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Week 1 (Briefing)
Introduction session to the unit.- We were given a presentational overview of the unit and it's specifications. I began to think about what my chosen topic could be surrounding. I also began to give thought as to what specific type of dissertation I would want to do.
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Week 2 (Concept)
We were motivated to anticipate what sort of field of study we wanted to cover within our dissertation. I looked over previous contextual studies essay's that I had written and found that my pre-existing knowledge and interest in skinhead subculture would be helpful in developing a dissertation study. -
Week 3 (Development of ideas)
Being pushed towards our first stages of secondary research, I was still deciding upon which route to take around my chosen area of interest, I familiarised myself with the preliminary research surrounding my previous essays to try and spark some idea's into where I could take my dissertation. -
Week 4 (Progress Map)
I began my progress map to log my progress and update specific accomplishments throughout my dissertation prep. I also used it as a means to map out specific time frames in which I wanted to complete certain tasks by. -
Week 4 (Types of Questions)
A number of texts were distributed to aid us in coming up with a question, by this point I was able to identify specific context in which I wanted to expand my questions direction. I decided that I wanted to link it to my course's field in film. -
Defining my topic & Expanding my direction of research
I gave a sufficient amount of thought into what angle to take on my dissertation question, I came up with the idea of linking the representation of skinhead subculture within film and television to how the subculture actually was historically. -
Week 5 (Formative)
We were required to have had a coherent question by this stage, I was struggling at this point to define my question into words that would best exemplify the route I had decided to take in my study. I had however began to revisit and contextualise some of my old preliminary research from previous studies surrounding subculture to fit into my dissertation study path. Which proved to aid me quite a lot as I had a head start in background research surrounding the wider field of my concept area. -
Week 5 (Formative Feedback)
Feedback in from a selection of peers suggested that I try and define my question into a formative structure that will aid me to further define my direction of research and so that can begin to develop subquestions and aims in regard to my chosen question. They also helped me refine my question to a near perfect standard. -
Other Deadlines
Due to a fast approaching deadline coming up on the 24th I had to restructure my priorities because it was a very time consuming and weighty practical based project. I planned to focus on this until I had met the deadline submission. -
Use of Spare Time
Between two main sections of my major project, I took a short break and managed to produce my final question. I settled on "How has the reality of skinhead subculture affected the way in which it is depicted within British film and television?" -
Back to Project
I have completed my other project and the deadline for submission has just passed. So I have moved back onto my dissertation prep documentation. I have gathered all of my preliminary sources of evidence surrounding the subcultures history and particular theories of representation. I have contextualised these sources and have thus developed some aims within my main question. Specific to seeing how specific history of events has changed and influenced representation within film. -
Secondary Research
After conversation with my tutor, helping my refine my structure and further study direction of my dissertation. I began to gather the main body of my secondary research. I researched into a multitude of points and found a documentary that I can base a whole main chapter of my point off of. I have with this identified some key speakers and potential interview opportunities for my study. I am about half way through my preparation document and I am adding to it as I go. -
Further Research
I have continued to research further into my sources and have found specific supporting arguments, potential study sources like books written by original skinhead members to contrast a lot of the contextual and theoretical studies I have being finding in bulk. I am beginning to piece together my document to it's completion. -
Polishing structure and tying up loose ends.
I have now gathered the remainder of my current research in preparation for the deadline. I feel I could have dealt my time better to have better executed further research but I have managed to define a complete structure and complete my inner documents included in the diss prep pdf. Any research I still need to complete has been recorded and have a clear structure plan of how I am going to continue my study over the summer in time for returning to university. -
Submission Deadline!!!
After final revising and checking my document, I have updated my future strategy plan going forward. I have Submitted and I am set to sign off from uni for the summer and continue with my study and research. -
Acquiring Sources
Before I go away for a week on holiday, I want to order the specific books that I have identified in my dissertation prep document so that i'll have them at my disposal when I return. -
Holiday
I am going to be away for a week from now until the 25th, so I will be taking a break from my dissertation prep. I will however be making a folder on my notes in case any brainstorming or idea generation occurs while I am on holiday. -
Return and application of follow up research.
Now I have returned from holiday and would have returned to my dissertation prep, I want to get my tie ups done by this point, that means that absolutely any leftover sources that I had already accessed, that needed further examination I would like to have done this and formed notes from them by this time. -
Acquired Sources
by this time i want to have completed at least one of my reading materials and made note of useable content -
Follow up research
Specifically, the dissertation investigation text written by a student about the study into Shane Meadows. I want to have revisited and began to pick apart the study by this time, in order to see whether there's ends to contextualise it's findings into my own study. -
Films
By this time I want to have watched at least two of my sourced films/programmes and made notes to contextualise. -
Primary research
I want to have, by this point, structured all of my questions ready for my interviews and have reached out to at least two of my chosen interviewee's if I'm going to be interviewing one face to face, if they are all going to be through social media or email then I want to have reached out to all of them. I also want to have structured and created my survey monkey and shared it on media platforms. -
All sourced material
By this time, I expect to have read and made notes on all of my acquired reading material, as well as having watched my final film/television source complete with notes that I can contextualise. -
Full update on work through application of sources
By this time, i strictly want to have assessed my notes, examined them against my surrounded points and research of my study and began to start applying them into my work and developing my dissertation structure, as well as content. -
Interviews (if face to face)
If one or more of my interviews turns out to be a face to face interview as oppose to having already completed them online, then I should have had response back and planned a date for the interview by now. If I have already conducted the research through online questioning for all of my interviewees, then I should have by now collected the results and started fitting them into my research to back up ready made points and structure my further points. -
Final contextualisation of primary research
By this point, regardless the means of interview process I wish to have acquired and sorted all data relevant to how i planned to move forward from the start of the summer, to put me in better shape at the start of the new term and ensure that i am on track to utilising the tutor's aid to the most extensive levels possible. Ready for them to give insight onto how my dissertation has developed. -
Prepared
Now everything has been acquired, examined, put into context and contextualised as well as any primary research results, gathered, evaluated and provided as evidence to supporting points within my body of investigation... I am now in the best possible position to arrive back at university for the new term. Being this prepared walking in will give me the best and earliest opportunity to facilitate my tutors insight to the results of my studies, and identify any potential gaps that need rectifying -
Providing everything is up to date!
Providing that my mapped out achievements have been met up until this point of returning to university, I will be able to commence my first few sessions of relaying with my tutor with the side task of beginning to fix together practice drafts leading to my writing the beginning of the original Dissertation.