Professor Ellen Helsper

This course is available on the MPhil/PhD in Data, Networks and Society and MPhil/PhD in Media and Communications. This course is not available as an outside option.

1. Advanced Principles of Social Research: A series of ten two-hour Harvard style student assisted seminars led by media and communications faculty in the WT. Students are required to participate in all ten workshops.
2. Quantitative Data Literacy: Students take MY464 Critical Data Literacy for Media and Communications This course is compulsory and automatically included when students register for MC5M2B. 
3. Qualitative Analysis: Students take (or audit) an additional course taught by the Department of Methodology focussed on qualitative methods. Students must enrol for this course separately and review the course guide.

This course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops totalling a minimum of 35 hours across the AT and the WT. This course includes a reading week in Week 6 of term.

1. Advanced Principles of Social Research: Delivered through Harvard Style seminars totalling 20 hours across the WT.
2. Quantitative Data Literacy: Delivered through a combination of classes and lectures (MY464) totalling 30 hours in the AT.
3. Qualitative Analysis: Students take (or audit) an additional course taught by the Department of Methodology focussed on qualitative methods. Students must enrol for this course separately and review the course guide.

1. Advanced Principles of Social Research: All students are expected to complete advance readings and weekly assignments, and help prepare one seminar. Students submit their formative assignment consisting of a methods chapter in the first week of ST.
2. Quantitative Data Literacy: Self-guided computer exercises implementing principles covered in the lectures with weekly online homework on the material covered in the lectures and exercises during the AT.
3. Qualitative Analysis: Students take (or audit) an additional course taught by the Department of Methodology focussed on qualitative methods. Students must enrol for this course separately and review the course guide.

• Alasuutari, P. (1995). Researching Culture: Qualitative Method and Cultural Studies. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications Ltd.
• Bauer, M. W., & Gaskell, G. D. (2000). Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound: A Practical Handbook for Social Research. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications Ltd.
• Bell, A., & Garrett, P. (1998). Approaches To Media Discourse. Oxford; Malden, Mass: John Wiley & Sons.
• Bertrand, I & Hughes, P. (2005) Media Research Methods. Audiences, Institutions and Texts. New York: Palgrave.
• Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.
• Deacon, D., Pickering, M., Golding, P., & Murdock, G. (1999). Researching Communications: A Practical Guide to Methods in Media and Cultural Analysis. London: Hodder Education.
• De Vries, R. (2018) Critical Statistics: Seeing beyond the headlines. London, UK: MacMillan International.
• Flick, U. (1998). An Introduction to Qualitative Research. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications Ltd.
• Hansen, A., Cottle, S., Negrine, P. R., & Newbold, C. (1998). Mass Communication Research Methods. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Jensen, K. B., & Jankowski, N. W. (1991). A Handbook of Qualitative Methodologies for Mass Communication Research. London; New York: Routledge.
• Jørgensen, M. W., & Phillips, L. J. (2002). Discourse analysis as theory and method. London: Sage.
• Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and power. London: Pearson Education.
• Kent, R. (1994). Measuring Media Audiences. London; New York: Cengage Learning EMEA.
• Rose, G. (2012). Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications Ltd.
• Schroder, K., Drotner, K., Kline, S., & Murray, C. (2003). Researching Audiences: A Practical Guide to Methods in Media Audience Analysis. London: New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
• Silverman, D. (2013). Doing Qualitative Research: A Practical Handbook. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the spring exam period.

One assessment relating to Quantitative Data Literacy: One exam in the January exam period for MY464.

The Principles of Social Research element of the course will be assessed as part of each student's upgrade process at the end of the first year of doctoral study.

Students will also be expected to complete the necessary assessment for any Qualitative Analysis course they take. If a student audits, they will not be required to submit a summative assessment.