My FMP Idea(s)

Though our final major project seems so far away, we've already started to think and plan towards it. In media theory, we are starting our research project. Though it isn't final, I'm trying to choose a topic related to my FMP.

Research comprises "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humans, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications." (Wikipedia, 2016). In its most general sense, research involves investigating a topic to learn more about it.

A research project is a form of collecting and presenting all of this data, in a certain structure. First, you introduce your topic, and any theories you have. After that you present all of your primary and secondary research, ending with a conclusion and an outcome, based on your findings. You can present this in many ways, but the most popular is in print form - like a professional booklet.

You can use many research methods in a research project, and that's one of the great things about it. For instance, focus groups, questionnaires, case studies, etc. The purpose of all of this, of course, is to gain knowledge in an area of study, and draw up the best outcome you can.

For my research project, I wanted to link it to an idea I had for my FMP.

However, until earlier today my FMP idea was undecided.

I was going to research something I'm passionate about: preventing animal cruelty, modern day novels, or something else. The first idea was hard to link to media, though there are many documentaries on animal cruelty like Black Fish and Tyke the Elephant, it's hard to make this into a publishing project. Also, I wouldn't know what angle to take this on, though I am passionate about it.

My next idea was modern day novels. I am passionate about writing, and I could do a research project on how books and the industry has changed, and why? There were many angles I could take with this, like are e-books now the way forward? Is reading as popular as before? However, these have been done before (many times, too), and even myself who is passionate about reading and writing got bored of the idea.

Then, this morning, I thought of a while new angle for my research project and FMP (and it includes writing).

The idea for my final project is to print a children's book, but the content was something I couldn't figure out. So, I made my research project question: Are children's book better with morals?

I already have some knowledge of children's book for a number of reasons: a) I wanted to work in a  children's book publishing firm, b) I want to work somewhat in creating children's stories in films or books, and c) I have a five year old sister.

I personally love children's books with morals in, whether subtle or literally quoted in the book. I think they teach people great values and put it into a whole new perspective. However, whether or not children get these messages from books is interesting.

I made an online mind-map to help me organise my ideas, and how to develop them. These questions helped me make my research project more solid and structured, and seem more complete. Now I can develop on this confidently as I progress into the brief.