Category: 04 – Research Skills
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Role of the Literature Review
To add to the existing body of knowledge, we need to know what is already there. This is the determined by carrying out a literature review. It is also used to support and justify research. Also by reviewing existing work we can identify questions not yet answered, either: from “future work” section of existing dissertations/papers,…
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What is a Literature Review?
Evidence can come from previously published work. It is necessary to know what has previously been done in subject area. This information comes from conducting a literature review.
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What is a Dissertation?
It is a document that defends a hypothesis. Based on sound collection of evidence from both literature and collected data. Evidence gathered from appropriate sources, presented in coherent structure, drawing valid, reliable and justified conclusions. Degree-related project must contain work the student has carried out, not just other people’s work.
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Triangulation
Need significant body of evidence to support hypothesis. If taken from literature, read extensively around subject and gather wide range of correlative sources. If evidence is from own work, number of data sets required from different circumstances to ensure experiments/observations are repeatable. This approach is called triangulation – sets of evidence from various sources supporting…
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Sources – Your own data
Data can be collected from experiments and observations. Need to present in clear and concise manner that is easy to understand while including all relevant information. Usual to show data in graphical format so it is easier to interpret. Common data has standards of measurement, e.g. data communication; average data rate, lost packets, end-to-end delivery…
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Sources – Literature
Source of evidence must be clear. If it is from literature then it must be referenced. Must use the referencing method specified by publisher in order to get scientific paper published. Harvard referencing is one of main standards used in I.T. literature. Recent versions of MS Word have the option of setting Harvard as the…
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Things you have discovered during your research
Collecting data from an experiment provides evidence. e.g. monitoring section of Internet and collect statistical data on amount of traffic. Can be presented in research paper. Review reliability and repeatability to ensure data is acceptable.
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Things that other people have discovered
Body of knowledge is vast, can be found in: academic journals conference papers books etc. Source material for what is already known.
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Evidence
In science, everything has to be supported by evidence – no evidence, no scientific theory. Hyperspace is an example of science fiction as there is no evidence that faster than speed of light travel is possible. In the future, if this becomes possible then it will be science fact as there will be evidence to…
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Delivery
What will be delivered? Typically an academic paper (WRT the degree course, it will be the dissertation).