Feedback May 2002 (Vol 43 No 2)

Figure 2The process of project work in a project forum (12-14 weeks)Group Supervision Learning stages Forum Meetings1st meeting Topic definition Intro SeminarPrelim. Research2nd meeting Definition of ‘cardinal question’ SeminarResearch phase: Theories,methodology, analysisWorking papers3rd meetingCardinal question re-definitionResearch phase: methodology,(fieldwork), analysisCardinal question re-definitionMidway Seminar4th meetingFeedback on draft chaptersContinued researchSUBMISSION OF REPORT_______________________Oral exam planningOral exam:Defense and DiscussionAt the middle of the diagram are the learning stages: After the topic has been(preliminarily) defined, the group members start on the preliminary research, asdirected by the supervisor during the introductory seminar, collecting relevanttheoretical and methodological books and articles, as well as previous research in thesame or related areas.During the semester, each group will have at least four group meetings with thesupervisor, for which they will have submitted working papers, or draft chapters for theproject report a couple of days in advance, so as to enable the supervisor to deliverscholarly feedback at the meeting. At the first of these meetings, the group memberswill suggest a formulation of the main question facing their problem-oriented researchprocess, the so-called ‘cardinal question’. As the project goes along, the cardinalquestion may be revised in light of new theoretical, methodological, and analyticaldiscoveries, or practical barriers like when it turns out to be impossible to do as manyfocus group interviews as originally planned.BEA—Educating tomorrow’s electronic media professionals 5