Developing a research topic – these points are very informative in the process of finding a topic to research into:

•Will the topic motivate you to research and discover

•How might the inquiry connect with previous established research (especially if there has been carried out a similar research, how might it impact that existing research?)

•Might it impact present or future theoretical and practical study (are there potentials to apply new learning)

•How might the research inform a specific audience  (who do you want to inform? practitioners such as other animators or directors, other academics… that can inform them)

•Will the enquiry fulfil and evidence the outcomes outlined in the assignment (development of the proposal should be evidence the assignment)

Once I will decide an interest in a particular area is to pin down the investigated question.

Consider why your research is relevant to the field of study and inform an appropriate audience. 

•On graduation which area or environment of production do you wish to focus upon and why? (this might be a starting point for a research topic and also FMP proposal)

•What skills will you need to attain the standards required for vocational practice?

•How will you showcase your FMP practice for the final shows?

•Is it important to directly connect the thesis research to your practical work?

•Do you have an area of research you wish to conduct that is unrelated to practical element?

Thesis structure

•Title page

• Abstract

• Acknowledgements

• Contents page(s)

• Introduction

• Literature review ( critique of materials/sources and methods) 

• Methodology (all approaches, and methods applied to develop findings) 

• Themed topic chapters

• Results (necessary, depending on research methods)

• Discussion or Findings

• Conclusions

• References

• Appendices

Thesis proposal structure

•Introduction

•Background significance

•Literature review

•Research design, methods, and schedule

•Suppositions and implications

•Conclusion

•Bibliography

Research methods: qualitative and quantitative

Qualitative and quantitative research methods are two established research traditions that underpin all academic articles. Together they provide scope for several approaches to develop topics, structure for enquiry and legitimacy in findings and conclusions. There is important discourse in understanding the definitions and implications of both methods of research.

This specific journal (https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12014) from Kaya Yilmaz defines these methods and differences and provides a guide on how to write an academic article:

In order to back up your work there are two different “systems” you could use to validate your work:

Quantitative research

A testing system that has to be robust that can’t be contested, factual. Proving your point through statistics, through data through survey.

Qualitative research

Qualifying what we are saying not quantifying it. Qualitative research generates “textual data” (non-numerical). Quantitative research, on the contrary, produces “numerical data” or information that can be converted into numbers.

Films states in his article that there are four elements that we need to reflect and address to in terms of research:

• Epistemology, what purpose does it have? what is it for? what area does it cover?
• Theoretical perspectives, who or what will be studied?
• Methodology, which research strategies will be used? Qualitative or quantitative?
• Methods, This is not about strategies but tools that will be used to collect and analyse data?

Article Notes Comparison of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Traditions: epistemological, theoretical, and methodological differences

Purpose of this article to explain the major differences between the quantitative and qualitative research paradigms by comparing them in terms of their epistemological, theoretical, and methodological underpinnings

It gives a clear definition of quantitative and qualitative research getting into detail of especially of the latter since “is not based on a single methodology and does not belong to a single discipline“.

The different approaches that quantitative and qualitative researches have in regards of these elements: Epistemology, Theoretical perspectives,Methodology and Methods. In regards of this last point Quantitative uses questionnaires, surveys and systematic measurements involving numbers; Qualitative uses participants’ observation, in-depth interviews, document analysis, and focus groups

the article also examines the main difference between them:

• Qualitative methods are especially effective to study a highly individualised programme in which learners who have different abilities, needs, goals, and interests proceed at their own pace. (understand the meaning of the programme for individual participants, their points of view and experiences should be illustrated with their own words)
• Quantitative methods are more helpful when conducting research on a broader scale or studying a large number of people, cases, and situations since they are cost-effective and statistical data can provide a succinct and parsimonious summary of major patterns
• They differ in terms of their approach to defining the concepts of reliability and validity (accuracy of research data – quantitative). Qualitative research uses its own terms to communicate what is meant by reliability, validity: credibility, trustworthiness, and authenticity (validity) accurate or true for both researcher and participants and dependability and auditability (reliability) consistent over time and across different researchers and different methods or projects.

Developing and testing your topic: critical thinking

Good critical thinking is systematic you need to: 

• Investigate the problem thoroughly

• Prosecute and defend the idea

• Cross examine the witnesses (literature), a critique of the literature used, what it can do to support your arguments.

 • Sum up and consider theory 

• Reach an informed verdict
– In the light of this evidence, it seems that…. 

Critical thinking involves being skeptical and persistent in constantly reviewing your evidence (Why am I being told this? Who is telling me this? What am I missing). Be analytical and critical is essential (not only descriptive).

Critical thinking means:

What do I want to do? what can I add to these researches? Picking a subject matter is a starting point. Checking the accuracy of information as well as checking the logic of the argument and looking for possible flaws in argument. Moreover is important to understanding why other people see it differently and reaching informed conclusions too.

Key questions:

• What is main point I want to make?

• Can I back up my argument?

• Is my evidence relevant, accurate, up-to-date? 

• Is my view based on false premises/false logic? 

Present initial thoughts on the potential area/s of research I wish to investigate.

We accept anthropomorphism in animation but actually it can be very judgmental to the way we treat animals the way we look at them as less important than ourself . There are arguments for and against anthropomorphism since it is seen as a dangerous way of portraying animals and it can fall into ethical issues (about animal well fair, human arrogance). (pick at piece of work that is accepted and say: this is ethically wrong).

Or

Anthropomorphism was at the beginning of animation a big area and animal animation was used as a mean to deal with ethical issues. How was/is it it possible?