This is an early assessment due in Week 4. This is also the first part of the research process that lays the foundation for the study during the course of this unit culminating in the submission of the final research paper. Every student is required to come up with a NEW topic for research. The topic will have to be contemporary, i.e something currently relevant.  Events related to the topic must preferrably be on-going and should  definitely not have occurred  earlier than June 2015. The topic of research must strictly fall under the disciplines of media and communication and must be of considerable significance. In other words, the issue chosen for study must concern large sections of population, must engage global attention and must be part of public discourse. The subsequent assessments build on this submission and hence careful and considered choice of topic is imperative. There is also no scope to resubmit this assessment or change the topic once it is submitted and evaluated. Those topics that are declared as not viable cannot be pursued; student will have to come up with another topic for the research proposal and discuss it with the tutor well ahead. 

For this assessment, students are required to write 500 words.

Assessment tasks are aligned to the unit Learning Outcomes. Timely submission of assessment tasks is a unit requirement or penalties apply. 10% per day (including weekends) will be deducted for all late submissions unless Disruptions to Studies (including a request for an extension) is approved prior. The proposal is to be uploaded on Turnitin. It is the students' responsibility to ensure that the correct assessment is uploaded, that all parts of the proposal (references, appendix etc) are uploaded and that acknowledgement is received. Claims of technical issues and wrong upload will not be entertained.

The submission made online on Turnitin must contain 1. Title/research question 2. An abstract describing the topic and significance and 3. Bibliography. (A good starting point will be to familiarise oneself with the structure of academic journal articles in the field).

It will be assessed based on the following criteria:

Significance of the topic

Clarity of ideas and process as evidenced in the submission

Relevance and significance of the works listed and details in the Bibliography.

The final marks and feedback will be made available within a fortnight, online.

This is a continuation of the earlier assessment. Based on the feedback, students are required to submit a 1000-word research project proposal. This involves fleshing out the earlier submission. Students whose research topics were declared as not viable or inappropriate should by this time be ready with a viable topic approved by the tutor. The focus in this paper is on Methodology.

The proposal must contain 1. Background 2. Significance in more detail than in the earlier assessment 3. Aims and 4. Method. It is an academic research proposal and must meet the requirements in structure and content. The focus must be on method.

Method must be qualitative and chosen from one of the methods taught in the unit. This assessment does not require application of the method but must contain all details of the method. The proposal must make clear how the method is appropriate to the study of the issue, the period of data collection and the parameters of analysis. (It has to be workable as you will be required to apply the method in the final essay)

Changing the topic yet again for the final research essay will not be considered favourably. Please think through the topic in the light of the feedback for the earlier assessment before attempting this assessment.

Marking rubrics will be available on ilearn. The following criteria will be used for marking the assessment:

1.  Proposed framework for analysis:  Identification of appropriate conceptual and theoretical framework.

2. Data collection plan: Data selection and discussion of appropriate analytical method.

3.  Structure: Use of comprehensive and accurate content according to academic conventions.

4. Grammar and language: Good spelling and grammar, academic language. 

Assessment tasks are aligned to the unit Learning Outcomes. Timely submission of assessment tasks is a unit requirement or penalties apply. 10% per day (including weekends) will be deducted for all late submissions unless Disruptions to Studies (including a request for an extension) is approved prior.

The proposal is to be uploaded on Turnitin. It is the students' responsibility to ensure that the correct assessment is uploaded, that all parts of the proposal (references, appendix etc) are uploaded and that acknowledgement is received. Claims of technical issues and wrong upload will not be entertained.

Feedback provided can be accessed online a fortnight after submission.

Students are expected to build on the project proposal submitted in Week 10 for this final essay. Taking into account the feedback provided, students are required to refine methodology, address deficiencies in the method if any and then apply the method to analyse the issue. No change can be made at this time in the topic without penalty. The essay is required to display a critical evaluation of the issue taken up for research and show evidence of wider reading, methodological rigour and sophisticated argumentation and interpretation.

A rubrics will be made available on ilearn. The assessment will be graded on the following criteria:

1. Argument and substantiation: a significant argument, clearly substantiated, methodological rigour.

2. Organisation: clear structure, particularly coherence - an effort to tie the conceptual, theoretical and analytical aspects together

3. Attribution: Evidence of extensive reading and clear attribution of sources

4. Presentation: Good grammar devoid of spelling mistakes or errors that make understanding difficult. Academic language and writing is expected.

Late Submissions

Tasks 10% or less. No extensions will be granted. Students who have not submitted the task prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 for the task, except for cases in which an application for Disruption to Studies is made and approved.

Tasks above 10%. Students who submit late work without an extension will receive a penalty of 10% per day. This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Disruption to Studies is made and approved.

The proposal is to be uploaded on Turnitin. It is the students' responsibility to ensure that the correct assessment is uploaded, that all parts of the proposal (references, appendix etc) are uploaded and that acknowledgement is received. Claims of technical issues and wrong upload will not be entertained.

Participation involves a pro-active engagement with the unit material in general and in-class activities in particular. It indicates more than physical presence (Texting, discussions with fellow students on issues unrelated to unit, social networking will be taken as a lack of presence). A rubric will be posted in ilearn.