Final assessment MCS 300 Debates in Global Media
Essay (2000-2500 words, Individual)
To be submitted by 1pm Monday, Week 12, January 20nd, 2025
Term 1, 2024-2025
Brief
In your presentation assignment, you practiced how to construct and frame. a case study, and you were asked to experiment with changing your angle and framing. Building on this exercise, the final essay asks you to conduct a comparative analysis whereby you compare two cases.
In week 2, we discussed the advantages of comparative research such as de-westernizing media studies and developing theory. We also discussed some difficulties around finding terminology and avoiding essentialisms. Keeping these important reminders in mind, choose two phenomena that you can construct as somehow equivalent and hence comparable cases, whereby you comment on similarities and differences alike.
You are encouraged to get out of your cultural comfort zone (even if choosing a Chinese-US comparison would seem the most obvious) and engage with different regions but also remain mindful of the internal differences within those regions themselves in terms of ethnicity, class, gender, and urban/rural divides, et cetera. The two cases need to allow you to discuss at least three concepts from our module readings (key and/or recommended).
Your research can be based on any method for data collection that you find appropriate but also the use of secondary literature (existing studies) is allowed (with proper referencing). Doing original research requires an Ethics Form. if human subjects are involved (i.e., interview, focus group, social media posts by users who do not have the expectation of public scrutiny). As this is only a short essay, you need to consider what would be the proper size of the study you conduct. In other words, you are not expected to undertake a huge amount of empirical research but to frame. your case in a pragmatic and doable way.
Consultation
The lecture in week 10 will review comparative methods and other research skills. Seminars in week 9 and 10 are reserved for sharing and consultations about your final essay. Please get signed up with your tutor to share your ideas and ask questions. If you desire further personal consultation, please be reminded that the tutors Charlotte Curle and Emily Hoyle are only available until December 13 and Rolien is available until December 15.
Learning Outcomes
The assessment is designed to develop your academic skills as you move on to prepare your dissertation in Lent term. These skills include:
a) How to select a case study that can illustrate and speak to the relevant themes/theories
b) How to gauge the appropriate focus of the case study in relation to the scale of the essay
c) How to develop research questions in relation to the case study and theory
d) Critical analysis of case study through application of theory
Think of this essay as an encouraging environment to practice research design on a small scale and to hone those skills before taking them to the larger dissertation project.
Checklist
· Have you formulated a research question(s) that is analytical and not just descriptive?
· Have you explained the rationale for your project: why is it interesting and important?
· Have you reflected on the comparison that you make and avoided unnuanced essentialisms?
· Have you critically discussed your case study in relation to AT LEAST 3 theories / concepts learnt on the module?
· Is the scope of your argument reasonable and proportionate to the evidence that you can provide?
· Does your essay have a focus and a coherent argument that answers the research question(s)?
· Have you taken the time to contextualize the phenomena you discuss so that a reader who is unfamiliar with the context can understand your work?
Rubric
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Outstanding-
Very Good
Key characteristics
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Good-Satisfactory
Key characteristics
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Passible
Key characteristics
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Research question
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Introduces a research question that is analytical in nature; that is highly relevant to the module; and that addresses an original comparison.
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Introduces a research question that is somewhat analytical in nature but could be improved; that is relevant to the module; that addresses a more familiar and less nuanced comparison yet still covers new aspects.
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Introduces a research question that is not well articulated yet; that is somewhat relevant to the module; that addresses a less nuanced comparison while covering few new aspects.
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Content Knowledge and Conceptual Clarity
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Demonstrates exemplary knowledge of the content and concepts; demonstrates the ability to apply concepts in an original way; Reflects meaningfully on the comparison.
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Demonstrates good knowledge of the content and concepts; demonstrates the ability to apply concepts in a meaningful way with original elements; Reflects on the comparison.
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Demonstrates some knowledge of the content and concepts; the application of concepts is nascent but remains underdeveloped; Does not specify the comparison.
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Argumentation and Communication
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Clearly and convincingly communicates answer to the research question; Essay is organized in an optimal way; Referencing is carefully executed; The author’s “voice” comes through and guides the reader.
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Consistently communicates answer to the research question; Essay demonstrates logical organization and is readable; Referencing is carefully executed; The author’s “voice” is emerging.
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Communicates a basic answer to the research question; Disorganized approach to the question; some obstacles to the reader's comprehension; Referencing is lacking proper care; The author’s “voice” is barely detectable.
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Framing and soundness of claims
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Cases are framed in a way that enables sound argumentation and rich evidence.
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Cases are framed in a way that enables overall logical argumentation and evidence, with some slippages.
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Cases are not framed in a way that enables overall sound enough argumentation, while there is some evidence.
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