EL7044 - Major Publishing Project

A series of structured workshops will equip you with the skillset to research, develop, execute and evaluate a major project in Publishing Studies. In these sessions you will be offered guidance on how to manage and conduct a research project in an ethical fashion. You will learn how to undertake a literature review to Masters standard, and how to devise, plan, structure and deliver a self-directed piece of research. You will also have the chance to engage with the Skills Support team in the University Library and follow advanced literature search techniques either in person or virtually.

Away from workshops, your time will be spent undertaking independent research and engaging in supervision meetings one-to-one with your project supervisor who will work with you one-to-one to oversee your independent research project. It is your responsibility to arrange tutorials with your supervisor. You should take full advantage of the supervisory process to inform and revise your work in the light of your supervisor’s comments and to deepen and refine critical thinking. Your supervisor will help you to formulate the topic of your project, suggest primary and secondary reading, discuss your progress and offer feedback on major stages in the project work.

Your project supervisor will play an active role in guiding you through module sessions, e-learning interactive activities and one-on-one electronic and academic tutorial support. You will be supported in individual tutorials booked with your allocated project supervisor that will be scheduled by mutual agreement. Working with your supervisor, you will be encouraged to:

• discuss ideas
• tackle problems
• outline plans
• submit timely drafts
• balance your research, planning, project work and evaluation
• think critically about the specific problems raised by your research
• apply appropriate methodological and theoretical approaches to underpin your research
• demonstrate knowledge in selecting approaches, methods, concepts and theories
• evaluate your learning drawing of research and reflective practice.

Formative feedback provided by your tutor will enable you to enhance your work.

You can also book appointments with academic tutors or book telephone support sessions, should you require further support or have particular academic issues which you need to raise.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• Demonstrate advanced understanding of key thematics and challenges in Publishing Studies including EDI;
• Critically evaluate existing research on your chosen topic;

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Apply knowledge to select methodologies appropriate to the production of a major project in the field
• Draw on theoretical models to create professional solutions;

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Evaluate your learning drawing of research and reflective practice.

Formative
(Sem 1 weeks: 1, 5, 10, assessment wk3)
(Sem 2 weeks: 1, 5, 10)
Tutorial feedback on drafts of chapters

Summative: 100%
The assessment for this module is the production of a substantial project with an accompanying report. The project with an accompanying report should comprise an overall equivalent of 15,000 words

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The Major Publishing Project is a double-weighed module that aims to develop your skills to conceptualise, plan and execute a major project that leads to new ways of thinking or approaches to an aspect of interest or challenge in contemporary publishing. The project offers an opportunity to build on learning across the programme and enables you to explore and develop areas or thematics that have become of particular interest to you during your studies.

This extended project will involve engaging in primary and secondary research and using this information to situate your own arguments with an established critical field of enquiry. You will receive core teaching in workshops that will prepare you for researching, developing, executing and evaluating an extended research project in Publishing Studies. You will be expected to create a plan, conduct independent research and critically evaluate a substantial body of evidence involving primary and secondary research around a significant area or a specific publishing idea, concept or challenge. The project will require you to develop and demonstrate the ability to research, investigate, analyse, contextualise and critically evaluate historical and emerging publishing theories, practices, contexts and outputs through the synthesis of a substantial piece of publishing research using personal reflection to communicate and evaluate research findings and to critically consider your own learning.