The UK National Centre for Research Methods
"The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) forms part of the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) strategy to improve the standards of research methods across the UK social science community. NCRM was established in April 2004 with funding from the ESRC to provide more strategic integration and coordination of ESRC's investment in research methods.
NCRM provides a focal point for research, training and capacity building activities. These activities are aimed at promoting a step change in the quality and range of methodological skills and techniques used by the UK social science community, and providing support for, and dissemination of, methodological innovation and excellence within the UK."
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Simon PerkinsSHARE
Designerly Activity: art, design and technology as research
"A great deal of art or design or technology activity entails some research, or orthodox or unorthodox kinds, in support of the main activity. It is not quite so certain that the activity itself is the same as research activity per se. One has to ask, was the art or design or technological activity an enquiry whose goal was knowledge? Was it systematically conducted? Were the data explicit? Was the record of the conduct of the activity 'transparent', in the sense that a later investigator could uncover the same information, replicate the procedures adopted, rehearse the argument conducted, and produce the same result? Were the data employed, and the outcome arrived at, validated in appropriate ways? Most academic institutions with higher level art, design or technology departments can point to at least a few cases of practical activity where an effort has been made, successfully, to meet these criteria. So can a few research institutes and professional design offices. In these cases the activity can properly be equated with research, and should be recognised and rewarded accordingly. Where any activity, whether it claims to be 'research' or not, fails to meet the criteria which define research activity as 'a systematic enquiry whose goal is communicable knowledge', it cannot properly be classed as research or equivalent to research. Where an activity does meet the criteria, it can be classed as research."
(Bruce Archer, 2004, p.28, The Design and Technology Association)
Archer, B. (2004). "Designerly Activity and Higher Degrees", The Design and Technology Association.
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Simon PerkinsSHARE
Inventory of research methods for librarianship and informatics
"This article defines and describes the rich variety of research designs found in librarianship and informatics practice. Familiarity with the range of methods and the ability to make distinctions between those specific methods can enable authors to label their research reports correctly. The author has compiled an inventory of methods from a variety of disciplines, but with attention to the relevant applications of a methodology to the field of librarianship. Each entry in the inventory includes a definition and description for the particular research method. Some entries include references to resource material and examples."
(Jonathan D. Eldredge, 2004, Journal of the Medical Library Association)
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Simon PerkinsSHARE
Make your own 'Hitler finds out...' parody video
"You've probably seen your share of 'Hitler finds out...' and 'Hitler reacts to...' videos that take the famous scene from the 2004 movie Downfall (Der Untergang) and add funny subtitles misrepresenting the reason for Hitler's rage... This website lets you create such videos easily. All you need to do is come up with the captions. We'll make the video for you and upload it straight to your YouTube account."
(Jacek Fedorynski)
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Simon PerkinsSHARE
Brands: The Logos of Global Economy
"Brands are everywhere: in the air, on the high street, in the kitchen, on television and, maybe, on your feet. But what kinds of things are they? The brand, a medium of exchange between company and consumer, has become one of the key cultural forces of our time and one of the most important vehicles of globalisation. In a new approach that uses media theory to study the economy, Celia Lury offers a detailed and innovative analysis of the brand. "
(Celia Lury, 2004)
Celia Lury (2004). "Brands: The Logos of Global Economy", International Library of Sociology, Routledge.
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Simon PerkinsSHARE
