Undergraduate Course: Researching with Media (GEGR10134)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is designed to provide students with a deeper understanding and acquisition of skills in analysing and working with media. During the course, students learn how to work with two different forms of media analysis, namely conversation analysis (rooted in ethnomethodology) and conjunctural analysis (rooted in media and cultural studies). Students learn these techniques through the analysis of a variety of genres and platforms, such as tabloid media, TV drama, YouTube, TikTok, internet forums, and also explore the ways in which these different genres and platform interact, a phenomenon we might call media convergence. |
| Course description |
Course Organiser: Prof Julie Cupples
Lecturers: Prof Julie Cupples and Prof Eric Laurier
Tutor: TBC
Office Hours: TBC
Course Structure:
This course is designed to provide a deeper understanding and acquisition of skills in analysing and working with media. The course consists of lectures and tied practical sessions that take place on Mondays and Thursdays of Block One (e.g. weeks 1-5) of the semester. Students will also be expected to do additional reading and analysis outside of lecture and practical time in order to prepare a course assignment, which is described in further detail below. It is therefore essential that students attend and participate in all lectures and practical elements.
The course is broadly organised into four sections of researching with:
1. Internet forums
2. YouTube
3. TV drama
4. Tabloid media
Each section has a 2-hour lecture which involves worked examples on the topic. These are paired with a 2-hour group-work practical in which students will analyse media texts in group.
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Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 45 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Report (100%):
The assessment is a 4000-word media analysis. It presents analysis at least one of the sections covered. The topic for the course and the assignment changes every year and is one of human geographical relevance.
Students must attain an overall mark of 40% (or above) in order to pass the course. |
| Feedback |
Formative verbal feedback will be given during weekly practical classes. Verbal feedback will be given for the group presentations in Week 5. Students will also receive formative written feedback on a 20% sample of their final analysis for the course, it is submitted during Week 5. Feedback will be given on summative assessment at the end of the course. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a detailed, integrated understanding of the theoretical, practical and ethical issues of media research.
- Gain an understanding of a set of the approaches used in media geography, media and cultural studies, and ethnomethodology.
- Critically consider the appropriateness of various analytical techniques for different sets of research questions, problems and contexts.
- Gain an awareness of the workings of sectors of the current media environment and of critical theories used to study the relationships between media and culture.
- Understand and have strategies for working with media texts and materials that can be used effectively in essays, dissertations, reports and presentations.
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Reading List
Adams P, Cupples J, Glynn K, Jansson A and Moores S (2017) Communications/Media/Geographies. London: Routledge
Durham, G. D. and Kellner, D. (eds) (2001) Media & Cultural Studies: Keyworks. Malden: Wiley Blackwell
Fiske, J. (1996) Media Matters: Race and Gender in US Politics. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press
Fitzgerald, R, and Housley, W. Eds. (2015). Advances in Membership Categorisation Analysis. London: Sage Publications Limited
Francis, D., & Hester, S. (2004). An Invitation to Ethnomethodology. London: Sage Publications Limited.
Jenkins, H. (2008) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: New York University Press
Kackman, M and Celeste Kearney, M (eds) (2018) The Craft of Criticism: Critical Media Studies in Practice. London: Routledge
Stokes J (2013) How to do Media and Cultural Studies. 2nd ed. London: Sage |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
1. Understand the contemporary media environment and analyse the ways in which media texts, audiences, industries and platforms interact.
2. Develop and present a sophisticated media analysis.
3. Effectively search, locate and analyse pertinent media texts.
4. Analyse the perspectives, experiences, discourses and forms of knowledge and power that are present in media spaces.
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| Special Arrangements |
This course is only available to 4th year students on the Geography (MA Hons) Degree Programme. |
| Keywords | Conjunctural Analysis,Conversation Analysis |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Julie Cupples
Tel: (0131 6)51 4315
Email: Julie.Cupples@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Leigh Corstorphine
Tel: (0131 6)50 9847
Email: lcorstor@ed.ac.uk |
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