COMM2515 - 01 - Research Methods for Communication & Media Studies

(WI) Writing Intensive

This class provides an introduction to the critical/cultural analysis of media. Its main goal is to equip you with the necessary theoretical and methodological tools that will enable you to conduct your own research project. We will explore the basics of critical/cultural media studies, use an analytic approach to formulate a research project, survey a variety of textual and audience-based qualitative methods, collect and analyze data, and use existing theory and research to make sense of our findings. You will produce your own original research incorporating methods of textual and audience analysis. By the end of this course you will be able to Explain the historical trajectory of critical/cultural media studies Apply basic theoretical concepts. Formulate research questions and plan a qualitative research project. Engage in qualitative methods, including discourse analysis, online textual analysis, visual analysis, narrative analysis participant observation, and individual and group interviews. Write an academic research paper.