Unit information: Reading the Media in 2012/13

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Unit name Reading the Media
Unit code MODL23020
Credit points 20
Level of study I/5
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director Mr. Dieuaide
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

None
Co-requisites

None
School/department School of Modern Languages
Faculty Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

With this content-based study of the media, students will acquire the skills and methodology to explore and make sense of the production of news reporting and comment on current affairs, culture and the media.

The course will be structured around core lectures (both thematic and country specific) and student-led seminars.

Through the analysis of current newspaper articles, films, material on the internet, television programmes and radio stations in Europe, the unit will increase students’ understanding of technical and specialised terminology, in the cultural context of a variety of European countries.

The intention is to provide the students with the necessary social and political background required for a proper understanding of the news reporting process, as well as to equip them with the necessary tools to analyse all forms of media (through the following approaches: cultural, political, economic, sociological and semiotic) in a contrastive approach. Through their presentations, students will learn to apply media theory to the analysis of a variety of media in the countries of their degree programme.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

  • Identify the cultural and historical context of media texts and images
  • Discuss key ideas conveyed by media texts and images and analyse stylistic features
  • Explain the significance of key terminology from and regarding the media;
  • Compare the nature and use of the media across national boundaries
  • Communicate the above appropriately in written and oral presentations.

Teaching Information

A mixture of lectures and presentation-based seminars (2 hours x weekly)

Assessment Information

All assessment will be summative and will include an oral presentation in which students will be required to analyse the way in which a theme is dealt with in a variety of media using media theory and a selection of authentic material (25% of course mark) and a 2,500 word essay (75% of course mark) in which students will be required to apply media theory to analyse country-specific cultural aspects in a variety of media as a contrastive approach or within one medium across its different forms. Both exercises require students to show evidence of the stated learning outcomes.

Reading and References

Relevant authentic language material drawn form current affairs reporting in the press and digital media.

  • Branston, G. and Stafford R 2003, The Media Student’s Book, Routledge
  • Cormack, M. 1992, Ideology, B. T. Batsford Limited
  • Creeber, G., Martin, R. 2009, Digital Cultures, Understanding New Media, McGraw-Hill Open University Press
  • Long, P. and Wall T. 2009, Media Studies: Texts, Production and Context, Longman
  • Richardson, John E. 2007, Analysing Newspapers: An Approach from Critical Discourse Analysis, Palgrave Macmillan, Chapter 7 in particular

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