FT3IE-Independent Essay

Module Provider: Film, Theatre and TV
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr David Foster
Email: d.foster@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

With the agreement, support and feedback of an academic supervisor, you will independently shape your own research project. You will choose a focused aspect of the film, theatre and/or television industries that is of special interest to you, and that you have questions about. In dialogue with your supervisor, you will develop these questions, and plan the best way to conduct research into your area of special interest, so that you can find out what you want to know. You will write critically about your research journey and your research findings in a 5000 word essay. 

Aims:

1. To enable students, in agreement and dialogue with a supervisor, to develop and conduct viable independent research into a specific area of interest relating to the film, theatre and/or television industries. 


2. To support students in developing expertise in their chosen area of the film, theatre and/or television industries, their practitioners and practices. 


3. To build students’ skills in choosing the most effective way to research their area of interest and to effectively carry out their research plan. 


4. To develop students’ ability to seek out, and draw on, relevant work by a range of researchers, and to engage with that work critically, in order to effectively and confidently express their own point of view. 


5. To encourage students to engage with different types of research sources in order to widen their critical understanding of film, theatre and/or television industries. 


6. To support those students wishing to identify and engage with aspects of the film, theatre and/or television industries, their practitioners and practices, that are under-explored, and to formulate important critical questions and conclusions about why this might be the case. 


7. To develop students’ skills in effectively shaping an extensive and appropriately contextualised piece of written work that fully expresses their research process, critical thinking and research findings. 

Assessable learning outcomes:

The planning and execution of the research, along with the expression and contextualisation of the research findings, will be assessed through a sustained piece of critical writing (5,000 words). Each student will develop the parameters of their own research project in close dialogue with their supervisor, who will also approve the students’ research proposal before it can proceed.  

Additional outcomes:

Students can choose to focus on an aspect of industry that complements work they will be conducting on other modules. 

Where appropriate, and in line with the University of Reading’s ethics procedures, students may wish to identify industry contacts for interview as part of their research process. In such cases where a contact agrees to be interviewed, students will acquire skills in going through an ethics submission process, and in planning, approaching, documenting, assessing and citing the interview process itself. 

Outline content:

As each project will be independently generated, module content will be bespoke and specific to each supervisory process. Where it is is the case that several students working on projects share a methodology or a key point of focus, the module convenor may strategically decide to organise joint skills training or research presentation sessions. 

Global context:

The functioning – and existence - of film, theatre and television industries across the world is shaped by a variety of factors relating to a range of intersecting local and global circumstances and contexts. With the support and agreement of their supervisor, students can research any aspect of these industries, their related practices and practitioners, taking full account of these intersecting contexts. 

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Students will develop their research project and their essay through one-to-one dialogue with their supervisor. Depending on the number of students on the module and whether supervisors perceive it to be collectively helpful, the module convenor may identify and plan some joint sessions for students to attend. 

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Seminars	4	3
Project Supervision	4	2
Fieldwork	10	10
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	30
Wider reading (directed)	20
Preparation for seminars	5
Carry-out research project	26	26
Essay preparation	10	30
Reflection	10	10
Total hours by term	119	81	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

5,000 word written assessment.

Formative assessment methods:

The supervisor will set a schedule with the student identifying when formative drafts of writing that lead up to the final essay (for example, research plans, questionnaires, essay plans, draft chapters) will be submitted. The supervisor will decide at each given stage of submission whether verbal or written feedback is most appropriate, dependent on the students’ working process and the nature of the submission. The supervisor will make it clear to the student at each stage whether verbal or written feedback, or a combination of these, is planned, and discuss this decision with the student where possible. 

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

40% 

Reassessment arrangements:

Resubmission of coursework.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required textbooks: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: Where a practitioner interview is planned, students are encouraged to conduct this by email or online where possible. Some individual research projects may open up possibilities for travel to a key location or event (for example, a visit to a theatre that is a key focus of the project research, or to an industry-focused archive). In such cases, students will be encouraged to keep their spending and travel plans within realistic parameters, and certainly below £100. In any case, students should have considered all such contingencies as part of their research project design, in consultation with their supervisor. 

Last updated: 26 September 2022