DRM// ASSIGNMENT 4 : Research Reflection Report & Presentation
28.08.2021-02.12.2021//Week 1-Week 15
Chaw Zhi Ting (0347344)Bachelor of Design (Hons) Creative Media
Design Research Methodology // Assignment 4 : Research Reflection Report & Presentation
INSTRUCTIONS:
Assignment 1: Proposal
Figure 1 Final Proposal.pdf, 16th Sept 2021
Assignment 2: Critical Review
Figure 2 Final Critical Review.pdf, 10th Oct 2021
Assignment 3: Research Implementation - Primary Data
Figure 3 Final Research Implementation-Primary Data.pdf, 14th Nov 2021
Assignment 4: Research Reflection Report and Recorded Presentation
Figure 4 Final Reflection Report.pdf, 12th Dec 2021
Recorded Presentation Link:
REFLECTION:
Assignment 1 (Proposal)
During the proposal stage, we were to identify the topic of interest and areas that we were curious to know more about. After deciding the theme, further research is conducted to establish a research problem and formulate the research objectives and questions. It was an excellent opportunity for us to explore the topics based on the specialization as it helped us deepen our understanding and knowledge in this field. To ensure that the proposed research is achievable within time and available resources, we need to plan it properly and set the topic to a scope. As graphic design is a broad field, it took me some time to figure out which topic to choose. I jotted down a few exciting issues to propose from the articles, magazines, and journals I read. My initial proposal was about the colour psychology of logos. However, this research topic has limited exploration in the study. Ms Jinchi advised us to choose topics with broad aspects to leave room for discussion. The proposal stage requires a lot of reading and creative thinking to visualize how the research topic will turn out at the end. This is my first time writing a research proposal, and I also looked through some good examples to better understand how research is reported.
After researching several graphic design topics, one of the articles about graphic components in advertising aroused my interest. I started to search for more relevant articles regarding this topic to have a better understanding. Finally, I managed to develop a topic and title for my research, which is the roles and impacts of graphic components in advertising. As a fast-food lover, I am always curious how graphic designs play their roles in advertisements. Therefore, I narrowed the aspects to fast food brands as my research subject. It was a relief that after many amendments and idea generation, this research topic got approval from Ms. Jinchi. From there, I started to develop my problem statement, research objectives and research problems. I appreciated the detailed feedback given, as it helped me to improve my proposal and guided me to have a clearer direction of my research.
Assignment 2 (Critical Review)
For a critical review, we summarized and evaluated the idea and information the author has presented. It was challenging to analyze the major components such as paragraphs, sections, or chapters to understand how they contributed to the research. This stage requires the patient to read the contents to select the most relevant one for a research study. By utilizing online resources such as Google Scholars, Taylors Library and ResearchGate, I searched relevant journal articles for my research topics. We could focus on how and why the author makes specific points and avoid summarizing what the author says by analyzing the journal articles.
It was slightly challenging for me as my reading speed was slow. I try to read the articles repeatedly and highlight the critical points to make them more manageable. When selecting a research article, the keywords and abstract helped me quickly identify the content. We must understand the paper's main points and add personal evaluation and opinions. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses, I managed to jot down helpful information related to my research questions. After compiling all the valuable information and resources, I summarised and classified them into two main themes: the graphic components in online advertising and online advertisement and consumer engagement in the food industry. I gained insightful findings from each journal article, and I was impressed by the researchers' dedication and effort to the research studies.
Assignment 3 (Research Implementation – Primary Data)
I realized the importance of choosing the proper technique or data collection instrument for research implementation to make all the difference in research. Therefore, we must understand each tool and its strengths and weaknesses. After considering the suitability, I decided to select surveys by questionnaire and focus group as my research instruments. This is because these methods are more relevant to my target group, the general public. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, the second research method, the focus group, is still in the planning process and will be carried out during the semester break. I moved on to draft the survey questions once the research method had been confirmed. It was not as easy as I expected as the questions and answers we designed needed to have solid and reliable supporting data. This stage requires critical thinking skills to think of questions that are useful for the research. My first draft survey question was less effective as it mainly contained words only. After receiving feedback from Ms Jinchi, I added relevant pictures so that the respondent could better visualize and answer the questions.
Once completed, I started sending out the Google form and posting it to social media, hoping to get as many respondents as possible. Knowing the requirement is at least 80-100 respondents, it might be impossible to reach that number of participants, especially during online classes. But, to my surprise, the survey respondents were good after I sent out the survey forms for three days. Although their respondents paused at 60, I tried to reach more people who fulfilled the survey criteria. It was such a relief that I collected 100 responses within the given time to proceed with my data analysis process. However, it would be better by having the participants from the design or advertising field increase in more descriptive evaluations. To collect more accurate data sets that represent the public, it would be ideal for extending the survey period to get more participants. Finally, I genuinely appreciate the help from my friends, family, and the public, who take their time and effort to complete the survey.
Final reflections
Through completing these three assignments, I have a deeper understanding of the roles and impact of graphic components in fast-food advertising. I wish to use the knowledge I have gained in future endeavours. Moreover, I realized that a research paper is more than a sum of the sources or collection of different pieces of information. Instead, it involves interpreting and analyzing various perspectives of a point within the topic. During these 14 weeks, self-discipline and time management are the main takeaways for me. As we have other main subjects simultaneously, we will need to set a time frame for each task to prevent procrastinating. In addition, self-discipline is crucial for keeping the work updated to date every week to not fall behind the timeline.
I appreciated the encouragement and constructive feedback provided by Ms Jinchi during the consultation. This feedback was helpful for us so we could identify the mistakes quickly and improve them accordingly. Throughout this process, it requires communication skills to propose your ideas and thoughts to the audience. The weakness I discovered is my critical writing skills. I struggled to write a descriptive and detailed explanation for this research. I could practise more to ensure the idea and information are delivered primarily in the critical review. Through ups and downs, I am glad that I managed to cope with this subject and hope to explore my research topic in the future further.
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