COP3 - Lecture - Notes

What to do 

Try to define a subject.
Be as specific as you possibly can.
Think about it, then be more specific again.
This is not a Dissertation title.
This is not set in stone.
It could be a series of related questions, lines of enquiry or objectives.

What research to do

What factors sit ‘behind’ your chosen subject? 

How have historical, cultural, social, technological, economic, political and other factors influenced it?
Who are the key figures within my chosen subject?
What is the specific history of my chosen subject?
Are there any dominant or prevailing attitudes that inform my subject?

Is my subject culturally specific? If so, how?

approches, processes, materials

How will you approach your chosen subject?
What sort of questions will you ask? Why?
What methodology will you use?

Research conducted ‘through’ practice
‘Thinking through doing’
Reflective Practice (Schön)
What effect do changing the materials that you use have on the end result?
What factors could disrupt your creative practice?
What is the relationship of techniques that you use to other techniques in the sector?

what research methodology?

HISTORICAL
SOCIOLOGICAL
SEMIOTIC
COMMUNICATION THEORY
POSTCOLONIAL
PSYCHOANALYSIS
POSTMODERNIST
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
MARXISM

FEMINISM
QUEER THEORY
GENDER STUDIES
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION 

HERMENEUTICS
DATA COLLECTION
PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION

what research into topic / who the product can be for?

Who is your research project for? 

What professional contexts could your research be aimed at?
What specific organisations could use your research and how?
How would your tone of voice (visual or written) change if you targeted your research at a different audience?
Does your work challenge existing knowledge in the field? 

Primary / Secondary 

•Primary research – gathering your own original data
•Secondary research – making use of the research and findings of others for corroboration, disagreement, triangulation, theoretical underpinning etc

methods

•Visual practice, experiment, interest & enquiry (research and critical diaries)
•Questionnaires (qualitative/quantitative)
•Interviews
•Case Study
•Site visits

literature 

•Books
•Journals
•Websites / Blogs / On-line forums
•Videos / DVDs
•CDs / Tape Cassettes / Vinyl Recordings
•TV / Radio
•Newspapers / Maps / Reports

•Printed Ephemera

InfoTrac 

-a store of online magazine articles   :

http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/leedscad

- password : tryinfomarks

Google Scholar 

•Some full text PDF articles available
•http://scholar.google.co.uk/

Previous Topics 

Luke

What are the theories and mechanisms behind 'low-budget range' branding in supermarkets; Focusing on uk supermarket Morrisons 'M Savers' range and its competitors;-

Tasks:


Structure of dissertation, include chapter headings and the content of these. (I would suggest no more
than five chapters)

Two case studies that you are going to undertake personally (primary research).
Two case that you are intending to refer to (secondary research).
Five texts/theories that discuss the idea of mass consumerism and now can that be applied to the context of your brand.
Research into Communication theory and Media Semiotics A brand that is in contrast rather than competition with Morrisons.

Kristin

Title: How has Coca-Cola used branding and advertising to become top of the soft drinks industry?

Introduction (750 words): Coca-Cola’s brand history from the beginning to the present

                                                 Where did the begin and how? 

                                                 How has it developed over time? 

                                                 Statistics/facts to inform how successful the brand is at present. 

Chapter 1 (2000 words):   Aesthetics

                                                The brand.

                                                The bottle and can. 

                                                Colour, shape, material. 

Chapter 2 (2000 words):   Advertising on a global scale

                                                Father christmas

                                                Big events eg. olympics 

                                                Availability (which countries?)

                                                Limited edition bottles

                                             

Chapter 3 (2000 words):   Consumer reaction

                                                Advertising and emotion. 

                                                Interviews with consumers and whether or not they are    

                                                consumed by the brand, the impact it has, aesthetic influences 

                                                etc.

                                                Sales figures to back up the success with consumers. 

                                                Father christmas: provoking the biggest reaction. 

                                             

Conclusion (1000 words): Evaluate chapters and conclude by answering the original question. 

catergories

Sustainability 
Consumerism
Modernism
Social Impact
Propaganda
Visual Language