MA Professional Design Practice - DIT Dublin … Handbook.pdf · Thesis Handbook, MA Professional Design Practice, produced by John Greene, ... The structure of the thesis should

MA Professional Design Practice

Thesis Handbook 2012 | 2013

Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win

Jonathan Kozel

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Table of Contents

Part 01 | Production requirements for the thesis ................................................................................. 3!

Thesis schedule, key dates 2012 | 2013 .............................................................................................. 3!

Assessment submission essentials ...................................................................................................... 4!

Citing references in your thesis ............................................................................................................ 5!

The learning and reflective report......................................................................................................... 5!

General production of thesis................................................................................................................. 6!

Hard binding your final thesis ............................................................................................................... 8!

Title page content and layout ............................................................................................................... 9!

Declaration page ................................................................................................................................ 10!

Part 02 | Structure for the thesis (18,000-20,000 words).................................................................... 11!

Abstract (not included in main word count) ........................................................................................ 11!

(First section/Chapter 01) | Introduction ............................................................................................. 11!

(Second section/Chapter 02) | Literature review ................................................................................ 12!

(Third section/Chapter 03) | Research design.................................................................................... 13!

(Fourth section/Chapter 04) | Presentation/analysis of primary data ................................................. 15!

(Fifth section/Chapter 05) | Conclusions and recommendations........................................................ 15!

Referencing and quotation in your thesis ........................................................................................... 17!

Optional outline structure for reflective report..................................................................................... 20!

Considerations when planning your time............................................................................................ 22!

Recommended texts for Research Design......................................................................................... 22!

Part 03 | Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 23!

Learning outcomes of the research module ....................................................................................... 23!

Assessment criteria for the thesis and reflective report...................................................................... 24!

Thesis Handbook, MA Professional Design Practice, produced by John Greene, 2006 updated 2007, 2008, 2012

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Part 01 | Production requirements for the thesis

Thesis schedule, key dates 2012 | 2013

It is essential that the following schedule of deadlines is adhered to, as each stage in the

thesis process will impact on subsequent stages.

Thesis week 01 | 29th October – 2nd November

November 26th

10min presentation of progress to peers and staff Mon 26th November 11am – 12.30pm

December 6th

Draft Thesis Proposal – 6th December 2-5pm

Submit hard copy to thesis co-ordinator for feedback

January 10th

Thesis Proposal – !"!!!th##$%&'%() 2-5pm

Arrange a suitable time to meet and submit a copy of revised proposal to thesis advisor

for feedback and upload soft copy on web.courses by 7pm Thursday 10th January

Thesis week 02 | 21st – 25th January

February 4th

10min presentation of progress to peers and staff Mon 4th February 11am – 12.30pm

March 5th

Upload 1st draft of thesis (literature review) on web.courses by 7pm Tuesday 5th

March

and arrange a suitable time to submit hard copy to your thesis advisor for feedback

April 29th

10min presentation of progress to peers and staff Mon 29th April 11am – 12.30pm

Thesis week 03 | 6th – 10th May

June 4th

Upload 2nd draft of thesis (revised literature review and research design) on web.courses

by 7pm Tuesday 4th

June and arrange a suitable time to submit hard copy to your thesis

advisor for feedback

September 2nd

Arrange to submit a copy of your draft thesis to your thesis advisor. NB: A submission

must be made on this date — students who do not submit on this date are not eligible to

make a final submission

October 17th | Thesis deadline for summative assessment

11 – 12pm, submission of thesis components to thesis co-ordinator in staff room 217

(Please note that dates may be subject to change, where this occurs students will be notified accordingly)


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Assessment submission essentials

The final submission on 17.10.13 should include:

Three softbound copies of thesis

Three copies of reflective report

One electronic copy in MS word/PDF format on CD

Submission

Present all copies of the thesis, reflective report and CD to staff room 217 to the thesis co-

ordinator between 11 – 12pm on the final date of submission.

Thesis word count

The thesis should be between 18,000 and 20,000 words. The word count should not

include the prelims, end matter or reflective report.

Hard bound copy for the library

The thesis is not considered a published work until it has been hard bound and submitted

to the thesis co-ordinator for inclusion in the library catalogue. Submission of hardbound

copies takes place after the thesis has been assessed (usually late November). Theses

that are posted should be clearly marked for the attention of the thesis co-ordinator with

the correct address. (The school can take no responsibility for items lost in the post).

Thesis weeks

There are three thesis weeks, where students have no scheduled classes. These periods

should allow students to spend concentrated periods working on their research.

Thesis work in progress seminars

Mon 26th November | Mon 4

th Feb | Mon 29

th April, 11am – 12.30pm.

Each student is required to present his or her work to date (5 mins), outline their

completion strategy and field some questions from a panel of academic staff and peers

(5mins). These sessions are compulsory. The seminars provide students with the

opportunity to clarify their position and their thinking around the research topic as well as

receiving advice and feedback on their approach. Students are then requested to post

their presentation on web.courses.dit.ie > DT 548-1 MA in Professional Design Practice –

Research > Assignments, as a record of their participation in the process.

Draft submissions

There are interim submissions indicated in the schedule, these are designed to help

students manage their time during the research process. They are also key stages in the

feedback process. If students fail to meet these deadlines they miss the opportunity to

receive meaningful feedback from their thesis advisor. The quality of subsequent work

can be dramatically impaired as the workload becomes harder to manage the more it falls

behind schedule. The final draft that is submitted to your supervisor on September 2nd

should be as near to completion as possible, at this stage it will only be feasible to tidy up


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and make minor editorial corrections before you submit your thesis for summative

assessment on the 17th of October 2013.

Thesis advisors

Thesis advisors should be available from early January 2012 till June 22nd

2011. The

thesis advisor is a valuable resource provided to each student, it is strongly

recommended that students make the most of this resource while it is available. The

obligation rests solely with the individual student to maintain regular contact with their

advisor throughout the research process. There is no thesis advisory service between

June 22nd

and September 2nd

. Students should plan their schedule accordingly. Students

should also keep a record of the meetings, advice and feedback that they receive from

their thesis advisors so that this record can be referred to when completing research

independently. A thesis meeting log template is available to download from web.courses:

DT548-1 Professional Design Practice – Research (Course content home page>useful

material>thesis meetings log. This record is also useful when evaluating how effectively

this process was utilised as part of your learning in your reflective report.

Citing references in your thesis

The method of citing references to be used for the MA thesis is the Harvard System.

Examples of how to use the Harvard System correctly can be found in Part 02 of the

thesis handbook on p.16 and further guidance can be found in Anderson, J and Poole, M

(2001) Assignment and Thesis Writing, 4th ed, John Wiley and Sons, Brisbane.

The learning and reflective report

The learning and reflective report is an important part of the thesis assessment process

but it is not part of the thesis document. The report should be submitted separately along

with your thesis. Suggestions for structure and content for the reflective report can be

reviewed on p.20 in Part 02 of the thesis handbook. Students are encouraged to keep a

reflective diary of their learning throughout the research process. Students can then

accurately reflect on different aspects of the process in a more meaningful and effective

manner. Students who have kept a reflective diary for this purpose have performed much

more strongly on the reflective component than those who have not.


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General production of thesis

Margins

For binding purposes every page of the dissertation or thesis must meet these minimum

margin standards:

Top: 1 inch Bottom: 1.25 inch Right: 1 inch Left: 1.5 inch (binding edge)

All thesis material must fit within these margin requirements (including tables, page

numbers, figures, and graphs). The margins used should be consistent throughout the

manuscript. No headers or footers giving the titles of the thesis, chapters, or sections are

allowed.

Fonts and Font Size

Times New Roman is the standard font to be used in the thesis submission.

Twelve point is the required size for the body of the text and horizontal alignment should

be justified. All print should be letter quality with dark black characters that are

consistently clear and dense.

Line Spacing

The thesis, including the abstract, acknowledgments and introduction, must be one and

one-half spaced. Spacing must be used consistently throughout the document. Endnotes,

bibliographic entries, long quotations, items in lists, and appendices may be single-

spaced. The line spacing observed in a thesis must be consistent throughout, including

the spacing between a chapter heading and the first line of text, space before and after

subheadings, as well as space between paragraphs. Style sheets are recommended to

assist in maintaining consistency within the document and facilitating accurate generation

of a table of contents.

Pagination

Every page of the entire thesis must be numbered, except for the title page. Page

numbers must appear in the same location on each page and be consistent in font size

and style, not less than .5 inch from the edge of the page. The Thesis committee

recommends placing page numbers at the bottom centre of the page. Preliminary pages

of a thesis are numbered in lowercase roman numerals. The first page of the thesis text

follows the preliminary pages and begins in Arabic numbering with 1.

Paper

Both copies of the thesis must be submitted on white, A4 paper. The Thesis committee

accepts 90gsm, standard grade paper.

Print Quality

Thesis copies submitted should be of laser quality. If you are concerned about print

quality, ask your thesis advisor for advice. Excellent quality photocopies without any

smudges or blemishes may be submitted. Corrections made with correction fluids or

tapes are not acceptable.


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Organisation of Materials

All theses must be organised utilising the following three sections: preliminary pages, text

pages, and reference/appendix pages. Preliminary pages of a thesis are numbered in

lowercase roman numerals. The first page of the thesis text follows the preliminary pages

and begins in Arabic numbering with 1. The tables below attempt to clarify the pagination

rules and the arrangement of those pages. The manuscript must be arranged in the

following sequence:

Preliminary pages, text and end matter

__________________________________________________________________

Prelims Pagination Required Optional

Title Page page “i” but does not appear * Declaration page ii * Abstract counts as page “iii” * Dedication number as appropriate * Acknowledgments continue with roman numerals * Table of Contents continue numbering * List of Figures continue numbering * List of Tables continue numbering * List of Illustrations continue numbering *

Start of text matter Pagination Required Optional

Introduction arabic numbering * Main chapters continue numbering * Conclusions continue numbering * Recommendations continue numbering *

End matter Pagination Required Optional

Bibliography continue with Arabic numerals * Appendices continue with Arabic numerals * __________________________________________________________________

Structure

The structure of the thesis should follow the guidelines issued in Part 02 of the handbook.

Students must use the recommended structure. Deviation is only permitted where

consent has been granted by your thesis advisor.


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Hard binding your final thesis

It is not necessary for you to hard bind for the assessment, however two hardbound

copies should be produced with one copy required for the library. The thesis should be

hard bound in black with gold foil blocked lettering. The cover should include the thesis

title, year of award, student name and award type.

Alcohol consumption by

MA students attempting to finish

their thesis

John Greene

MA 2013 MA

Pro

fess

ion

al

Des

ign

Pra

ctic

e Joh

n G

reen

e 2

013


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Title page content and layout

Your title page should follow the layout and content of the example below.

Alcohol consumption by

MA students attempting to finish

their thesis

By

JOHN GREENE

THESIS

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of Master of Arts in Professional Design Practice

School of Art, Design, and Printing, College of Arts & Tourism

Dublin Institute of Technology, 2013


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Declaration page

Your declaration page should follow the layout and content of the example below.

Declaration

I hereby certify that the material submitted in this thesis towards award

of the Masters in Professional Design Practice is entirely my own work

and has not been submitted for any academic assessment other than

part-fulfillment of the award named above.

Signature of candidate:………………………………………….

Date: ……………………………

Produced by L Reddy in consultation with the MA in Professional Design Practice Thesis Advisory Team 2008, updated 2012

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Part 02 | Structure for the thesis (18,000-20,000 words)

Abstract (not included in main word count)

An abstract is a short informative summary of the thesis. It is written after the thesis is

completed, although it is intended to be read first. A descriptive abstract identifies the

areas covered in the thesis, the methods used to achieve this and a summary of

outcomes as a result of the research. It is an extended statement of purpose, scope and

methods. The abstract should be around 150-200 words in length. It should be written in

the third person using passive voice: The methods used to conduct…, Evidence is

presented that indicates… The abstract should follow the title page in the thesis structure.

(First section/Chapter 01) | Introduction

1.1 Background

Set the scene for the reader, briefly giving some background information on the research

area and the current situation that led to the formulation of the research question or

hypothesis. Explain why the topic for this piece of research is being pursued.

Note: Remember the research question or hypothesis is the main driver for your research

everything will come back to this. Anything that you undertake should relate in someway

to answering this question. By the time you come to writing the thesis you should have

refined the question sufficiently so that it is focused and the research is in-depth. If it is too

broad you will be unable to cover all areas to a sufficient level. Keep coming back to the

research question refining it as you become informed by the literature.

1.2 Aims and objectives

From the research question establish clearly for the reader what the main aim of the

thesis is. Once you state this clearly and succinctly you can more readily convince the

reader that you have a clear focus and plan for the thesis. In support of your aim you

should also clearly outline the objectives. These are derived from the sub-questions that

you have identified through your analysis and interrogation of the question. The objectives

need to be achieved so that you can successfully address the aim. This should then

enable you to answer your research question. Each objective should also be in some way

interlinked so that you can indicate what aspect of the research question/aim is being

addressed through each objective.

Note: Avoid too many or too few objectives (between 3 and 4). The language should be

positive and brief.

An example of an objective might be to state the following:

Determine what is meant by the term, strategic branding. This provides a clear context for

the study so that the data gathered can be…

Other examples might include the following terms:

Identify, Explain, Define, Investigate, Analyse, Establish etc.


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1.3 Context

Provide justification for the research and identify the key stakeholders—How does the

research contribute to the current body of knowledge?/What impact will it have?/Who will

benefit?

1.4 Research rationale

Provide a brief outline of the layout of the document in relation to the research plan.

Explain how the study sets out to address the research question and achieve the overall

aim in conjunction with the objectives previously identified.

For example:

The study can be broken into x number of sections… The first part of the thesis focuses

on … in order to…. The second section addresses… so that… The following chapter then

examines… in relation to…. Finally…

(Second section/Chapter 02) | Literature review

You may split this over more than one chapter if you wish according to the different

themes or categories you have identified. However, please ensure that there is a high

level of interlinked information between each area. You should endeavour to demonstrate

your competency in organising and synthesising the secondary data you have gathered.

2.1 Introduction

Briefly state the purpose of the review. Outline the main areas and key issues that are

discussed in the literature as well as explaining the logical sequence, relevance and focus

for this review in the overall context of the research (Research Q, Aims and Objectives).

Note: Essentially what you are doing in the introduction of your literature is stating what is

going to be discussed, why it is discussed and justifying the flow of the text under your

different themes. Once you have stated this, you should proceed with the main body of

the literature.

2.2 Theme/Category 01

Identifies current positions, trends, arguments and component issues relating to the topic

that informs your research.







Note: The above is not prescriptive of the number of themes or sections that you will have

in the literature; it is merely an example to indicate that you should be breaking the

literature down into sections. Under each theme or section, you should identify what the

current literature says about these areas carefully using headings and subheadings so

that the review is clearly signposted. The sequence should always remain logical and


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have a natural flow from one section to the next. It may also be necessary to sum up key

points before moving to the next section. The literature review is heavily referenced from

appropriate sources. Use quotation to support key points and where possible combine

references from multiple sources to demonstrate through your analysis that you are able

to appropriately organise the information you have gathered. Remain objective,

expressing no personal opinions and be sure to present all sides of any argument.

Support all of your statements with fact.

2.5 Analysis of the literature

Once you have sufficiently covered the main topics of your review you should link the

information together. You do not necessarily have to do this at the end, it may be done at

various points within the chapter but remember it should suit the flow of the document.

There should be a level of critical analysis in relation to the information gathered so that

you can successfully determine where the current gaps exist and identify further

questions for primary research. Critical analysis means that you have explored a set of

questions or concepts in relation to your objectives. Through this analysis you should

compare and contrast different views; examine the strengths and weaknesses of any

current theories or perspectives; objectively draw relevant conclusions. It is not a list of

areas that are summarised from different sources.

2.4 Summary

Provide a summary of the key points raised in the review and the conclusions that can be

drawn from the literature at this stage. Identify to what extent you have met any of the

outlined objectives. You should then successfully identify any gaps or evidence that

needs to be pursued further through primary research to successfully address the

research question.

(Third section/Chapter 03) | Research design

This section should go into detail about the research design of your thesis and

demonstrate how it is suited to your research topic and question. This section like the

previous one is heavily referenced. You should draw on references and appropriate

quotation from best practice in research to help inform the decisions you have made

around the appropriate research design. When developing the design it is best to start

with the question, identify suitable methods for your research needs and then locate this

within a theoretical perspective and epistemology.

3.1 Introduction

Briefly state the purpose of the research design as part of the research process. Outline

the key points that are discussed in the chapter and their relevance to the research

question and approach to the thesis.

3.2 Theoretical perspective

Briefly explain your understanding of epistemology. Identify the two main contrasting

theories that exist around the philosophical nature of knowledge. Explain the appropriate

connection between your research and your chosen epistemological stance by linking it to


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the research question and focus of the study. Identify some of the theoretical perspectives

that exist within your epistemological stance. Define the perspective(s) that is most suited

to your research linking it to the research approach and the main aim of the thesis.

Identify the nature of your role as the researcher.

Note: At taught masters level you are not required to go into this area in great depth, but

for postgraduate research you should be able to demonstrate that you can define the term

epistemology and have attempted to locate your research within an appropriate paradigm.

3.3 Methodology

You should provide an argument that justifies the chosen methodology for your research

design. Explain how this overall strategy of inquiry/investigation/exploration is most suited

for your research. Indicate how the principles and procedures associated with your

chosen methodology informs both the research process and the choice of methods for

your thesis.

3.4 Research methods

Discuss the suitability of the chosen research methods and the particular tools to be used

for the study. Explain their role and function and how they are linked to each other as part

of the research process. Discuss the advantages and weaknesses that might be

associated with your chosen methods. Briefly outline how the chosen methods were

deemed more appropriate than others. Explain how these tools are implemented as part

of the study; explain how the research was conducted; how sample sizes or participants

were identified as well as justifying the suitability of your chosen candidates. The

development of specific tools and how they were tested or piloted should also be

explained. The reliability and validity of expected results should also be discussed which

might include areas such as objectivity and generalisation.

3.5 Ethics

Give a brief discussion of any ethical issues attached to the research. This might include:

confidentiality, permissions, objectivity in presenting information, correspondence and

agreements between you and participants, anonymity of participants, your responsibility

as the researcher.

3.6 Scope

Identify the scope of the study, as well as explaining the purpose of chosen limits and

identifying available options in relation to the timeframe available.

3.7 Summary

Give a brief summary of the key points discussed in the chapter and link them to the

overall research plan to lead into the next chapter that deals with the information gathered

from this approach.


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(Fourth section/Chapter 04) | Presentation/analysis of primary data

4.1 Introduction

Briefly give an introduction to the main focus and purpose of this chapter linking in with

information presented so far in the literature and the research design.

Once you have stated this you should then proceed to present the data that was gathered

using your various research methods.

4.2 Research method one (eg case study)

Outline what was sought and compare and discuss this with the information actually

obtained by using this method.

4.4 Research method two (eg interview)

Outline what was sought and compare and discuss this with the information actually

obtained by using this method.

4.4 Analysis

Compare and contrast the actual data from the primary research identifying trends or

patterns that have arisen. Determine what can be strongly concluded or suggested from

this information. Evaluate this with the findings from the various categories in your

literature and discuss in relation to the context of your research topic. Once again you

should be linking back to the aim and objectives. Discuss any unexpected findings and

their relevance to the research. Evaluate what was sought and compare with how

effectively this information was gathered. Identify any remaining gaps or weaknesses in

addressing the research question.

4.5 Summary

Give an overall summary of the key points identified in the chapter and link to the focus of

the final chapter.

(Fifth section/Chapter 05) | Conclusions and recommendations

5.1 Introduction

Briefly give an introduction to the main focus of this chapter linking with the initial research

question, aim and objectives.

5.2 Conclusions

State the conclusions that can be drawn and those that can only be suggested taking into

account validity and reliability and making clear links to the data discussed in previous

chapters. No new information should be presented at this stage. Anything presented in

this section should stem directly from data already presented within the main body of the

thesis. State each conclusion clearly; avoid ambiguity and link to the relevant objective(s).

Note: Your target for this section is to tie up the threads of discussion that began with your

research question through your aim and objectives, are now woven through the literature

and primary research and are finally completed in this section of the study.


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5.3 Recommendations

State any recommendations that can be identified from the study or implications that have

emerged as a result of the study with reference to future practice or recommended action.

For instance, you may have uncovered areas of interest linked to your topic but outside

the scope of this study but that could be pursued further in another study. You may also

have identified that you cannot draw complete conclusions in some areas and therefore

make recommendations on how they could be followed up identifying how this would

further benefit your research.

5.4 Summary

Give a final summary identifying how well the research question has been addressed with

reference to what can strongly be concluded or merely suggested.


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Referencing and quotation in your thesis

Remember the Harvard system of referencing is the required standard for the thesis. No

other referencing method should be used. Citations, use of quotation and the bibliography

should consistently follow the author-date method associated with the Harvard system.

Below are some common examples of using quotations or references in the main text and

the format for some different types of publications in the bibliography. For further

examples and information on how to use this system, please refer to Chapters 10 and 13

in Anderson, J and Poole, M (2001) Assignment and Thesis Writing, 4th ed, John Wiley

and Sons, Brisbane (lib ref: 808.066).

Short quotations

Using another author’s exact words (three lines or less). Quotes are embedded in the text

identified with quotation marks at the start and end of the quotation. There are a number

of ways that short quotations can be embedded into the text but in all cases you must

acknowledge the author(s) surname, year of publication and page number. You should

endeavour to vary how you use quotation in the text, see examples below.

Example A:

ATF was ill prepared for the rising demand of modernist typefaces in the 1920s. “There were few

stylistically daring typefaces in ATF’s massive 1923 specimen book, except perhaps for faces like

Hobo and Souvenir, both Benton designs” (Pankow 2001, p.241).

Example B:

According to Pankow (2001, p.241) “There were few stylistically daring typefaces in ATF’s

massive 1923 specimen book, except perhaps for faces like Hobo and Souvenir, both Benton

designs”. Such criticism suggests that ATF were not prepared for the sudden demand of modernist

typefaces in the 1920s.

Example C:

Pankow (2001) states that “There were few stylistically daring typefaces in ATF’s massive 1923

specimen book, except perhaps for faces like Hobo and Souvenir, both Benton designs” (p.241) –

an indication that ATF had been ill prepared for the demand of modernist typefaces that emerged

during that period.

Long quotations

(More than three lines) do not use quotation marks. The quotation is differentiated from

the main text by starting on a new line with single spacing and is justified and

indented on both sides (1cm). The author(s) surname, year of publication and page

number appear underneath the quotation (range right) in brackets.

Example:

The lack of standards by which to judge graphic design is widely admitted. If

architecture, at another extreme, is overburdened with debate, graphic design

suffers from an almost complete absence of discussion and of common ground. The

profession is young, its field is wide, purposes and budgets vary enormously, and

the products are abundant and often necessarily ephemeral.

(Kinross 2002, p.94)


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References

Citations or references in your thesis are used when you are paraphrasing or referring to

views, arguments, ideas or research from another author. In these cases you are only

required to include the author(s) and year of the publication.

Example A: Acknowledging source

Golden (2001) criticises the growing desire among prominent typographers to over intellectualise

their work in publications and conferences and mourns the negative impact this has on

impressionable novice designers attempting to enter the profession.

Example B: More than one author

There are those that hold the view that all design is political and that consciously or unconsciously

any design solution embodies a political world-view, either from those that commission design or

those that produce it (Baldwin and Roberts 2006).

For subsequent references of the same publication: (Baldwin et al. 2006)

Example C: Same point from several works

An essential component of any designer’s repertoire is the ability to communicate effectively

(Shaughnessy 2005; Potter 2002).

Example D: Same author from several works

There is considerable evidence to champion the merits of analysis and reflection as an integral part

of the design process (Schön 1983, 1987, 1991).

Example E: An author cites another author

Cormac (cited in Cross 2007) puts forward the argument that problem solving cannot be achieved

through absorption of facts and synthesis of information alone.

Bibliography

The bibliography should list all relevant sources that have been consulted or cited in the

main text of the thesis. The list should appear in alphabetical order. You may sub-divide

the list into different types of publications if you wish (books, journals, online material etc).

When the same author has published several titles they should appear chronologically.

When publications from the same author are listed from the same year they should be

listed as a, b, c etc and this should correspond with labeling in the main text (Heller

2001a, 2001b etc). The format for the Harvard System for most publications applies in the

bibliography as follows:

Author’s surname (comma) and initial of first name: Shaughnessy, A

Year of publication (in brackets): (2005)

Title of publication (title case in italics followed by a comma): How to be a Graphic Designer

without Losing your Soul,

Publisher (comma): Princeton Architectural Press,

Place of publication (period): New York.


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The following is a list of different types of publications and a note of how they should be

formatted in the bibliography.

For a single author this appears as:

Kvale, S (1996) Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing,

Sage Publications, California.

For two authors ‘and’ is used not an ampersand (&):

Baldwin, J and Roberts, L (2006) Visual Communication from Theory to Practice,

Ava Publishing, Lausanne.

If there are several authors, all are acknowledged in the bibliography with a comma used

to separate authors except for the last, where the word ‘and’ is used, appearing as:

Bieret, M, Drentell, W, Heller, S and Holland, D (1997) Looking Closer 2–Critical Writings on

Graphic Design, Allworth Press, New York.

When an edition of the book is required it appears as a numeral with the appropriate

abbreviation such as 1st,

2nd,

etc. this is then followed by the abbreviation ‘ed’:

Anderson, J and Poole, M (2001) Assignment and Thesis Writing, 4th ed, John Wiley and Sons,

Brisbane.

A chapter or article in a publication is listed with the author of the chapter, followed by the

title of the chapter. The word ‘In’ is then added with the editor (et al for more than two

editors) and the rest of the information about the publication given. There is also the

addition of page numbers indicating where the chapter appears within the book. Note that

it is still the title of the publication that appears in italics and the editor is given the first

name initial followed by the surname, such as:

Ilyin, N (1994) Fabulous Us: Speaking the Language of Exclusion, In M. Bieret et al. (eds)

Looking Closer 2–Critical Writings on Graphic Design, Allworth Press, New York, 37-39.

A report is listed in a similar way to a book title with the institution replacing the author if

there is no specific author given and appears as follows:

Enterprise Ireland, (1999) Opportunities in Design, Strategies for Growth in the Irish Sector,

Enterprise Ireland, Dublin.

E-journals have the added information of the volume and issue number of the journal as

well as the page numbers indicating where the article appears in the journal. The medium

is indicated, in this case an online source this is accompanied by the database where it

was obtained and the date it was accessed. Again note that it is the publication that

appears in italics. The inclusion of full text availability or abstract is also indicated:

Cross, N and Dorst, K (2001) Creativity in the Design Process, Design Studies 22 (5) 425-437. Full

text [online]. Available: Sciencedirect [Accessed July 1 2004].

If a website is referenced where there is no author, the institution or corporation replaces

the author and the full URL with the date accessed is given:

Design Council (2008) Design Methods [online]. Available: http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/en/

About-Design/Design-Methods/ [Accessed May 1 2008].

A document from the Internet still requires the same information as a standard publication

but again the URL and the date of access is recorded:


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Higher Education Authority (2005) Review of Quality Assurance Procedures in Irish Universities:

High Level Reference Panel Chaired by Mr. J Dunne, Higher Education Authority, Dublin.

[online]. Available: http://www.hea.ie/index.cfm/page/sub/id/833 [Accessed April 7 2005].

Conference proceedings also include the conference association, the location and dates

of the conference:

Corso, R (2004) The creative dimension in art and design education, In A. Davies (ed) Enhancing

curricula: towards the scholarship of teaching in art, design and communication, CLTAD,

London. Proceedings of the UK, CLTAD 2nd International Conference, Royal Institute of

Architects UK, April 10-12th.

Optional outline structure for reflective report

Note: This is a separate document that you should complete when you have finished your

thesis. You are expected to give a reflective account of how well the research remained

aligned to the research plan. You should identify any gaps that exist through evaluating

your thesis as a piece of research addressing the strengths and weaknesses as well as

the key learning points. You are also expected to reflect on the body of knowledge that

you have acquired around your chosen topic.

This is only a guideline structure for the report. It is not meant to restrict your views on

what you have learned from completing a piece of research but to aid you in clarifying and

organising your thoughts. However you decide to structure the report, ensure that you

clearly signpost your reflections using headings and subheadings within each section with

a summary of learning at the end.

6.1 Introduction

Briefly give an introduction to the report outlining what you are going to discuss and the

sequence you are going to discuss this information.

6.2 Personal goals

Outline any personal goals that you hoped to achieve by conducting this research and

reflect on how well they were addressed through completing the project.

6.3 Research topic

Explain why you chose to pursue this area for your thesis. Outline your prior knowledge

and evaluate and reflect on how you have added to your own body of knowledge in this

area and the value of this for you in future practice. You might also reflect on the value of

the research for other stakeholders in its finished state and determine whether this is

different from your initial expectations.

6.4 Research process

Briefly outline the personal learning achieved having completed a piece of research at

Masters level. Reflect on the process of defining your research question and the

development of a proposal; clarifying your aims and objectives; engaging with the

literature on your topic; consulting the literature on how to conduct research; developing a

methodology to effectively analyse this information and accurately draw conclusions.


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Within this section, you should discuss the strengths and weaknesses within your

approach and how it might differ in the future.

6.5 Conducting a literature review

Reflect on how well you conducted your literature searches and review. Evaluate this

against best practice in this area so that you can successfully identify the strengths and

weaknesses. You might also reflect on the value of research gathering in relation to your

future practice.

6.6 Research methods and tools

Briefly outline the research methods you used for your thesis and what you hoped to

achieve by using them. Reflect on how well you implemented and conducted your

research, again comparing it with best practice to help evaluate strengths, weaknesses

and future implications. Reflect on the key learning points for you in this area and the

relevance of these insights against what you had initially thought before you started the

process.

6.7 Supervision and seminars

Reflect on how effectively you utilised your supervisor and your work-in-progress

seminars to progress the thesis through its various stages. Briefly discuss the areas that

you considered worked well and those that did not, discussing what you felt the purpose

of these sessions was and whether this view has altered through your experience.

6.8 Time management

Reflect on how you managed your time through the research process and how effectively

you used interim deadlines and drafts to stay on target. How might you use the learning

points from this to develop your time management for major projects in the future?

6. Summary

Give an outline summary of main points of reflection and the key learning points that you

have met as a result of completing a piece of research of this nature.


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Considerations when planning your time

It is worth noting that the research component is worth 30ECTS credits, this equates to a

recommended time commitment on the thesis of 600 hours. If you work 6 hours per day, 5

days per week on the thesis it would take 5 months to reach the 600 hours that are

recommended. The reflective report is worth 10% of the marks and should therefore be

allocated 60 hours, which is 6 hours per day for 10 days.

Recommended texts for Research Design

There are a number of recommended texts listed on web.courses that can assist you

while completing your thesis. The following list is selected books that may be of particular

interest to you when developing your research design in relation to theoretical

perspectives and methodology. They may also be helpful when completing your literature

review.

• Bell, J (2005) Doing Your Research Project, 4th ed, Open University Press,

Maidenhead. Lib ref: 808.066 / 300.72 (17 copies available)

• Blaxter, L, Hughes, C and Tight, M (2006) How to Research, 3rd

ed, Open

University Press, Berkshire. Lib ref: 001.42 / 808.066 (20 copies available)

• Collins H (2010) Creative research: the theory and practice of research for

the creative industries, AVA Academia, Lausanne. Lib ref: 707.2 (1 copy

available 3 on order)

• Crotty, M (1998) The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and

Perspective in the Research Process, Sage, London, Lib ref 300.72 (9

copies available)

• Denscombe, Martin (2007) The Good Research Guide, 3rd

ed, Open

University Press, Maidenhead. Lib ref: 808.066 / 300.72 (8 copies available)

• Hart, C (2005) Doing your Masters Dissertation, Sage, London.

Lib ref: 808.066 (7 copies available)

• Hart, C (1998) Doing a Literature Review, Sage, London. Lib ref: 300.72 /

808.066 (17 copies available)

• Wisker, G (2001) The Postgraduate Research Handbook: Succeed with

your MA, MPhil, EdD and PhD, Palgrave, UK. Lib ref: 001.42 / 808.066

(14 copies available)

Note: Remember to review any further reading lists in these books which can direct you to

other material that may be useful for more specific areas relating to your particular

methodology and methods.


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Part 03 | Assessment

Learning outcomes of the research module

Upon completion of the research module students are expected to demonstrate mastery

of the following learning outcomes:

1 Choose a suitable research topic relevant to the broad discipline of graphic design

practice.

2 Formulate a hypothesis and research question and develop a research proposal.

3 Plan and manage the complexities associated with an independent research project.

4 Conduct a critically focused literature review.

5 Evaluate and choose various research methods appropriate to a specific research

project.

6 Conduct an analysis of data demonstrating their ability to integrate knowledge

collected from a range of primary and secondary sources.

7 Draw conclusions from the evidence compiled and formulate judgments that enable

them to make appropriate recommendations.

8 Write a dissertation investigating or testing a hypothesis from a research proposal that

is informed by the forefront of learning in their field of research.

9 Reflect upon and critically evaluate the research process and learning outcomes.

The full descriptor for the research module is available on web.courses: DT548-1

Professional Design Practice – Research (Course content home page>course

material>MA PDP research module.


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Assessment criteria for the thesis and reflective report

The assessment matrix below is used to determine how effectively a student has met the

learning outcomes of the research module through the assessment of both the thesis and

the reflective report. Therefore students are encouraged to review the assessment sheet

and evaluate their own body of work at different stages of the process. This can be useful

in determining where current strengths and weaknesses may exist and identify actions

that need to be taken to develop their work further. A pdf of this assessment sheet is

available on web.courses: DT548-1 Professional Design Practice – Research (Course

content home page>useful information>assessment criteria.


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Both the thesis and the reflective report are read and assessed by the your thesis advisor

and a second reader. The final marks are recorded on the sheet below and presented

with your work to the external examiner for summative assessment.

Documents

MA Professional Design Practice - DIT Dublin … Handbook.pdf · Thesis Handbook, MA Professional Design Practice, produced by John Greene, ... The structure of the thesis should