[Grad2021] [Turnbull Zemi] Tomorrow's zemi

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Hi, everyone

I'm sorry for writing in English, but I've gotten behind on a bunch of
paperwork and need to get this out today.

1.  SECOND YEAR STUDENTS: Fill out the 達成度評価 (attached) and bring
    it to Zemi so I can sign it, and hand it in tomorrow.  (If you
    have already done so you don't need to do it again.)

2.  SECOND YEAR STUDENTS: Please send me a draft of your first two
    chapters by 12 noon tomorrow, as much as you have.  I want to see
    (1) how you explain the background and your motivation for
    your research, and (2) how your thesis (テーマ) is connected to
    previous research.  It is not important to explain the previous
    research in detail at this time.  Finally, provide a full list of
    all references you expect to use in your "karitoji" draft, divided
    into two groups: (1) those referenced in the first two chapters,
    and (2) any others.  These should be fully cited (eg, for a work
    published in a printed professional journal: full names of
    authors, publication year, article title, journal name, volume and
    number of journal, publication month, and page numbers).

3.  FIRST YEAR STUDENTS and KENKYUSEI: Tomorrow you will present the
    early part of your proposal.  Prepare slides for

    a.  Title page (as usual)

    b.  Explain the background for your thesis (テーマ), such as
        social and economic trends and indicators, and personal
        experiences (use the third person, not the first person: eg,
        not "when I went to Saigon, I noticed many bicycles but few
        automobiles", instead "travelers to Saigon will notice
        compared to Tokyo there are many bicycles but few automobiles
        in the streets").  Personal experiences might involve travel
        (as in the previous example of the third person), books or
        movies, news, places you've lived, and so on.

    c.  Explain your thesis in some detail.  What is your research
        intended to prove?

        Focus on cause and effect relationships.  Even if your primary
        goal is to measure something, it's not research if there
        aren't obstacles to accurate measurement, just work.  How do
        those obstacles make measurement difficult?  How do you
        overcome them?  To answer those questions you need to describe
        cause and effect.

        What cause and effect relationships do you believe are
        operating?  Which one(s) is (are) most interesting to you?
        Describe some relationships that you believe are present but
        you can ignore or you know how to control (there always are
        some! -- a good source for these is previous research).  Are
        there relationships that are not interesting for your research
        but you can't ignore and don't know how to control yet?
        (There usually are some!)

    d.  Although you choose the "interesting" relationships, you need
        to present them to an audience.  Who is your audience?  Why
        are they interested in your research?  How is *their* work
        made easier or improved by knowing about your research.
        Unless you are creating new research methods, "professors" is
        not an acceptable answer.

    e.  Briefly explain your research method, such as data and models
        (statistical and theoretical).

    f.  If you have a reference list, include it.  If not, don't
        create it now.

There will be discussants assigned randomly.

Steve