Researching Audiences and Reception

Subject 100-416 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 4 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Semester 1, - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A 1-hour lecture and a 2-hour seminar per week
Total Time Commitment: 3 contact hours/week, 7 additional hours/week. Total of 10 hours per week.
Prerequisites: Students should be eligible for study at the 4th or 5th year level.
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Dr Umi Manickam Khattab

Contact

Umi Khattab

umi@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview: This subject examines diverse notions of audience power and introduces various research approaches to investigating forms of audience practices and patterns of consumption in an ever-changing mediascape. It provides a detailed understanding of different ways in which questions of media impact and audience power have been theorised and conceptualised and examined across the history of mass communication research. Students will be encouraged to deepen their understanding of contemporary audience research methodologies from both administrative and critical points of views and to develop critical evaluation skills deployed in relation to these. Approaches examined will include early media effects studies rooted in the behavioural paradigm, sociological studies of public beliefs and opinion formation as well as political economy of globalisation and its (re)construction of audiences and more recent approaches inspired by cultural studies and varieties of feminism that explore audiences as culturally situated and as active sense makers. Students will consider different audiences, media and genres across the course and engage in focused study of selected audiences and processes of reception.
Objectives:
  • be able to demonstrate high level of understanding of key studies and major theoretical frameworks deployed in the analysis of media audiences and processes of reception;
  • be able to identify how changing frameworks of analysis and conceptualisation of 'audiences' prompt different questions and forms of analysis deployed in both industrial and academic research and how these have changed over time;
  • be able to critically evaluate research-based studies of audiences that are inspired by different theoretical frameworks and approaches.
Assessment: A written audience research proposal of 1000 words 20% (due mid-semester), a 15-minute oral presentation of audience research proposal 10% (due mid-semester), a written audience research report of 4000 words 60% (due at the end of semester) and class participation 10%. Students must attend 80% of classes to be eligible for assessment.
Prescribed Texts: A subject reader will be available.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  • be able to understand diverse forms of cultural practices and interactions in relation to historical and social context;
  • be able to demonstrate skills in research and critical evaluation;
  • be able to present ideas in both verbal and written form and in conformity to conventions of academic presentation;
  • be able to apply effective cross-cultural communication skills in group discussions and everyday interactions.
Related Course(s): Bachelor of Arts (Honours)(Media and Communications)
Master of Arts (Science, Communication and Society)
Master of Global Media Communication
Master of Publishing and Communications
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Editing and Communications)
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Media and Communication)
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Media and Communications

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