Design Research Dissertation - Research Dissertation Draft

Mac 28th, 2022 - Jul 3rd, 2022 (Week 1 - Week 14)
Rusydina Fazlin Athirah Binti Fauzi
Design Research Dissertation
Week 1 [March 30th, 2022]
Lectures & Assignment 1 - Research Dissertation Draft

INSTRUCTIONS

Lectures

Week 1 - Design Research Dissertation Brief

Introduction to DRD

March 30th, 2022

Dr. Hayati and Dr. Jinchi started our first class in DRD with a brief explanation of what exactly the module was all about. Design Research Dissertation is an advancement module of a particular module we had last semester which was: Design Research Methodology. Moreover, we also had a nice welcome back session where everyone had their greetings before indulging in our first task of the week's module.

Dr. Hayati did a walkthrough of our first project which was to carry out a dissertation draft and look back on all the research findings we had from last semester's Design Research Methodology because without all that information there wouldn't be a foundation to start off from.

Writing a Research Dissertation (Lecture Notes):

Later on, Dr. Hayati covered the first task in our first project with the slides seen. Students were assigned to work on a literature review matrix to later discuss our findings in the next class.

The requirements for completing a dissertation based on the research methodology that we had last semester are:

Acknowledgments
Abstract
Table of Contents page
Introduction to the dissertation

Problem statement
Research objective
Research question

Literature review
Research methodology
Results/ Findings
Analysis and discussion
Conclusion
Project Recommendation / Future Research
Reference list
Picture credit list
Appendices (sample interview questions and questionnaire questions)

Without these important aspects of a dissertation, it would not be complete. Other than that, Dr. Hayati provided a doc on starting out on how to write a research dissertation that would most possibly be further explained and guided through in the upcoming week (week 2).

Writing a Research Dissertation (doc form):

Week 2 - How to write a Literature Review

What to know about writing a literature review

April 6th, 2022

Sadly I was not able to attend the live session of week 2's class along with my colleagues and Dr. Hayati due to some personal family happenings. But through the recorded lectures and most of the consultations that were held by Dr. Hayati with my other colleagues, I've learned that we are meant to progress into writing our literature review and then to be submitted on April 10th, 2022.

Write a literature review (lecture notes):

The lecture notes provide a brief and summarized explanation in starting out our literature review. Other than that, identifying the important parts to start and conduct a literature review are:

Identifying keyframes
Locate literature
critically evaluate and select the literature
Organize the literature
Write a literature review

Moreover, Dr. Hayati was generous enough to provide some videos and website links to further explain writing literature reviews in detail provided in our google classroom for the module 'Design Research Dissertation. Adding to that, a guide to writing literature was also provided as seen below:

Writing a Literature Review (doc form):

Week 3 - Methodology in Dissertations

Methodology section preparation

April 13th, 2022

The third week of the research design dissertation module took place between the second week and the third week where Dr. Hayati had us perform our tasks on progress writing in each week a student is to work on each section of a dissertation write-up. Right after a google drive file submission, Dr. Hayati would guide the students into writing our upcoming section for the dissertation for instance week 2 going into week 3 starts with our methodology (section 3) write-up.

Dr. Hayati would provide necessary attachments and sources, videos, and many more for us students to independently begin the progress of the writing into the flowing section topic and learn through the importance of writing up this section of the dissertation These announcements are easily accessible through our google classroom.

Preparing Your Methodology Section of the Dissertation (lecture notes):

Just like the previous lecture notes that Dr. Hayati provided the class, a look through the slides is only a few enlighting insights to begin the write-up. A brief and summary understanding was given to hopefully allow students to further their understanding and perceptions through other sources.

From what was stated and given in the slides, statements, and guides like:

Explaining your research approach
Why we chose this methodology and
research design
Showing how we approach and methods
along with our overall research problem
and purpose

would begin the students into what can be perceived and gathered to make sure the write-up meets the requirements of this dissertation section.

Other than that, Dr. Hayati provided a sample dissertation guide for writing section 3: methodology of our dissertation. It provides easy identification of the types of subheaders or the structure of this dissertation section that is required for writing it up.

Writing Research methodology (doc form):

All these guides would prepare the students into consulting with Dr. Hayati for the following week (week 3) on our prepared findings and write-up of methodology (section 3) progress writing.

Week 4 & Week 5 - Results and Discussion (Section 4 & 5)

Writing the results and discussion

April 20th & 27th, 2022

From the fourth week all the way into the fifth week of our design research dissertation, we indulge in the next progressive write-up of our dissertation after our previous interim submission of section 3 (methodology). In sections 4 and 5, we cover the results and discussion of the dissertation, with the materials provided by Dr. Hayati in google classroom, we were able to understand the basics of these two sections and further our understanding from other sources.

Other than that, a brief and a look into the definition and what to include in both sections 4 and 5 when starting the write up can be seen in the notes below:

Results & Discussion section of a dissertation (lecture notes):

From what was able to be identified from the notes when it comes to writing the results (section 4) of the dissertation, it is important to implement the data from the previous primary research that was carried out in 'Design Research Methodology' and to include the terms of past tense. Other than that, implementing data of analysis that leads to our research questions and objectives moving into the discussion and tying each section into one would be the go-to of each section when writing the dissertation up.

Discussion can also be seen intricately through its purpose of these points in assisting in writing up both sections:

Interpret and explain your results
Answer your research question
Justify your approach
Critically evaluate your study

Writing the results & discussion (doc form):

Since these two questions are combined, Dr. Hayati provided quite the materials and sources of assistance for our writing, as seen above with a doc form of what should be included in the write in a form of a template, which helps a lot.

Moreover, an additional 'effective' way of writing a discussion was provided by Dr. Hayati as seen below:

Week 6 - PUBLIC HOLIDAY

May 4th, 2022

PUBLIC HOLIDAY: EID AIDILFITRI

Week 7 - Abstract and Conclusion

Writing the abstract and conclusion

May 11th, 2022

For the 7th week of writing up our dissertation, it was the last few sections that needed to be included in the dissertation to later then be submitted at the end of the 7th week (May 15th, 2022).

As far as the progressive writing for this first task in the module, Dr. Hayati provided some attachments and materials to use as reference and to gain insight on starting up the following sections of the dissertation.

For the final few sections, the progressive write-up sections were the:

abstract
introduction
conclusion

Abstract, Introduction, and Conclusion of a dissertation (lecture notes):

So with the notes provided above, at least a little bit of understanding of how to begin these sections' write-ups can progress into finding more materials to further understanding and enhance the writing of other sources of insight.

Writing the abstract (doc form):

Week 8 - Independent Learning Week

[May 18th, 2022] No Classes were held due to Independent learning week.

Week 9 - Complete Dissertation & Visual Design

[May 25th, 2022] The beginning of the second assignment can be referred to in a separate 'Assignment 2' blog post.

Assignment 1

Task 1
March 30th, 2022
-

Tasks for week 1:

Create a new google drive folder for DID materials
Revisit methodology content
Revisit critical review
Revisit articles from DRM
Structure matrix as a spreadsheet

to do a matrix to identify your particular theme to structure thought in section 2 (refer to page 10 of MIB)

Literature Review Matrix (first draft):

Task 1a
April. 6th, 2022
-

Tasks for week 2:

progress into writing a literature review (working through lit. matrix)
complete a literature review (draft) to be submitted on April 10th, 2022

There were a few changes in refining and updating my literature review matrix in order to finally start out a draft in the research dissertation (section 2), where we start out with the literature review (section 2) along with the introduction to the research dissertation draft.

In order to do so, like I stated above I did some refinements on my Lit. review matrix by adding a column elaborating the theories, sub-headers, and the pros & cons to assist in the literature review write-up.

Literature Review Matrix (second draft):

There could be a chance to update and refine the matrix to further complete the literature review throughout the research dissertation write-up. Until further notices of feedback and improvements to be made after the submission of April 10th, 2022.

Literature Review (Draft Dissertation, Section 2):

Task 1b
April. 13th, 2022
-

Tasks for week 3:

Return to literature review to refine some subheaders // subsection writing
Start writing up the methodology (section 3) of the research dissertation

complete write-up before April 17th, 2022.

After consulting with Dr. Hayati regarding my literature review there were a few feedbacks and remarks given from my previous progressive writing in section 2 (literature review).

Specific remark:

Literature review’s order in regards to research needed refinement in a sequence to further a theoretical outlook of animation styles from (traditional: 2D to a more modernized style: 3D)
Unitalic the italic citations in the literature review (deemed necessary in citations unless in another language).

General remark:

Be wary and cautious in making sure to avoid plagiarism with APA (that can be found in MIB pg 10) for literature review.

The remarks given by Dr. Hayati, lead me into going straight into working on the next progressive writing in section 3 of the drafts dissertation write-up, which was all about methodology. From there refinement would be made on section 2's literature review after the understanding of section 3's methodology write-up.

Before going into writing our body paragraphs, I started out with point forms to assist my understanding and recall of the last research method I had carried out for my previous module Design research methodology with also the assistance of a methodology dissertation sample provided by Dr. Hayati.

Methodology, point form (Draft Dissertation, Section 3):

Moving into writing the body paragraphs, I also did a few refinements on arranging the sequence of the subheaders and subsections in the literature review section of the dissertation that was remarked by Dr. Hayati.

Methodology (Draft Dissertation, Section 3) & Literature review, refine (Draft Dissertation, Section 2):

Task 1c
April 20th & 27th, 2022
-

Tasks for week 4 - week 5:

Week 4:

Refinement on dissertation progress writing, methodology (section 3).
Start writing up on Results & Discussions (Section 4 & 5) dissertation progress writing.
Submit the following dissertation section progress writing by May 1st, 2022.

Week 5:

continuation of progress writing of sections 4 & 5 of the dissertation.
accumulation of information and data from previous sections to begin a much more detailed & articulated discussion (section 5) write-up.
all to be submitted by May 1st, 2022.

Before I did write it in the timeline of the fourth week, a small consultation regarding section 3 was held, but besides the point, a few helpful tips were given by Dr. Hayati in writing up my sections 4 & 5 during the holidays.

Specific remark:

(section 4) certain data can combine
reflect RQ into section 1
in discussion (section 5), engage the reader by the interrelating previous sections into one (section 5) (deductive research, inductive research)

General remark:

describe method structure (section 4)
research reflection can be implemented into the discussion
introducing display result
lit review acts as secondary data for discussion (section 5)

So from the remarks given, they acted out as notes to keep in mind to write out my results and discussion write up in the dissertation.

Results & Discussion (Draft Dissertation, Section 4 & 5):

Task 1d
May 11th, 2022
-

Tasks for week 7:

write-up on abstract, introduction & conclusion section of draft dissertation.
wrap up the final few pages of the dissertation (from cover page to appendices)

Submit the completed dissertation to google classroom before May 15th, 2022.

In the 7th week, it was the final few sections of writing up the dissertation draft, therefore before finishing up each of the sections. There were a few enlightenments that were provided by Dr. Hayati during consultation.

Specific remark:

support your dissertation due to a lacking of primary data, it can be maintained with secondary data (literature reviews, article journals, etc..)

section 5 (discussion) could have an outcome of being more robust.

refrain a little from having primary research substantially with other materials that can be utilized, to avoid any form of bias from the conducting of the quantitative instrument.

General remark:

since data from previous research (DRM) could be lacking, newer findings were conducted to implement greater findings into the dissertation
let the reader know, how the structure of section 5 (discussion), whether the RQ & RO are combined, or the hypothesis is implemented (triangulation of data comes to play.)

Completed Dissertation Draft:

[UPDATE] June 8th, 2022

There were a few feedbacks after completing the first assignment for this dissertation, Dr. Hayati gave a few feedbacks on what needed to be changed for instance, my table of contents page number didn't require it all to be in roman numerals, my research title had to be rephrased as well and a few changes to the references and appendices, other than that the material below would be the refined dissertation draft:

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