Research Methodologies
My Reflection
This week’s lecture by Martin Hosken on Research methodology was very interesting in the approach and structure of research and theory. This way of gathering research has broadened my knowledge of methodology research in a new method for me to explore. The methodology and method explain what you did and how you did it, allowing readers to evaluate the logical and accurate of your research.
The process should include:
- The type of research you’ve explored
- How you collected/selected your data
- How you analysed your data
- What tools or materials you used in the research
- What’s the reason for choosing these methods
What do we mean by the term Methodology and Method?
The methodology is the specific procedure or technique used to identify, select, process, and analyse information about a topic.
The method is a process used to collect information and data for the purpose of analysis, inquiry, or decision making.
So the methodological approach introduces the overall exploration of your research. Interrogate what the problem or question did you investigate and what kind of data did you need to answer?
Qualitative and Quantitative are types of primary methodology, in which these categories are broad but process a more specific method into your research. A Qualitative approach is an interview method which is best for describing, interpreting, contextualising, and gain in-depth insight into specific concepts or phenomena. The Quantitive approach is a survey method that is best for measuring, ranking, categorising, identifying patterns, and making generalisation with its data.
The Qualitative method consists of interviews or focus groups, participant observation, and existing data:
- Interviews or focus groups
Describe where, when and how the interviews were conducted. - Participant observation
Describe where, when and how you conducted the observation - Existing Data
Explain how you selected case study materials (such as texts or images) for the focus of the analysis
Quantitative method consists of surveys, experiments, and existing data:
- Surveys
Describe where, when, and how the survey was conducted - Experiments
Give full details of the tools, techniques and procedures you used to conduct the experiment - Existing Data
Explain how you gathered and selected material (such as publications or archival data) for inclusion in the analysis
Once you have all the information you’ve processed then the next method would be to analysis your results without going into too much detail. You need to describe your methods of how, when, why, and whom that particular subject had helped to gather your research.
In qualitative research, your analysis will be based on language, images and observations.
In quantitative research, your analysis will be based on numbers.
Evaluate and justify your methodological choices by making the case for why you chose these particular methods for your approach into your topic. Show how this approach contributes to new knowledge or understanding, why also other methods were not suitable for your gathering of research.
Also, acknowledge the limitations or weaknesses in the approach to justifying why these were outweighed by the strengths.
Workshop Challenge
This weeks workshop challenge is how do you approach research methodologies for your academic journey?
The aim of this week’s workshop challenge is to select and deploy appropriate research methodologies to inform a need within a project.
- Choose an object you feel has a story to reveal.
- Write a 300-word text acknowledging the texts that link to your writing.
My chosen object was a vinyl record album by Michael Kiwanaku – Love & Hate. I was able to go and watch Kiwanaki live at the Brighton Dome a few years back and when this album was released I brought it on vinyl. I’ve got a great interest in vinyl and still enjoy listening to my albums through this medium through my player.
Having a vinyl really brings this authentic feel of a recorded album that music comes to life in your own living space through the quality of the sound. I enjoy how the stylus tracking tiny grooves to replay music, is more impressive than any digital playback device.
Listening through a vinyl creates a more unique sound that can change often dramatically depending on the maintenance and quality of your record and playback equipment. There is also a hypnotic process of watching your record spin as the stylus makes its journey from start to finish.
Research & Theory
My research will take the quantitative approach, which I will be conducting an experiment into how sound is conducted from vinyl and existing data through research online and books to fulfill my method.
I will experiment with the object by playing and monitoring the motion of the vinyl record, getting to experience the audio and physical field of the record. I will also research in existing material on what makes a vinyl record? and background of how the record is made.
300 Words Narrative
I’m a Phonograph Record but people call me a Record Vinyl. I’m made from Polyvinyl Chloride known as PVC which I’m very strong and flexible but can result in scratches with this soft material. My material is clear in its natural form, allowing me to be manufactured in just about any colour imaginable. I’m produced in black as this is significant to the quality of my sound and lessening the accumulation of static dust as it can bad for my surface. I’m ensured that I’ll last for some time as long I’m handled and stored carefully then I will be playable for decades and possibly centuries. Firstly my music was recorded by 32 musicians in various studios in the USA, UK and Isle of Wight. The producers professionally mixed and mastered the track for my vinyl to produce the quality of my sound. The sound waves are carved into specific groups to make groove patterns, which are transferred to a stamper that is then sent to a pressing plant. The stampers are then cleaned and fastened inside a hydraulic press at the top and bottom of an insert. The inserts are hollow mould that allows steam and water to flow through, which my PVC is drawn into the pressor through the overhead pipes. My pellets are forced through an extruder, which I’m heated up to form a hockey puck-shaped biscuit. Labels are pressed in both sides and I’m then shot forward to be pressed to mould my existence. I’m then trimmed of excess vinyl, furnished and stacked on a spindle. Once I was inspected and allowed to leave, I was placed in a sleeve which I was then packaged in this artwork that was designed. I was then distributed from a warehouse and finally, my soul was content with the sound of music.
Initial thoughts and ideas notes
Research
Research of the record vinyl and information how vinyls are created in my research. Here is a video on how vinyl records are produced to their form.
More research I gathered was information on how the process from recording sound, lacquer disc, stamper, and finished vinyl. This is the process outlined below:
The engineer places this blank disc onto a recording machine, that is called a lathe. This machine has a heated sapphire tip, designed to etch grooves into the lacquer surface of the disc. This is how the recording is placed into the vinyl through sound waves, the more interesting part.
There was many great discovery as to how the record is created. I looked a little deeper in the making of the album as the record was created by 32 musicians in various studios in the USA, UK and Isle of Wight. The production of an album takes quite a lot of energy in creating the sound as much as the record vinyl itself.
Concept of creating a vinyl artwork with my 300 words engraved in the groove patterns.
Editorial Design
Ideas Wall
Weekly Reflection
This weeks subject on research methodologies broke down the stages of methods to help with the direction of carrying your research. The understanding of the difference with the terms method and methodology really helps with the fundamental exercise of developing your research. This process breaks down the method of researching by exploring, collected, analysed and what tools and materials are used through a thorough consideration. Research for me in the past was easy to just look online and collect what ever is in front of me. This has given me more hope and belief in searching deeper into my findings to explore better possibilities. The structure is very simple and just need to remind myself the process, so I have a clear view on what my research material gathers for my interest. The workshop challenge was a fun project to trial the methodology and method that was spoken in the lecture.
Using the quantitative process in my research allowed me to use 2 of 3 elements in my research, with a small time frame I wasn’t able to contact some one to get a more in depth of how vinyls are produced. The fact of looking at the object and observing the mechanism of the record, gave me true representative of how the audio in its self can help with my research. It lead me to the design of how I set my typography, as I started to thinking about how I can show sounds from the groves of the record. This allowed me to think of many ideas to create my artwork to my subject area. I wanted the relationship of my editorial to reflect the visual of the album and the dark grey texture can also represent the effect of the vinyl. If I had more time I would adjust the type in the copy so it balance well that it does at the moment. I feel the copy needs to be consistent throughout so there’s no hierarchy in the context, so the type setting needs to be thoroughly adjusted. With my copy I would of like to gone in more detail about the process of the packaging of the sleeve with the description of creating the music to the vinyl. With the limitation of text it’s what I can fit in and felt that was the significant part of my research.