International Multimedia Journalism MA

IMJ7002 | Advanced Research and Study Skills

Assignment Brief

2019/2020 | Semester 2 of 3

INTRODUCTION

This is your reference guide to the assignment and assessment of this module. Please note, the document 19-20 IMJ7004 Module Guide provides the key and comprehensive information about your IMJ7004 assessment. You should read the module guide first and foremost and then read this Assignment Brief document which acts as a supplementary guide. It’s designed to break down each of the two assignments within the assessed portfolio to give you some more detailed and helpful guidance.

Before you start…What is expected of you:

• Read through and make sure you understand the requirements. Feel free to ask lecturers if you are not sure and need clarification.

• Ensure that you are aware of and meet hand in dates for all pieces of work. Extensions cannot be provided in retrospect. Please arrange them with the lecturer before the deadline date if you anticipate a delay in submitting your work.

• Retain a copy of your work on disk or keep a photocopy.

• Observe dates for draft deadlines, return of work and provision of feedback. This will be a useful guide to your ongoing progress. We will provide you with feedback on your work

• Makes sure you have read and understand the UoB policies regarding Academic Regulations and Procedures, for example: Mitigating circumstances, Academic misconduct, Student Attendance policy. Find more information in the UoB Policy Zone: https://www.bolton.ac.uk/student-policy-zone/student-policy-zone-2019-2020/

• You can reach out to your tutor Song Yi for a consultation but don’t leave it until the last minute. You will typically get feedback within 72 hours.

General Notes

ASSIGNMENT BRIEF

Assessment Items

The assessment for IMJ7004 consists of a portfolio of two written assignments in the form of ‘Project Forms’ which document developed knowledge and understanding of critical discourses that underpin discipline-specific practice undertaken in IMJ7003. They require self-directed, independent research and investigation, beyond those provided on the reading list.

There are two items for assessment:

I. Project form A: including: Research Sources; Research Questions and a 1,500 word Research Proposal. II. A 1200-word essay about a current critical issue in journalism. Including an annotated bibliography.

Learning Outcomes and Assessments

There are three learning outcomes:

• LO1: Develop a critical framework for the study of a contemporary issue in the area of multi-media journalism. • LO2: Synthesise and critically evaluate the complex relationship between context, issue, story and narrative. • LO3: Present insightful and valid conclusions and creative recommendations for further research and personal development.

Assessment Deadlines

III. Project form A: including: Research Sources; Research Questions and a 1,500 word Research Proposal. 29 May 2020 IV. Essay: including: Research Sources; Research Questions; a 1,500 word Research Proposal and a reflective diary. 27 June 2020

General Notes

ASSIGNMENT BRIEF ADDITIONAL NOTES

Time:

We recommend that you spend approximately 130 hours researching, writing, proofing and editing your two assignments.

Sources:

Be sure to use a variety of sources, at Secondary Research Level HE7, it is expected that the Reference List for each written project form will contain a minimum of 15 to 20 sources. Your written assignments should be the product of research/reading beyond the readings already provided on the course. This means you will need to conduct bibliographic research for new readings. The sources for each project form should ordinarily include a minimum of two academic books and four academic journal articles with plenty of web based writings, however web-based writings are not sufficient by themselves.

Source materials should include traditional resources such as books, magazines, journals, newspapers, and reports, but may also consist of electronic media such as audio and video recordings, and films, and online resources like websites, blogs, and bibliographic databases. We give you more tips on sources you can and should use later.

Harvard Referencing:

You will use Harvard Referencing system. Please refer to web page which is intended as a guide to Harvard referencing at the University of Bolton: https://www.bolton.ac.uk/leaponline/My-Academic-Development/My-Writing-Techniques/Referencing/Level-2/Harvard-Referencing.aspx

Academic misconduct & plagiarism:

A note on Academic misconduct & plagiarism. We run all assignments through a plagiarism checker. Students found guilty of plagiarism or other academic misconduct will be subject to University disciplinary procedures. Penalties for plagiarism include having to repeat assessments or even being suspended from their course in serious cases. See more here: 

You can reach out to your tutor Song Yi for a consultation but don’t leave it until the last minute. You will typically get feedback within 72 hours.

General Notes

ASSIGNMENT GUIDANCE

Here are the main grading criteria for both papers:

What we are looking for above all else is evidence of your ability to perform quality research and critically evaluate and analyse sources and key discourses to develop your knowledge and understanding of critical discourses that underpin discipline-specific practice undertaken in IMJ7003.

• RELEVANCE (to the title/brief and Learning Outcomes)

• KNOWLEDGE/UNDERSTANDING (cognitive awareness of the subject area)

• RESEARCH IN EVIDENCE (quality & range of research sources employed) Focused research with depth and breadth. Evidence of reading beyond course materials. Evidence is consistently applied via references, image analysis, bibliographic citation, scholarship, and context.

• ANALYSES AND INTERPRETATION (appropriate to the level and field of study) Consistent and detailed scholarship coupled with accurate interpretation of appropriate theoretical discourse. The degree to which the breadth and depth of appropriate discourse are evident. References, quotations, and imagery underpin the accurate interpretation of the critical discourse.

• COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS / ORGANISATION / STRUCTURE. (planning and flow) A logical structure and coherent focus progress the discussion that leads to well-argued points and clarity of theoretical debate and analysis. A cohesive and coherent conclusion communicates the potential of the main body of the essay. The essay topic is rigorously interrogated and clearly communicated throughout the essay using text and imagery (the latter where appropriate for the argument).

• WRITTEN ENGLISH (style, clarity, spelling & grammar)

• PRESENTATION & REFERENCING (format/layout, use of tables, figures & Appendices. Bibliography/Reference List) Standard professional academic format (detailed above). Harvard citation methods applied consistently. Use of imagery, referencing, bibliography, and quotations are meticulously used and accurate. Care and attention to grammar, punctuation, spelling, word processing and a high standard of production are in evidence. Word count is acc

General Notes

INTERIM DRAFT DEADLINES

Key interim deadlines are listed here: There are other interim deadlines detailed on the VLE

Your module leader Song Yi will schedule interim draft deadlines, typically for each Project Form you will have three interim deadlines:

• Research Questions: You will set your own research questions within the first one or two weeks of pre-production • Research Questions: Research Sources and Research Proposal Draft: You will submit a complete draft prior to production weeks • Full project Form Draft: (with reflective diary in progress): You will submit a full draft ten around two weeks prior to deadline for final feedback

General Notes

ENGLISH

Please understand if you do not turn in assignments with clear English your grades will be seriously impacted.

It’s important to always bear in mind that this MA programme is an English Language programme. Your degree is awarded by a British University and your work will be assessed and moderated by tutors who will not be able to navigate assignments or a portfolio in Chinese Language. You and only you are responsible for turning in assignments, correspondence etc with clear well written English.

Checking your work to ensure that your written English is as good as it can be is an important step. Your English does not have to be perfect – even native English speakers rarely write perfect English. However, it will need to be clear and coherent, that means it must be easy to read and to make sense of journalistically and grammatically. To achieve a satisfactory level of English you need to thoroughly copy edit your work.

Even if your English is excellent, you will always need to run text and subtitles through some kind of spell and grammer check. And, unless your written English is excellent, you must get your writing checked by somebody else. That could be an English tutor, a friend or a peer. An effective system is to have reading partners or circles amongst a group of peers where everybody agrees to read the drafts of everybody else’s work. Tutors have no patience for work that hasn’t been checked and copy edited. There are very simple steps and procedures you can install to avoid problems.

Do not expect your tutors to correct your English, we are here to mentor your journalism skills not your language skills. We will sometimes look at early drafts of your work to check the journalistic and academic ideas and structure, and to offer formative feedback but we will certainly not agree to check your English.

In cases where the level of English hinders our comprehension of an assignment the grade will be severely compromised, in serious cases the assignment will automatically fail. We simply cannot grade work that we cannot comprehend due to language issues.

For some assignments we offer formative feedback, in cases where language hinders our comprehension we will not offer formative feedback. This is because it’s not possible to feedback on the academic content of an assignment which is obscured by poor English. In any case, to attempt to do so would take too much time and compromise tutors allocated feedback time for those students who have turned in assignments with legible English. We will not offer any second chances for formative feedback, so if your work is rejected you will need to submit without feedback on your draft.

It’s each students own responsibility to find a strategy that works for them to turn in assignments with clear English.

General Notes

Academic Writing

ACADEMIC WRITING

You will be given an Academic Primer during Term 1 to support your academic writing skills. However, this will not be sufficient alone, especially for non native speakers. As well as spending time on the papers themselves, students are also expected to self study and take responsibility for their own learning regarding academic writing. We have books specifically directed at academic writings skills in the class library and the UoB student portal has plenty of resources to support you so please use them.

GENERAL RESOURCES

• Guidance on note-taking, basic essay writing skills and citation formats, check out the UoB guides (both audio and printed) • http://www.bolton.ac.uk/library/Study-Skills/Study-Skills- Guides.aspx • Research Guide: https://beijingimmj.wordpress.com/research-guide/ • Essay Writing: http://www.bolton.ac.uk/library/LibraryPublications/StudySkills/essays.pdf • Referencing & Plagiarism: http://www.bolton.ac.uk/leaponline/My-Academic-Development/ My-Writing-Techniques/Referencing/ • Paraphrasing: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Acknowledging_Sources.pdf • Harvard Style Referencing: • Check out UoB’s guide: http://www.bolton.ac.uk/leaponline/My-Academic-Development/My-Writing-Techniques/Referencing/Level-2/

Harvard-Referencing.aspx• You can also Download a comprehensive guide from Monash University at http://guides.lib.monash.edu/citing-referencing/harvard

Academic Writing

UOB RESOURCES Leap Online

LEAP Online is designed to support you with various aspects of your academic journey and personal development while you are here at the University of Bolton. Each section contains information, videos and activities. You can earn digital badges by completing the assessments. Access LEAP Online via the Library webpages or student portal, or bookmark our URL: www.bolton.ac.uk/leaponline.

There are four domains:

• My Academic Development – aspects of academic writing, finding library resources and completing assessments. • My Personal Development – aspects of managing your personal development on your university journey. • My Digital Literacy – learn the skills required to make the most of the online world. • My Student Engagement – find out how to enhance your employability skills and make the most of your time at university.

Typically, the most useful section for IMMJ students is the My Academic Development section, which covers topics such as:

• Academic Writing • Research Skills • Evaluating Sources • Critical Thinking • Essay Writing

UOB RESOURCES Discover@Bolton:

Discover@Bolton will be one of your key databases for finding sources for your papers. Here’s all you need to know.

What is Discover@Bolton? Discover@ Bolton is the Library’s academic search engine. It allows you to search multiple databases and other resources in a single search. It’s packed full of academic content to support your studies.

Why should I use it? - easy access to online library resources multidisciplinary- saves you searching multiple platforms - content includes ebook packages and subject databases - web based with fast results and simple to use

How do I access Discover@Bolton? Discover@Bolton is available via the Library website. You can access it on and off campus.

Do I have to sign up to use it? No just use your usual university username and password to log in.

Where do I start searching? It’s as simple as Google to use. Just enter your keywords in the search box. I’m getting too many/not enough results. Help! Check out the online tutorials on the Library website or just ask at the Library Help Desk.

What’s the difference between Discover and a database like SPORTDiscus? Discover is a search engine that allows access to the content of most library databases and other online resources via a single search. Good luck with your searching. Don’t forget to ask for help if you need it! Access LEAP Online at: www.bolton.ac.uk/leaponline

General Notes

Project form A

PROJECT FORM INTRODUCTORY NOTES

• Module IMJ7004 sits tightly adjacent to, and complements practical module IMJ7003. The module is designed to support each student to independently develop a critical framework for the key issues that underpin their practice. Students will complete two major practical projects in IMJ7003 and produce two accompanying Theory Project Forms in IMJ7004. These two forms compose 100 percent of the assessment for Module IMJ7004.

• As a multimedia journalism student you are already learning that theory and practice are not separate spheres. They closely relate and intertwine. Theory informs practice and that practice informs theory. Journalists must conduct research to understand the relevant contextual issues and key discourses that underpin their practical work. This includes development of a comprehensive understanding of the issues they cover in order to cover them with fairness, accuracy and balance. A good grasp of theory will also help to ensure that stories are ethically sound, engaging, informative, appropriately contextualised and effectively reach their audiences.

• The Theory Project Form is designed to develop and direct each student’s independent academic and contextual research as well as guide the decisions students make in their practical methodology. 

• From the initial research stage, it’s important that students keep all research materials organised. All students must create and continually update a ‘Digital Research Page’ on Padlet, Evernote or other tool of your choice. Here’s a example Padlet page created by IMMJ alumnae Sun Jun and Leona Chen. Websites such as ‘Citeme’ (also available as a chrome plugin) are useful.

Project Form

PROJECT FORM INTRODUCTORY NOTES

• First and foremost, all students need to educate themselves on the subject matter of their reporting. Journalists must build a comprehensive understanding of the issues they cover and the context that their focused stories sit within. For example, if you intend to document children living with autism for IMJ7003. In your IMJ7004 theory module, you will research and read around the broad contextual facts, data, information, policies etc, relevant to people living with autism in China and globally: (e.g. How is autism defined and categorised? what policies are in place? What are the data? What services are in place? What trends exist? Are there any new or emerging knowledge, trends or policies?) You will also research and read around your specific story or project focus. For example for IMJ7003 you might have chosen to focus on the growing trend of inclusive education for children living with autism in China. You will then need to read around the academic literature for inclusive education globally and in China: e.g. What are the past, current and planned or prospective policies? What are the key critical discourses? for example, some academics, policy makers health or education professionals may argue for inclusive education and some against or they may have different perspectives on policy implementation.

• Your story / project subject and issue based broad contextual and focused research will educate you as a journalist to understand your chosen story or project in a comprehensive manner. This research will be reflected in the “Research Sources,” “Research Questions” and “Research Proposal” sections.

• In addition you should research other key discourses for your story that are more related to the ethics, technology, methodology and methods of your story, for example: 1) If you decide to use 360 video, you might want to research topics such as narrative in 360 filmmaking or perhaps the claim that immersive 360 video journalism increases empathy. 2) You may research media representations of people living with disabilities in Chinese and international media, and best practices for reporting on people with disabilities. (Please note - If working on a disability issue it’s mandatory to research best practices for covering disability in the Ethics Section of your production Brief. However you may wish to research this topic more deeply in your Project From if this is an area of key interest for you). 3) You might be interested in researching and optimising news for mobile viewing. This type of research should be reflected in your “Research Sources” section, but you don’t need to write about them in your “Research Questions” and “Research Proposal”.

• Please note, as an international program, the majority of your sources should be English Language. However of course Chinese sources should also be drawn upon if that is your native language. Be sure to make a substantial annotation for Chinese sources so that tutors can assess.

• Plagiarism - avoiding plagiarism is actually easy - if you are well researched, and well informed about your subject you’ll know what is important and interesting to tell and you won’t need to copy from others. Do your research well, and log it so you can find and refer back to it. Check the plagiarism and patch-writing page

Project Form

PROJECT FORM SOURCES

Sources:

• Books: • Journals: • Articles:• Other references• See “Sources You Can & Should Use” section in the optional reading section of IMJ7002 Required Reading Overview.

Project Form

PROJECT FORM

The research questions must be relevant to the specific focus of your practical project (research questions are not interview questions for your subjects, research questions should cover the context and background of your project, which can be answered through secondary research, Information obtained through interviewing your subjects of the project should not go into your research proposal).

Your research should be as thorough as possible, your research process should be similar to the way you conducted research for Term 1 papers but with more breadth and depth.

Be sure to annotate your research sources in an annotated bibliography

Your research proposal must be written as an academic essay with at least 5 references. You must include at least 3 English sources in your research unless you can establish that there are no relevant research in the English language.

Your research proposal must be clearly structured. Your arguments should be supported by facts, data, evidence you found through your research.

You should use the Harvard style for referencing. Both in-text referencing and a reference list are required. English and grammar must be excellent throughout the project form.

The theory project form consists of the following sections:

• Research Sources • Research Questions • Research Proposal • Reflective Diary • Methodological research sources & viewing

All sections must be completed for submission. Let us explain what is required for the Research Questions and the Research Proposal:

Paper 1

PROJECT FORM

Research questions are the questions that drive your project. These are the questions you seek to answer through your proposed visual multimedia story/project. They are not to be mistaken with interview questions. You will have somewhere between 3–5 research questions, with the first one being the most general and directed at the broader context of the story, working your way down to more narrow and specific questions. You will answer these questions with in-depth research and reading.  

For example, if you were doing a visual story on HIV-AIDS victims in a particular village who have suffered poor health care, your research questions might look like this

1. What is the current status of the HIV-AIDS pandemic in China? 2. How has government — central, regional, local — responded to the pandemic? 3. When and how did people in village X contract HIV-AIDS? 4. Why did people in village X receive inadequate health care?

You will see that when constructed properly along these lines, your Research Questions can provide the structure for your Research Proposal. The Proposal (1500 words for each project) is an integral part of the project form, and is to be written like an academic essay, along the lines you did for IMJ7002, which means it has to be properly structured and referenced using the author: date system. In the Proposal, you deal with the context of your story, and the research data that will inform your understanding of the issues in your story. It does not contain any production or practice-related issues, which are dealt with in your Production Brief.

The Reflective Diary section is essentially a log or diary that contains regular entries by the student, detailing their experiences and emotions with regard to their learning process. Use it to reflect on an experience you had, to engage with theory while reflecting, reflect on your performance and how you might improve on future performance.

The Methodological research sources & viewing is aimed to develop students’ self-directed research in theoretical discourses that are related to the ethics, tools, technology, methodology or methods of your story.

ONLINE RESOURCES

• Collecting & Collating Digital Research Online • Study & Research Guide • Reading List

Paper 1

Essay B

Essay B

Details coming soon. You will likely be set an essay about transformations in business models.

Paper 2

Advanced Research & Study Skills: Study & Research Guide

This section is designed to outline and support you with various aspects of your academic journey on the IMMJMA. This page does not cover your module guide, assignment brief or guidelines and you will need to consult those separately. It is largely intended to help you to develop effective research and study skills and importantly, helps you to understand where you can find relevant sources independently from academic journals, books, websites, research reports, or sources of statistical information etc. This guide will also guide you to the resources available to you via the online UoB library.

Summary Overview of Module

Your Term 1 Theory Module is Advanced Research & Study Skills. This module provides two core functions; 1) to prepare students to acquire the necessary study, research and writing skills for postgraduate study and put them into practice; and 2) to introduce students to key critical discourses within the field of Visual and Multimedia Journalism.

Student Requirements for Independent, Self-directed Study

The IMMJMA is a UK Masters level program which requires students to independently manage and spend independent study time in private study and research, steadily building up your knowledge and relevant skills. Your Term 1 Theory Module Advanced Research & Study Skills includes approx 30 schedule contact hours (seminars/tutorials). Independent study amounts to approx 170 hours. That’s around 12 hours each week. If you are not putting in around 12 hours each week you will not achieve a successful level of progress. As non-native English speakers, you need to spend sufficient time with both set and independently selected readings. The readings cannot simply be ‘crammed’ into reading weeks, they must be done at a steady pace so that you can read and digest what you learn. To do this, you will need to responsibly manage your own time well each week and dedicate a number of hours to theory module readings. There are 3 types of readings:

• Readings delivered to you to prepare for weekly seminars. These are given online in the seminar notes and delivered on the VLE • Student’s self-selected and self-directed readings relevant to their individual assignment topics. (This research guide serves as a starter

guide to help you to find your own sources)

*In addition, there is a regular flow of current readings available on the Facebook Group Page, students should follow and can search for multimedia industry news via the hashtag #IndustryNewsIMJ

Research Guide

What is Independent Study?

You module leaders and tutors will guide students through research and assignments but you will need to read and study the resources that are delivered to you. You will also need to stick to scheduled deadlines. Finally, you will need to turn in work with a suitable level of English. If work is handed in with a level of English that is poor or that hinders reading comprehension (forcing tutors to interpret your meaning before they can even begin to grade the quality of the assignment) your work will not be marked and you will need to resubmit it with a suitable level of comprehensible English. Resubmitting often means you lose time and valuable, timely feedback. If you know that writing in English is a challenge, you will need to find your own sustainable solution. Your tutor can give you some advice for strategising for this. You will have already discovered that your IMMJMA tutors are extremely responsive and willing to support students in their learning. However, you should also respect the fact that we are very busy, so when you request a tutorial or write to a professor, you need to make sure that you are not wasting their time with things you should be doing independently. Including:

• Completing the set readings and re-reading session notes as required • Don’t ask questions that are easily searchable within the IMMJMA site • Reading assignment briefs and guidelines thoroughly, including extra resources you are directed to, such as this page to become familiar

with sources you can use for your Theory Module assignments • When you do request help please write a clear and concise email outlining what you need support with and CC the Course Leader. Please

use threaded email.

Research Guide

Where do I begin with my self-selected and self-directed readings relevant to my individual assignment?

Even before you have chosen and defined your research questions you will need to consider and consult a variety of sources to help you to contextualize and find focus. Once you have found focus you should search further and select a handful of the most interesting, relevant and credible sources of data, evidence, information and opinions to form the basis of your own academic knowledge and writing. You should include some of the sources you intend to use in your project form along with your research questions for song Yi to evaluate in the early weeks prior to production and before going further with your research proposal. Once you have had your research questions approved you will proceed to in-depth reading and research. This process is essential for you to be able to think and write critically, you may also find additional questions or key sources along the journey of your deeper reading. Or you may want to find other sources to contrast, compare or corroborate the information in your original sources.

STEP 1: Before defining and writing your research questions, do some preliminary broad reading around the general topic area to gain an overview of your topic. You can list some keywords for more focused searches. (e.g. people, issues, ideas) and do some more reading to help you arrive at some focused research questions.

STEP 2: Write down some ideas for your research questions. Locate and evaluate sources, by searching various resources and databases using your list of keywords. Try using synonyms (different words that mean the same) in your searches and be sure to explore a variety of resources. Check resources such as books, journals, article databases and the internet too. Skim read and review your resources, check for – Authority (author’s expertise, reputable organisation). Accuracy (verify the facts). Dates (how current is it? does currency matter?). Relevance (does the information address your topic?). Finally, write your draft research questions and deliver to Song Yi along with some of the sources you intend to use in your literature review.

*Be sure to document and organise your sources in a logical manner and record: Author, Title, Place of publication, Name of publisher, Page numbers or URL etc. This way you can easily find them again.

Step 3: Once you have had your research questions and initial sources approved it’s time to start reading carefully and critically. The literature sources you find will never be perfect or unbiased. Think and read critically. For everything you read, consider: Has the author clearly defined the topic and question? Is it an effective analysis and account of the subject? Is there any bias evident (political, ideological?) How scholarly is the piece of work? Trade and professional journal articles and websites are often current but not always necessarily scholarly. Is the argument coherent, or does the piece contradict itself? Are there references to the sources the author consulted? Have any sources or theories been ignored or omitted? Is the item as relevant to the topic which you are investigating as it initially appeared? Make notes as you read. You will use these readings to form your literature review and then go on to use your literature review as the basis of knowledge for your critical essay

Research Guide

Sources You Can & Should Use

Set Seminar & Required Reading Lists – One of your first places to find sources is to go back to the readings for the topic that your thesis sits within given by the module leader and re-read. You can use these given sources and by re-reading them you may find that they may cite and direct you to other relevant readings. Aside from this, you will need to make searches in a variety of places: Note, your first literature review should include a minimum of three English Language sources. Use relevant keyword searches, as demonstrated in class, relevant to your topic in any of the sources we’ve listed below.

Discover@Bolton – Discover@Bolton is a service that allows you to search multiple databases at once via a single interface. As well as searching the databases, you will be able to access full-text content from these databases where that full-text is available. • Discover @ Bolton: Log in by clicking on the link in the top left corner, with your University of Bolton username and password.

Websites – Here are some quality websites that write about journalism: • Columbia Journalism Review: https://www.cjr.org/ – “CJR’s mission is to be the intellectual leader in the rapidly changing world of

journalism… Through its fast-turn analysis and deep reporting, CJR is an essential venue not just for journalists, but also for the thousands of professionals in communications, technology, academia, and other fields reliant on solid media industry knowledge.”

• Poynter: https://www.poynter.org/ – “The Poynter Institute is a global leader in journalism”. Like many of the websites listed here, Poynter is a large and multidimensional resource covering areas of both and practice relating to journalism, With a good search through you are likely to find some good sources for your Theory module assignments.

• Nieman Journalism Lab: http://www.niemanlab.org/– “The Nieman Journalism Lab is an attempt to help journalism figure out its future in an Internet age. The Internet has brought forth an unprecedented flowering of news and information. But it has also destabilized the old business models that have supported quality journalism for decades”

• NYU’s Studio20’s News Literacy project: – An online publication of a program, directed by professor Jay Rosen. The yearly News Literacy projects, summarize topics that students had to master before plunging into their project work. Much like IMMJMA students need to do in Terms 2 & 3. Each page provides a brief introduction to a key topic, with recommended readings, people to follow, and charts and graphs that show trends. Look for new yearly updates.

• 1) http://projects.nyujournalism.org/newsliteracy2017/ • 2) http://projects.nyujournalism.org/newsliteracy2016/ • 3) http://projects.nyujournalism.org/newsliteracy2015/ • MediaShift: http://mediashift.org – is a website delivering insight and analysis at the intersection of media and technology. “MediaShift tells

stories of how the shifting media landscape is changing the way we get our news and information. MediaShift correspondents explain how traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, music, and movies are dealing with digital disruption and adapting their business models for a more mobile, networked world”.

• Journalism.co.uk: www.journalism.co.uk – a website with news and advertorial content for journalists based in the UK • Journalism Research News: http://journalismresearchnews.org/  – “A news site about the latest academic knowledge in journalism. It

improves the quality of scholarly communication about ongoing research”. • Online Journalism Review – http://www.ojr.org – “Focusing on the future of digital journalism”.

Research Guide

Sources You Can & Should Use

Sources of data and research reports – Here are some reports that may help your research: • Tow Center for Digital Journalism: https://towcenter.org/#/type/research • Pew Research Center’s Journalism & Media section: http://www.journalism.org/ • Digital News Report by Reuters Institute: http://www.digitalnewsreport.org/ • Integrity of the Image, a report by World Press Photo: https://www.worldpressphoto.org/activities/research/integrity-of-the-image • Visual Storytelling in the Age of Post-Industrial Journalism, a report by World Press Photo: https://www.worldpressphoto.org/sites/default/files/

upload/World%20Press%20Photo%20Multimedia%20Research%20Project%20by%20David%20Campbell.pdf • Journalism that Stands Apart, a report by NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/projects/2020-report/ • http://mediashift.org/metrics/ – you can also get some good data and metrics

Websites by relevant thinkers, academics, and researchers – Some scholars’ and researchers’ blogs or websites can also provide good sources for your research: • David Campbell writes about visual storytelling, visual economy, and politics: https://www.david-campbell.org/ • Jörg M. Colberg writes about photography and related issues: http://cphmag.com/ • Reading the Picture, which dedicated to visual culture, visual literacy and media literacy: http://www.readingthepictures.org/ • Jay Rosen’s PressThink which focuses on the press in the digital age: http://pressthink.org/

Google, google scholar, and Google alerts

Books – Yes, those old things that you can touch, smell and feel! We have plenty of good books in the library – here are a selection of some of the most useful: • The Principles of Multimedia Journalism: Packaging Digital News, by Richard Koci Hernandez and Jeremy Rue • Bending the Frame, by Fred Ritchin • After Photography, by Fred Ritchin • You might like to take a look here too – Photography theory: a beginner’s guide • Don’t forget, you can always make new requests for us to purchase! Please do this via the Library monitor

Chinese sources – We need your help – please make suggestions to Song Yi

Research Guide

Other notes

A guide to evaluating websites – You should consider the following evaluation criteria when deciding whether to use information found on websites for your research:

• Purpose: Websites can have a variety of purposes. They can be educational, commercial, personal, etc. Check the ending of the URL, as that may indicate who is publishing it, and what its purpose is (i.e. .edu, .gov, .org).

• Authority & Accountability: Is the author’s name given (Authors can be individuals or organizations)? What are his or her credentials? Are the authors clear about their intent and purpose? Is there an identifiable institution or organization listed? Can they be contacted if you have more questions? Is there a bibliography or a list of citations given? A reliable website will cite its’ sources.

• Objectivity: Does the website reflect a bias? Does it take into account one side of an argument only or one point of view? Is the language used fair and balanced, or is it extreme and onesided? Does the site list sources to back up its’ argument?

• Currency: Is the information provided up-to-date? When was it last updated? • A note on Wikipedia and other wikis: A wiki is a kind of website that can be edited, modified or deleted by anyone at any time, from

anywhere in the world, with little or no restrictions placed upon them. With Wikipedia in particular, the author of an article can remain anonymous and does not have to give any credentials or provide supporting evidence to back up their claims. This means that a person with no credentials can post anything they like, whether it’s accurate or not. While it’s entirely possible that an entry in Wikipedia is factually correct, there’s no real way of knowing for certain. Wikipedia and other wikis are not acceptable websites to use for your work. You can, however, use Wiki’s as a starting point and to find other sources.

What if I find too many or too few sources for my thesis? – Finding too much Sometimes you will find that there is just too much information. This might be because: Lots has been written on your main topic, Your topic has links with many other subject areas, or your Thesis statement is too broad. In this case – Returning to your research question and re-focusing may solve this problem by giving you a clearer idea of what you really want to find out. If your research question is already specific, you may need to revise your search plan. Things to try include: Using more precise terms in Keyword searches, Adding in limits to your searches, Concentrating on key authors. If in doubt Cong Yan could help to strim things down a little. Finding too little Sometimes you will struggle to find much relevant material. You may need to think of ways of broadening the scope of your thesis. Try: Making the project (or just your keywords) more general, Searching for comparative or related information, e.g. looking at all online video platforms, rather than those in a specific country. Your tutor is a good source of advice: they can often tell you if a topic is very new, or little-studied, and they may be able to suggest related areas of research to investigate. Finding materials which are not ‘academic’ enough If your tutor tells you that the materials you’ve found are not appropriate to your level of study, or that you need to make your work more academic. This just means you need to be more selective in your use of sources. Two helpful ways of accessing scholarly material are: Limiting your search to the academic (or scholarly or peer-reviewed) journal search options available on many of the databases and making sure you are using academic rather than trade journals. Limiting your Internet search to suggested sites or sites which end in .ac or .edu. Continue reviewing and revising your search plan and recording and evaluating your results until you are happy with the materials you have found. It is a good idea to start this process early. Students rarely receive copious support when they leave things to the last moment. The earlier you can get your tutor a draft or ask a question the better supported you will be.

Research Guide