Brighton University lecture for Level 6 (Final Year) Broadcast Media students. This lecture details the stages that students need to undertake to complete a final year research project.

1. 
Your Research Journey
LB 306 Dr Lance Dann and Rob Greens

2. What is Research?
It is a disciplined
enquiry into a
subject

3. STAGE 1
 You have a hunch
 Something is nagging you
 Something you are
dissatisfied with
 You’ve noticed a new trend
and no one else
 You have a desire to figure
something out.

4.  Why do this research?
 Is it appropriate?
 Is there a need for it?
 Is it something that you have
the skills to carry out?
 Do you really want to do it?

5. STAGE 2
 Talk to your supervisor.
 Carry out initial search for
information around your
idea
 Has it been covered before?
 Is too far out and no one has
written about it?
 Do you need other opinions?

7. STAGE 3
The Literature Review
Take advantage of what has
been written before
Summarise and critique ideas.
Develop tools to use in your
research.
Spots gaps or points you’d like fill

8.  This will help you locate your
position
 Work out where you stand in
the history of a discussion
 Prepare you for the next
crucial stage

9. Stage 4
 IDENTIFY YOUR QUESTION
 This is the spine of your
research
 It is the critical yardstick against
which everything is tested.
 It has to be a critical question.
 It has to be strong enough to
support all stages of your
research.

10. BAD QUESTIONS
Has the role of the father in the sitcom changed in the last 20 years?
Does music in Horror films effect the audience’s emotional response?
How have Jewish comedians become part of the mainstream of US
TV?
Will the Internet kill the Radio Star?

11. Stage 5
 What is your methodology?
 How are you going to test
your question?
 This is where your practice
comes in.
 You are going to try and
make something that allow
you to examine and enquire
into your topic.

12.  Theoretical researchers have
a habit of seeing the world
as being billiard ball smooth
 The real world isn’t like that.
 Practice is “mediated”
 Practice is “contingent”
 Practitioners are
“pragmatic”.

13.  Your practice is like an
experiment
 You are testing out you’re
the reality of your ideas.
 You will record the findings.
 They might not be what you
want or expect.
 That doesn’t make it a
failure.

14. Stage 6
 Gather information
 Examine data
 Test out your findings
 View things critically.
 Synthesise information.

15. Stage 7
 Conclusion
 Put it all together
 What did you find?
 What does this mean?
 What could be done next?

16. Remember
“Use your methodology to discipline
your passion, not to deaden it.”