Research Tools
Blimey! If you check this out on the internet e.g. search what are research tools, you'll find a series of explanations from Universities, mainly in the field of pharmaceuticals that are not that helpful. So I'm going to stick my neck out here and try and make some sense of it in the context of a Level 3 photography course.
The general consensus in academic scenarios is that research tools can include things such as...
- Questionnaires
- Check lists
- Search Engines
- Libraries
- Databases
- Reflective Practice
So, in the context of your course, the physical equipment that you use to gather your research might include...
- Cameras
- Phone cameras
- Scanners
- Dictaphones
- Photo-copiers
You also need to compare some of the tools and explain why you or others think that one tool may be better or preferential to another.
Research Methods
From - http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/research-method
A particular way of studying something in order to discover new information about it or understand it better:
From - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Research+methods
1. systematic investigation to establish facts or principles or to collect information on a subject
2. Careful study of a given subject, field, or problem, undertaken to discover facts or principles.
An adapted definition from this website would define Research Methods as...
The process used to collect information and data for the purpose of making informed decisions about your subject area (Photography). The methodology may include publication research, interviews, surveys and other research techniques, and could include both present and historical information.
One of the key words in the definitions above is 'Systematic' and in your session you would have been advised explicitly as to the way we recommend you conduct your research throughout the duration of this course using a number of specific research methods.
Publication research -
The British Journal of Photography.
Hotshoe magazine.
Photography The whole Story - David Campany & Juliet Hacking (Thames and Hudson)
Photography (Portfolio) - John Ingledew (Lawrence King)
Starting Photography - Michael Langford (Focal Press)
Your response to this criteria will be to use your camera/image making skills to photograph books/publications or scan them and then discuss the pro's and cons of the research methods highlighted and talked about in the session..
Secondary Research
Films/TV/Video/Youtube/Vimeo/Dailymotion
Books
Journals
Newspapers
Primary Research
Interviews
Surveys
Galleries/Museums/Exhibitions
Work release/assisting
You also need to compare some of the methods and explain why you or others think that one method may be better or preferential to another.
Research Skills
Research skills are the basic things you have to do and implement when conducting research. They include the following.
- Making the right choices about your sources (BJP).
- Using Journals and books first and foremost to discover photographers and their work.
- Allocating time to do research on a regular basis - an hour a week looking and making notes.
- 2-3 hours a week making sense of your research and writing up your findings, collating your information and images.
- Producing your research in response to assignments within the first 2-3 days.
- Producing your bibliography in a systematic way as you produce the work.
- Photo-copying/scanning the text/images from books and keeping in 'Research folder' for reference.
- Reading and making sense of written content, making notes somewhere where you're able to do so and take in the information.
- Systematically check that the websites and the authors of web-based sources are reliable and 'Sound'.
- Learn to only select websites from National Publications/newspapers, municipal galleries and museums and websites you're directed to by lecturers/library staff.
This is a good link from the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/keyskills/extra/module2/1.shtml
In your work write about some of the key points raised here and in the BBC link above along with the main things that you have learned and compare your new knowledge with your old approach to research.
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