Songyue's Blog

This week we covered two research methods: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research explains phenomena using numbers and statistical data, seeking cause-effect relationships through deductive reasoning. Qualitative research does not rely on statistics; it focuses on process, context, and meaning, understanding problems through inductive reasoning.

The research process consists of four elements: epistemology determines what worldview guides the research, theoretical perspective decides what to study, methodology establishes the research strategy, and methods are the specific tools used.

Choosing which method depends on your research aims. Exploratory research is suitable for qualitative methods, using interviews to collect data. Confirmatory research is suitable for quantitative methods, using surveys and statistical analysis.

Methodology is the section of your paper that describes how you conducted the research and why. It should be written in the past tense. Research methods refer to the specific steps, while methodology is the entire chapter; they are different.

Critical thinking should be like a criminal investigation: thoroughly investigate the problem, support and challenge ideas, cross-examine the literature, and reach a conclusion based on evidence.

When writing a thesis, you must cite peer-reviewed academic sources such as books and journal articles. These can be accessed through UAL Library Services or Google Scholar. Do not cite personal blogs, film reviews, or YouTube videos unless they contain a specific animation that cannot be found elsewhere. The formatting should use 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, with line spacing set to 1.5 or 2.0.

The language should be formal and objective. Avoid emotional language and sweeping generalisations. Instead, use qualifying adverbs such as some, several, a few, or many. Do not use first-person pronouns like I, my, or we. Instead, use passive voice or impersonal subjects. Avoid verbs that soften your argument, such as hope, believe, or feel. Do not use contractions, colloquial language, or slang. Avoid phrasal verbs and vague words like get, a lot, or nice. Your writing should be as concise and precise as possible.

When quoting or paraphrasing someone else’s ideas, you must clearly reference the source in your text. Use the Harvard referencing system, which requires the author’s surname, year, and page number in the text. Short quotations of up to three lines should be incorporated into your sentence with double quotation marks. Longer quotations should be indented with single spacing, with a blank line before and after, and no quotation marks.

The reference list should be arranged alphabetically by the author’s surname. Book titles and journal names should be italicised, while article titles should be in single quotation marks. For books, include the publisher and the publication date. For online sources, include the author, title, full URL, and the date you accessed the site. A filmography should follow the reference list, with film titles in italics and arranged alphabetically. The first time you mention a film, include the title, director, and year. The first time you mention a television character, include the actor’s name in brackets after the character’s name. For television programmes, include the original broadcast channel and date.

Week notes:

When choosing a topic, it should not be too broad or too narrow. A broad topic only allows for superficial coverage without deep analysis, while a narrow topic has an obvious answer and lacks research value. A good topic should be focused and intellectually challenging. The research question needs to be broken down into sub-questions to help structure the thesis. If you need to change the topic significantly after the proposal is approved, you must resubmit the proposal.

Research sources are divided into two types. Primary sources are original materials such as interviews, artworks, or original documents. Secondary sources are commentaries and analyses written by others. Every source has its own perspective, so you should not take things at face value. It is important to pay attention to the author’s position.

When taking notes, record the author, title, publisher, date, and page number. Direct quotes must be marked with quotation marks. Research has four stages: identifying what sources you need, making a schedule, reading with specific questions in mind, and setting a deadline to avoid endless research.

Evaluating information is very important. Academic writing should be precise and cautious, and sources need to be authoritative, credible, unbiased, and current. Books in university libraries are generally reliable, but you still need to be aware of the author’s perspective, such as feminism or Marxism.

When planning the thesis structure, do not organise it chronologically. Instead, build the structure around your argument. The title should be precise and concise, and the content should at least cover what the title promises.

Week Notes:

This week covered the main forms of short narratives, including classic short stories (e.g., “The Gift of the Magi,” “The Lottery”), flash fiction (only a few paragraphs or sentences), and narrative essays (e.g., Joan Didion’s “Goodbye to All That”). Short narratives are characterized by brevity, a single focus, limited characters, direct storytelling, and a unified emotional effect.

Micro-narratives are extremely short stories that capture a single moment or emotion, making them ideal for social media, advertising, and research. They emphasize emotional core and relatability, contrasting with macro-narratives (myths, fables) by offering individual, zoomed-in perspectives.

Non-dialogue animation tells stories purely through visuals—body language, facial expressions, music, and sound effects—without spoken words. Types include silent animation, abstract animation, and music-driven animation (e.g., “Fantasia”). Notable examples include “Shaun the Sheep,” “Pingu,” “The Red Turtle,” and “Balance.” Key elements are visual storytelling, universal appeal, sound design, and artistic expression.

Task for this week:

1. On graduation which area or environment of production do you wish to focus upon and why?

I wish to focus on the area of stylised animation. The reason is that stylised animation can express emotion and narrative through exaggerated shapes, colours, and movement, making it more expressive and artistically distinctive than realistic animation. I am very interested in this form, as it allows me to create a unique visual language and emotional impact with limited production resources.

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

I need to master the following skills: stylised character design, which means conveying character personality through techniques such as exaggeration, distortion, or abstraction; colour theory and visual language, using colour and shape to express emotion; animated performance, making characters feel lively and believable without relying on realism; and visual narrative structure, learning how to establish plot and emotion within a short timeframe. In addition, it is necessary to become proficient in animation software such as Blender, Maya, or After Effects.

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

I plan to showcase a stylised animated short film, approximately two to three minutes long. Alongside the film, I will present visual development materials, including style exploration, character design sheets, colour scripts, and storyboards, allowing the audience to see the full process of creating a stylised animation from concept to final piece. If space permits, I may also set up a process wall to show the evolution of different style attempts.

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

No, it is not important. I believe that theoretical research and practical work can be conducted relatively independently. Practical work relies more on intuition, aesthetic judgment, and experience, while thesis research can serve as a parallel direction of exploration. The two do not necessarily need to be directly linked.

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

No, I do not. I wish to focus all my research energy on content that serves the practical work, ensuring that every part of my research directly or indirectly helps me complete my final animated piece.