More thoughts on dissertation format

Earlier today, whilst driving to and from Livingston, I spent some time thinking about the format for my dissemination. I took a Kraftwerk CD, as well as Daft Punk’s Tron soundtrack to offer some digitally themed inspiration. Motoring along the A71, I had the following thoughts.

• I definitely like the idea of presenting the dissertation as a constellation on an astronomical map. This would have an explanatory key, segments of information and other bits and pieces that I’ve outlined elsewhere on this blog.
• I don’t want to make a video or series of videos. I came to the conclusion that if it took weeks of effort to create the 3-minute manifesto video, the time required to create, compile and edit something with around 14,000 words would be way too much to take on. And I’d have to create lots of images to accompany the words. No, definitely not a video this time.
• I want to include sound in some way. It just feels that to produce a multimodal arefact with image and words – but without an aural element – would feel incomplete. It would also be at odds with the dissertation title. That would be a nice thing actually – the dissemination reflecting the subject matter. Having said that it has to avoid being monotonous or especially time consuming to make. It doesn’t have to be songs, maybe something ambient – whether that’s ambient music or ambient noise (like the sound of typing on a keyboard, electronic or the sound of space, whatever that is). Maybe the Brian Eno app might be the thing.

This evening I had a quick look at Thinglink to see whether its potential to create interactive images might be suitable for my plans (as I don’t quick click with Prezi). The answer was ‘no’ for the following reason which can be added to the list above as another guiding light (warning light) for the format in general. 

• I don’t want my dissertation to have external links. The information needs to be contained within the constellation and the reader’s journey needs to be between the different components, not outside of it. So hyperlinks are out. I’ve never liked this kind of thing particularly anyway: I want this to be entirely my work.

Some useful thoughts here. More to follow the next time on the A71.