POL30710 Media and Politics

Academic Year 2021/2022

In this module students willl examine the ways in which mass and social media may have an impact on how political events play out. The module is organised around two core components. In lectures we will discuss research papers that study how media content may (or may not!) influence what voters and political elites think or do. Second, in lab sessions we will use the R statistical language to examine mass media and social media content using quantitative text analysis methods.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

This module introduces students to core concepts and central debates in the multidisciplinary field of political communication. Students will gain a solid understanding of the relationship between (social) media content and political events and they will be able to identify key methodological challenges to studying media effects on the public. Furthermore, students will learn to use the R statistical language to perform basic, descriptive analysis of digitized media content originating from mass media outlets or social media networks.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Computer Aided Lab

12
Autonomous Student Learning

196
Total

220
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module revolves around two core components. In lectures and discussions students will learn about core issues in the field of political communication . Second, in hands-on lab sessions students will gain experience in using computational text mining methods to examine political media content. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

Students who attempt this module must have completed POL 20050 Research Methods in Political Science.

This module is in part based on lab sessions around computational text mining methods to examine political news content. Students who attempt this module should have an interest in learning how to work with such methods.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Media and Politics (POL30610)


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Individual writing assignment Unspecified n/a Graded No

30
Continuous Assessment: Individual coding assignment Unspecified n/a Graded No

30
Group Project: Group writing assignment Unspecified n/a Graded No

40

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be provided to students within 20 working days of the deadline for the assignment in accordance with university policy.