MEVIT4896 ¨C Work as a Research Assistant

Course content

This course offers the student a chance to participate in a research project within media studies. The student conducts a pre-defined scientific assignment under the supervision of a scientific employee at the Department of Media and Communication. The work may include the development of a research design, carrying out literature review, collecting empirical data and analysing empirical data. Through empirical investigation and/or theoretical reflection the student will acquire the insights and skills necessary to carry out a work/project that meets scientific standards. The course is meant to give the student practical skills that will be beneficial when working with the master`s thesis, and to provide theoretical and practical knowledge that will be of use for ongoing research at the Department of Media and Communication.

The work must be the equivalent to six weeks of full-time study.

It is a requirement that the project is managed by a media researcher with a doctoral degree. The researcher must be an employee at the Department of Media and Communication.

An agreement regarding the content and extent of the research work will be drawn up and is subject to approval by the researcher. The agreement (PDF) must be signed and submitted to the study administration prior to the start of the work.

See here for examples of ongoing research at the department. You can use this as an inspiration for your course. In addition to the projects listed, it is possible to be involved with other research projects at the Department of Media and Communication, granted that you make an agreement with a researcher at the department.

The course has the following components:

• Supervision prior to and during the research process
• Independent research work as described above
• A syllabus of 500 pages related to the theme of the project, the philosophy of science perspectives that the project rests upon, and/or its research method
• A report of 10 pages (¨¤ 2300 characters per page) that describes and discusses the content of the research that has been carried out. The report may be an independent piece of work, or it may be part of published works from the project. In the latter case the student must specify, and the supervisor approve, which parts of the publication constitute the report.

Learning outcome

The student will develop research competencies and the capacity to evaluate and choose between different research designs and methods in media studies.

Upon completion of the course it is expected that:

• The student is able to carry out an independent, delimited research project under supervision, and in compliance with current research ethical norms
• The student has insights and knowledge about the development of a delimited research project
• The student is able to assess and choose between different methods and research designs in media research
• The student is able to critically analyse and handle a research material, and has the ability, in written, to reflect on selection of methods and their own role as researcher

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

This course is only open for students who are admitted to a Master`s programme at the Department of Media and Communication.

Please note that registering for the exam is not the same as having your project approved.

Before registering for this course, you must have an agreement with one of the academic staff at the Department of Media and Communication.

The signed agreement needs to be submitted to the department for approval (email to studieinfo@media.uio.no):

• by March 1 in the Spring semester, or
• by October 1 in the Fall semester

Teaching

A high degree of independent work is required. Students receive supervision individually or in groups throughout the process.

Examination

The student must produce a report of 10 pages (¨¢ 2300 characters per page) on the work the student has done. The report should include the following: An introduction, presentation of the topic, presentation of the tasks carried out, academic production, methods, reflection on methods, potential findings and reflections on challenges in carrying out the project. If relevant, the report may also explain what type of publication the work is intended to form part of.

The report is first submitted to the supervisor, who assesses whether the student has carried out the work described in the report.

Then the report is subnmitted in Inspera and assessed by an examiner.

Deadlines for submission in Inspera:

10. June in the spring semester

10. December in the fall semester

(If necessary, the deadlines may be adapted to individual projects. If the date falls on a public holiday or a weekend, the deadline will be the following work day.)

A term paper or equivalent that is passed may not be resubmitted in revised form.

If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

Language of examination

Students may submit their report in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

You may only take this course once. It is not possible to resit the exam.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.