MEDIA 781 : Research Project

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Directed research on an assigned topic. Following an introduction to the key issues in conducting such sustained research, students will develop their project through workshops, discussions and group supervisory sessions. This is a required course for all BA(Hons) students in Film, Television and Media Studies, or Media, Film and Television.

Course Overview

MEDIA 781 is a required 30-point course for all students in the BA(Hons) programme in Media and Communication.

It is a course designed to help you write a dissertation of 10,000 words based on independent research. It will also help you refine your research interests and skills. Although this is a research only course it nevertheless does have three weeks of classes to introduce you to some of the primary research methods used by scholars in our field. In addition to facilitating your academic work, such research skills are highly valued by many would-be employers of arts graduates. These skills include the ability to conceive, clarify and investigate a problem or research question; design and implement a research project; and cogently present the results of research inquiry. We will also discuss how to write a proposal and produce a literature review.

The first two weeks of the course will help you select research themes with a consideration of methods and techniques for researching, writing and scholarly presentation. In the first meeting the supervisors for 781 will assigned based on the topic of your choice and their own research interests and specialisms. In week 6 you will be asked to present your work to other students. This is a chance to talk about your research questions and an opportunity to refine your thesis statement and problem solve with your fellow students.

Course Requirements

Restriction: FTVMS 781

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Apply a range of research methods to a chosen topic (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1 and 6.2)
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methods (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.2, 6.1 and 6.2)
  3. Understand how to develop research questions (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.2)
  4. Develop a long-form, sustained argument (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  5. Demonstrate advanced knowledge in a particular filed (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  6. Demonstrate an ability to identify gaps in current research and practice (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 6.1 and 6.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Essay 100% Individual Coursework

Next offered

Semester 2 2020

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 10 hours of tutorial, 100 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 130 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 10/07/2020 01:40 p.m.