Forming a Research Question

Writing an Academic Paper

The Research Question

Should be clear and unambiguous.

A badly constructed research question often leads to a poorly written and ill-focused research paper.

The Research Question

Your question should create the right expectation in the reader.

It identifies what you are interested in and indicates why others should be interested too.

Getting Started

The first part of the process:

• How?

• What?

• Why?

Getting Started

• Decide on a title or a theme.

• Now transform this into a plan and a strategy for research.

• Limit the variables, keep the subject minimal…do not try to attempt everything!

Getting Started

• Develop a question that is relevant to your practice and current interests.

• Brainstorm or mind map?

• Develop a question that fully exploits your research capability.

Getting Started

BAD too broad, potentially huge!

What is the importance of Grimshaw’s Sainsbury’s development in modern architecture?

Getting Started

BAD too broad, potentially huge!

What is the importance of Grinshaw’s Sainsbury’s development in modern architecture?

GOOD sensible focus + discussion:

In what way can Grimshaw’s development be considered ‘ruthless’ and what impact does this have on its residents?

Getting StartedGOOD sensible focus + discussion

In what way can Grimshaw’s development be considered ‘ruthless’ and what impact does this have on its residents?

Benefits - you know what to tackle:Grimshaw;

this development and previous developments;

social/resident requirements;

Thus you can compare and contrast.

Research

• What kinds of research do you need to do?

• How many research items/sources should your bibliography contain?

• For a 4,000-5,000 word paper you could be considering 20-30+ items: a combination of reading: books, critical articles and reviews, film, visits and the Internet.

• Bibliography is not included in the word count

Primary sourcesdesigned objectsartefacts images newspapersmagazines photographs artworks film media social practices

Secondary sourcesTexts which set out

theories, ideas,

historical and cultural

analysis about a given

subject: journal articles

and books.

Research

Understand and use the various types

• Historical: use knowledge of the past• Descriptive: use images to substantiate

Understand and use research tools

• Theory e.g. Marxism, psychoanalytic• Discourse e.g. feminism

Begin to construct an argument• What do you want to find out?• What are you writing about?• What ideas are emerging – useful or a

distraction?• Maintain a sensible focus.• Continue to question and explore.

600

<-------------------Constant------------------>

(3,000) 400

Consider writing plan and divide into sections:

1,000 1,000 1,000

Introduction 15%

Main Body 75%

Conclusion 10%

4,000 words / 13 pages / 300 words per page

A conventional structure

Please use the Harvard system

for all citations and referencing&

Bibliography

Citing in the textWhere did you discover this? You did not wake-up one morning and just know it – so where did you read about it?(author, date of publication)

Yet what of the supporting role played by the beast, where does this animal come from, why does it play so magical yet crucial a part in these tales? The danger posed by bears and wolves discussed in Warner (1995), was a very genuine fear in the 17th and 18th century.

Quoting backs-up your textMake your point then quote to underpin this. In the next paragraph comment on the content of the quote.

Does Beauty exist or is it a made-up myth, constructed for profit and pleasure, or is there something deeper to all this. ‘Beauty provokes pleasure, rivets attention, and impels actions that help ensure the survival of our genes.’ (Etcoff, 1999 p. 25). Is physical attraction therefore then crucial to our choice of partner, our procreation opportunities and ultimately our survival? Etcoff takes this further and examines research into our ancestors and selective procreation patterns.

We love the look at smooth skin, thick shiny hair, curved waists, and symmetrical bodies because in the course of evolution the people who noticed these signals and desired their possessors had more reproductive success. We are their descendants. (Etcoff, 1999 pp. 25-6)

While this argument is compelling, other factors need to be considered such as etc. etc.

Visual referencing• Image caption

• Reference where the image came from

• Number and refer to as Image (1) in your text

• ONLY use images in the main body that you are going to discuss

• Essay of this length = 8 (2 per 1,000 words).

IMAGE SOURCE LIST

1. Caption or title and date if known;

Source reference; photographer.

2. Caption or title and date if known;

Source reference; photographer.

3. Caption or title and date if known;

Source reference; photographer.

BibliographyBooksEtcoff, N. (1999) Survival of the Prettiest. London: Abacus Warner, M. (1995) From the Beast to the Blonde. London: Vintage Warner, M. ed. (1996) Wonder Tales. Six Stories of Enchantment. London: Vintage

Journal ArticlesHow dangerous is obesity? (1977) British Medical Journal, No. 6069, 28th April, p.1115

Newspaper ArticlesByrne, C. (2005) Doherty’s former manager denies selling film on Moss. The Independent, 19th October, p.9.

Film/VideoThe Singing Ringing Tree (1957) Directed by Francesco Stefani, Icestorm, 71 mins [Video: VHS]

InternetAugust Saunder biography and image bank<http://www.getty.ed/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1786> [Accessed on 10.11.06]

VisitsTate Modern, London; visited on 10.11.06

Appendices Additional Information i.e. extra images that you want the reader to be aware of, that you refer to in your text (Appendix p.1).

Appendices primary research

are the place to put extra background material you need the reader to be aware of, such as:

• Interviews – need to be taped and transcribed if quoted from to substantiate

• Summary of a conversation – needs to be done if the content is being cited

• Additional information – to help the reader better understand your text

• Additional images – not discussed in the actual essay but useful to give an overview

Writing - final bits

• Write to the word count• Print/Read aloud, at least 1 draft• 24+ quotes/citations – good to aim for 2 per

page/per 3 paragraphs…• Bibliography• Double line space text • 12pt font size• Images full page i.e. on own page• Grammar, punctuation, spell check

Academic Misconduct Remember to acknowledge other author’s work by constantly citing your sources a page of 300 word/12pt text has 3 paragraphs, try to cite or quote every paragraph, or at least 2 times a page.

Abstract300 words, with five key words

• Summarises your research paper.• On a separate page bound into the paper,

following the title page.• Involves an account of what the paper

does, how it does it and the sources used.• No references in the abstract.• The abstract is an overview.

Abstract summarises your research

• Purpose of your research.• Methodology.• Findings.• Conclusion .

Basically:• What you did.• How you did it. • What you found out.

Binding orderRemember to number your pages.

Title pageAbstractContents pageIntroductionMain body ConclusionImagesBibliographyAppendices

Library exerciseSign up for a tutorial session

1st, 2nd & 3rd March sign up sheets at the library desk

Academic supportChristine Bowmaker

c.bowmaker@camberwell.arts.ac.uk