Essay 2: Short research project on audiences Weighting: 65% Hand-in Date: Fri 28 Apr 2017 Assignment Brief: Length: ca. 2000 words. Your task is to do a small-scale audience-research project, gathering and analysing your own primary data using the methods and techniques taught in this course. For this we draw on the theories and approaches discussed in lectures and seminars, with particular attention to how they can be put into practice to answer questions about how audiences approach, use, enjoy, respond to and engage with media. Pick one of the following points of departure for your research, formulate your own hypothesis or question, account for the theories and methods used in your gathering and interpretation of primary data, and draw reasoned conclusions from your research based on those theories. (1) Niche: Choose a particular niche media audience (not just consumers, they can be users, makers, doers), define it, describe it, document it and explain what sets it apart from other, possibly similar niches. This is an exercise in thinking about what constitutes an "audience," so the onus is on you to provide the definition, supporting argument and source materials. Helpful sources to start with: Nightingale (2011), Sullivan (2011). (2) Intermediary: Choose a cultural intermediary as your focus, and apply one or more of the methods covered in this course to a case study. For reference: Case studies in Maguire and Matthews (2014). (3) Object: Choose a particular media object as your focus, and analyse the audience's relationship with it (e.g., a popular television show, a book, a song, etc.). Your starting references for this task are: Lawler, "Stories and the Social World" (2008); Back et al. (2013). Course Learning Outcomes to be met through this Brief: Apply specific research methods, using appropriate techniques (e.g., social media data, content analysis, interviews, focus groups, etc.). Research scholarly, creative and professional sources using relevant tools (e.g., databases, books, journals). Understand and use technologies and software relevant to communications research. Communicate the outcomes of research in writing and other appropriate formats. Equipment/Facilities/Resources required: References to help you get started (in the Library, go find them): Back, Les, Celia Lury, and Robert Zimmer. 2013. “Doing Real Time Research: Opportunities and Challenges.” National Centre for Research Methods. http://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/3157/. Gauntlett, David. 2011. Making is Connecting: The Social Meaning of Creativity, from DIY and Knitting to YouTube and Web 2.0. London: Polity. Lawler, S. "Stories and the Social World" in Pickering, ed. Research Methods in Cultural Studies. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press 2008. (e-book) Maguire, Jennifer Smith and Julian Matthews, eds. The Cultural Intermediaries Reader. London: SAGE 2014. Treadwell, J. "Measurement: Research Using Numbers" in Introducing Communication Research. London: SAGE 2011. The essay should feature a minimum of 5 scholarly sources (i.e., journal articles or books). You are also encouraged to use official reports, statistics and original material (e.g., data gathered through social media, focus groups, interviews, observation). Textbooks and assigned texts should be used very sparingly, if at all (and the same goes for reference sources like the Wikipedia). Checklist before submission: ❏ Question/hypothesis: Is there a clear research question or hypothesis? This means that you must include a clear opening statement outlining your agenda and explaining why the topic might be of interest. ❏ Primary data: Do you answer it through gathering and analysing relevant data, sources, etc.? ❏ Analysis: Is the analysis coherently and convincingly argued (i.e., do you present evidence or support for your claims)? ❏ Method: Does the project have a firm footing in a particular method or theoretical approach? ❏ References: Do you refer to at least 5 books or articles (from peer-reviewed scholarly journals)? As before, books and articles you've read for lectures and seminar do not count, but they are great jumping-off points for finding other sources (you can use the Recommended Reading list for this). ❏ Style: Correct referencing, with a Harvard-style bibliography at the end? See Harvard Style guide here. Proofread, with correct spelling and grammatically correct English. Estimated Hours for completion: 30 Date of return of Assignments: 19 May 2017 Assessment Criteria: Question / hypothesis Data analysis Method References Style 1st (70+) Clear, coherent, well-articulated question. Excellent use of primary sources or original data you have gathered first-hand using the methods taught. You account for your method(s), supported by references, with a clear link to the research question. Exceeds the minimum number of well-chosen, highly relevant references. Excellent, clear writing style, without errors of grammar or punctuation. Flawless Harvard Style referencing. 2:1 (60-69) Clear question stated. Good use of primary sources or original data gathered using the methods of the course. Your method is stated, supported by references and a rationale relating back to the question. Meets or exceeds the minimum number of references, all of which fit the requirements. Readable academic style, free of grammar and punctuation errors. Harvard Style referencing used well, possibly minor flaws. 2:2 (50-59) Question is stated, with room for improvement (premises, clarity). Primary sources or original data presented, but require clarifications relating to quality, relation to method, or research question. Method stated, but needing clarification as to why it is being used and/or how it relates back to the research question. Meets the minimum number of references, with some falling short in quality or relevance. Noticeable errors of style, grammar, punctuation, Harvard Style referencing. 3rd (40-49) Question not fully clear or coherent. Primary sources or original data vague or absent. Lack of clarity on quality, method or relation to research question. Method is vague or confusingly stated. Unclear relationship to research question. Falls short of the minimum number of sources of the appropriate standard. Multiple errors of style, grammar, punctuation. Difficult to follow. Problems applying Harvard Style. Fail (30-39) Question not clear or has major flaws. Serious shortcomings in the amount/quality of the data, and the analysis thereof. Method choice vague or largely absent. Serious shortcomings in number and/or relevance of references.. Major shortcomings in writing style, referencing. Serious Fail (-29) No question stated. No data provided. Method choice not addressed. No references cited, or they are unacceptable. Unacceptable problems in writing style and referencing. Date posted: 26 Sep 2016