In Week 05 of Advanced 3D Computer Animation, Professor Nigel Mairs helped me to focused on refining my research topic and building a structured set of research questions for my thesis on Player-Created Avatars and Digital Ownership. Professor Nigel explained to me how to move from a broad idea to a focused research direction using a funnel approach. I started wide and gradually narrowed my topic to identify a clear research gap.
Step 1: Structuring the Process
Professor Nigel showed me the full thesis planning workflow. I learned how to structure my process from topic selection to final draft. He emphasised that the literature review should remain a separate section and can be organised in different ways such as thematic or chronological. I understood the importance of writing concise summaries with clear topic sentences and using only relevant citations.
Step 2: Tracking the Progress
I also focused on project planning. I created small weekly tasks to stay consistent with progress. Nigel explained the importance of maintaining daily notes, tracking development, and asking for early feedback. I also learned how to handle setbacks by adjusting the plan instead of stopping progress.
For my progress, I finalised a working draft of my research direction and organised my questions into clear categories. This week helped me build a strong structure for my thesis and improved my approach towards planning, research, and consistency.