The University of Melbourne - Library - East Asian - Japanese Studies

Japanese Studies

Research on Japan (110-453)

Semester 1, 2003
Tuesday 3:15 - 5:45 pm (Sidney Myer Asia Centre, 118)

Ms Michelle Hall
Japanese Studies Librarian
East Asian Collection
3rd Floor, Baillieu Library
8344-5365
e-mail: hall@unimelb.edu.au Prof. Bill Coaldrake
Foundation Professor of Japanese Studies
Room 306
Sidney Myer Asia Centre
8344-5990
e-mail: whc@unimelb.edu.au

Assessment: (details below)

Schedule:

Seminar	Topic	Preparation/Homework
Week 1. March 4th Sidney Myer Asia Centre room 118	Introduction. Objectives and requirements.Research topics and "thesis". What is a "thesis"? What is "research"? Construction of written work. How to get started.	Prepare your thesis topic (as approved in your application) for presentation and discussion next class. Apply today's discussion to your work.
Week 2. March 11th (This class will be held in the Baillieu Library.)	Bibliographic and database searching. Using Innopac, Buddy, Kinetica, journals and an introduction to Endnote.	Find some items which are relevant to your topic (research exercise 1). Start work on annotated bibliography.
Week 3. March 18th (This class will be held in the East Asian Collection.)	1. Library - Japanese print resources. 2. Case studies. "Primary and seconday sources".	Survey East Asian Reference Collection for items useful to your bibliography. (research exercise 2) Come prepared to ask researchers about their research style and for any advice/tips.
Week 4. March 25th (This class will be held in the East Asian Collection.)	1. Library - Japanese electronic resources. 2. Case studies.	Spend some time familiarising yourself with the electronic resources in the East Asian Collection (research exercise 3). Come prepared to ask researchers about their research style and for any advice/tips.
Week 5. April 1st Sidney Myer Asia Centre room 118	Research design. Planning your thesis. Organisation and writing up. See previously submitted work.	Start working on your research design.
Week 6. April 8th Sidney Myer Asia Centre room 118	How to write a bibliography and cite other people's work. Discussion on what the examiner looks for.
Week 7. April 15th Sidney Myer Asia Centre room 118	Presentation of research designs to the class and group discussion.	Come prepared to discuss your research design, and to assess critically your classmates' designs.
	(EASTER)
Weeks 8-12	individual consultations as required

In addition: individual consultations - contact us to make an appointment. We prefer e-mail.
Send e-mail to Bill Coaldrake or Michelle Hall.

Reference Sources:

A Guide to Reference Books for Japanese Studies. International House of Japan Library, 1997 (Revised Edition).
UniM Baill EA REF 016.952 GUID
UniM Baill REF 016.952 GUID

Makino, Yasuko and Masaei Saito. A Student Guide to Japanese Sources in the Humanities. Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan, 1994.
UniM Baill REF 016.952 MAKI

Assessment details

Annotated Bibliography
2000-3000 words (40% of total assessment; due April 8)

Write a detailed bibliography of works which will be useful to your thesis. Include both books and journal articles, in both English and Japanese. You must demonstrate that you have done sufficient research to cover the topic adequately and that you have thought about each item and how relevant it is. See the copy of a previous student's work which will be available in class.

Research Design
2000-4000 words (50% of total assessment; due May 6)

The intention of this piece of work is to show that you have thought about your topic, have done sufficient research and preparation, and will be able to complete the thesis within the time frame. See also the page on Submission Guidelines for Honours Theses and Guidelines for Essays. In class we will read and discuss some research designs written by successful researchers.

Class Participation
(10% of total assessment)

Especially given the small class size, it will be essential that everyone participates in discussions and offers their opinions. You will all benefit from the experiences of your classmates and the result will be a better thesis.

Further links:

Research on Japan in the Arts Faculty Handbook online
Japanese Studies Program
Library Japanese Studies Page

Created: 23rd February 2000
Last modified:  4th February 2003
Authorised by: Mary Coghlan, Information Services.

Maintainer: Michelle Hall, Japanese Studies Librarian.

Email: hall@unimelb.edu.au