Research resources

Peta is certainly a key resource for everyone - and she knows the Library and learning centre inside out. When I meet with you all tomorrow one of the recommendations I will make over and over again is to do more research - and go beyond Google! Peta can help you immensely with this. Thanks Peta for joining our blog.

Here is a checklist I have made up for your papers:

PRAC6 – 2008

Industry Report – CHECKLIST FOR FINAL REPORT

What makes a good report? Following is a checklist to help you in finalising your industry reports.

1. Content:

Start by defining the scope of the paper (what are you going to cover?) and your approach to the research (how did you find out what you are going to write about?) in the introduction. The content of the paper should be clearly defined and then you should make sure you cover what you state you will cover.

The content should be appropriate to your professional goals. The industry research and your own folio development should be integrated and relevant connections made between the two.

2. Structure:

If you have developed a logical outline, the structure should follow this. Check for any repetitiveness or jumping back and forth between subsections. The research findings and your analysis of them should be arranged in a clear way. The test for a clear structure is to write in one or two words the topic of each paragraph (on the margin of the paper) – you should see then how/if the structure is clear or not.

3. Clarity:

Write in full sentences that are gramatically correct and well constructed. Make sure the spelling and punctuation are correct. Run-ons, fragments and awkward phrasings make a paper hard to read. Be precise and professional in your word choice. You can speak in first person, but do so convincingly – assume your audience is knowledgeable about the subject – you are talking to colleagues/peers.

A good test for clarity and overall editing/proofing is to exchange papers with another person and give each other critical feedback.

4. Visual Support:

Include examples of the photographers you research and examples of your work as it has progressed from it’s inception. We want to see how your own work has developed, both stylistically and conceptually – so include “mistakes” and talk about how you were challenged.

5. Primary and Secondary Research

Your primary research should be one complete appendix. Include all emails, notes from conversations, survey forms etc. Your secondary research should include all the sources of your annotated bibliography plus others you have found through the semester. You should have at least 10 items in your bibliography.

6. References and bibliography:

You can choose to use footnotes OR endnotes – in sequential order. These must be used for:
Direct quotes
Paraphrasing (at the end of the paragraph)
Every image

In addition, you need a bibliography in correct format.

You must follow the CIT research and reference conventions as outlined in the booklet Acknowledging the Source. If your writing is brilliant and your folio work spectacular you will still be marked down if you do not follow the correct format for bibliography and references.