Course overview
This course supports students to develop an advanced understanding of a range of approaches to research within media studies. Discipline specific approaches to online research and qualitative methods are complimented by exploration of qualitative and computational research. As well as critically engaging with a range of advanced media methodologies and research frameworks, students will address research at the applied, theoretical and philosophical levels, and includes weekly insights from active researchers into how these methods are used in their research. Some key questions include: What role does previous literature play in ongoing research? How do the methods we choose in our research shape the kinds of knowledge we produce? What kinds of insights can be gained through different methodologies? What are the politics and ethics of different research methods? What are the central themes of media research and why? How do you structure a research proposal? How do you find and keep track of resources? How do you structure a literature review? How do you structure an argument? Throughout the course, students gain practical experience in a range of approaches to research design and data analysis, and use this to develop a research design appropriate for a thesis project at Masters level study.
Course learning outcomes
- Have gained a fuller understanding of the range of research methods available in the field of media
- Understand the implications of different research method choices on the kinds of knowledge produced
- Understand the components of, and be able to produce a research proposal
- Understand the difference between a range of disciplinary approaches to research
- Be able to produce a literature review and understand its importance in their own research process
- Have gained skills in referencing softwares and data management softwares (if relevant)
- Have gained a broad understanding of the research agendas of media studies in general, and how their own project fits within the field