LT238-5-SP-CO:
Research and Data Handling
2023/24
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 15 January 2024
Friday 22 March 2024
15
09 February 2021
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA P500 Multimedia Journalism,
BA P501 Multimedia Journalism (Including Year Abroad),
BA P503 Multimedia Journalism (Including Placement Year)
This module helps you develop your skills in research and investigation with particular reference to the new areas emerging on the web, through the Freedom of Information Act and through social media. It will also give you confidence in handling statistics-based stories, questioning methodology and assumptions and making your own judgements about data and statistics.
The module is designed to give you sophisticated research capabilities and equip you with the skills you need to find, assess and report stories to be found in big data and through social networks.
At the end of the module you will:
1. be able to conduct advanced searches of the internet and other sources
2. understand how to look for stories in big data, how to interrogate data and find the hidden stories they have to tell
3. handle statistics and numbers with confidence and due scepticism
4. understand how to use social networks as a means of finding and reporting stories
5. understand how to use the FOI Act to extract information and source stories
6. develop creative techniques for the presentation of data-based stories in different media
Research: Advance web research techniques that help you find what you want discover the unexpected
Data Journalism: Learn the range of published material and how it can be managed and mined for stories
Freedom of Information: Understand the use of targeted FOI requests and how to make the Act work for you
Social Media: Find, investigate, verify and solicit information through Twitter, Facebook and others
Making sense of statistics: Understand the dangers of taking figures at face value; how to question and assess what the figures are really saying
Weekly two-hour lectures/classes.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
750 word article/script and 750 word reflective commentary |
|
50% |
| Coursework |
750 word research plan |
|
50% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Fatima El Issawi, email: feliss@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Fatima el Issawi
LiFTS General Office - email liftstt@essex.ac.uk
Telephone 01206 872626
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 20 hours, 20 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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