Dissertation Context with Cath Davies

This session with Cath was very useful. I have been feeling nervous and worried about the dissertation module as I am not completely confident with my writing skills and how to plan and write a dissertation. The session gave me a better understanding on how to undergo my 10,000 word thesis about graphic communication. Throughout my degree Constellation has been a testing ground to enable connections to be made between:

• wider contexts (theory/history/cultural research)
• other practitioners work and the contexts that can be applied to understand meanings – analysing their work
• as a practitioner, you will be able to reflect and articulate in your own diss development

My practice:

I will be looking at development of graphic design and communication solutions through graphic design. I must be able to come away from it to read about graphic design and communications and then come back to it with a different perspective. I must be able to deconstruct other artist and designers work and do the same within my own.

Specific skills evident in my dissertation should include:

• wider research – I must have found out whats already been written before I arrived.
• having an understanding of key concepts/issues/debates that have been previously addressed in existing studies.
• having ability to locate my own research angle in relation to my findings and how think about how my study will develop on these. Am I going to challenge some of the issues that have been noted previously?

Even though many people have already written studies about the topic I am interested in, I will still be able to add them to my thesis by applying my own perspectives. I must apply all of these skills to my own examples and case studies – examples that have not been included before and links to existing theory/historical studies. I need to do this without losing sight of what my dissertation is essentially about and the coherent argument.

Development of coherent argument:

• Keep reminding the reader of the overall angle of the study throughout all chapters.
• Each chapter should have a concluding paragraph summarising the findings so far – keep giving prompts to your reader as you go along (write for a fool).
• Each chapter should present a different angle/approach to the previous one and remind the reader of how this chapter differs to previous ones (and how theoretical perspectives transfer across each chapter).

Reflecting on findings in the final conclusion:

• should summarise the main findings of each chapter/section and consider the similarities and differences encountered from one case study to another.
• remind reader of where the study sits in relation to the academic field – has my investigation confirmed or challenged (or both) existing debates that have already been written before me?
• consider ideas for further work – how could this study be developed? If there was a sequel to your dissertation, what would it cover?

The skill of critical reflection (bigger picture findings – over christmas will need to be finding notes on wider context and links to practice):

• A wider context of understanding.
• All aspects of cultural studies can affect rules/concepts etc. that are always changing as the times change – Could context come from looking at modern rules/concepts in relations to those in the past? Use history and culture to reflect.
• What has the study shown about issues/concepts/historical case studies/contemporary practice relating to visual/material culture?
• Analyse the ways meanings are generated in your specific case studies in your dissertation (others’ work), how has this process encouraged new ways of thinking about your own work?
• Are there concepts/debates that could be relevant to your practice?
• How do you approach your work differently having undertaken this dissertation topic?

Do a body of research/work.

Add your own ideas.

Where do they sit in relation to the research?

A dissertation is all about how ideas are made. I can work out how ideas are made in my own work with an understanding of wider context and the ability to stand back from the findings to analyse and reflect.

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