Assessment: Report (100%).

Students will design and conduct a small-scale social research project, using digital methods, involving at least one platform or application, drawing exclusively on the tools and methods covered in this module. Students are free to choose their topic, but it must reflect the sociological/digital media and social context of the module and engage with the relevant literature as appropriate.

Students may develop projects involving two or more platforms or applications as appropriate. Projects may take the form of, for example, a single or cross-platform analysis of an issue, event or theme; a comparative exploration of apps around a common theme; an investigation of the visual vernacular of a platform; a historical examination of an app or platform.

Students will submit a research report on their project. Students will be asked to develop a clear and robust research question and must use tools and techniques from the module (e.g. app walkthrough methodology, YouTube data tools, Tumblr tools) for their research project. The report will include a discussion of the research question, methodology, limitations, ethical challenges, results and implications of this study. Tables, graphs and other images and figures should be included if relevant and appropriate.

The length of the research report should be 3000 words, excluding references.

The report should include the following information (you do not have to follow this order specifically):

Introduction to the social context of your research

The research question

Literature review, outlining similar studies and/or previous research on related topics

The platform or application chosen

Research methods, tools and/or techniques, including ethical considerations

Mode of analysis chosen (e.g. single or cross-platform analysis/controversy mapping/issue mapping/comparative analysis/visual vernacular/historical examination/other)

Discussion, including limitations, findings and implications.