Some more ideas to get direction

The what and The why

Need to consider the format process of the research how to do it, what direction to go in

Read some of How to get a PhD, Phillips and Pugh, How to do research section
WHAT questions
Is intelligence gathering - gathering info on the subject but not research
Asking what it is
What is curatorial practice what is value what is identity
What are exhibitions projects of contemporary art in Scotland
What is contemporary art
What is a curator what do they do
What is going on in Scotland in terms of curating
What is Scottish identity

WHY questions
Goes beyond description and requires analysis
It looks for explanations, relationships, comparisons, predictions, generalizations and theories.
Info is used for developing understanding
Research questions have comparisons in them
I.e. fewer, different, slower, etc
Why is there curatorial practice in different organisations
Why is there a need to define curatorial practice
Why do we need to define the identity of the practice
Why is there any value in the work
Why does it happen
Why is this culturally relevant
Why is a new type of practice and did it exists already in another way

Characteristics of research
Open system of thought – everything up for grabs continual testing, probing to establish what is not obvious or trivial
Examine data critically – to establish evidence
Generalize and specify the limits on their generalizations – to establish generalizations through the development of explanatory theory, it’s the application of theory which turns intelligence gathering into research

Basic types of research
Exploratory – tackling a new problem
Testing out – trying to find the limits of the generalizations, endless and continuous so able to improve, specify, modify, clarify important generalizations
Problem solving – starting with a real world problem, problem has to be defined and a solution has to be discovered
Testing out is best route
But still need to create new knowledge and theoretical insight

Observe how others research and what skills, techniques and practices they do
Practice these skills as much as possible
Need to attempt trial processes

Judith suggested to make a critique on an exhibition, text, ideas of curating, cultural policy, write some text which analyses something relevant to written work down
Is the area to big prob not at this time
What the parameters
Geographically, Scotland? NE?
Gallery spaces, rural and urban, non white spaces, public/social art, site specific, performance sites/work, hospitals
Personnel who are we thinking about to have this knowledge understanding – curators in galleries/museums, curators in festivals, organisers in public /social oriented work, exhibition organisers, gallery managers, marketing, fundraisers, installation team, gallery guides, the viewing public, the showing artists, the producers of events, residencies,