• ANNOUNCEMENTS (INCLUDES QUOTE OF THE WEEK AND NEWS STORY OF THE WEEK)
  • THE EASY (COLOUR-CODED) GUIDE TO HOW TO REFERENCE A BOOK OR AN INTERNET SITE
  • COURSE INFORMATION
    • COURSE INFORMATION - ACADEMIC SUPPORT
    • COURSE INFORMATION - LEARNING OUTCOMES
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BLOOM'S TAXONOMY OF KNOWLEDGE
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BA1 HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BA2 HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES
    • COURSE INFORMATION - BA3 HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES
  • PROJECT BRIEFS, INFORMATION AND SUBMISSION DATES
    • BA2 PROJECT BRIEFS AND SUBMISSION DATES
    • BA3 PROJECT BRIEFS AND SUBMISSION DATES
    • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH FILE
    • PROJECT BRIEF - CRITICAL RESEARCH REPORT
    • PROJECT INFORMATION - CRITICAL RESEARCH REPORT STRUCTURE GUIDELINES
    • PROJECT BRIEF - REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
    • PROJECT BRIEF - ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY - NON-ASSESSED
    • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PROPOSAL needs doing...
    • PROJECT BRIEF - LITERATURE REVIEW - NON-ASSESSED
    • PROJECT BRIEF - GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION AND RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS 1, 2 AND 3 >
      • PROJECT BRIEF - GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION - NON-ASSESSED
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 1 - ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH PROPOSAL needs visuals
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 2 - INTRODUCTION, LITERATURE REVIEW, METHODOLOGY
      • PROJECT BRIEF - RESEARCH PRESENTATION 3 - DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION
  • REFERENCING - HARVARD PLEASE!
    • REFERENCING - WHAT IS REFERENCING?
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - USING CITATIONS AND QUOTATIONS
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - REFERENCE LIST/BIBLIOGRAPHY
    • REFERENCING (HARVARD) - HOW TO REFERENCE ANYTHING
  • BA1 CLASS READINGS AND VISUALS
    • BA1 CLASS READINGS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION (THE REGULATION OF FASHION) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE HISTORICAL ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSUMER CULTURE (BEAU BRUMMELL) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE PERSONAL ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - TRICKLE-DOWN/BUBBLE-(TRICKLE)-UP (JEANS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE EASY ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - GENDER AND SEXUALITY (STILETTOS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE SEXY ONE)
      • BA1 CLASS READING INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (TIES) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION (THE DIFFICULT ONE)
    • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY >
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION (THE REGULATION OF FASHION)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - CONSUMER CULTURE (BEAU BRUMMELL)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - TRICKLE-DOWN/BUBBLE-(TRICKLE)-UP (JEANS)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (STILETTOS)
      • BA1 CLASS VISUALS - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION THEORY - SEMIOTICS (TIES)
    • BA1 CLASS READINGS - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - THE FABRIC OF EXISTENCE (TEXTILES IN HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - THE TIES THAT BIND (SOCIAL MEANINGS) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - CLOTH AND TEMPORAL POWER (MONEY, TRADE, STATUS AND CONTROL) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - CLOTH AS COMMUNICATION (MEANING, MESSAGES AND BEAUTY) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA1 CLASS READING - INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES AND CULTURE - TEXTILES AND THE SPIRIT (SACRED, SPIRITUAL AND HEALING SIGNIFICANCE) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
  • BA2 CLASS READINGS AND VISUALS
    • BA2 CLASS READINGS - FASHION IN SOCIETY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - VEILING GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - THE SECOND HAND MARKET GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - FEMINISM AND FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - HOMOSEXUAL FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - JAPANESE STREET FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - FASHION IN INDIA GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
    • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY >
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - THE SECONDHAND MARKET
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - JAPANESE STREET FASHION
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - FASHION IN SOCIETY - INDIAN FASHION
    • BA2 CLASS READINGS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS >
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - WEAVING AS POLITICAL SYMBOL (YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS ONE) GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE SUBVERSIVE STITCH GROUP SEMNAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - GANDHI AND KHADI CLOTH GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE FEMALE TRADITION OF TEXTILES GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
      • BA2 CLASS READING - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - KNITTING AS ART GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION
    • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY >
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - WEAVING AS POLITICAL SYMBOL
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE FEMALE TRADITION OF TEXTILES
      • BA2 CLASS VISUALS - TEXTILES IN SOCIETY - THE SUBVERSIVE STITCH
  • BA3 CLASS READINGS
    • BA3 CLASS READING - THE FIVE STAGES OF REFLECTIVE WRITING
  • THEORY READINGS AND VISUALS (GENERAL REFERENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR RESEARCH)
    • THEORY READING - WHY STUDY FASHION?
    • THEORY READING - WHAT IS A THEORY?
    • THEORY READING - INTRODUCTION TO BA1 FASHION THEORY
    • THEORY READING - FASHION CYCLES (CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, TRICKLE-DOWN/UP/ACROSS)
    • THEORY READING CLASS VISUALS - FASHION CYCYES (CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, TRICKLE-DOWN/UP/ACROSS)
    • THEORY READING - KEY TERMS IN FASHION THEORY
    • THEORY READING - TEXTILE METAPHORS
  • FICTION READINGS (FOR WHEN YOU ARE BORED)
    • FICTION READING - ELIZABETH JANE HOWARD'S 'THE BEAUTIFUL VISIT'
    • FICTION READING - ANITA BROOKNER'S 'PROVIDENCE'
    • FICTION READING - RUMER GODDEN'S 'BLACK NARCISSUS'
    • FICTION READING - THE BROTHERS GRIMMS' 'HOW SOME CHILDREN PLAYED AT SLAUGHTERING'
    • FICTION READING - THOMAS HARDY'S 'JUDE THE OBSCURE' - THE PIG SLAUGHTERING (NOT FOR VEGETARIANS OR THE FAINTHEARTED)
    • FICTION READING - THE BROTHERS GRIMMS' 'RUMPELSTILTSKIN'
    • FICTION READING - GREEK MYTHOLOGY'S 'THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR'
    • FICTION READING - GREEK MYTHOLOGY'S 'PROKNE AND PHILOMELA'
    • FICTION READING - DAWN FRENCH'S 'A TINY BIT MARVELLOUS'
  • MATHS READINGS (FOR WHEN YOU ARE REALLY BORED)
    • MATHS READING - PI (FOR GEEKS)
    • MATHS READING - ON LABOUR'S PROPOSAL TO MAKE MATHS COMPULSORY POST-16 (HE'S GOT A POINT)
    • MATHS READING - WHY WE NEED PYTHAGORAS (WHAT DOES LILY ALLEN KNOW?) ​
    • MATHS READING - FORMULA FOR WORKING OUT AGATHA CHRISTIE WHODUNNIT (I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN APRIL FOOL)
    • MATHS READING - ORDER AND PATTERN AS THE BASIS OF EVERYTHING (ARTY) ​
    • MATHS READING - WRITER SHIRLEY CONRAN'S MATHS EBOOK FOR GIRLS (I FAILED MATHS TWICE)
    • MATHS READING - RELATIVITY VERSUS QUANTUM MECHANICS (I ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD SOME OF THIS)
    • MATHS READING - WHY WE SHOULD ALL LEARN COMPUTER CODING (VERY LONG... IF YOU MANAGE TO GET TO THE END OF IT I WILL BUY YOU A DRINK)
    • MATHS READING - DO WE REALLY NEED MATHS? (SAYS IT ALL)
    • MATHS READING - THE 'BEAUTY' OF EINSTEIN (I LOST THE WILL TO LIVE)
  • MY RESEARCH BLOGS AND RESEARCH PINTEREST
  • MY REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
  • DYSLEXIA (INCLUDES THE BRITISH DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION ADULT CHECKLIST)
  • ARE YOU STRESSED?
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - WRITERS' BLOCK
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - MANAGING STRESS
    • ARE YOU STRESSED? - PINTEREST FOR STRESS
  • TO DO
  • REFERENCES
  • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES PROGRAMME - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES PROJECT BRIEF - GLOBAL FASHION AND TEXTILE MANUFACTURING REPORT 2014-15
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - INTRODUCTION TO CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - THE ALTERNATIVE PROJECT BRIEF
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - PEST AND CSR
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ETHICS AND DISSERTATION
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - GLOBALIZATION ​
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ENVIRONMENTAL
    • BA2 BUSINESS STUDIES CLASS READING - GLOBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL - ETHICAL
  • THE REFERENCING TEST
  BCOT BA Textiles for Fashion
Historical and Theoretical Studies theory classes and readings.
STUDY SKILLS - CHOOSING A RESEARCH SUBJECT

This information is taken from: 
McWillan and Weyers (2011): 2: Choosing a dissertation or research topic and 3: Writing a proposal. 

Choosing the best subject for your interests and situation will improve your chances of success.

1. PERSONAL CHOICE

In this case ... you are asked to choose not only the topic but the specific research question to be addressed. ... you will be expected to make make a selection largely on the basis of your personal interests within the discipline. ... from your personal experience or from previous detailed consideration of related topics arising from your course of study... 

make sure you take all relevant factors into account in a deliberate decision-making process, rather than hastily choosing under pressure. You should give the matter high priority and attention to activities that may help you make a decision, such as library or internet searches ... 

2. DECIDING ON PERSONAL RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • If you don't have any definite ideas think about what you have already done.
  • Consider issues of debate arising from classes, essays, tutorials.
  • What fired your curiosity?
  • Brainstorm possible subjects moving from the broad to the specific.
  • Mark options out of 10 and discard the ones which score lowly.
  • Talk your options through with someone else  - having to put your ideas into words can highlight how confident or not you feel about it. 


3. OTHER FACTORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT

Research approaches - questions to be answered, problems to be solved, issues to be debated. 

You may alter this 'research angle' through time, but refining your thoughts might aid the decision-making process.  Also, bear in mind that if you have a distinct direction to your work from the start, this will increase your chances of success. ... 

Time -  don't be over ambitious.

If you spend too much time on project work and/or writing this may adversely affect your performance in other coursework. ... 

Resources (secondary research i.e. reading) and data (primary research i.e. interviews, questionnaires).

You will need to evidence your work by reference to the literature. ... Thus, access to printed material is critical to the research process. ...

You need to take into account the most realistic method of garnering data, recording and interpreting the findings within the time-frame that you have to do the work. 


4. REMEMBER!

Make sure you are making an informed choice. Do the necessary background reading. Discuss the topics with your course director or assigned supervisor so you avoid taking on a subject that is risky...

Look at past work. Dissertations and reports produced by students in previous years will help you to gain a sense of the style and standard required. ... But don't be put off by apparently sophisticated structure and style in these completed examples. Remember that achieving this standard did not happen spontaneously.

Think for yourself. When choosing a topic, try not to be influenced by other students' opinions. This is, and should be, a highly personal decision. (McMillan and Weyers, 2011, pp.11-18).

REFERENCE

McMillan, K. and Weyers, J. (2011) How to write dissertations and project reports. Harlow: Pearson.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.