Since the class in the first week was cancelled, I combined the progress of Week 1 and Week 2.
During these two weeks, the teacher mainly introduced how to write a thesis proposal, why we need to write a proposal, and some important points to keep in mind when writing a literature review.
1. How to write a thesis proposal?
At first, it felt a bit abstract, because the word “proposal” sounded distant and formal. I’m not very confident in academic research and writing. However, the teacher explained it in a very practical way—the core purpose of a proposal is simply to let others understand what you want to research, how you plan to do it, and whether your plan is realistic. The structure is also quite clear: research question, methodology, literature, and a basic outline of chapters.
I began to realize that writing a proposal is actually a chance to organize my research plan in advance. It helps define the direction of the thesis. The first step is to decide on a topic and general area, and then start searching for related literature. The teacher mentioned that during the literature search, you will usually start to get a clearer idea of how to narrow down your research focus.
2. Why write a proposal?
A proposal isn’t just something to hand in—it’s meant to help you avoid getting lost during your research. At some point in the writing process, everyone hits a moment of “What am I even doing?” The proposal is there to build a roadmap in advance, so you at least have a clear idea of what you’re trying to do.
Of course, things will probably change along the way, but having a starting point is much better than having nothing at all.
3. Is a literature review just a book report?
I was actually quite confused about this part. I’ve read a lot of references, but when it came to writing, I was worried about quoting too much and simply piling up materials. The teacher said that a literature review isn’t about showing how many books I’ve read; it’s about explaining why these books are relevant to my research. Therefore, the literature I choose should align with my research topic.
This shifted my perspective: I’m not just summarizing what others have said, but thinking about how I can use their viewpoints to support my research. And I also need to use the Harvard referencing format.
I’ve also been thinking, should I include viewpoints I personally disagree with? Should I analyze the views in the literature from different angles—whose ideas are similar, and who contradicts whom? Do their viewpoints have limitations based on time or gender? This is actually a process of critical reflection.
The teacher mentioned that we can freely explore topics related to our FMP. For my FMP, I have developed three potential stories, which I have also mentioned in other course blogs. Now, I will introduce them.
The Cyberpunk Escape： A High-Speed Chase
The first story takes place in a futuristic cyberpunk city. A mercenary steals a powerful gene orb, triggering a citywide lockdown. With the gates closing, she must escape before it’s too late. The entire animation revolves around a thrilling chase sequence.
This story is the one I am most eager to explore in-depth. I have always been fascinated by the topic of artificial mechanical life, and I’ve played many games with similar themes, such as NieR: Automata and Detroit: Become Human. I find it very interesting to explore these topics from an academic perspective.
The Puppeteer’s Dilemma – A Story of Tradition or dream and Survival
The second story is about an elderly puppeteer, a profession that is now considered an intangible cultural heritage in China. I discovered that few young people learn this craft today because it doesn’t provide financial stability. Even in ancient times, puppeteers struggled to make a living.
This story takes place in a ruined temple during a harsh snowstorm. The puppeteer, cold and impoverished, realizes he is running out of firewood. He faces a difficult choice: should he burn his puppets to survive, or preserve his dream at the cost of his life?
Through research, I became deeply fascinated by the struggles of traditional artisans. This story resonated with me because it highlights the sacrifices artists make for their passion. It also made me reflect on the fragility of cultural heritage and how many traditional arts are at risk of fading away.
This story is actually inspired by Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (聊斋) and folk legends. The main narrative comes from records in ancient Chinese texts, but with a twist. In this version, the protagonist appears through the lens of a camera. As someone who can see ghosts, he hides in a ruined temple on a snowy night and meets a puppeteer and his puppet. During their conversation, the puppeteer complains that his profession and the puppet have left him poor, and then begins to perform for the protagonist. After the performance, the puppet suddenly comes to life, confronts the puppeteer, and then throws itself into the fire.
This folk narrative is quite interesting because at the very beginning, it’s stated that the protagonist can see ghosts. So, the puppeteer and the puppet might actually be ghosts. It’s possible that they have been frozen to death in the ruined temple long ago. This suggests that the puppeteer had already made the choice between burning the puppet to stay warm and holding onto his dream.
Inspired by this folk tale, I depicted the puppeteer’s choice to stick to his dreams. He is like the little match girl, who ends up freezing to death beside a dying fire.
Although the ending is not very happy, it does reflect the reality faced by many folk performers and artisans. They cannot earn enough from passing down their skills and are faced with the decision of changing professions. This has led to the disappearance of many forms of intangible cultural heritage.
This is also a very interesting topic, as it brings up the issue of passing down traditional arts.
The Magic Hat – A Reflection on Gacha Games
The third story initially started as a critique of the gacha mechanics in pay-to-win games. However, after discussing it with my teacher, I realized that it could be reimagined as a more warm story with happy ending.
The story follows a young girl who receives a mysterious package containing a magic hat. She discovers that by pulling objects from the hat, she can get animals—even rare creatures like unicorns. Excited, she continues drawing, spending all the coins in her piggy bank. But no matter how many times she tries, she never gets the unicorn she wants.
In the end, although she didn’t get the unicorn she most desired, she gained many animal friends. This story doesn’t seem to develop into an interesting thesis topic.