Assignment AR 3 : Research Methodology

 Assignment AR 3 : Research Methodology


What is Research Methodology?


Different kinds of research methods can and do use or generate different kinds of data, for example;

•  An audio interview will give personal opinions, attitudes and beliefs.
• An archival search will reveal a set of texts or statistics. 
•  An archaeological dig will give up objects of material culture.
• Practice based research will produce a body of art/deign work.

Different kinds of data can provide different kinds of evidence, which when seen as a whole gives a rounded account of the issue being investigated.

Research methods in Science and Social Science are long established and researches can call on a large range of validated methods dependant upon their particular field of enquiry. As an example of quantitative research, scientists can utilise controlled experiments in laboratory conditions and in qualitative research case studies of anthropological fieldwork on a particular social episode could produce the most relevant results.

Research methods and methodologies in Art and Design are still in their infancy and therefore have to be adaptive and inventive. Visual art researchers have to try and develop appropriate methodologies, taking into account current cultural contexts and technologies such as multi-media and multi-sensory methods.

The application of any research method requires the following critical considerations;

• Be responsive to the research context and appropriately utilised, both ethically and relevantly.
•  Be validated by other researchers, useful and meaningful to other users in a particular context and be dependable and trustworthy.
• Be applied with rigour and consistency.
• Be described thoroughly and documented accessibly, be explicit and transparent.

An interesting example of an Artist/Practitioner utilising research methodologies is Ian Ferguson. Whilst undertaking his PhD at the Royal College of Art in 1996 he was co-supervised by the Department of Materials at Oxford University. He was experienced in the Japanese art of Mokume Gane, traditionally a 'hit and miss' method of fusing metals. he applied and documented modern methods of solid-state diffusion bonding to the production of Mokume Gane objects. Initially he was faced with being accepted as a craftsperson in a scientific research environment, whilst producing work of a high aesthetic quality at art school. He developed his research methodologies utilising metallurgic research techniques from the standpoint of a craftsperson. (Seago, A, 1999. Art and Design. Design Issues, Volume 15, 11)

To sum up research methodologies should aim to describe and analyse methods, throw light on their limitations and resources, clarify any presuppositions and consequences, relating their potentialities to the twilight zone at the ‘Frontiers of Knowledge’.