What is Practice - based Research?

 

Lyle Skains. (2016, February 12). The Practice of Research: A Methodology for Practice-Based Research in the Arts [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1xQ0eMxZJU

To help better my understanding of this term that has been mentioned in my recent lectures and workshops regarding the Practice of Research in Practice-based Research, I decided to look further into this. I discovered this YouTube video by practice-based researcher Lyle Skains that explores all the different terminologies in great detail regarding the practices in the Practice of Research. 

Annotations made from researching into practice-based research

Here I continue to explore by annotating further my thoughts on this video by Skains which allowed me to adapt a better understanding of practice-based research and how important it is to underpin a specific question of research to answer. Below are further notes taken from my thoughts and key points from the discovery of this video how it aligns with my own current journey and how I wish to tackle in answering my chosen question for this module.

A screenshot showing a brainstorming session for what I think is practice-based research?

Noting down key points from this brainstorming session allowed me to note down what I think practice-based research is and how there can be different areas to explore within my own methodology and practice area. 

Lyle Skains. (2016, February 12). The Practice of Research: A Methodology for Practice-Based Research in the Arts [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1xQ0eMxZJU

I decided it was best to take notes from this video that I discovered so that I could explore these terms in greater detail in my own methodology and practice research area. However, I did find that each term of Practice- Related Research areas did align with my own methodology in making things fully understand theory and design history. To each area within Practice-Related Research, I feel it's greatly important to understand each term first to then apply it effectively to your own practice area. I am very much drawn to Practice-based Research as I want to explore the areas of interest that I currently have been looking into regarding interactive posters and how I can align this in answering my chosen question: how can materiality enhance the user/ audience experience, in your own practice?

I decided to adapt my research further by looking at a blog post all about Practice-based Research, as this was one area I became more interested in exploring further. I decided to use one of the set readings for the class that was given to us via Moodle.

https://davidgauntlett.com/research-practice/what-is-practice-based-research/

Here you will see a screenshot showing the blog page that was suggested for us to read as part of our set readings before class. I was away at the time in Krakow and so I decided to catch up on this when I returned home. Below you will see another screenshot that I decided to take note of by highlighting key points that stood out to me and some annotations within the areas that became relevant to me and my practice. 

I found lots of questions starting to arise in my head about how I can apply practice-based research towards somewhat answering the question that I chose: how can materiality enhance the user/ audience experience, in your own practice? I had to think of this as a practical journey of discovery in relation to my own practice that being graphic design-based but how can this be developed further, specifically in the areas of my current interests being interactive posters, generative art, creative coding, typographic design and flexible visual systems. All of these areas have been part of my ongoing journey of discovery before starting my MA studies. I feel that this would be a great opportunity for me to tackle this question of research in the areas of interest that I have been looking into from the the perspective of a visual response,  trying to answer the question that I had picked for this module. 

Skains, R. L. (2018). Creative Practice as Research: Discourse on Methodology. Media Practice and Education, 19(1), 82–97.https://doi.org/10.1080/14682753.2017.1362175

It is important for me to identify the term practice-based research at this stage so that I can implement it into my own working methodology. The notion of practising within a specific area allows for ideas to be generated, creates a better understanding within a specific area and develops your own craft. It is important to use this form of research to allow for exploration to take place, this is where things can show up and adapt further ideas from creating such things that can move into other areas.