As we are nearing the end of our research summer, most of our time was spent working on our reports.
Upon securing the updated copies of the dataset, I went through the data and spent time modifying both the baseline and endline data for the report. I also spent some time this week working on comparisons between baseline and endline data, and between the two pilot studies. Our group also made sure to pseudonymise our data on both the graphs and the write-up to ensure participant anonymity. Moving forward, I will further edit the data analysis section in the report to reflect our analysis, and to go through any comments and suggestions our supervisor has given us. The deadline for the survey we sent for the sports ambassadors is this week, so we will go ahead and analyse the qualitative responses as well.
We also spent time crafting our research poster this week (the stylistic choice of our poster reflects the design of the graphs in our report!), which I particularly enjoyed. It was fun to tackle the project from a slightly more creative lens, and it really made our group think about the most crucial components of our project, and how to get our aims, methodology, and findings across in a concise, yet engaging way.
Following on from this would be the “Bad Art” session we participated in. I found it therapeutic to take some time off to work on a piece of art. I gave myself free reign and just painted without any initial planning. The session was very enjoyable, and I would love to do something like this again.
We concluded our week with a talk on justice. As leaders, we often have to face decisions, many of them difficult. When I read Orwell’s writing on ‘Shooting an Elephant’, I appreciated Orwell’s honesty and vulnerability in his writing, and his willingness to reflect on the incident. I believe it takes courage to publish a piece of work that personally highlights one’s flaws. Disregarding the debate of whether his actions were ‘good’ or ‘bad’, I think it was a rational decision he made in that second. Perhaps it was the ‘best’ option for Orwell’s need to be respected to survive in a society that did not welcome him, even though it wasn’t the most moral, ‘just’ action he could’ve taken. I believe this highlights the reality of life where there’s not always a completely ‘correct’ answer, and every available option carries a heavy cost.