Students
FOAR8002 – Research in Media, Literature and Creative Practice
2025 – Session 1, Online-scheduled-weekday
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
John Potts
Kirstin Mills
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
"Admission to Graduate Diploma of Research OR Bachelor of Philosophy."
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit will introduce students to research in the cognate disciplines of Media and Communication Studies, Literary Studies, and Creative Practice, exploring what characterises research in these disciplines. Students will encounter and learn to critically evaluate the key concepts, questions and issues that have shaped and/or are currently shaping research in these disciplines. This unit will equip students to analyse the disciplines’ key literature and identify the important theoretical approaches, methods, arguments and ethical considerations that characterise research within this area. This unit will prepare students to position their own developing research ideas within a disciplinary context as they prepare for future independent research projects. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Evaluate and analyse relevant approaches to research in your discipline, including relevant discipline specific theories, concepts, methods and arguments.
- ULO2: Critically evaluate an advanced body of knowledge in your discipline.
- ULO3: Analyse and evaluate arguments, texts and/or data, considering the ethics and integrity frameworks required to conduct responsible, ethical and reflective research in your discipline.
- ULO4: Communicate relevant research concepts and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences using appropriate discipline-specific language.
General Assessment Information
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to written reports and recordings only. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Essay | 30% | No | 29/4/2025 |
| Major Essay | 50% | No | 9/6/2025 |
| Seminar Presentation | 20% | No | 27/5/2025 |
Minor Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 29/4/2025
Weighting: 30%
Minor essay on a topic chosen by the student in relation to their discipline
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Evaluate and analyse relevant approaches to research in your discipline, including relevant discipline specific theories, concepts, methods and arguments.
- Critically evaluate an advanced body of knowledge in your discipline.
- Analyse and evaluate arguments, texts and/or data, considering the ethics and integrity frameworks required to conduct responsible, ethical and reflective research in your discipline.
- Communicate relevant research concepts and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences using appropriate discipline-specific language.
Major Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 9/6/2025
Weighting: 50%
Major essay on a topic chosen by the student in relation to their discipline, which may expand on their Seminar Presentation
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Evaluate and analyse relevant approaches to research in your discipline, including relevant discipline specific theories, concepts, methods and arguments.
- Critically evaluate an advanced body of knowledge in your discipline.
- Analyse and evaluate arguments, texts and/or data, considering the ethics and integrity frameworks required to conduct responsible, ethical and reflective research in your discipline.
- Communicate relevant research concepts and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences using appropriate discipline-specific language.
Seminar Presentation
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 27/5/2025
Weighting: 20%
Seminar presentation on a topic chosen by the student in relation to their discipline
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Evaluate and analyse relevant approaches to research in your discipline, including relevant discipline specific theories, concepts, methods and arguments.
- Critically evaluate an advanced body of knowledge in your discipline.
- Analyse and evaluate arguments, texts and/or data, considering the ethics and integrity frameworks required to conduct responsible, ethical and reflective research in your discipline.
- Communicate relevant research concepts and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences using appropriate discipline-specific language.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Weekly seminars begin in Week 2. Seminars are held on Tuesdays 11 - 1, in 29WW 039. Weekly readings and assessment information are available on iLearn.
Unit Schedule
FOAR8002
Research in Media, Literature and Creative Practice
Unit Schedule
Seminars: Tues 11 - 1, 29WW 039
Week 2: 4 March – Introduction to Research in Disciplines (John Potts)
Week 3: 11 March - Media Studies (John Potts)
Reading: Turner, G. (2015), 'Introduction', Re-Inventing the Media, London and New York:
Routledge. pp. 1-15.
Week 4: 18 March - Writing (Willa McDonald)
Reading: Rachel Robertson, Daniel Juckes, Marie O’Rourke and Renee Pettitt-Schipp
"An ambiguous genre: thoughts on creative non-fiction and the exegesis", Text: Journal of
Writing and Writing Programs, Special Issue, 44, The Exegesis Now ed's Craig Batty and Donna Lee Brien, Oct, 2017. http://www.textjournal.com.au/speciss/issue44/content.htm
Jen Webb, Jordan Williams and Paul Collis "Talking it over: the agony and the ecstasy of the
creative writing doctorate", Text: Journal of Writing and Writing Programs, Special Issue, 44, The Exegesis Now ed's Craig Batty and Donna Lee Brien, Oct, 2017.http://www.textjournal.com.au/speciss/issue44/Webb_et_al.pdf
Week 5: 25 March – Literature (Louise D’Arcens)
Week 6: 1 April - Cultural Studies (Nicole Anderson)
Reading: Nicole Anderson and Katrina Schulnke, 'Introduction: Theory to Practice' in Anderson & Schulnke, Cultural Theory in Everyday Practice, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009
Week 7: 8 April - Creative Practice (Jon Burtt)
Reading: Barrett, Estelle. 2010, 'Introduction’, in Barrett Estelle, and Barbara Bolt (eds) Practice as Research: Approaches to creative arts enquiry, (New York: Palgrave Macmillan) pp. 1-13
MID-SEMESTER BREAK
Week 8: 29 April - Screen Studies (Stefan Solomon)
Reading: David Bordwell, 'The Viewer's Share: Models of Mind in Explaining Film' (2012)
at http://www.davidbordwell.net/essays/viewersshare.php
Week 9: 6 May - Music Studies (Andrew Robson)
Reading: Hesmondhalgh, David and Negus, Keith (2002) 'Introduction - Popular Music
Studies: Meaning, Power and Value'. In David Hesmondhalgh and Keith Negus (eds), Popular
Music Studies. London: Arnold, pp. 1-10.
Week 10: 13 May – Network Culture Studies (John Potts)
Reading: Rebecca Tushnet, 'Architecture and Morality: Transformative Works, Transforming Fans' in Darling and Pezanowski(eds) Creativity Without Law: Challenging the Assumptions of Intellectual Property (2017)
Louis Menand, ‘Is AI the Death of IP?’, The New Yorker, 15 January, 2024
Week 11: 20 May - Disciplines and Inter-disciplinary Research
Week 12: 27 May - Student Presentations
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success
Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
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- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2025.01 of the Handbook