MS2306 Tuesday WorkshopsWeek Seven06-Mar-12

Level 3 presentations

JeromeSteven Jamal

Specify Research Question (IVs/DVs)Context of researchLiteratureRelation between research and MS3308 project

Week Eight13-Mar-12

Level 3 presentations

AshSherelleAlper

Week Nine20-Mar-12

Level 3 presentations

Mohammed and ZubirKarmen

Week Ten27-Mar-12

Level 3 presentations

Peter

LujainDale

Where are you with your review?

Have you selected books from your bibliography?

Are you reading them?

How are these books linked (mapped together)?

Have you an idea of the narrative you intend to develop?

LITERATURE REVIEW WORKSHOP 1

Writing the review and identifying arguments

Question List 3 reasons why you should include a

literature review in a research project?

1. To show that you have read about your subject

2. To show that you have grasped the main texts in the field

3. To provide a framework for your thesis

QuestionList 3 things that your literature review

should demonstrate

1. Ability to engage in critical discussion

2. Show insight and awareness of different arguments, theories and approaches

3. To provide analysis and synthesis of the pertinent published work - relevant to your research question

What should you achieve?Come up with 7 points

1. Clarity of purpose 2. Relevancy - a review related directly to the thesis you are

developing3. A clear line of reasoning and synthesis of ideas encountered4. Well selected sources that fit together – are any out of

place? 5. A good mix of older foundational texts and newer cutting

edge research6. A correct bibliography and referencing system7. A contribution to the understanding of the subject – thus far

- and formulation of questions that require further research

What you need to includeMake comparisons and contrasts between

various approaches

Structure review according to • Different Approaches • Major Conclusions• Agreements and Disagreements

Locate • Methodologies employed and potential

flaws• Stress key texts and new contributions

Draw attention to • Relevant themes, trends, theories and

current debate and controversy in the literature

• Gaps in research• How your research relates to selected

material

Mechanics of arguing The Argument Sketch by Monty Python

M: An argument isn't just contradiction.

O: Well! it CAN be!M: No it can't!An argument is a connected series of

statement intended to establish a proposition.

O: No it isn't!M: Yes it is! 'tisn't just contradiction.O: Look, if I *argue* with you, I must

take up a contrary position!M: Yes but it isn't just saying "no it

isn't".

O: Yes it is!M: No it isn't!O: Yes it is!M: No it isn't!O: Yes it is!M: No it ISN'T! Argument is an

intellectual process.Contradiction is just the automatic

gainsaying of anything the other person says.

O: It is NOT!M: It is!O: Not at all!M: It is!

Making links

• Not just about oppositional statements

Looking for• Reasoning• Persuasion • Similarities• Omissions• Developments

Making linksAgreements and Disagreements

• Similarly, author B points to… • Likewise, author C makes the case that… • Author D also makes this point… • Again, it is possible to see how author E agrees with author D…

• However, author B points to… • On the other hand, author C makes the case that… • Conversely, Author D argues…• Nevertheless, what author E suggests…

• To conclude, this review demonstrates how most of the literature n the field points to the need to further research the question of…

Exercise: Better Link this example

• Smith (1997 p. 6) argues that the type of hypertext theory inspired by Borges ‘elides the realities of practice and user confusion created by labyrinthine texts.’ Steven’s (2001 p. 108) proposes that hypertexts are ‘modern day equivalents of Borges’ book, and Green (2008 p. 46) states that ‘we can learn from Borges and move on.

Better Links

• On the one hand, Smith (1997 p. 6) argues that the type of hypertext theory inspired by Borges “elides the realities of practice and user confusion created by labyrinthine texts.” On the other hand, Steven’s (2001 p. 108) proposes that hypertexts are ‘modern day equivalents of Borges’ book. However, Green (2008 p. 46) extends the argument by stating that “we can learn from Borges and move on”.

• Go on to make this a discussion rather than a list!

There will be a logical flow to the argument

1. Major premise: All

humans are mortal 2. Minor premise: Socrates is

a human3. Conclusion: Socrates is

mortal

• However, syllogistic logic is flawed

• This sentence is false

• Paradox• Liars

Identify arguments in the chosen article

• Arguments have reasons (one or many)

• They are supposed to persuade

• They will always conclude

• Academic conclusions are usually flagged by words like therefore, then, as a result, thus, consequently…

• Reason(s) will support conclusions

Recognising an argument

• Complex arguments will not be contained in one sentence or even paragraph

• You will need to discover the points made ‘across’ the article

Exercise

• Locate • The reason(s)• The conclusion(s)

reasons and conclusions

(A) For many victims of crime a tougher prison regime for criminals would be welcome. (B) The Government is right to introduce tougher regimes in prison. (C) Many offenders would not commit crime if prisons had a tougher regime

• B is the conclusion – A & C are the supporting reasons

Simple exercise

(A)The use of antivirus software is increasingly necessary on a computer network. (B) Viruses and worms are widespread. (C) They are also becoming more devious. (D) Simply being careful and looking for suspicious programs is not enough.’

• A is the conclusion• B, C & D supporting reasons

Find the conclusion?

[The] parallel tendencies in modern art and computing technology after the World War II change[ed] the relationship between art and technology. In the last few decades of the twentieth century, modern computing and network technology materialized certain key projects of modern art developed approximately at the same time. In the process of this materialization, the technologies overtake art. That is, not only [do] new media technologies – computer programming, graphical human-computer interface, hypertext, computer multimedia, networking (both wired-based and wireless) – have actualized the ideas behind the projects by artists, but they extended them much further than the artists originally imagined. As a result, these technologies themselves have become the greatest art works of today. The greatest hypertext text is the Web itself, because it is more complex, unpredictable and dynamic than any novel…. Which means that computer scientists who invented these technologies – J.C. Licklider, Douglas Engelbart, Ivan Sutherland, Ted Nelson, Seymor Papert, Tim Berners-Lee, and others – are the important artists of our time – maybe the only artists who are truly important and who will be remembered from this historical period.

The conclusion: As a result these technologies themselves have become the greatest art works of today.

Find the reasons and the conclusion?

• ‘Many people would be disposed to say that it was not the machine, but what one did with the machine, that was its meaning or message.’ [However] in terms of the ways in which the machine altered our relations to one another and to ourselves, it mattered not in the least whether it turned out cornflakes or Cadillacs… Program and "content" analysis offer no clues to the magic of these media or to their subliminal charge… The medium, or process, of our time - electric technology - is reshaping and restructuring patterns of social interdependence and every aspect of our personal life. It is forcing us to reconsider and re-evaluate practically every thought, every action, and every institution formerly taken for granted.’

• (McLuhan, 1964 p. 19).

• Reasons = ‘Many people would be disposed to say that it was not the machine, but what one did with the machine, that was its meaning or message.’ [However] in terms of the ways in which the machine altered our relations to one another and to ourselves, it mattered not in the least whether it turned out cornflakes or Cadillacs… Program and "content" analysis offer no clues to the magic of these media or to their subliminal charge…

• Conclusions = [Therefore] The medium, or process, of our time - electric technology - is reshaping and restructuring patterns of social interdependence and every aspect of our personal life. It is forcing us to reconsider and re-evaluate practically every thought, every action, and every institution formerly taken for granted.’

Next Week We Focus On

– Purpose– Questions, problems solutions– Concepts and ideas– Assumptions– Points of view– Data, information and evidence– Interpretation, inference and conclusions– Implication