OUGD601: COP Plan

New year, new me. For CoP 3 I have developed a working timetable to help aid me with organisation and keep on target with work. I have taken in account my tutorials with Simon, making sure I have written and produced work to show, making full use of my tutorial time. 

Organising Your Research Project Lecture

371.3 research books in the library 

40 credits (1/3) 400 hours 

6 - 9,000 word count 

at least 2.5 hours cupport 

deadline thu 14th jan , 2 - 4 pm 

Try to have a substantial draft submitted by christmas 

indepth critical analysis, a coherent written argument 

Planning the project 

• write down all the questions that you want to investigate 
• consider each on their mertits & focus on two (primary & secondary) 
• sketchbook full of ideas 
• what is the purpose of the study? 
• is your question researchable? 
• working title ...

First Tutorial 

• have a question
• have a structure plan ready
• chapters/introduction (should have intro/con as well) aims objectives
• conclusion - ties everything together 

look at module overview

Appropriate Title 

• the title should provide a thesis
• you might opt for a title & subtitle 
• no more than 15-20 words

Project Outline

• consider timings 
• investigate the title & different component parts that need researching 
• allocate timings 
• make a schedule - factor in tutorials 

11th december (submit to turnitin) 7,500 

use journals www.jstor.org

Reference - start compiling a bibliography now, reference as you go

OUGD601: Dissertation Research

The three things holding women back at work

Recently, I looked at this Guardian article on 'the three things holding women back at work' 

1. Unhelpful Stereotypes - Female board members also remain tied to the expectations of stereotypically feminine traits. A recent government study revealed women are more likely to be referred to as “bitchy”, “emotional” and “bossy” than their male colleagues.
2. Unconscious Bias - Female candidates tend to be judged on experience, whereas male candidates are assessed on potential, and that interviewers are more likely to question women than men on their ability to balance work and family life.
3. Lack of Role Models - High profile role models are important in helping women reach board level.  

My Thoughts 

I seem to have a lot of articles on the gender pay gap, and the lack of female representation in the boardroom. However, none have admitted that the biggest obstacle (in my opinion) to progress is the simple fact that women ( who up to the age of 30 tend to outearn their male counterparts ) then see their career take a back seat as they take time off to have, and then care for, their children.

I think we really want to see equal salaries in the workplace and equal representation in the boardroom we'd insist on compulsory shared parental leave. The men to take as much time off as the women to look after the children, and there would be nothing as much holding the women back

OUGD601: Books

I've decided to write a blogpost on some of the books I've been reading and looking at throughout the summer months: 

Women in Graphic Design - a book I highly recommend mainly concerned with history of women in graphic design and full of essays and interviews relating to gender issues and equality.. I discovered so many designers and type foundrys. 

This was a great book for me to read for a deeper understanding of feminism. It's a great read for people who know nothing about feminism or who are only familiar with mainstream society's myths about feminism, because it offers a concise and easy to understand history of the movement. hooks also clears up misunderstanding on the definitions of the terms feminist and feminism. She touches on problems within the movement and where we're at now.

A book I lightly touched upon its a detailed but informal look at the pervasive power of gender stereotypes, backed by science. Fine's target in this book is what she calls 'neurosexism' - misinterpretations of modern neuroscience which supposedly justify stereotypes and perpetuate discrimination against women in society. Women are supposedly more empathetic, men are more analytic, women can't lead, men can't raise children, etc., etc. The roots of these beliefs are not in inherent biological limitations, but instead in cultural biases, education and raising, and priming. 

A commentary on the state of society today regarding women/ girls, the pressures they face, the nature of 'choice' regarding those who enter the sex trade or glamour modelling and the regression to pre-feminist beliefs and patterns of behaviour. Not necessarily relatable to my topic - but a good read. 

I read a couple chapters of this it was a thoughtful, energetic discussion of the gendered body.

I started reading this but it was so heavy going in places and some of the stuff was quite outdated.

Moira Gatens investigates the ways in which differently sexed bodies can occupy the same social or political space.

As well as these books I have reading books on research and critical thinking skills to help aid my dissertation writing.