6 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1021439CER for all students in the 1st semester at a (C) Bachelor - specialised level.
This course focuses on the study of media content and media texts. It starts from the argument that, without disregarding the value of production and audience studies, media content and texts cannot be dismissed in the study of media and communication. Hence, the aim of this course is to provide an overview of the diverse research methods that deal with media content and media texts.
The course starts with a conceptual discussion to elucidate similarities and differences between media content and media texts. Second, the course offers an overview of different approaches and debates regarding the study of diverse media content and texts (e.g., print media, audiovisual media,…). For the greater part, this course elaborates and illustrates contemporary quantitative and qualitative approaches. Particularly, students are instructed on how to conduct specific quantitative and qualitative analyses of media content and media texts. Last, students within this course are expected to conduct a content or a textual analysis.
This course combines various teaching methods:
Lecture: offering an introduction to key methods, method-related theories and concepts, and contemporary debates prevailing in the research of media content and texts.
Seminar (coached exercises) and practicum: the lecturers will coach students in learning to use particular methods to analyze media content and texts during practica.
Group work: Groups of students will work together on a content analysis or a textual analysis. Under the supervision of the lecturers, they will participate in the different research steps of a full-scale content or textual analysis, and present the findings in an academic report.
Independent work: as part of the group work, each student will perform a part of the assignment individually, which will be integrated in the report.
Self-reliant study activities: students individually and independently process and assess additional scholarly literature that deals with the content of the course, as preparation for the formal lectures.
Final competences
1. The student can formulate a valid scientific research question on a topic that relates to the analysis of media content and media texts.
2. The student knows how to set up a scientifically and methodologically correct research design.
3. The student possesses the methodological knowledge and skills of data selection, processing and analysis to successfully conduct content or textual analysis on their own.
4. The student has an investigative, problem-oriented and critical attitude towards media-related phenomena and scientific research results with regard thereof.
5. The student recognises the multi-layered and complex character of media content and media texts.
6. The students are able to clearly and concisely communicate their research to fellow students.
7. The students are able to successfully conduct a content or textual analysis in group.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
This course uses permanent evaluation: The final result is based on the evaluation of the group work paper (80%) and individual work (20%)
+ Group work (80%): based on evaluation of the process and report of the group work. In case the input of the different team members is clearly different, the examination mark per student in one team can be different. In other words, the lecturers can adapt the score of the group work for each team member based on (1) participation during the seminars and (2) the outcome of students' confidential peer evaluations of their group members, which have to be submitted electronically after the submission of the group assignment.
+ Individual work (20%): based on the student's individual contribution to the group work.
If students fail the permanent evaluation (score lower than 10/20), they will be able to do an alternative written assignment in the second term.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Communication Studies
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology