RESEARCH AND SYNTHESIS
5MEST016W
BA CONTEMPORARY MEDIA PRACTICE
2023-2024
BLACKBOARD SUBMISSION STATUS:
COMPULSORY FOR ASSIGNMENT 2
Westminster School of Arts
College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries
CONTENTS
Section 1: General Information p. 3
Module aims and learning outcomes
Section 2: Resources p. 6
Blackboard
The library, electronic readings and Library Search
How do I find my class?
How do I check for any module rescheduling or news?
How do I contact my module tutor?
Section 3: Submission and assessment of work p. 7
Assessment and submission details
Assessment rationale and criteria
Plagiarism and other academic offences
Lateness penalties
How to submit your work
Return of work and marks
Referral conditions
Section 4: Preparing for study p. 11
Recommended reading
Module timetable
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SECTION 1: General Information
Module Leader: Dr Chris Christodoulou
Module Code: 5MEST016W
Module Level: 6
Module Semester: 2
Module Length: 12 weeks
Status: Core
Credit Weighting: 20
MODULE OUTLINE
This module is intended to prepare students for substantial critical research and
analysis at Level 6. The first part of the module refers to research frameworks
appropriate to BA Contemporary Media Practice students, involving moving image,
photography, interactive media, and transmedial projects, and integrates activities
designed to help students achieve a focused research topic.
MODULE AIMS
 To further develop historical and conceptual knowledge of contemporary media
culture
 To develop an informed understanding of a range of research methodologies
 To equip students with a framework within which to situate and develop
independent research
 To develop critical skills through the selection and evaluation of appropriate
theories and ideas
 To prepare students for dissertation-level research at Level 6
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Note: Learning Outcomes describe the minimum acceptable (threshold) standards, and
students must therefore achieve all Learning Outcomes to pass the module.
By the end of the module the successful student will be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding (KU):
1. Locate and isolate key theories and debates appropriate to a negotiated topic for ad-
vanced study
2. Locate and isolate core methodologies appropriate to the dissertation and other ad-
vanced research
Professional and Personal Practice (PPP):
3. Analyse and synthesise historical and theoretical approaches to the study of media
and culture
Key Transferable Skills (KTS):
4. Communicate effectively in academically rigorous written form
5. Manage working individually to a negotiated brief
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Course outcomes the module contributes to (see Programme Specification for
more detail):
KU 5.3 Comprehend the major theories of media, culture and society, with some
specialisation in one or more aspects
PPP 5.2 Employ planning strategies, conceptual development methods and critical
tools which draw upon a range of traditions and media disciplines
PPP 5.3 Identify a range of responses to broad themes and media-specific concerns,
and select and communicate from this range
KTS 5.1 Effectively communicate in written, oral and audio-visual modes, engaging
with academic standards, professional protocols and a range of audiences
KTS 5.2 Manage study time and information, taking responsibility for your own
learning, with limited guidance
MODULE STRUCTURE AND TEACHING METHODS
Indicative teaching and learning methods (with typical scheduled / supervised time for
each student):
- Lectures and seminars develop research methods, key ideas and debates
- Group and individual tutorials support students in developing research ideas and
completing assignments
- Peer review of research plans enable students to develop an understanding of
methods and levels, and to share feedback
- Contextualising trips to relevant galleries and events, but will vary according to
individual need
Students are expected to complete the assignments through self-managed study time.
This should amount to approximately 157 hours in addition to the scheduled /
supervised time.
Activity type Category Student learning and
teaching hours*
Lecture Scheduled 22
Seminar Scheduled 11
Tutorial Scheduled 2
Project supervision Scheduled Not applicable
Demonstration Scheduled Not applicable
Practical Classes and workshops Scheduled Not applicable
Supervised time in studio/workshop Scheduled Not applicable
Fieldwork Scheduled 8
External visits Scheduled Not applicable
Work based learning Scheduled Not applicable
Total Scheduled 43
Placement Placement Not applicable
Independent study Independent 157
Total student learning and
teaching hours
200
*The hours per activity type are indicative and subject to change.
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SECTION 2: Resources
BLACKBOARD
Blackboard is a system that facilitates and manages electronic communication and
access to materials or information. Your tutors will use Blackboard to help support your
learning, and you will often be required to submit assignments through the site.
Blackboard contains downloadable learning materials, special announcements, module
and course handbooks, discussion forums and more.
In order to be in communication with your tutors and classmates, It is essential that you
take some time to familiarise yourself with Blackboard. It is easy to use, and a guide for
using Blackboard (‘Blackboard Basics for Students’) can be found here:
https://www.westminster.ac.uk/current-students/studies/your-student-journey/when-
you-arrive/blackboard
THE LIBRARY, ELECTRONIC READINGS AND LIBRARY SEARCH
It is important to take a while to familiarise yourself with the following resources, the
use of which will be essential in researching your work.
The library
The Library and Student Centre points will be open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm.
The Live Chat service will operate Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm, and Saturday and
Sunday 11am-5pm. All opening hours may vary during vacation periods.
The Library spaces are open throughout the year and 24/5 at key term time points.
Library Search
Library Search is a rich, easy-to-use online resource that can be accessed through the
Westminster website. It is an essential research tool for this module, and can be used
to find full-text e-journals, e-books, e-readings, and still and moving images.
For Library Search (essential for this module) and information on borrowing privileges,
see the library website:
https://www.westminster.ac.uk/current-students/studies/library-and-study-spaces
For this module, you will be expected to refer to both the essential texts and those
derived from your own research. You will be expected to access e-books and e-
readings, as well as hardcopy materials, in order to pursue your research.
Details of e-readings and e-journal articles required for this module are included in this
guide. However, you are expected to build on this material by gathering independent
research through additional reading. Reflection and critique is one of the key learning
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outcomes of the module, and examining your application of existing research forms a
cornerstone of the assessment strategy of this module.
Information to help you to research your assignments can be found here:
https://www.westminster.ac.uk/current-students/studies/study-skills-and-training/
research-skills
HOW DO I FIND MY CLASS?
Lectures for will take place in A7.04 on Wednesdays between 10.00 am and 1 pm.
Two Friday sessions in A1.09 have also been scheduled for tutorials.
HOW DO I CHECK FOR ANY MODULE RESCHEDULING OR NEWS?
From time to time, your tutor may need to move your class to another location or time.
You can check for any rescheduling on Blackboard. Your tutors will post an
announcement in the relevant module area.
HOW DO I CONTACT MY MODULE TUTORS?
Your Module Leader for Research and Synthesis is Dr Chris Christodoulou:
christc@westminster.ac.uk
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Section 3: Submission and assessment of work
ASSESSMENT AND SUBMISSION DETAILS
There are two types of assessment in this module – formative and summative.
Formative assessments do not count towards your final grade for the module. They
are for you to test your knowledge and receive feedback from your peers and tutors.
You have one formative assessment:
Assignment 1 (Optional): RESEARCH PLAN (1,000 words)
A Research Plan (1,000 words) supports you in identifying and communicating a
subject area for further academic research. It asks you to engage with research
strategies and methods, to articulate research aims, and to be able to make an
initial review of relevant secondary and primary sources in preparation for the
Research Proposal and advanced research at Level 6. You will receive peer and
staff feedback and this task develops all learning outcomes.
Research Plans are optional and can be discussed with Chris during one-to-one
tutorials on Friday 8th March 2024. Tutorial slots are limited, so students will be seen
on a first come, first serve basis.
Summative Assessments DO count towards your final grade for the module. Your
summative assessment for this module is:
Assignment 2 (Compulsory): RESEARCH PROPOSAL (3,000 words; 100%
weighting)
A Research Proposal (3,000 words): You are required to develop a proposal for
your research topic, based on guidelines discussed during taught sessions that
demonstrates awareness of a range of sources relevant to the creative and cultural
contexts of current media practice. The assignment is designed to prepare you for
the demands of final year theoretical work, and to enable productive engagement
with your chosen topic. This task tests all learning outcomes.
The deadline for the submission of the Research Proposal is 1 pm, Wednesday 10th
April 2024.
Research Proposals can be discussed with Chris during one-to-one tutorials on Friday
5th April 2024. Tutorial slots are limited, so students will be seen on a first come, first
serve basis.
The work must be typed/word-processed, double-spaced, with page numbers and a
word count included on the document on the first page.
Important: the word length is 3,000 words. The title, quotations, any foot and end
notes, introduction and conclusion do count towards your total word count.
Appendices, bibliographies, filmographies, etc, are not included in this total.
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With a standard 10% margin of error, the permitted word count is therefore 2,700 –
3,300 words.
It is your responsibility to keep a copy of your assignment for yourself. Computer
malfunction is NEVER accepted as mitigating circumstances.
We aim to return marks and feedback by Friday 10 th May . If there are any changes to
this schedule, we will let you know via Blackboard and email.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
The Research Proposal will be assessed on the extent to which you have
demonstrated:
 Integration of a range and depth of research
 Understanding of the relevant theoretical debates
 Ability to structure arguments in support of ideas
 Effective communication in academically rigorous written form, with full referencing
of sources
Marks are awarded as below, in line with published university grade descriptors.
Characteristics of performance will be determined on the basis of the criteria as
outlined above.
Characteristics of Performance

Outstanding: work of an exceptionally high standard 80-100%
Excellent: work approaching an exceptional standard 70-79%
Good: consistently good, some aspects excellent 60-69%
Satisfactory: criteria have been clearly met 50-59%
Adequate: criteria have just met threshold 40-49%
Poor: but marginal fail 30-39%
Clear fail 0-29%
PLAGIARISM (AND OTHER ACADEMIC OFFENCES)
You are reminded that the university considers plagiarism to be a very serious offence.
Check your Course Handbook for guidance. Feel free to discuss the matter with your
tutor if you want clarification and/or advice on how to avoid suspicion of plagiarism.
A guide to referencing can be found here:
https://libguides.westminster.ac.uk/referencing
This guide explains the Harvard referencing system, how to present a bibliography, and
so on. This includes making references in a complete and correct manner to web sites.
USE OF AI PLATFORMS
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The University insists on original work from students, requiring independent thought
and proper source citation. Outsourcing assignments to AI technologies like ChatGPT
and DALL-E, or third parties, constitutes cheating, undermines critical thinking skills,
hinders student development, and diminishes students’ potential contributions in both
the academic and professional world.
The University recognises that students may legitimately use GenAI in a number of
ways including for example: assisting with grammar and spelling, utilising it as a search
tool for researching assignment topics, helping with planning and developing the
outline structure of a written assessment, generating ideas for graphics, images, and
visuals, obtaining explanations of concepts, debugging code, overcoming writer’s
block. These specific applications of GenAI can support students in their academic
endeavours. However, it’s important to note that while these uses are permissible,
students must still adhere to the principles of academic integrity and properly cite any
sources or references derived from the assistance provided by GenAI.
Please note that some subject areas/specific taught modules will potentially have other
legitimate ways for you to use GenAI and that details of this will be communicated to
you by module leaders where necessary.
LATENESS PENALTIES
The following is the University’s policy on penalties for late submission of assessed
work: if you submit your coursework late but within 24 hours or one working day of the
specified deadline, 10% of the overall marks available for that element of assessment
(i.e. 10%) will be deducted, as a penalty for late submission, except for work which
obtains a mark in the range 40 – 49%, in which case the mark will be capped at the
pass mark (40%).

If you submit your coursework more than 24 hours or more than one working day after
the specified deadline you will be given a mark of zero for the work in question.
Late work and any claim of Mitigating Circumstances relating to coursework must be
submitted at the earliest opportunity to ensure as far as possible that the work can still
be marked. Late work will not normally be accepted if it is received more than five
working days after the original coursework deadline. Once the work of other students
has been marked and returned, late submissions of that same piece of work cannot be
assessed.
RETURN OF WORK AND MARKS
The moderation process involves examining a sample of assignments drawn from the
entire range of each tutor’s marks. We aim normally to return your work within three
weeks of its submission. However, for some modules this is not appropriate. Please
check provisional return dates with your tutor. Any delays to this process will be
communicated to you through Blackboard and email.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK
All written work presented for this module MUST be:
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 submitted as single softcopy to the Blackboard Turnitin site for 5MEST016W
 typed, with a minimum of 1 inch for the left-hand margin
 1.5 or double-spaced for body text; single-spaced and indented for longer quota-
tions (c. >30 words);
 fully and correctly referenced;
 uploaded to Blackboard as Word or PDF files only, with a clear trace of (an-
onymised) authorship in the title, such as ‘studentnumber_Research Pro-
posal_5MEST016W’
 carefully checked before submission for errors of content and presentation, with
visual examples as appropriate, and your assignment must;
 have your name and module code on EVERY page, either at the top or bottom
of each page.
REFERRAL CONDITIONS (module grade in the range 30-39)
You may be referred in the module if your overall module grade is 0-39. If you are
offered referral you will then be required to resubmit all work that did not achieve a
pass mark. This will normally be by working to the original brief (as given here), but you
must seek confirmation from the Module Leader. Note that if you do successfully pass
at the referral stage your resubmitted work (but not the overall module grade) will be
capped at 40. The referral deadline for all modules is 1 pm, Monday 15th July 2024.
Consult the Module Leader, your Personal Tutor or the Course Leader to confirm
that you are eligible for referral and for more guidance.
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Section 4: Preparing for Study
RECOMMENDED READING
There is no required weekly reading schedule for this module. Instead, students will be
tasked with completing weekly tasks to develop their Research Proposals in
preparation for the Research Project module at Level 6.
However, the recommended reading list below has been compiled to support the
development of the Research Proposal. Additionally, students should refer to texts that
specifically address their chosen subject and methodology.
Sources
Bauer, M. W., and Gaskell, G. (2000) Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and
Sound: A Practical Handbook, London: Sage.
Berger, A. (2020) Media and Communication Research Methods: An Introduction to
Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, London: Sage.
Carter, P. (2017) Material Thinking: The Theory and Practice of Creative Research,
Carlton: Melbourne.
Clark, L. I. (2006) Writing the Successful Thesis and Dissertation: Entering the
Conversation, London: Prentice Hall.
Collins, H. (2010) Creative Research: The Theory and Practice of Research for
the Creative Industries, Lausanne: AVA Academia.
Davies, M. B. (2007) Doing a Successful Research Project, Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan.
Greetham, B. (2014) How to Write your Undergraduate Dissertation, Basingstoke:
Palgrave Macmillan.
Grierson, E. (2009) Creative Arts Research: Narratives and Methodologies of
Practices, Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
O’Leary, Z. (2010) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project, Sage
Rudestam, K. E., and Newton, R. (2015) Surviving Your Dissertation: A
Comprehensive Guide to Content and Process, London: Sage.
Swetnam, D. (2004) Writing Your Dissertation: How to Plan, Prepare and Present Your
Work Successfully, How-To Books.
Terrell, S. (2016) Writing a Proposal for Your Dissertation, New York: Guildford Press.
Walliman, N. (2000) Your Research Project: A Step-by-Step Guide for the First-Time
Researcher. London: Sage.
Williams, K. (2016) Planning Your Dissertation, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Critical Theory:
Badminton, N. & Thomas J. (2008), Routledge Critical Cultural Theory Reader.
Routledge
Durant, A. (2010) Meaning in the Media: discourse, controversy and debate,
Cambridge University Press
Geraghty, L. (2015) Popular Media Cultures: fans, audiences and paratexts, Palgrave
Macmillan
Macey, D. (2004) Dictionary of Critical Theory, Penguin
Stokes, J (2000) How to do Media and Cultural Studies, Sage
Storey, J. (2009) Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction. Pearson
Longman
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Storey, J. (ed.) (2018) Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: a reader, Pearson/Prentice
Hall
MODULE TIMETABLE
L. WEEK DATE LECTURE/SEMINAR (in A7.04, unless stated)
1 24th January
2024
What is a Research Project? (10 am-1 pm)
2 31st January Finding Originality (10 am-1 pm)
3 7th February Research & Analysis (10 am-1 pm)
4 14th February Case Study (10 am-1 pm)
5 21st February Planning Your Research (10 am-1 pm)
6 28th February Mid-Semester Tutorials (10 am-1 pm)
7 6th March Article & Source Analysis (10 am-1 pm)
(In A1.09) 8th March Research Plan Tutorials (Fri, 10 am-5 pm / 15 mins
per student)
8 13th March Writing the Proposal (10 am-1 pm)
9 20th March Quotations & Paraphrasing (10 am-1 pm)
10 27th March Audience Research: Intertextual Fandoms (10 am-
1 pm)
11 3rd April Intermedial Research: Mashups (10 am-1 pm)
(In A1.09) 5th April Research Proposal Tutorials (Fri, 10 am-5 pm / 15
mins per student)
12 10th April No Session
Deadline 10th April 2024 Research Proposal Deadline (1 pm)