MJ4800 Work as a Research Assistant Course description

In the optional course MJ4800 Scientific Assistant, the student is associated with a research project led by a scientific employee at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, and participates in this research project. The participation must result in a relevant academic production. The subject can only be taken once.

Students must have completed and passed the courses MED4000 Media Development and Media Research, and MED4100 Introduction to Research Method or equivalent method course, before they can take the course MJ4800 Scientific Assistant.

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has insight into the development of a research project
• has specialized knowledge of various theories relevant to the field of study and the research project
• has advanced insight into quantitative and / or qualitative methods and knowledge of what governs method choices

Skills

The student

• can orientate themselves independently and critically within relevant academic literature and find relevant material for a research project
• can analyze and handle a research material critically and has the ability to think critically and reflect, also methodically, around his/her own role as a researcher
• can carry out an independent, limited research or development project under supervision and in line with current research ethics standards for the protection of sources and source material

General competence

The student

• has developed competence for independent research work
• has the competence to innovate and to apply their 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.

On a given occasion, research projects will announce places for scientific assistants at the master's program. The student contacts the project manager and submits a request for a place on the research project. The research leader decides whether there is room for the student and reports this.

An agreement is made about the content of the scientific assistance work, which in scope will correspond to 6 weeks of full-time studies. The project leader supervises the student in accordance with the agreement before and after the work. The work must end in a professionally relevant production.

No coursework requirements

The exam is an individual semester assignment consisting of a report of approx. 10 pages. Font Arial or Calibri, size 12 points, line spacing: 1.5.

The report shall contain the following components: Introduction, presentation of topic, presentation of the assignment and production, method, method reflections, potential findings and reflections on challenges with the work. The report can also explain the type of publication the work has aimed to include or be realized as, whether this applies to contributions to publications from the project, or as an independent publication (for example a separate article), when relevant.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Pass/non-pass

The report will be evaluated by an internal and an external examiner.

Harald Hornmoen