ESSAY TOPIC- " The resurgence in debates about 'quality TV' follow an increase in production of complex, long-form dramas in the US: where does the value of quality TV exist––in the text, or in the audience? Critically discuss with the use of specific texts." The final assignment provides students with an opportunity to reflect on key themes and ideas that have been addressed in particular weeks, and across the subject as a whole, regarding the social role(s) performed by media institutions, technologies, texts, practices and audiences, in the ways in which these may reciprocally be impacted by various forms of social change. Essay titles will be distributed that will allow students to approach these issues from different perspectives and different foci. These will be distributed via LMS by Week 7, and subject tutors will discuss the essay titles in tutorials. Students should take care to consider what the particular focus of the essay title or question is, and the approach they are going to take to providing a response. While particular titles provide opportunities to address areas discussed in the subject, they ask students to critically consider particular issues and problems, and develop a logically argued, clearly demonstrated and convincing response that considers the particular issues raised by the title. Such a critical engagement is notably different from an approach that simply seeks to summarise a given topic area, and students should note that they are being assessed on the quality of their engagement with the issue or issues at stake, as highlighted by the essay problem, and the quality of the argument they develop in response to the latter. In assessing the essay, the following criteria will be considered: Structure – is the essay clear and well organised, with a clear and comprehensive introduction, well-structured paragraphs and a proper conclusion? Coverage – Does the essay engage with key arguments and debates relevant to the essay title? Argumentation? Does the analysis present a clear and credible argument? Use of source materials Is the argument well communicated and supported through the use of relevant research and examples? Evidence of reading? Does the essay draw on a breadth of relevant academic writing, and demonstrate a strong level of independent research? Critical thinking and originality – Does the essay demonstrate a strong level of critical thinking? Is an original argument developed? Presentation/style? Is the essay well written and presented, and free from spelling, grammatical and typographical errors? Citations and reference list: Does the report cite sources correctly, and include a complete and well-presented reference list? Marking Scales and Grade Definitions: 80%-100% H1 - First-class Honours, excellent. Superior analysis, comprehensive research, sophisticated theoretical or methodological understanding, impeccable presentation - work that is (in at least some respects) erudite, original, exciting or challenging. 75%-79% H2A - Second-class honours level A, very good. Scholarly presentation, thoroughly researched, well argued. Complex understanding of subject matter, subtle argument and analysis. 70%-74% H2B - Second-class honours level B, good. Average or better than average work, with solid research, perceptive analysis, effective preparation and presentation. 65%-69% H3 - Third-class honours, competent. Good understanding of key ideas, sound analytical skills, well presented, researched and documented. 50%-64% P - Pass, satisfactory. Completion of key tasks at an adequate level of performance in argumentation, documentation and expression. 0%-49% N - Fail, not satisfactory. Where a student fails a subject, all failed components of assessment will be double marked. PLEASE NOTE: I have put up lecture slides associated with the topic, the subject reader which has two set readings based on the topic"quality TV" and i have also put up a lecture which tells how to work on the final essay! following is a list of readings which should be used apart from the set readings:: Set Readings Schwaab, Herbert (2013) 'Unreading Contemporary Television' in After the Break: Television Theory Today. Edited by Marijke de Valck and Jan Teurlings pp 21-33. Amsterdam University Press: OAPEN Library Nelson, Robin. 2008. "'Quality Television': 'the Sopranos Is the Best Television Drama Ever ... In My Humble Opinion ...'." Critical Studies in Television 1 (1):60-71. Recommended Readings # Curtin, Michael (2009) 'Matrix Media' in, Television studies after TV: Understanding television in the post-broadcast era, edited by Turner, Graeme and Tay, Jinna. London; Routledge. [Electronic Recourse] Further Readings Bourdieu, P. (1984) Distinction: a social critique of the judgement of taste, translated by Richard Nice. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Ellis, John. 1992. Visible Fictions: Cinema: Television: Video. London: Routledge. Feuer, Jane. 1984. "MTM Enterprises: An Overview." In MTM 'Quality Television', edited by J. Feuer, P. Kerr and T. Vahimagi, 1-31. London: BFI Publishing. Fiske, John. 1999. Television Culture. London and New York: Routledge. Fiske, John, and John Hartley. 2003. Reading Television. Edited by T. Hawkes, New Accents. London: Routledge. Original edition, 1978. Gauntlett, David (2007) Media Studies 2.0. Greeber, Glen. 2006. "The Joy of Text?: Television and Textual Analysis." Critical Studies in Television 1 (1):81-88. Greeber, Glen (2004) Serial Television: Big Drama on the Small Screen: bfi Publishing. Jancovich, Mark and Lyons, James. eds, (2003) Quality Popular Television: Cult TV, the Industry and Fans, bfi Publishing. Keilbach, Judith and Stauff, Markus (2013) 'When old media never stopped being new: Television's history as an ongoing experiment' in After the Break: Television Theory Today. Edited by Marijke de Valck and Jan Teurlings. Amsterdam University Press: OAPEN Library Lotz, Amanda D. (2009) Beyond prime time: Television programming in the post-network era. New York; Routledge. Lury, Karen (2005) Interpreting Television, Hodder Arnold, 2005. MacCabe, Colin, ed. 1986. High Theory / Low Culture: Analysing Popular Television and Film, Images of Culture. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Mittell, Jason. 2006. "Narrative Complexity in Contemporary American Television." The Velvet Light Trap 58:29-40. Nelson, Robin. 2007. State of Play: Contemporary 'High-End' TV Drama. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Nightingale, Virginia (2004) 'Changing the Public: Ratings, Broadcasting and the Internet', Southern Review 37(2): 22-39. Postman, Neil (1985) Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, New York: Viking. Strinati, Dominic (2004) An introduction to theories of popular culture. London; New York: Routledge. Second Edition. Thompson, Robert. 1997. Television's Second Golden Age: From Hill Street Blues to ER. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. Turner, Graeme and Tay, Jinna, ed. (2009) Television studies after TV: Understanding television in the post-broadcast era. London; Routledge. [Electronic Resource] Williams, Raymond, and Ederyn Williams. 1990. Television: Technology and Cultural Form. Second ed. London: Routledge.