Components of front cover image (dissemination)

On the way back from Moray House Library earlier today (having returned The Psychology of Everyday Things by Donald Norman) I stopped for a coffee in Caffe Nero and jotted down some ideas for the front cover image. With Michael visiting this weekend and willing to spend some time talking multimodality, it would helpful to have a mock up in place to get his thoughts on. Here then are some thoughts on the possible artefact components that could make up the front cover image for dissemination:

Introduction, background, abstract
This could be the abstract printed out or on screen. In fact it makes sense for it to be on screen. It could be the abstract seen in Word or something like that - being digitally composed.

Literature review
This could be a pile of books or some printed out journal articles. The pile of books could be actual texts that I consulted or I could do mock up front covers as per the LS image a few years ago (although that sounds quite time consuming and the originality might not be consistent with the approach to other artefacts). Maybe just stick with a pile of books from the key voices in the field. It would be a nice touch to include the book that Sian was the editor of.

Methodology
This could be a print out of my research proposal on the desk. Perhaps the document would be open.

Discussion of data
This could be a transcript on screen being edited, the raw data in Skype, or a print out of the script with annotation.

Observational case study
This could be my camera, case and print out  of photographs from the architecture observation. Obviously it would mean I wouldn't be using my own camera to take the photo. Mightn't be a bad thing considering I haven't got the hang of it yet.

Conclusion
This could be the actual conclusion typed on the computer screen. Getting a bit unoriginal here.

Appendix and acknowledgements
[Assuming I choose to structure the dissertation this way] Don't know what to do here.

Hmmm. Lacking imagination here. Very repetitive. Maybe I need to take a different approach, focusing on the artefact rather than the component of the website that's being represented.

Computer screen with abstract typed in Word: 'Introduction'  

Printed out research proposal on desk: 'Methodolody'

Books piled up: 'Literature review' [Words]

Dictaphone: 'Data collection and discussion' [Sound]

Hand drawn spider diagram: 'Conclusion'

Camera and photos: 'Observation' [Image]

Picture of Claire and Joe in a frame on desk: 'Acknowledgement and appendix'

This is beginning to take shape. It's not perfect, but it's not bad. I'll need to think carefully how I arrange the different items for photographing - I need each component to be clear and for the image to be authentic but not overly cluttered. Maybe I can add some authenticity by including some of the following items into the scene:

Paper coffee cup, finished

Selection of music CDs, with Music for Writing at top and clear to see

Other stationery

That'll do for now. Maybe tomorrow night I'll have a quick go at mocking this up (with some dummy components) before I spend much more time thinking about this.