MJ4800 Work as a Research Assistant Course description

Students must have completed and passed the courses MJ4000 Journalism Research - Theory and Methodology or MJ4010 Introduction to Journalism- and Media Research and MJ4020  Introduction to Research Methodology, or a similar introduction course, before they can take the course Work as a Research Assistant.  The course can only be taken once.

The student will be linked to a research project led by one of the lecturers on the master's programme, and will participate in work on this project. The participation must result in a relevant academic production.

MJ4000 Journalism Research - Theory and Methodology or MJ4010 Introduction to Journalism- and Mediaresearch and MJ4020 Introduction to Research Methodology, or equivalent.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student has

• insight into driving, planning, conducting and preparing budgets for research projects
• specialised knowledge of different media theories related to the development of journalism (for instance, globalisation theories, theories about professional practice)
• increased theoretical insight into the processes that shape journalism and how journalism influences society

Skills

The student is capable of

• familiarising him/herself with specialist literature in the fields of journalism and media studies in an independent and critical manner and of finding relevant material for a research project
• critically analysing and dealing with research material and has a capacity for critical thinking and reflection-also methodically regarding his/her own profession and role as a researcher
• carrying out an independent, limited research or development project under supervision and in accordance with applicable standards of research ethics for the protection of sources and source material

Competence

The student has

• developed the necessary skills to conduct research work
• competence in innovation and in applying his/her knowledge and skills in new areas

The most important content of the course is the pedagogical interaction between the staff's academic personnel and the student. The student will conduct a scientific work more closely agreed upon under the supervision of an academic member of staff. Through empirical studies and critical reflection the student will acquire insight and skills to carry out an academic work that maintains a good scientific standard. The course will provide the student with both practical skills, which are useful for later work on the master¿s thesis, and provide theoretical and practical competence that is useful for ongoing research in the expert community at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies.

Positions affiliated to research projects on the master¿s degree programme are advertised at the earliest opportunity. The student must apply using a dedicated form within the given deadline. Admission is granted automatically when the position on the research project is offered.

An agreement is drawn up about the content of the academic research assistant work, which in scope must be the equivalent to six weeks of full-time studies. The project manager will supervise the student in accordance with the agreement before and after the work. The work should result in a relevant academic work.

None.

A work report of three to five pages in font size 12, Times New Roman with 1.5 line spacing about the work should be submitted alongside the academic production. Methodological choices, challenges and overall knowledge of the research should be discussed. The academic work could be an independent publication in the form of a report, or it could be included as an article/chapter in publications stemming from the project, possibly as an integrated part of a large publication. In the last instance the student must include, and the project manager approve, the parts of the publication that comprise the academic work.

The work report and the academic work are assessed as "pass" or "fail". 

The papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner.