SE1108: Introduction to Media Communication
| School | Language and Communication |
| Department Code | ENCAP |
| Module Code | SE1108 |
| External Subject Code | Q310 |
| Number of Credits | 20 |
| Level | L4 |
| Language of Delivery | English |
| Module Leader | Dr Thiresia Spilioti |
| Semester | Spring Semester |
| Academic Year | 2015/6 |
Outline Description of Module
This double module develops basic approaches to the study of discourse and communication, relevant to a wide range of traditional and new forms of media - from TV programmes to magazine advertisements, e-mails and texting. What is distinctive about particular media forms and genres? How do patterns of language use differ depending on text type and register? We look at how news gets produced, and analyse news stories, advertisements and broadcast interaction using methods of discourse analysis. We also look at patterns of language in emergent forms of e-based communication, examining how we can define, characterise and understand the ways in which discourse is used to scaffold our existence in the modern digital world (primarily using corpus-based methods).
On completion of the module a student should be able to
On completion of the module a student should be familiar with the most fundamental scholarly approaches to (new) media communication and be able to analyse media texts and discourse in their specific social, cultural and political context.
How the module will be delivered
Timetabled sessions include 2 lectures and 1 seminar per week (in total this amounts to 20 and 10 hours respectively). Lectures are supplemented with visual support such as PowerPoint slides and handouts. These are made available to students via Learning Central. Handouts which outline the key lecture material will also be made available on Learning Central. Assignments and guided reading will comprise 130 hours on the module.
Skills that will be practised and developed
On completion of the module a student should be able to:
- Think critically
- Read academic texts of different levels of complexity
- Assess the value of key concepts in media communication
- Engage in independent reflection and enquiry
- Express an argument clearly
- Research and write an academic essay
How the module will be assessed
Coursework (50%); and Written Examination (50%)
The module is assessed according to the Assessment Criteria set out in the English Language Student Handbook. Otherwise, there are no academic or competence standards which limit the availability of adjustments or alternative assessments for students with disabilities.
Assessment Breakdown
| Type | % | Title | Duration(hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam - Spring Semester | 50 | Introduction To Media Communication | 1 |
| Written Assessment | 50 | Coursework | N/A |
Syllabus content
The module will include most of the following topics:
- The media world
- What makes news?
- News as story and news as ideology
- Broadcast talk as institutional discourse
- Advertising genre and style
- New media genres
- The ‘spokenness’ of e-based communication
- Social Media and communication
- Identities and communities online
- E-transactional discourse
Essential Reading and Resource List
A Course Reader will be available for this module from Blackwell’s bookshop from the start of semester 2.
Background Reading and Resource List
- Crystal, D. (2001) Language and the Internet. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Macdonald, M. (2003) Exploring Media Discourse. London: Arnold
- Marshall, J. and Werndly, A. (2002) The Language of Television. London: Routledge.
- O’Keefe A. (2006) Investigating Media Discourse. London: Routledge.
- Richardson, J. (2007) Analysing Newspapers. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
- Tagg, C. and Seargeant, P. (2014) The Language of Social Media: Identity and Community on the Internet. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Wood, A.F. and Smith, M. J. (2004) Online Communication: Linking Technology, Identity and Culture. London: Routledge.
A Course Reader will be available for this module from Blackwell’s bookshop from the start of semester 2.