Individual Research Journal

his week and the following four weeks will be different than in the past, in that that there won’t be specific learning activities, including lectures. Your focus should be two-fold, reading the readings provided and developing your research.

What does development involve? It’s not necessarily doing the research itself, but it may be any of the following:

• Reviewing data/studies/articles that exist and creating an annotated bibliography.
• Basic research around topic to develop more context and/or specifics for your thesis and abstract.
• Delving into methodologies, determining access and approach.
• Tweaking your thesis statement and question, as well as abstract.
• Determining structure of your research.
• Writing questions, lines of query for your research.
• Synthesizing the weekly readings to your research.

…more ideas will be outlined in the Discussion/Assignment instructions.

At the end of each week, you will be required to write a 2-page journal entry. These are unstructured entries, and can include notes, ideas, and even questions to your classmates or instructor! You will then be required to respond to one of your classmates.

---

This week, your readings focus on sustainability, privacy, millennial start-ups, size and diversity:

The Problem with ‘Sustainable Fashion’ (CNN)

Privacy and Hacking (CNN)

The Millennial Urban Lifestyle… (The Atlantic)

⚑ As you read these articles, what ideas come to mind that may help you in your own research? Be sure to keep notes and tag them back to your annotated bibliography.

▶ Reminder: How to create an Annotated Bibliography

JOURNAL #1

(1 of 4 Journal Entries)

▶ INCLUDE YOUR CURRENT THESIS QUESTION AND STATEMENT ON TOP OF EACH JOURNAL ENTRY!

1. Write a Personal 2-page Narrative on current research process. Must include:

• Updates on work, questions you a grappling with, concepts you are considering, research you are doing. See below for areas of focus.
• Assimilation of weekly readings and how they relate to your research topic.
• Optional: Questions to your follow classmates — requests for their ideas/thoughts.

2. Respond to a classmate.

---

More examples of what you can focus on over the course of the next four weeks:

• Marketing research to find key data points to further define/strengthen your thesis question or statement.
  • Example: If 31% of Gen Z population identify as LGBTQ, and this is number is growing, then why are fashion companies only dedicated X% of their products and services to this population?
• Research of current studies and/or market research available in your topic area. How do these studies correlate with your area of focus? Are there ways to build on what’s already been done?
• Develop an Annotated Bibliography that includes books, articles, journals and studies. You will be presenting a final Annotated Bibliography towards the end of course, so developing this now will be helpful!
• Research chosen methodologies to determine how best to achieve the results you are seeking. What will you need to do to set up an ethnographic study or an interview? What are the timelines? Is there any money needed to complete your research? What budgets will you need?
• What issues of integrity and ethics will you need to consider in your research? Learn more here.
• Each week you are given readings. How do these readings relate to your research topic? Have they sparked any new ideas, or changed your mind about anything?