This week was our first lecture of the year, although it felt a bit strange because it took place the day before the deadline for last term’s submission. The session introduced the thesis proposal brief and covered potential research topics, motivations, applications and ethical considerations. We also looked at the overall structure of the thesis and what will be expected from us over the coming months.
As my main focus at the time was finishing my previous submission, the most useful part of the lecture was Nigel’s advice on formatting. He went through details such as page numbering, chapter numbering and document structure. Although these seem like small details, it reminded me how important presentation is in academic work. After the lecture, I went back to my submission and made a few final changes before handing it in.
Looking back, I did not spend much time thinking about my thesis topic yet because my attention was on the deadline. However, the lecture gave me a better understanding of the scale of the project and what will be required. It also made me start thinking about possible areas of research that connect to my interests in animation, technology and audience interaction.