

so

me

thin

g o

bscu

re.

Obscu

rity c

an

resu

lt from

a lo

ng

-win

ded

ap

pro

ach

an

d th

e in

clu

sio

n o

f un

ne

ce

ssa

ry m

ate

rial s

uch

as

len

gth

y m

ath

em

atic

s w

he

re a

sim

ple

solu

tion

wo

uld

b

e m

ore

ap

pro

pria

te.

A s

pe

cific

co

ntrib

utio

n b

y o

the

rs to

yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n

mu

st a

lso

be

cle

arly

ide

ntifie

d a

nd

ackn

ow

led

ge

d.

One

fina

l and

imp

orta

nt p

oin

t is th

at y

ou

mu

st w

rite

yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n

At a

ll sta

ge

s e

thic

al is

sue

s m

ay a

rise

an

d s

o y

ou

r rese

arc

h s

ho

uld

follo

w a

ge

nera

lly a

cce

pta

ble

co

de o

f re

se

arc

h b

eh

avio

ur. Y

ou

mu

st a

lso

be

aw

are

of th

e e

thic

al is

su

es d

urin

g th

e p

lann

ing

sta

ge

s o

f yo

ur

rese

arc

h.

Page 46: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

91

To

pic

: E

thic

s C

om

ittee

Most in

stitu

tion

s (in

clu

din

g U

niv

ers

ity o

f No

rtha

mp

ton

) ha

ve

esta

blis

he

d e

thic

al p

olic

ies o

n h

ow

re

se

arc

h is

co

nd

ucte

d a

nd w

ha

t ne

eds to

be

co

nsid

ere

d fo

r there

se

arc

h to

eth

ica

l. This

inclu

de

s a

ny

typ

e o

f rese

arc

h c

arrie

d. P

art o

f this

is a

form

al c

om

mitte

e to

mon

itor e

thic

al is

sue

s in

rese

arc

h

activ

ity.

Th

oug

h th

eir ro

le is

in p

art to

dis

sem

ina

te g

ood

pra

ctic

e a

nd e

sta

blis

h e

thic

al p

olic

y, a

lot th

eir w

ork

is

revie

win

g re

se

arc

h p

rop

osa

ls to

en

su

re e

thic

al is

su

es a

re c

on

sid

ere

d a

nd

ad

dre

sse

d.

As e

xa

mp

le, if y

our re

se

arc

h w

as c

on

ce

rne

d w

ith fin

din

g h

ow

sch

oo

l child

ren

use

we

b-p

ag

es to

aid

le

arn

ing

. Th

is re

se

arc

h h

as s

eve

rale

thic

al is

su

es s

uch a

s

- ho

w c

an

a c

hild

giv

e in

form

ed

co

nse

nt?

- Ca

n a

sp

ecific

ch

ild b

e id

en

tified fro

m th

e d

ata

?

- Ca

n a

ch

ild b

e h

arm

ed

by th

e re

se

arc

h?

- Do

es th

e re

se

arc

he

r ne

ed

s to

ha

ve a

CR

B c

he

ck?

Gen

era

lly, if y

ou h

ave

an

y d

oub

ts th

at th

ere

is a

n e

thic

al p

rob

lem

s th

at y

ou

wan

t advic

e, y

ou

sh

ou

ld

ask a

dvic

e fro

m th

e e

thic

s c

om

mitte

e.

Eth

ica

l co

mm

ittee

s u

su

ally

ha

ve

the

po

we

r to v

eto

a re

sea

rch

pro

po

sal,

bu

t usu

ally

the

y m

ake

reco

mm

en

datio

ns to

imp

rove

the

rese

arc

h d

esig

n. If y

ou

are

involv

ed

in

rese

arc

h w

ith th

e N

atio

na

l He

alth

Serv

ice

invo

lvin

g p

atie

nts

, it mig

ht h

ave

to b

e re

ferre

d to

the

local

NH

S e

thic

s p

an

el fo

r ap

pro

val a

s w

ell.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

92

Da

ta In

terp

retin

g a

nd

Pre

sen

ting

Le

ss

on

Co

nte

nts

Intro

ductio

n

Inte

rpre

ting

an

d P

resen

ting

Pre

se

ntin

g M

eth

od

s

Sa

mp

le A

na

lysis

Meth

od

s

Co

mp

utin

g M

eth

od

s

Page 47: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

93

To

pic

: In

trod

uctio

n

Da

ta c

olle

ctio

n, b

y w

ha

teve

r me

tho

ds y

ou c

ho

ose, m

ea

ns v

ery

little u

ntil it is

ana

lysed

, eva

lua

ted

an

d

pre

se

nte

d in

a s

uita

ble

form

at. G

ath

erin

g v

ast a

mo

un

ts o

f info

rma

tion

in th

e h

op

e th

at s

om

e u

se

ful

info

rma

tion w

ill em

erg

e is

certa

inly n

ot re

co

mm

en

de

d fo

r the

typ

e a

nd

time

sca

le o

f stu

dy w

hic

h yo

u

are

un

de

rtakin

g. T

his

will a

lso

make

the a

na

lysis

mo

re c

om

ple

x a

nd

time

co

nsum

ing

. Yo

u m

ust,

there

fore

, de

cid

e w

ha

t the

restric

tions a

re fo

r yo

ur re

sea

rch

topic

, an

d g

ath

er b

oth

the

qu

ality

an

d

qu

antity

of in

form

atio

n a

nd

da

ta th

at c

an

be

rea

dily

an

aly

sed

, inte

rpre

ted

an

d p

rese

nte

d.

In m

ost ‘s

hort tim

esca

le’ p

roje

cts

it will b

e s

uffic

ien

t to o

nly

an

aly

se

da

ta in

a re

lativ

ely

sim

ple

wa

y. If

yo

ur m

eth

od

s o

f data

co

llectio

n a

re w

ell d

evis

ed

an

d y

ou

have

ad

op

ted

a s

yste

m, th

en th

e ta

sk o

f a

na

lysis

and

inte

rpre

tatio

n w

ill be

all th

e m

ore

sim

ple

r.

One

imp

orta

nt p

oin

t to n

ote

is th

at o

f gen

era

lisa

tion

. With

a re

lativ

ely

sm

all-s

ca

le p

roje

ct, c

are

mu

st b

e

take

n n

ot to

cla

im m

ore

tha

n th

e in

form

atio

n y

ou

ha

ve g

ath

ere

d w

arra

nts

. Eq

ua

l ca

re m

ust a

lso

be

ta

ke

n n

ot to

atte

mpt g

ene

ralis

atio

ns b

ase

d o

n a

n in

su

fficie

nt a

mou

nt o

f da

ta e

.g. b

ase

d o

n th

e re

su

lts

of 1

0 in

terv

iew

s, it is

cla

ime

d th

at lift m

ain

tena

nce

is u

nn

ecessa

ry.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

94

To

pic

: In

terp

retin

g a

nd P

resen

ting

Th

e m

eth

od

s b

y wh

ich

you

ch

oo

se

to a

naly

se, in

terp

ret a

nd

pre

se

nt th

e in

form

atio

n th

at y

ou

ga

the

r d

urin

g y

ou

r resea

rch

will la

rge

ly d

ep

end

on

the to

pic

yo

u h

ave c

ho

se

n, a

nd

the

meth

od

s y

ou

se

lect fo

r co

llectio

n. T

he

ke

y, a

s a

lwa

ys, is

no

t to b

e to

o a

mb

itiou

s. T

his

als

o re

late

s to

the a

mo

un

t (an

d p

ossib

ly

qu

ality

) of in

form

atio

n yo

u g

ath

er. T

oo little

info

rmatio

n w

ill no

t be s

uffic

ien

t to s

up

po

rt you

r arg

um

en

t,

an

d y

ou

are

in d

an

ge

r of g

en

era

lisin

g b

ased

on

‘insu

fficie

nt in

form

atio

n’. T

oo

mu

ch

info

rma

tion

, an

d

the ta

sk o

f an

aly

sis

will b

ecom

e to

o m

uch

, or to

o c

om

ple

x to

ach

ieve

. It is im

po

rtan

t to re

me

mb

er th

at

sim

ply

eva

lua

ting a

nd

pre

se

ntin

g th

e in

form

atio

n (e

.g. c

olla

ting

resp

onse

s to

a q

uestio

nna

ire, a

nd

pre

se

ntin

g a

s g

rap

hs) is

not s

uffic

ien

t – th

ere

musta

lso

be s

om

e (c

ritica

l) inte

rpre

tatio

n o

f yo

ur

find

ing

s.

Yo

u w

ill be

ab

le to

find

am

ple

refe

ren

ce a

nd

exa

mp

les o

f diffe

ren

ttech

niq

ues fo

r an

aly

sin

g a

nd

p

rese

ntin

g in

form

atio

n in

the re

sea

rch

meth

od

s b

oo

ks o

n th

e re

ad

ing

list fo

r this

mod

ule

. De

pe

nd

ing

o

n y

ou

r rese

arc

h to

pic

and

ch

ose

n fra

me

wo

rk (e

.g. lite

ratu

re s

ea

rch

es, e

xp

erim

en

tal re

sea

rch

, q

ue

stio

nn

aire

s, in

terv

iew

s e

tc), s

om

e o

f the

se re

fere

nces w

ill be m

ore

ap

pro

pria

te th

an

oth

ers

. Try

to,

at le

ast, h

ave

so

me

ide

a o

f ho

w yo

u a

re g

oin

g to

ana

lyse a

nd

pre

se

nt (n

ot fo

rge

tting

inte

rpre

t) yo

ur

info

rma

tion b

efo

re y

ou s

tart c

olle

ctin

g it. Y

ou

r ide

as m

ay w

ell c

han

ge

, bu

t at le

ast th

is w

ill giv

e y

ou

so

me

gu

ida

nce a

s to

wha

t yo

u s

ho

uld

be

co

llectin

g.

Page 48: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

95

To

pic

: P

rese

ntin

g M

eth

ods

Me

tho

ds

D

es

crip

tion

Lis

ts

Lis

ts a

re a

sim

ple

wa

y o

f colla

ting

and

pre

se

ntin

g in

form

atio

n. T

he

y ma

y a

lso

be

use

d fo

r sim

ple

ana

lysis

(e.g

. mo

st im

po

rtan

t first in

list, th

en

de

sce

nd

ing

ord

er).

Nu

mb

ers

ma

y b

e p

lace

d a

ga

inst e

ach ite

m in

the lis

t – a

nd

a g

rap

h p

rod

uce

d if

ap

pro

pria

te.

Ca

tego

risa

tion

A

no

the

r wa

y o

f gro

upin

g a

nd

an

aly

sin

g d

ata

is to

put it in

to c

ate

go

ries (e

.g. a

ge

ra

ng

es o

r nu

mb

er o

f a p

artic

ula

r type

of lift b

rea

kdo

wn e

tc.). R

esu

lts m

ay b

e

pre

se

nte

d in

a ta

ble

, or a

s a

gra

ph

.

Grid

s/T

ab

les

Grid

s a

nd

Ta

ble

s m

ay b

e u

se

d to

sh

ow

‘on

e-d

ime

nsio

na

l’ da

ta o

r pe

rform

som

e

sim

ple

co

rrela

tion

be

twe

en

da

ta (e

.g. ty

pes o

f lift bre

akd

ow

n a

ga

inst lift u

sa

ge

). A

ga

in, re

sults

ma

y b

e p

rese

nte

d in

tab

ula

r or g

raph

ica

l form

.

Sca

les

Sca

les a

re g

en

era

lly u

sed

to g

ive

so

me

dis

cre

te m

easu

re o

f a p

artic

ula

r item

(e.g

. in

a q

ue

stio

nn

aire

– ra

te lift p

erfo

rma

nce

from

1 (g

oo

d) to

6 (p

oo

r)). Th

ere

are

ma

ny

diffe

ren

t typ

es o

f sca

le th

at c

an

be

use

d, s

o c

on

su

lt the re

sea

rch

meth

od

s b

oo

ks.

Fin

din

gs c

an

ag

ain

be

pre

se

nte

d in

tabu

lar o

r gra

ph

ica

l form

.

Gra

ph

s

Gra

phs a

re a

go

od

wa

y o

f an

aly

sin

g a

nd

pre

se

ntin

g d

ata

. Be

ca

refu

l, ho

we

ve

r, no

t to

inclu

de

them

just fo

r the

sa

ke

of it, a

nd

make

su

re th

at th

ey a

re c

lear to

un

de

rsta

nd

.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

96

To

pic

: S

am

ple

Ana

lysis

Meth

ods

Me

tho

d

De

tail

Co

rrela

tion

C

orre

latio

n te

chn

iqu

es m

ay b

e u

se

d to

look fo

r links b

etw

ee

n c

on

cep

ts (e

.g. h

ow

lift a

ccid

ents

ha

ve

redu

ce

d th

rou

gh n

ew

sta

nd

ard

s). G

en

era

lly, y

ou

will c

ho

se

to p

rove

or

dis

pro

ve

a h

yp

oth

esis

, an

d to

investig

ate

the

mea

su

re o

f corre

latio

n. T

here

are

va

riou

s

ma

the

ma

tica

l me

tho

ds a

nd

oth

er te

ch

niq

ues th

at c

an

be

used

for th

is ty

pe

of a

naly

sis

, a

nd th

ese

can

be

fou

nd

in th

e re

se

arc

h b

oo

ks.

Infe

rence

Infe

ren

ce

tech

niq

ue

s m

ay b

e u

sed

to m

ake

so

me p

redic

tion

of s

om

eth

ing

with

a c

erta

in

de

gre

e o

f co

nfid

en

ce b

ase

d o

n a

limite

d a

mo

un

t of in

form

atio

n (e

.g. th

e o

ve

rall

occurre

nce

of lo

ck fa

ults

on a

ll UK

lifts b

ase

d o

n a

sa

mp

le o

f 10

0).

The

se

are

on

ly a

few

of th

e te

chn

iqu

es th

at a

re a

vaila

ble

.

If yo

ur to

pic

dem

an

ds e

xp

erim

en

tal w

ork

, the

n y

ou m

ay w

ell c

ho

ose to

use

far m

ore

co

mp

lex

ma

the

ma

tica

l tech

niq

ue

s. T

he k

ey is

no

t to a

ttem

pt c

om

ple

x te

ch

niq

ue

s if y

ou

do

no

t ha

ve th

e e

xp

ertis

e

to c

op

e! If y

ou

r resea

rch

is e

ntire

ly lite

ratu

re b

ased

, yo

u m

ay s

till use a

pp

rop

riate

tech

niq

ues to

ca

teg

oris

e a

nd p

resen

t you

r findin

gs. W

ithin

yo

ur fin

al d

isserta

tion

, a s

um

ma

ry o

f yo

ur fin

din

gs is

qu

ite

su

fficie

nt –

you

sho

uld

, if ap

pro

pria

te, in

clu

de

exam

ple

s o

f the w

ays in

wh

ich

ga

the

red

yo

ur d

ata

(e

xp

erim

en

tal m

eth

od

and

results

, sam

ple

qu

estio

nn

aire

s e

tc.). F

ina

lly, re

me

mb

er th

at y

ou

must a

lso

critic

ally

inte

rpre

t the in

form

atio

n y

ou

co

llect. It is

no

t su

fficie

nt, fo

r exa

mp

le, to

sim

ply

ga

the

r data

and

p

lot a

gra

ph. Y

ou

must c

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terp

ret th

e m

ea

nin

g o

f this

gra

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in lig

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f oth

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form

atio

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at y

ou

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ve

ob

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. 7.3

Use o

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are

Pa

cka

ge

s

Page 49: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

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ve

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asily

pro

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r in

clu

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po

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perfo

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Sh

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fo

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limite

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tha

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Co

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23

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Dis

se

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Page 50: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

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SY

M0

23

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To

pic

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trod

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Th

is is

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fina

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d d

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the s

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rmat, p

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se

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will re

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ke

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sch

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co

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ou to

ad

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pa

rticu

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tyle

of w

riting

an

d p

rese

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ur a

ssig

nm

en

t wo

rk. T

his

p

ackag

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info

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pro

ced

ure

s a

lread

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de

tail a

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Co

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23

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tructu

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ssic

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itle p

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it.

Page 51: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

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e: C

SY

M0

23

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1

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pic

: T

o b

e c

onsid

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dis

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-pro

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d a

nd

all p

ag

es, d

iag

ram

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s a

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figure

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rep

are

d u

sin

g

su

itab

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oftw

are

an

d a

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ropria

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be

red

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ke

ca

re to

set th

e p

ag

e la

yo

ut, m

arg

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nt, e

tc o

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yo

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om

pute

r be

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yo

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tart p

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ele

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font th

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ea

sy to

rea

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ose

with

se

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ge

ne

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sie

r to re

ad

tha

n th

ose

with

ou

t - Tim

es N

ew

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ma

n, a

s u

se

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this

do

cum

en

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s s

erifs

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he

rea

s th

e H

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nt d

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re re

quire

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2

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pace

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Re

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CN

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num

ero

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brre

via

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ou

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d a

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e

co

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pa

ge

(s).

Ele

me

nt

De

tail

Title

T

he

layou

t of th

e title

pa

ge

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s fo

llow

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Qu

ality

Assura

nce

in In

tern

et E

ng

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yM

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se

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ate

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ug

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A d

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pa

rtial fu

lfilme

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f the re

quire

me

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of th

e d

egre

e o

f

Ma

ste

r of S

cie

nce

in C

om

pu

ting a

tUn

ivers

ity o

f No

rtham

pto

n

Ab

stra

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“The

functio

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f the

abstra

ct o

r exe

cutiv

e s

um

ma

ry is

to s

um

ma

rize

brie

fly th

e

natu

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f yo

ur re

se

arc

h p

roje

ct, its

co

nte

xt, h

ow

it wa

s c

arrie

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ut, a

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wha

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ma

jor fin

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re.”(B

laxte

r, L. e

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99

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23

8)U

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requ

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abstra

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roxim

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ly 2

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Ab

stra

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ha

ve th

e fo

llow

ing

use

s:

pro

vid

e p

ote

ntia

l read

ers

with

a q

uic

k

overv

iew

of th

e d

isse

rtatio

n

he

lp th

e w

riter to

focu

s a

nd s

tructu

re o

r restru

ctu

re

the

rep

ort

In th

e la

tter c

ase it m

ay b

e u

se

ful to

sta

rt dra

ft the a

bstra

ct b

efo

re th

e d

isse

rtatio

n is

co

mple

ted

.

Dra

fting

D

raftin

g a

nd

writin

g b

eg

ins a

s s

oon

as y

ou

sta

rt to c

olle

ct d

ata

. It follo

ws th

ere

fore

th

at th

ere

will b

e a

nu

mb

er d

rafts

and

revis

ion

s b

efo

re y

ou

arriv

e a

t the fin

al

docu

me

nt. A

ltho

ugh

ap

pro

ach

es to

writin

g d

ep

en

d v

ery

mu

ch

on th

e in

div

idu

als

co

nce

rne

d, it is

a g

oo

d id

ea

to w

rite u

p a

s y

ou

ga

the

r info

rma

tion

. Ed

iting

will th

en

ta

ke

pla

ce

as m

ore

info

rma

tion

is g

ath

ere

d a

nd

to ta

ke a

cco

un

t of th

e w

ord

limit

and

to lin

k th

e s

ectio

ns o

f the

dis

serta

tion

toge

the

r. Th

e fo

llow

ing

po

ints

sho

uld

als

o

be c

on

sid

ere

d.

If you

en

co

un

ter d

ifficu

lty in

sta

rting

to w

rite th

en

try w

riting

the

in

trodu

ctio

n to

the

dis

serta

tion. A

ltho

ug

h y

ou

will h

ave

to re

dra

ft this

a n

um

be

r of

time

s it s

ho

uld

he

lp y

ou

to fo

cus y

ou

r tho

ug

hts

with

reg

ard

to th

e c

olle

ctin

g o

f data

and

oth

er re

leva

nt in

form

atio

n.

Writin

g b

locks m

ay o

ccu

r at a

ny tim

e. If th

is

hap

pe

ns p

roce

ss a

ny in

form

atio

n yo

u h

ave

gath

ere

d ju

st to

try a

nd

rem

ove

the

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

10

2

blo

ck, th

e w

ay fo

rwa

rd m

ay th

en

em

erg

e d

urin

g th

is a

ctiv

ity.

Som

etim

es w

he

n

writin

g th

e id

ea

s ju

st flo

w. U

nfo

rtuna

tely

the

pro

ble

m y

ou

ma

y th

en e

nco

un

ter is

th

at o

f lack o

f time

to c

om

ple

te th

e s

ectio

n y

ou

are

writin

g. W

he

n th

is h

ap

pen

s

lea

ve

cle

ar p

oin

ters

to th

e n

ext to

pic

you

wis

h to

intro

du

ce

, pe

rha

ps b

y w

riting

the

sta

rt of th

e n

ext s

ente

nce

or b

y a

se

ries o

f bulle

t po

ints

so it is

rela

tively

ea

sy to

re

co

mm

ence

writin

g.

No

n-

dis

crim

inato

ry

lan

gu

ag

e

Yo

u m

ust u

se n

on

-dis

crim

ina

tory

lan

gua

ge

thro

ug

hou

t yo

ur d

isse

rtatio

n.

The

ba

sic

prin

cip

le in

vo

lve

d is

writin

g in

su

ch

a w

ay th

at is

do

es n

ot d

en

igra

te o

r e

xclu

de

d p

artic

ula

r gro

up

s o

f pe

op

le o

n th

e b

asis

of w

hat m

ay b

e fa

irly a

rbitra

ry

ch

ara

cte

ristic

s, s

uch a

s s

ex, a

ge

, race

, relig

ion

, ph

ysic

al a

nd m

enta

l ab

ilities o

r se

xu

al o

rien

tatio

n. (B

laxte

r et a

l 19

96

, p. 2

24

)

He

ad

ing

an

d

su

b-h

ea

din

gs

The

cla

ssic

al d

isse

rtatio

n s

tyle

su

gge

sts

a lim

ited

num

be

r of m

ain

hea

din

gs. C

are

is

ne

ed

ed w

ith s

ub-h

ea

din

gs a

nd th

e n

um

berin

g o

f he

ad

ing

s a

nd

su

b-h

ead

ings

sh

ou

ld b

e a

vo

ide

d. Y

ou

are

writin

g a

n a

ca

de

mic

dis

se

rtatio

n w

he

re c

lau

se

an

d s

ub

cla

use

s a

re im

po

rtant fo

r refe

ren

ce p

urp

ose

s. If y

ou

use

su

b-h

ea

din

gs it m

ust m

ake

th

e te

xt m

ore

acce

ssib

le, n

ot tu

rn it in

to a

dire

cto

ry o

f sh

ort p

ara

gra

ph

s w

ith n

o

co

he

ren

t flow

of id

eas. If y

ou

r essa

y is c

oh

ere

nt, w

ith o

ne p

art re

latin

g to

an

oth

er,

build

ing to

a c

on

clu

sio

n, th

en

you

will n

ot n

eed

man

y s

ub

-he

ad

ing

s. (B

arn

es 1

99

5,

p. 8

4)

Re

fere

ncin

g

an

d Q

uo

ting

R

efe

ren

ce

s a

pp

ea

r in th

e te

xt a

s a

sig

na

l tha

t evid

en

ce

in th

e fo

rm o

f bo

oks o

r p

ap

ers

exis

ts a

nd

ca

n b

e fo

und

els

ew

here

if the

rea

de

r wis

he

s to

pu

rsu

e th

is

aven

ue

. Quo

tatio

ns a

re v

erb

atim

, that is

, giv

en

in th

e e

xa

ct w

ord

s o

f the

write

r an

d

inclu

de

d in

the

text s

o th

at th

e re

ade

rs d

o n

ot h

ave

to h

un

t for th

em

. (Ba

rne

s 1

995

, p

. 74

)

The

Re

fere

ncin

g G

uid

e to

the

Ha

rva

rd S

yste

m o

f refe

ren

cin

g is

ava

ilab

le o

n th

e

Uin

ve

rsity’s

we

bsite

(http

://libra

ry.north

am

pto

n.a

c.u

k/file

s/g

uid

es/h

arv

ard

.doc) a

nd

sh

ou

ld b

e rig

oro

usly

ad

here

d to

.

Page 52: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

10

3

To

pic

: E

xperim

en

tal-T

ype

Dis

se

rtatio

n

Th

ere

ca

n b

e m

odific

atio

n to

this

cla

ssic

dis

se

rtatio

n s

tructu

re. A

n e

xa

mp

le o

f wh

ich

is s

ho

wn

he

re fo

r e

xp

erim

en

tal d

isse

rtatio

ns. A

n e

xam

ple

stru

ctu

re is

sho

wn

be

low

.

· Title

pa

ge

· Lis

t of c

on

tents

· Abstra

ct

· Intro

du

ctio

n

· Lite

ratu

re re

vie

w

· Exp

erim

ent

· Meth

od

olo

gy

· Pre

se

nta

tion

an

d a

naly

sis

of d

ata

· Co

mm

en

ts a

nd c

ritiqu

e o

f ou

tco

me

s o

r find

ing

s, id

ea

lly th

at le

ad to

the

ne

xt s

et o

f exp

erim

ents

· Co

nclu

sio

ns

· Refe

ren

ce

s

Th

e E

xp

erim

ent s

ectio

n m

ay b

e re

pe

ate

d s

evera

l time

s

To

co

mp

ly w

ith u

niv

ers

ity re

gu

latio

ns th

e d

isse

rtatio

n w

ill be

ap

pro

xim

ate

ly 1

2 0

00

word

s.

Th

e w

ord

co

un

t inclu

des a

ll wo

rds in

the

dis

se

rtatio

n. T

he

stru

ctu

re s

how

n is

no

t se

t in s

ton

e s

o th

at

va

riatio

ns a

re a

cce

pta

ble

. Ho

we

ver, th

e e

lem

ents

co

nta

ine

d in

the c

lassic

al s

tructu

re m

ust b

e p

resen

t in

wh

ate

ve

r stru

ctu

re y

ou

decid

e to

ad

opt a

nd y

ou

mu

st a

dhe

re to

the

wo

rd lim

it.

Yo

u m

us

t dis

cu

ss th

e s

tructu

re o

f dis

se

rtatio

n w

ith y

ou

r su

pe

rvis

or.

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

10

4

To

pic

: S

tyle

an

d v

oic

e

As w

e h

ave

alre

ad

y in

dic

ate

d y

ou s

ho

uld

no

t wa

it un

til you

ha

ve

gath

ere

d a

ll the

info

rma

tion

an

d d

ata

yo

u th

ink y

ou re

qu

ire b

efo

re y

ou

co

mm

en

ce

writin

g th

e d

isse

rtatio

n. H

ow

eve

r, yo

u m

ust re

me

mbe

r th

at th

e fin

al d

isse

rtatio

n w

ill be

an a

cco

un

t of w

ha

t yo

u h

ave

do

ne

wh

y y

ou d

id it a

nd

wh

at y

ou

foun

d

ou

t. It is u

sua

l to u

se

the th

ird p

ers

on

an

d p

assiv

e v

oic

e.

Do

es it h

ave to

be a

n in

tere

stin

g re

ad?

As fa

r as p

ossib

le it s

ho

uld

be

wh

ilst k

ee

pin

g th

e la

ng

ua

ge

form

al –

this

sho

uld

be

a p

iece o

f pro

fessio

na

l qu

ality

wo

rk.

Page 53: CSYM023 Dissertation and module - University of …scott/csym023/csym023...university libraries or purchased via the Internet, e.g. from Amazon.co.uk. "Research is defined as seeking

Co

urs

e: C

SY

M0

23

10

5

To

pic

: A

pp

endic

es

App

en

dic

es a

re u

sed

for m

ate

rial th

at is

not v

ital e

no

ug

h to

be in

clu

de

d in

the

main

pa

rt of th

e

dis

se

rtatio

n. S

o le

t us lo

ok a

t so

me

exam

ple

ca

se

s.

Ele

me

nt

De

sc

riptio

n

Co

de

Y

ou w

ou

ld in

clu

de

d a

ll the c

od

e y

ou

pro

duce

d in

an a

pp

en

dix

(as w

ell a

s o

n

CD

/DV

D) a

nd

use e

xtra

cts

with

the m

ain

dis

se

rtatio

n. T

alk

to y

ou

r su

perv

iso

r if yo

u a

re u

nsu

re.

Extra

Th

eo

ry

If yo

u h

ave s

om

e th

eory

or b

ackgro

un

d in

form

atio

n th

at y

ou

wo

uld

be

u

se

ful to

the

read

er b

ut n

ot v

ital y

ou

mig

ht c

on

sid

er th

is is

as a

n a

pp

en

dix

. T

alk

to y

our s

upe

rvis

or if y

ou

are

un

su

re.

Exa

mp

le

Que

stio

nna

ires a

nd

R

esu

lts

A fu

rther u

se is

you

ca

n c

rea

te a

nd

ap

pe

nd

ix c

on

tain

all o

r a s

am

ple

q

ue

stio

nn

aire

s o

r resu

lts. Y

ou

sh

ould

illustra

tive

exa

mp

les in

the

ma

in te

xt.

Ta

lk to

yo

ur s

upe

rvis

or if y

ou

are

un

su

re.