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Researching Media & Communications (MECM90038)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Semester 2
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Students will be introduced to a variety of quantitative and qualitative approaches to researching communications, institutions, technologies, texts and audiences across the complex digital global media landscape. Students will gain practical experience in applying different research methods and data gathering processes, including techniques for semi-structured interviews, content analysis, semiotics, discourse analysis, ethnography, surveys and social media analysis. Students will learn how to conduct a literature review, develop a research question, design a research methodology, identify and collect a data sample, manage and analyse data, and present the findings through the execution of their own research project. Upon completion of the subject, students will have developed an understanding of the key issues, strategies, and ethical responsibilities of media and communications research. To this end, students have the opportunity to develop special insight and expertise into an area of media and communications practice. The subject provides students with critical research skills for application to both industry and scholarly research projects, and equips them for further research subjects offered in the Masters of Global Media program.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have:
- A critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses, benefits and restrictions, of different research methods and approaches
- A critical understanding of the ethical requirements of different research methods
- An ability to research and write a literature review on a chosen topic
- An ability to design and execute a sustained study of a chosen media and communications text, audience, or platform
- An ability to gather, manage, and critically analyse a research sample
- An ability to represent research in professional and scholarly format
Generic skills
Upon successful completion of this subject, graduates should be able to:
- reflect on their own use of media and relate this to broader theoretical issues;
- critically analyse the role of contemporary communications lanscape;
- prepare and present their ideas in both verbal and written mode at an intermediate level and in conformity to conventions of academic presentation; and
- participate in discussion and group activities and be sensitive to the participation of others.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Report phase 1: Case of Inquiry & Literature Review, concluding with a Research Question and suggested method (LO1, LO3)
| Mid semester | 20% |
Report phase 2: Methodology (LO2, LO4)
| Mid semester | 20% |
Report phase 3: students produce a poster of their research project to be discussed in class, equivalent to 500 words (LO6)
| Week 12 | 10% |
Final Research Report: new content to include findings, discussion, and conclusions (LO4, LO5, LO6)
| During the examination period | 50% |
Additional details
Hurdle Requirement: Students are required to attend 80% of all classes in order to pass this course
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Lauren Bliss Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24 hours: 1 x 1 hour lecture and 1 x 1 hour seminar, taught weekly Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
- Semester 2
Coordinator Lauren Bliss Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 August 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 contact information
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Links to additional information
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022