IB Thesis Seminar:Working on your research plan & literature review

Kristiina Mäkeläkristiina.makela@aalto.fi

Summer 20147.5.2014

Assignment 1

Observations?

Questions?

Comments?

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Today’s agenda

• Now you have an idea of what a good thesis looks like

• Next step in the process: Devising a research plan– Plus continue scanning/reading!!

• What is a good research plan like?– Research plan workshop

• What is a good literature review like?

Why research plan?

• From a loose idea to a concrete plan

• A holistic picture of what you are trying to do

• Iterative!

Research plan:

A -> B -> C

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Structure of the Research Plan

• TITLE must be interesting & crispy

• BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY, why it will be conducted spell RESEARCH GAP spell out a research gap

• RESEARCH OBJECTIVE, what do you want to find out/show/prove/tell/modify

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• SUB-PROBLEMS, OBJECTIVES what secondary purposes need to be accomplished

AND QUESTIONS (if any)

• DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS relevant to the study

• OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE, literature -> your framework (link between theory and

THEORETICAL FRAME OF data). Good to illustrate with a figure

REFERENCE

• APPROACH, DATA AND METHOD to be used in the study

• TABLE OF CONTENTS AND 5-7 main chaptersLIST OF REFERENCES scientific referencing

Let’s try!

• Title

• Background– Motivation: why is the topic important– Research gap– Your intended contribution

Next

• Research problem/objective– The objective of this thesis is…

• Research question(s)– The research question(s) of this thesis is/are…

Check: A good research question is…

– Clear – There is no ambiguity what you mean

– Defined scope – You have drawn boundaries on the phenomenon and the question you try to address concerning the phenomenon

– Focused – Tries to solve one problem rather than multiple

– Reasonable – The question can be resolved by one person in a reasonable period of time

Check!

• TITLE – OBJECTIVE – RESEARCH QUESTION

– Check that these are in line with each other

Tips!

• When you read theses, dissertations, articles

-> Check how they have formulated their research question(s)

Next

• Start drafting the other sections– Title– Background– Research problem/objective & research questions– Definitions & limitations– Overview of the literature, leading to– Theoretical framework of your thesis (figure!)– Data & methods– Table of contents & list of (key) references

• THIS IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS!– Keep on updating your plan

Tips!

Always keep in mind your research question:

•Alignment with your objective: Is this relevant to my R.Q.?

•What has existing literature found out about this topic? What knowledge/ answers are missing?

•Which theoretical lens(es) fit my R.Q.?

Remember this!

“Writing a novel (Thesis!) is like

driving a car at night.

You can see only as far as your headlights,

but you can make the whole trip that way”

E.L. Doctorow

Assignment 2(Purpose: to work with the overall process in mind)

•Write the first version of your research plan

•Follow the format discussed in class

•1-2 pages, return to your supervisor in your first one-on-one session

– Keep on updating as you continue your reading & thinking process -> this REALLY helps!

– I usually stop at iteration #10 -> start writing the actual Thesis

Literature review

Why literature review?

• Starting point for problem solving– Establishes the context– Shows reader what has been done previously– Allows the author to build on existing work

• Helps the reader to– Understand the problem – Follow your argument

Walk the reader by the hand:Show what needs to be done in light of existing knowledge

Remember this

• Literature review is the most time consuming phase of thesis writing process– More time you spend upfront, more time & problems will be

saved at the end

• Literature review is also the most frustrating phase: – Lots of new information;– Lots of avenues for further development;– Slow advance and risk of getting lost…

You know what you are doing

You thinkyou know what you are doing

Yes

Yes

No

No

Zero

Remember this!

Think funnel: from general to specific

• E.g., Employee retention in Russia:

– Talent management– Employee retention as a key part of talent

management• Retention in emerging markets

– Factors influencing employee retention• Factors influencing retention in the emerging

market context

– > Leads to the theoretical / conceptual framework of your study

– > Basis for data collection & analysis

Think landscape vs. inventory

• You are a landscape architect guiding the reader through the gardens

Vs.

Exemplary literature review

• Focused: only relevant literature used in analysis

• Not just review but synthesis = put time in iterating a version which shows the mastery of the literature

– Dialog between previous studies/different authors

• Use figures, models & summary tables

• Include both classics and recent research articles  

   

• Avoid referring to single article or book as center of review: Dialog between studies

Remember this

Link everything together

into one storyline

And guide the reader

from start to finish

Benchmark / learn from articles/

dissertations/theses

If (when) you get lost…

• Most typical pitfall No. 1:

Getting lost in the (literature) forest!

Remember to step back

• A helicopter viewGo back to your research plan

Keep it updated, it reminds you of the big picture

And then just use the funnel approach

Remember that the ‘how’ is at least as important as the ‘what’:-How am I working-What I am writing about

Reading & Writing

Read strategically

• First read textbooks & review articles of the general field– Mindmap is a good tool to get a visual overview of the topic

• When you think you have an overview (of sorts) of the topic– Then start reading progressively:– Scan -> Read -> Read carefully

• Presentation -> literature review

• Use your journal

• Draw figures

• Keep on iterating / updating your research plan

When reading

• Don’t just read the content

• But also pay attention to how the authors write

– How they build the story– How they synthesize literature & reference– How they build their own argument & theoretical framework– How they build a contribution

-> BEST WAY TO LEARN TO WRITE

Plagiarism is the biggest sin in academia

NEVER do it!

Types of Plagiarism

• Copying, quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing from any source without adequate documentation

• Purchasing a pre-written paper (either by mail or electronically)

• Letting someone else write a paper for you

• Paying someone else to write a paper for you

• Submitting as your own someone else's unpublished work, either with or without permission

Paraphrasing & synthesizing• Paraphrasing = writing the essence of the original text in your own

words.– As with quotations, paraphrases should be used sparingly – a paper should be a

balance between thoughts of other scholars and your original ideas.

• A paper composed mostly or entirely of paraphrases from other authors is very likely to be described as 'patchworking‘. Even if you have cited every paraphrase correctly, you've forgotten to include your own analysis!

• Read -> Synthesize in your mind -> Write in your own words

Source: http://library.duke.edu/research/plagiarism/cite/paraphrase.html

Paraphrasing & synthesizing

Original • "Management is a process that is used to accomplish organizational goals; that is, a

process that is used to achieve what an organization wants to achieve. An organization could be a business, a school, a city, a group of volunteers, or any governmental entity. Managers are the people to whom this management task is assigned, and it is generally thought that they achieve the desired goals through the key functions of (1) planning, (2) organizing, (3) directing, and (4) controlling.“

•Luft, R.L., 2000. "Management". In MALONIS, J., ed.,"Encyclopedia of Business", 2nd. ed., Detroit: Gale Group.

Paraphrasing• Luft (2000, p. xx) defines management as “a process that is used to accomplish

organizational goals”, and suggests that organizations and groups largely achieve their goals through managerial action. He consequently divides the key roles of management into those of 'planning', 'organising', 'directing' and 'controlling’ (Luft, 2000).

What next?

Assignment 2(Purpose: to work with the overall process in mind)

•Write the first version of your research plan

•Follow the format discussed in class

•1-2 pages, return to your supervisor in your first one-on-one session

– Keep on updating as you continue your reading & thinking process -> this REALLY helps!

– I usually stop at iteration #10 -> start writing the actual Thesis

Next steps

• Meet with your supervisor– Research plan– Mindmap of the field(s)– Come with specific questions in mind

• Progress seminar presentations – Sign up as soon as possible– They come surprisingly quickly, start working now!

Progress seminars

- Everyone must present their work once- And act as opponent/discussant

Why this is important:• Creates a deadline• You get feedback & learn from others’ work• You develop your own ability to read, analyze and evaluate research critically

What next?

Next steps

• Continue scanning/reading the literature – Mindmap (Assignment 3)

• Write the first draft of your research plan– Skeleton as soon as possible after today– Continue iterating as you scan/read– Bring with you to the first supervisor meeting

• Next joint session 31.1. -> Literature review, writing

• REMEMBER: Book 1st meeting with your supervisor & sign up for progress seminar

Thesis seminar - 3 elements• Purpose: To support you in writing your thesis

• 3 joint seminars 17.1., 24.1. & 31.1. @ 12:00-14:00 in E-124– Understanding of the process– Guided first steps – assignments that will help you getting started (pass/re-do)

• One-on-one supervision – individual attention– 6 months of active support, what, where & how decided between supervisor & student– Good idea to always book next meeting!

• Progress seminars 28.3., 4.4. or 11.4. @12:00-14:00 n E-124– Compulsory for everyone to present once– Sign up outside Hanne’s office F2.20 BY 31.1.– Check if supervisor can be present– Opponent to give written feedback (1-2 pages)

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Progress seminars – key principles

Everyone must present their work once-> Sign up by Arja Sahlberg’s room (F2.14)

And act as opponent/discussant

Why this is important:•Creates a deadline•You get feedback & learn from others’ work•You develop your own ability to read, analyze and evaluate research critically

Role of the presenter

• Arja will let you know which group you are in

• E-mail your paper to all participants & supervisors of your group one week before the seminar– Issues of concern, or specific questions, can be presented explicitly to

other group members in the paper or email message– Everyone has to read all papers in one’s seminar & prepare to give

verbal comments

• Prepare a max. 10 min presentation of your work– Follow the research plan format– LESS IS MORE: 5 slides max.!

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The Role of the Discussant

• Read the paper systematically and evaluate both its strengths and weaknesses

• Prepare written comments (1-2 pages) to the paper you are discussing– Highlight the strengths and provide suggestions for improvements

• Bring your written comments to the seminar session

• Be prepared to lead the discussion

That’s it!

Thank you from me - enjoy the journey !