Your project: analysing the data

(02/07/2008)

10:01

Good morning all and welcome to the live blog - the FIRST live blog of the course! What then is this actually? Well, it's not a chat session. As a blog, I'm a little more directive in the dialogue than you are. You can comment and then I decide if and when to include your comment. But it is a conversation in the same way that a seminar is a conversation - just a bit more controlled by me. And I can prepare things in advance - like this entry (and some more that I've got coming up).

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:01

10:02

Can we firstly identify who is with us. Send a Hi to the comment box and enter

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:02

10:02

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

Anyonw there?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:02 Ssu Tian Chong

10:02

Good morning Ssu- Tian

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:02

10:03

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:03 Kunal Barai

10:03

Long time no see Kunal - welcome

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:03

10:03

[Comment From rabiarabia: ]

hello

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:03 rabia

10:03

slowly filling up the room!

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:03

10:05

Fine for a small group - lets start - more people may arrive.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:05

10:05

In the last workshop I asked you to articulate answers to some fundamental questions regarding your projects. I want to start today's session by asking you to respond briefly to them. The first was: What is/are your research question/s? Try to write your MAIN question in the comment box. If you think your project has a hypothesis, write that. If you are involved in a creative project that has an objective, then write that objective. Don't think too much about the wording just now. Try to get something down.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:05

10:08

Once I get all the responses - I'll respond and we can discuss them ... keep going.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:08

10:08

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

Developing a strategic plan for the Milton Keynes Dons Football Club

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:08 Kunal Barai

10:08

[Comment From rabiarabia: ]

mine is Effects of Trauma and abuse: Telling Stories and Giving Voice....i think

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:08 rabia

10:08

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

Mine is a photographic essay focussing specifcally on the theme of light. It explores how communication work / can possibly work artistically through the meduim of photography. The objective is to find out why I take photos in the way that I do, i.e. do I mean anything when I take light photos or when I read them.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:08 Ssu Tian Chong

10:09

OK. Lets take Kunals first. Feel free to comment as I am thinking through some responses ...

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:09

10:10

ALL of these are descriptive. They beg questions rather than pose them. Kunal - what is stretegic planning? Why is it important? What do you want to find out.

Could you ALL try to make ONE question from your statements.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:10

10:11

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

How does your question relate to communication Kunal?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:11 Ssu Tian Chong

10:13

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

My dissertation question is: How does communication in photography, as works of art, works?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:13 Ssu Tian Chong

10:15

OK Ssu-Tian - I think that is well formed - a guiding question but obviously so big as to be very difficult to answer conclusively.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:15

10:16

[Comment From rabiarabia: ]

my question would be....what are the effects of trauma and abuse and how does telling stories help the survivor?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:16 rabia

10:17

That's better Rabia. Though still a problem of scale. It''s the problem of 'population' - the cut you make to study a particular group.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:17

10:17

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

why is strategic management important for an organization

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:17 Kunal Barai

10:18

OK Kunal - so you develop a case study to teese out the issues - fine.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:18

10:18

[Comment From rabiarabia: ]

i dont understand what you mean clive

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:18 rabia

10:20

I'm wondering how you will limit your study - effects of trauma and abuse on ?/in which group of people.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:20

10:21

I think the idea of having guiding questions at your fingertips is really important. Don't lose sight of them as you progress. Always return to them to fine tune.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:21

10:22

Lets move on a wee bit. There were some other questions I asked you to consider. (sorry about the private messages - wrong button!!)

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:22

10:22

[Comment From CarolCarol: ]

Morning all! My question is 'Impact analysis on Tobacco advertisements towards the Smoke Ban policy'

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:22 Carol

10:22

Morning Carol.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:22

10:23

Don't worry if I don't include all of your comments here. I'm trying to move things along so we don't get stuck in 'chat'. Hope that's ok.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:23

10:24

So to the next question and a task ..

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:24

10:24

The second question you need to be able to answer is: What are your methodological leanings? This is not an easy question. I want you to look at the link I give you and assess which approach is more appropriate to your research. The link gives quite basic information. Try to discover which philosophies most closely represent your ways of understanding in your project. I'll give you 5 minutes for this. When you've got some answers post them in your comments. Ready?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:24

10:25

Click on the link I give you - it will open in a new window. Then come back and give your comments.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:25

10:25

Philosophies of social research

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:25

10:31

[Comment From CarolCarol: ]

I believe my study is leaning towards positivism- only provable fact is valid knowledge.As i research through relevant literature i am learning facts and adapting this into my own work.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:31 Carol

10:31

[Comment From CarolCarol: ]

Morning all! My question is 'Impact analysis on Tobacco advertisements towards the Smoke Ban policy'

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:31 Carol

10:33

OK Carol. I'm not sure what the group think but this seems a little bit problematic. I think you need to interrogative what you mean by 'facts' in the context of advertisments. Something doesn't seem quite right.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:33

10:34

Are adverts 'factual' or do they have some other status as objects of knowing?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:34

10:35

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

You mean, fact based on what in the relavant lterature, Carol? Statistics? Statements form individuals?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:35 Ssu Tian Chong

10:35

[Comment From CarolCarol: ]

well i was looking at facts through policy and government taxation, did not consider advertisements. In the context of advertisement, i will be analysisng and reading the image, what it is trying to portray

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:35 Carol

10:36

OK - thats better. You are showing that you understand the problem.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:36

10:37

Still you have to specify those philosophies that inform your work. But dividing it as you do is helpful. Keep building on that.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:37

10:37

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

How will you read the images Carol?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:37 Ssu Tian Chong

10:38

This is a question you need to consider. But we can wait til a little later to respond.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:38

10:38

[Comment From CarolCarol: ]

yes, that is what i mean, valid statements made by researchers or from journals which guide me through study. Adverts are not factual, they are there for a purpose, to sell, especially tobacco adverts before the ban

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:38 Carol

10:38

Careful with the question of 'validity' - explore what it might mean rather than using it unquestioningly.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:38

10:39

Lets look at Kunal's ideas now.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:39

10:39

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

quite difficult really, but i believe my research philiosophy is rationalism - pure thought is required in order to formulate ideas regarding the organizations objectives and strategies

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:39 Kunal Barai

10:40

I think you need to expand on this notion of 'pure thought'. What do you mean?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:40

10:42

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

the organization work together and formulates ideas to implement their objectives.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:42 Kunal Barai

10:44

OK. But as an investigator of the ways in which they do so how do you think you can know how this happens? Is it 'simple logic' or are things more complicated by social processes that may not be 'logical'?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:44

10:44

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

ideas are shared and developed by the members constrcuting the strategy

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:44 Kunal Barai

10:45

So it IS social - good. That means that your problem is studying interaction which suggests that a purely rationalist approach may be limiting. Good.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:45

10:46

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

Any lteratures to back up the statement you've just made Kunal?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:46 Ssu Tian Chong

10:47

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

yes indeed ssu tian

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:47 Kunal Barai

10:47

Lets have a quick look at Ssu-Tian on her philosophy.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:47

10:47

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

My methodological leanings are based on heuristic inquiry, that is, a way of know the presupposes the the inquirer possesses the answer(s) to the inquiries within himself / herself, and what the inquirer does is to ask himself / herself and other people various questions in order to articulate the answer(s). In the process, the inquirer also gain self-knowledge and knowlegde of the world.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:47 Ssu Tian Chong

10:48

What is the defence that this method is unscientific navel-gazing that can never lead to generalised application of the problem-splution type?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:48

10:50

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

It isn't a scientific, positivistic study, Clive. Science is flawed anyway because it does not take into account how we ourselves interpret data.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:50 Ssu Tian Chong

10:51

Good!
Remember, I'm playing devils advocate here. It is important that you can defend you positions - whatever they are. I think context and appropriacy are key here. Approproprate methodologies for specific contexts. They link to your question(s).

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:51

10:51

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

Moreover, I'm not looking at a general answers anyway. I'm looking at mine.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:51 Ssu Tian Chong

10:51

Fine.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:51

10:52

OK, so we've got questions, methodologies now lets look at methods of data collection.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:52

10:52

Ok, now we can turn to methods for collecting or generating your 'data' - the stuff of your research. Remember the question ... What procedures/strategies/methods have you adopted for collecting the data which will inform your study? Lets try a poll to find our what are the most common data collection methods you have been using ...

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:52

10:53

What are or have been your methods for collecting data?
Interviews

( 50% )

Questionnaires

( 0% )

Diaries

( 25% )

Tests and scales

( 0% )

Observation

( 0% )

Documents and other secondary sources

( 25% )

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:53

10:55

This would have been more interesing with higher numbers here but - it gives us a brief look at types of data collection.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:55

10:55

Is anybody doing something to collect data that is not on the poll list?

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:55

10:57

Ok. lets move on.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:57

10:57

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

Yeah, dreaming and poetry reading. Sounds odd but they're actually methods that are ackowledged by academic literature.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:57 Ssu Tian Chong

10:57

Now I want you to articulate in more detail the main data collection method that has been driving your investigation. Again, if your project is creative, don't worry about the term 'data'. Think of the stuff that you have been generating to make the point you want to make.

Thursday February 7, 2008 10:57

11:00

[Comment From CarolCarol: ]

i have been selctive in the data i collect, in tobacco adverts i will assure there is something worth analysing that can be used, then i can bring in arguements to support what i am trying to do

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:00 Carol

11:02

This is unclear Carol. By now you should know what you are collecting and why. For example, what exactly are your criteria for selecting the adverts?

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:02

11:02

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

Mine is data generation when it comes to my photos and my dream interpretations, and data collection when it comes to relavant poetry, quotations.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:02 Ssu Tian Chong

11:03

Again, Ssu-Tian, do you have criteria which explain the selection process?

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:03

11:04

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

my study is based on developing a strategic plan by analysing the original plan. this was collected by documents but predominantly through interviews - whereby i could get first-hand information about the plan. for instance, if i was unclear or needed to ask a question about the original plan, i would be able to ask in the interview

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:04 Kunal Barai

11:07

'First hand information' is an interesting phrase Kunal. I think the collection is fine - and relates to your question well but again who do you interview? And in relation to your particular project what kind of interviews do you conduct? We can't answer those here but you need an answer to them both.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:07

11:07

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

The criteria is that also my data, (generated or collected) have to relate to photography and light.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:07 Ssu Tian Chong

11:07

[Comment From CarolCarol: ]

my main criteria is looking for adverts that present the product as a tool for selling. For example if you smoke, you will be glamourous like the model portrayed.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:07 Carol

11:08

That's fine everybody - you are beginning to artilute your 'stuff' better. Remember, I'm just prodding you to express/defend your ideas.
Lets move on.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:08

11:08

Now the difficult question: How are you going to analyse the 'stuff' you collected? (This applies even in a creative project where the stuff may be work generated by yourself.) Again lets poll who is involved in quantitative and who in qualitative data analysis.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:08

11:09

Doing interviews doesn't mean you don't do quantitative analysis

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:09

11:09

What method(s) of data analysis have you adopted for your project?
Quantitative

( 0% )

Qualitative

( 100% )

Both

( 0% )

Neither

( 0% )

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:09

11:10

As I suspected. But will you have any numerical data to display?

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:10

11:12

Kunal - Numbers/demographic details of interviewees?
Ssu-Tian - numbers of photos/dream sequences?
Carol - adverts (size/content/ etc)?

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:12

11:13

[Comment From Kunal BaraiKunal Barai: ]

yes i have some figures

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:13 Kunal Barai

11:13

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

Not for mine. But I do have a similar study done by a previous student in this course that did that, which I could use to backup my study.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:13 Ssu Tian Chong

11:14

What I'm trying to say is that numerical data is invariably some part of our data even if we don't do specific quantitative analysis on it. But we need to display it well. Presentation is important for the reader of your work.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:14

11:15

[Comment From Ssu Tian ChongSsu Tian Chong: ]

You can't quantify or assign a number to meaning.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:15 Ssu Tian Chong

11:15

In terms of 'display' you might want to.

I want you now to spend a couple of minutes looking at a website that may help you in this. It's visualisation of data site. A couple of minutes and then come back and give a comment.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:15

11:15

A periodic table of visualisation methods

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:15

11:21

It's an enormous area and individual supervisors will advise you on specifics. However, if you are working with qualitiative data you will probably by working with load of text. Therefore, you will need to: ... Reduce and organise; ... Edit; ... Summarise; ... Code; .... Note; .... Conceptualise; ... Display; ... Interpret

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:21

11:23

I know you are all rushing away for classes but I wanted to leave you with some links to check up on when you are thinking of analysing data (and your projects more generally).

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:23

11:23

Appropriate methodologies

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:23

11:23

Online Qualitative Data Analysis

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:23

11:23

Level 3 Independent Study Web Resources

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:23

11:26

The last of these is a list of links on del.icio.us which I have collected under the 'tag' level3research. If you use del.icio.us to save web sites/pages of interest use this same tag and we can all link to it to share resources.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:26

11:28

Well, that's the end of the session for today and I hope those people who followed it live have found it useful. Those who have looked at the 'replay' will get a taste for what we discussed but - remember - there is no substitute for participation!
So, until next time.

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:28

11:29

[Image]

The End View

Thursday February 7, 2008 11:29

11:29

This Live Blog has now ended.