Faculty of Arts

School of Social Sciences, Media and Communications

Methods in Digital
Research DIGC102
Subject Outline: Autumn 2010
Credit Points 6
Pre-requisites None
Face- to- Face teaching hours 3 hrs
Lecture: Tuesday 9.30am-10.30am (19.1056)
Lab 10.30 – 12.30 (17-104)

Lecturer Chris Moore

phone 4221 5459
e-mail chrism@uow.edu.au
office 19.2018
consultation times by e-mail appointment

for Arts Enquiries staff contact details

Arts Central timetable
room 19.1050 assignment coversheets
Monday–Friday, 8.30am–5.30pm handbooks
phone 4221 5328 assignment submission
www.uow.edu.au/arts administrative forms
fac_arts@uow.edu.au general information

NB: Arts Central is closed Tuesdays 10am-11am for a staff meeting

Autumn Session 2010

Email Etiquette

Consultation with your subject coordinator and/or teachers via email

Your teachers receive many emails each day. In order to enable them to respond to your emails
appropriately and in a timely fashion, students are asked to observe basic requirements of
professional communication:

Consider what the communication is about

 Is your question addressed elsewhere (eg. in this subject outline or, where applicable, on
the subject’s eLearning site)?
 Is it something that is better discussed in person or by telephone? This may be the case
if your query requires a lengthy response or a dialogue in order to address. If so, see
consultation times above and/or schedule an appointment.
 Are you addressing your request to the most appropriate person?

Specific email title/ header to enable easy identification of subject related/ student emails
 Identify the subject code of the subject you are enquiring about (as your teacher may be
involved in more than one subject) in the email header. Add a brief, specific header
after the subject code where appropriate

Professional courtesy
 Address your teacher appropriately by name (and formal title if you do not yet know
them).
 Use full words (avoid ‘text-speak’ abbreviations), correct grammar and correct spelling.
 Be respectful and courteous.
 Allow 3 – 4 working days for a response before following up. If the matter is legitimately
urgent, you may wish to try telephoning the staff member (and leaving a voicemail
message if necessary) or inquiring at Arts Central, the Arts Faculty's Student and Staff
Service Centre : http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/current/artscentral/index.html
 Please ensure that you include your full name and identify your seminar or tutorial group
in your email so that your teachers know who they are communicating with and can
follow-up personally where appropriate.

A guide to eLearning ‘Netiquette’ is available at:

http://www.uow.edu.au/student/elearning/netiquette/index.html.
The basic principles of Netiquette also apply to email communication.

Please note that replies to emails that involve confidential information will not be sent to a
non-UOW email address. In addition, teachers have the discretion not to respond to emails
sent by students from a non-UOW email account due to the potential privacy issues involved.

Autumn Session 2010 2

DIGC102
Week Week Beginning Lecture Tutorial

Module One - Introduction and Basic Search Methodology

This module begins by exploring the

differences between various types of
Introduction to sources, online and off. It focuses on
Methods in Digital encouraging students to be critical readers
1 1st March
Research – Sources, and begins to explore the pathways to
Knowledge and the other types of sources in order to expand
Researcher Identity their research practices.

This week we continue to expand our

range of search techniques and explore
a variety of alternative search sources
including user-recommendations systems
and folksonomies. The lecture will
Searching - Google examine our relationship to Google and
2 8th March
and You the current directions of the corporate
search engine and online advertising
services industries, with attention to the
issues of intellectual property, privacy,
censorship and surveillance.

Defining an industry often becomes the

first step in analysing the industry. This
week the lecture will examine the ‘E-
Industry Research: waste’ research topic in detail and begin
th
3 15 March Special Topic E- to unpack the relationship between
Waste and the New industry and the new media user in terms
Media User of production, consumption and cultures
of recycling, reuse and innovation.

Module Two - Brief Introduction to Ethics, Regulation and Quantitative Research

This week we explore two varieties of

information regulation: censorship and
research ethics. The lecture will look to
Ethics and those features of the Internet and
Regulation in Computer Mediated Communication
4 22nd March Research (CMC) that complicate the regulation of
digital networked environments and will
also provide an introduction to the means
of conducting ethical research practices.
Information Search Reports are due by
Friday, March 26, by 4pm.
Autumn Session 2010 3
 The Internet is not only an object of study,
but a source of inquiry. We survey a
variety of quantitative methodologies,
including social network analysis, the
‘grounded web’ of geo-location and the
Social Network visualisation and analysis of data. We
Analysis and discuss the difference between natively
5 29th March
Visualising Data digital research methods and those
‘virtual’ research methodologies adopted
from traditional standards and practices in
the social sciences and humanities.

Blog Report Due Friday, April 2, by 4pm

via email.
MID SESSION
2nd April
RECESS
No Lecture Information Search Report Presentation
6 12th April
during lab/tutorials this week.

Module Three - Qualitative Methodologies Online

Documenting the use of new media offers

a variety of challenges for the researcher.
One technique developed in the social
Observational sciences (particularly anthropology) is
th
7 19 April Research observational analysis and participant
observation. We will look at how these
can be applied to the study of E-Waste
and users of media technologies.

Interviewing has a long research tradition

with methodologies ranging from formal
and semi-formal practice to focus-group
interviews, online and off. The key to good
Interview Methods interview research is the preparation and
8 26th April
design of the questions. This lecture looks
at some of the possibilities of interview
techniques and research that can be
conducted online or with particular users.

The interpersonal element is central to the

experience of new media. This week we
explore the techniques of studying online
Conversational conversation. The lecture includes
9 3rd May
Analysis discussion of where this kind of research is
successfully employed in industry and in
scholarship.

Autumn Session 2010 4

Module Four – Combining Approaches

All techniques of research – especially

when trying to understand e-waste and
Combining Research the user of new media – have their
approaches limitations. This lecture looks at the way
10 10th May that techniques can be combined to
produce more completed analyses.
Blog Report Due Friday, May 14, by 4pm
via email.

The group presentations will be made on

the user research that groups have been
conducting. The presentations will follow
Presentation and a short lecture on the general concept of
th
11 17 May Reports (No the user that we have been able to
Lecture) identify through our user research.
Group Presentation of the User Research
Reports held this week.

Presentations and Group Presentation of the User Research

th
12 24 May Reports Continued Reports continued this week.

Group Presentation Dossier due this

st
13 31 May No Lecture week.

STUDY RECESS
7th June
EXAMS
12th June
PERIOD
MID YEAR RECESS
28th June

Public Holidays during session: NB: No classes are run on public holidays
nd
Friday 2 April – Good Friday
Saturday 3rd April – Easter Saturday
Monday 5th April – Easter Monday
th
Monday 26 April – Anzac Day holiday
Monday 14th June – Queens B’Day
holiday

Autumn Session 2010 5

Subject Description

There are many techniques used by academic and industry researchers to investigate media and communication.
This subject maps some of the principal approaches by researchers to analyse our media forms and to break down
our communication systems of meaning. Policy studies, content analysis, audience research, surveys,
questionnaires, industry research, conversational analysis, and textual analysis are among the approaches explored
in this course. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques are investigated along with what kinds of research are
developing through the use of the Internet and other forms of new media.

Class Contact Details

 Formal class times and locations are available from the University’s home page Please note that tutorial times
on the timetable are provisional.
 Modes of delivery: 1 hour lecture and 2 hour computer lab seminar (including lecture and workshop) once per
week.
 Contact details for the subject co-ordinator can be found on the title page. Contact details for any other staff
teaching the subject will be announced in Week 1.
 Consultation times will be announced in Week 1.
 Students should have enrolled in tutorials via SOLS before the start of session.
 Those with time tabling difficulties should see the Subject Co-ordinator.

Subject Requirements
 Attendance requirements
This subject requires 100% attendance at all lectures and classes unless this is unavoidable on medical or
compassionate grounds and evidence of this is provided through SOLS. A roll will be taken each week.
Attendance that falls below the 80% requirement, irrespective of the cause, may require you to complete
additional written work to complete the subject. If in doubt, consult either the subject co-ordinator or your
tutor.

 Completing the subject: Students are required to fulfil the attendance requirements, the online and class
participation requirements and submit all assessments. Failure to meet these requirements can lead to a
technical fail in the subject.

 Participation: Participation for the subject is assessed during the class and includes an online component and
includes a weekly blog post. Participation in the class includes listening, summarising and asking questions. It
also involves establishing links and face-to-face communication with your fellow students. Online participation
includes commenting on a minimum of three (3) blog posts from your peers each week. Comments should be
designed to encourage discussion. These requirements will help to develop your skills in articulating critical
ideas and reflecting on the issues addressed in the lectures and readings.

Failure to meet all these requirements can lead to a technical fail in the subject.

Textbook and Subject Reader Information

The recommended readings are not intended as an exhaustive list – students should use the Library catalogue and
databases to locate additional resources.

Use of internet sources: There will be many Internet sources listed on the e-learning site of the subject related to
each week. As with all subjects in the digital communication specialisation students should become very familiar
with using these sources as much as finding and contributing relevant new sources to share with the class as a
knowledge community.

Autumn Session 2010 6

Learning Outcomes / Graduate Qualities

Students should be aware that in conjunction with the other subjects in the Digital Specialisation, DIGC102 has the
following larger objectives:

 To develop new media literacy so that students can understand, engage and participate in the various
forms of new media. To move students from consumers to producers in both their approach to digital
media and in their actions.
 To develop the collaborative practice of new media and digital communication in their work and in their
future endeavours
 To make them aware of how change develops and its institutional organisation and to work to effect
change.
 To realise the participatory potentials of new media forms, but also recognise the economic and cultural
powers which reform these forms of participation into consumer capitalism.
 To encourage students to develop an electronic portfolio (a digital and internet presence) throughout their
career in the digital communication specialisation to assist them into their future careers
 To foster links with the program and the industry itself.

Faculty Graduate Qualities

Informed - Have a sound knowledge of an area of a disciplinary study or interdisciplinary area of study offered by
the Faculty of Arts through its majors with an understanding of its current issues, their contexts and developments
over time.
Independent Learners - Engage with new ideas and ways of thinking, enquiry and critical analysis of issues and
research through a sequence of subjects that culminates in the ability to reflect broadly on their field of study.
Acknowledge the work and ideas of others.
Problem Solvers - Take on challenges and apply the relevant skills required to respond effectively to the central
issues raised. Be flexible, thorough and innovative and aim for high standards.
Effective Communicators - Articulate ideas and convey them effectively using a variety of modes. Engage
collaboratively with people in different settings. Recognise how culture can shape communication.
Responsible - Understand how decisions can affect others, and make ethically informed choices. Appreciate and
respect diversity. Act with integrity as part of local, national, regional, global and professional communities.
The Faculty Graduate Qualities can be found on the following website:
http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/current/FacultyGraduateQualities/index.html

Assessment Tasks – in detail

Performance grades guide: HD-High Distinction (85-100%); D-Distinction (75-84%); C-Credit (65-74%); P-
Pass (50-64%); PC-Pass Conceded (45-49%); F-Fail (unsatisfactory completion) 0-44%. This is a general
guide as to what these grades usually indicate for written work:
High Distinction: excellent expression and argument, originality of thought, thorough critical research.
Distinction: good expression, some sophistication of argument, sound use of supporting critical material.
Credit: good text-based reading, well expressed, with critical support and accurate citation.
Pass: sound elementary analysis, average expression, basic use and citation of references.
Fail: Illogical, irrelevant to topic chosen, illiterate, no referencing.

Autumn Session 2010 7

 1: Information Search Assignment

due: Friday, March 26 Week 4 by 4pm posted to your class blog and email notification.
weighting: 15%
length: 500 words (excludes reference list)

Identify a current political, social or cultural concern on the subject of ‘E-waste’ and
provide a short annotated search report with at least 10 examples from a range of
primary, secondary and tertiary sources.

Be attentive to cultural and geographical specificity and narrow your topic focus to
a well defined and briefly detailed issue (such as the environmental impact of
switching to Digital TVs, the social cost of the materials mined for use in mobile
phones, or the environmental impact of international E-Waste ‘dumps’).

Document your search methodology in brief. Investigate the issue via weblogs and
other online media sources, but also check if there are more scholarly discussions
occurring on the issue. Your objective is to give a short summary the way the issue
has been addressed on the Internet.

Use an appropriate referencing system to provide a bibliography of the various

sources that you have used to understand this movement of information via the
Internet and the Web.

2: Information Search Presentation

due: Week 6 during lab/tutorial. Tuesday April 12.

weighting: 15%
length: 5 minutes minimum – 10 minutes maximum

Students will present on their e-waste topic and report the findings from their
initial research report. This is an oral report, but should be accompanied by visual
and digital materials or handouts. Students conclude by leading a short open
discussion, and contribute to the peer assessment of each presenter via their blogs.

Autumn Session 2010 8

 3: Blog Report

due: Week 5, Friday April 2 and Week 10 Friday May 14, by 4pm.
weighting: 20%

On the Friday of Week 5 students will nominate their strongest post (from weeks 1
to 4) via email and include provide a short justification for their inclusion. Students
will also nominate the best post and comments from your peers.
Explain your nominations and include short citations but not large block quotes.
(250 words) (10% Total)

In Week 10 student will nominate their three strongest posts, and nominate the
best three posts from their peers during the session. Explain your nominations and
include short citations but not large block quotes.
(500 words) (10% Total)

4: E-waste Group Presentation

due: Presentation during and Week 11/12 – Tuesday May 18, Tuesday May 25.
Group Research Dossier submitted in Week 13 Tuesday June 1, by 4pm)
weighting: 30% (15% presentation, 15% Research Project Dossier)
20 minute presentation, class led discussion and dossier (1500 words – excluding
length:
references)

Students will work in groups of 3-4 to produce short audio-visual presentation and
report ‘dossier’ on their integrated research into a particular issue of ‘E-waste’.

Students will test different qualitative and quantitative research methods (from
statistical information and data visualisation to interviews, surveys, participant and
observational methods, etc) and work to combine their findings.

The presentation can be accompanied by visual aids, digital materials or handouts

for the other students in the class, etc, which will be submitted via the online
component of the course. Students will contribute to the group via their blogs and
should concentrate on detailing their methodology and results.

The groups can use produce video documentaries, wiki articles, or audio podcasts
to communicate the groups’ research.

The presentation will be accompanied by a short electronic dossier with the

group’s aim, results, discussion and references.

Autumn Session 2010 9

 5: Online Participation

due: Weekly
weighting: 10%
length: NA

Each week you will contribute comments to blogs posts from three of your peers.
Comments should be positive and designed to engage in discussion and not simply
statements or one line comments.

6: Class Participation

due: Weekly
weighting: 10%
length: NA

100% attendance to lectures and lab/tutorials is expected in this subject.

Participation for the subject is assessed during the class and includes listening,
summarising and asking questions and also involves establishing and developing
face-to-face communication with your fellow students.

Tutorial Guide

Week 1 - Week beginning 1st March

Lecture: Methods in Digital Research – Sources, Knowledge and the Researcher Identity

This module begins by exploring the differences between various types of sources, online and
off. It focuses on encouraging students to be critical readers and begins to explore the pathways
to other types of sources in order to expand their research practices.

Tutorial: No Tutorial/Lab Seminar for Week one

Blog Topic: What is your area of specialised knowledge or expertise? Where is your interest
most often held in politics, sport, fandom, technical knowledge or an interest in a particular
academic discipline? Consider your own ‘researcher identity’. What do you use research for in
your everyday Internet activities? What is your standard practice for finding information online
– how might you improve it?

All Blog topic posts should be a minimum of 250 words and include examples of primary,
secondary and tertiary sources, and be fully referenced. Ensure to read and posts
comments on at least 3 blogs from peers each week.

Background Materials
O’Donnell, Marcus, 2006, Marcus ODonnell Blogging as Pedagogic Practice Asia Pacific Media
Educator, issue No 17. Dec 2006. [available:
http://www.marcusodonnell.com/files/APMEODonnell.pdf] accessed January 27, 2010.

Autumn Session 2010 10

Week 2 - Week beginning 8th March
Lecture: Searching - Google and You

This week we continue to expand our range of search techniques and explore a variety of
alternative search sources including user-recommendations systems and folksonomies. The
lecture will examine our evolving relationship to Google, and discuss the current operations and
directions of the corporate search engine and online advertising services industry, with
attention to the issues of intellectual property, privacy, censorship and surveillance.

Tutorial: A variety of search engines and search functions will be employed to get a sense of
their power and functionality. We start by comparing simple word searches and expand out to
look at how to search through blogs and other web sources. We begin to search and review
primary, secondary and tertiary sources of information on a topic. Students will discuss ways of
distinguishing between opinion and fact and commence their first blog post.

Blog Topic: With reference to this week’s readings and lecture, discuss Google’s impact on the
way people use the web to find information. How might you begin to improve your own search
habits?

Background Materials
Head, Alison J 2007 Beyond Google: How do students conduct academic research? First
Monday, vol. 12, no.8-6, [available:
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1998/1873 ] accessed
January 27, 2010.

Week 3 - Week beginning 15th March

Lecture: Industry Research - Special Topic E-Waste and the New Media User

Defining an industry often becomes the first step in analysing the industry. This week the lecture
will examine ‘E-waste’ research topic in detail and begin to unpack the relationship between
industry and the new media user in terms of production, consumption and cultures of recycling,
reuse and innovation.

Tutorial: This week we look at academic referencing styles and practices. We will look closely at
how to find and read industry reports and seek to determine their intention. How can we gain
an objective distance from their claims?

Blog Topic: E-waste and the New Media User. Define the industry or sector for your search
assignment and begin to uncover some of the issues relating to e-waste that sector either faces
or has overcome. Think about your own personal experience and how it can be used in your
analysis of your search results.

Background Materials
Head, Elizabeth 2008, ‘E-Waste Think Tank Review and Synthesis, Canberra Environment and
Sustainability Resource, Canberra. [Available:
http://www.ecoaction.com.au/res/File/Final%20E-Waste%20Report.pdf ] accessed January 28,
2010.

Autumn Session 2010 11

Week 4 - Week beginning 22nd March
Lecture: Ethics and Regulation in Research

This week we explore two varieties of information regulation: censorship and research ethics.
The lecture will look to those features of the Internet and Computer Mediated Communication
(CMC) that complicate the regulation of digital networked environments and will also provide a
introduction to the means of conducting ethical research practices.

REMINDER: Information Search Assignment (500words)

Friday, March 26 Week 4 by 4pm posted to your class blog and email notification.

Identify a current political, social or cultural concern over E-waste: be culturally and
geographically specific and narrow your topic focus to specific issue such as the environmental
impact of switching to Digital TV, the social cost of the materials in mobile phones, or
international E-Waste ‘dumps’.

Explain your search methodology in brief. Investigate the treatment of the issue in weblogs and
online media sources, but also check if there are more scholarly discussions of the issue. Your
objective is to summarise the way it has been addressed on the Internet and provide a
bibliography of the various sources that you have used to understand this movement of
information via the Internet and the Web.

Tutorial: We spend time learning to locate and analyse legal, corporate and government
documents – a fundamental skill for researchers of all varieties. Important moral and ethical
questions will be debated as we prepare ourselves for the user research component. For
example, if we are “lurking”, should we explain to others our purposes? How does this change
the research?

Blog Topic: What are the implications for the Australian Governments proposed ISP-level
Internet filter for Australian researchers, bloggers, or journalists? OR Provide a brief account of
your Information Search Report status.

Background Materials
McKee, Alan (2006) Censorship of sexually explicit materials: What do consumers of
pornography have to say?’, Media International Australia incorporating Culture and Policy’,
(120):pp. 35-50.

Week 5 - Week beginning 29th March

Lecture: Quantitative Methods - Social Network Analysis and Visualising Data

The Internet is not only an object of study, but a source of inquiry. This we survey a variety of
quantitative methodologies, including social network analysis, the ‘grounded web’ of geo-
location and the visualisation and analysis of data. We discuss the difference between natively
digital research methods and those ‘virtual’ research methodologies adopted traditional
standards and practices from the social sciences and humanities.

Autumn Session 2010 12

REMINDER: First Blog Reports are due in Week 5, Friday April 2
Nominate your strongest blog posts and add a short justification for their inclusion. Students
will also nominate the best post and comments from your peers. Explain your nominations
including short citations but not large block quotes. (250 words) (10% Total)

Tutorial: This week students will explore various means of mapping and analysing their social
networks. What might the intellectual property of this information be? We will consider the
ethical concerns for conducting research on and in these environments.

Blog Topic: What is the impact of the networked environment on your social relationships, how
do your online and online ‘friend’ practices and relationships differ - how might you record,
interpret and visualise the qualitative information of your profile, or your entire your social
network?

Reading:
Lee Rainie, John Horrigan, Barry Wellman, Jeffrey Boase 2006, The Strength of Internet Ties, The
Pew Internet and American Life Project, [available:
http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2006/PIP_Internet_ties.pdf.pdf ] Jan 28,
2010.

Week 6 - Week beginning 12th April

Lecture: No Lecture

Tutorial: Students will peer assess the presentations in the lab/tutorial this week.

Information Search Presentation

Students will present on their specific e-waste topic and report the findings from their initial
research report (10 minutes). This is an oral report, but should be accompanied by visual and
digital materials or handouts. Students conclude by leading a short open discussion, and
contribute to the peer assessment of each presenter via their blogs.

Blog Topic: In reviewing one of the presentations in class this week, provide constructive
feedback and conduct a peer assessment addressing your comments in line with the assessment
criteria.

Week 7 - Week beginning 19th April

Lecture: Observational Research

Documenting the use of new media offers a variety of challenges for the researcher. One
technique developed in the social sciences (particularly anthropology) is observational analysis
and participant observation. We will look at how these can be applied to the study of E-Waste
and users of media technologies.

Tutorial: Working in groups, we will advance on the different types of observational analysis.
First, simply watching others in the group work and use their online sources. Observers will
record as much as possible in the process. Users and observers will then switch and a similar
process will be advanced but with the capacity of the observer to intervene and be part of the

Autumn Session 2010 13

online world (asking questions, getting involved etc). At the end of the observation session we
will be talking about how these techniques could be refined

Blog Topic: Briefly map out how and what observational research methodologies you might
adapt as part of your study of media users and E-Waste.

Reading

Brownlow, Charlotte, O’Dell Lindsay 2002, ‘Ethical Issues for Qualitative Research in Online
Communities.DisabilityandSociety, vol. 17, no.6 ,pp.685–694. [available online:
http://oro.open.ac.uk/16326/2/75B8EB19.pdf ]

Week 8 - Week beginning 26th April

Lecture: Interview Methods

Interviewing has a long research tradition with methodologies ranging from formal, and semi-
formal practice to focus-group interviews, online and off. The key to good interview research is
the preparation and design of the questions. This lecture looks at some of the possibilities of
interview techniques and research that can be conducted online or with particular users.

Tutorial: In pairs you will break off into interviewers and interviewees. Identify a particular
online/new media usage and develop a series of questions and potential follow-up questions.
Conduct a fifteen minute interview. Record as much as possible and then swap roles. Discussion
will focus on development of questions and how effective the in-depth interview can be (with a
discussion of its limitations as a research technique as well as a discussion on its usefulness in
understanding the operation of new media industries).

Blog Topic: TBA

Reading:

Fontana, Andrew 2000, The interview: from structured questions to negotiated text, in Denzin,
Norman K. Handbook of qualitative research. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif. Sage Publications.
c2000. 1065 p. p 645-672 Digital Library Resource

Week 9 - Week beginning 3rd May

Lecture: Conversational Analysis

The interpersonal element is central to the experience of new media. This week we explore the
techniques of studying online conversation. The lecture includes discussion of where this kind of
research is successfully employed in industry and in scholarship.

Tutorial: We will be looking at the kinds of conversation generated in online forums as well as
text messages. How are conversations different from their face- to face versions? What
categories can we generate to classify online conversations? The latter half of the tutorial/lab
will be studying particular handouts of online conversation and coding it in a useful way for
greater analysis and reading. Comment other locations where conversations occur (games,

Autumn Session 2010 14

blogs) and develop how different registers are used in different online contexts. The Industry
Analysis Report is due this week.

Blog Task: What are the challenges of conversational analysis as a methodology that occur in
adapting the study of conversation to the Internet. What are some of the advantages and
opportunities afforded by the web as a medium and the Internet as a series of connected digital
networks as a means of conducting conversational analysis? What are some of the potential
sources for this kind of investigation that do not have offline equivalents?

Reading:
Moore, Robert, Ducheneaut, Nicolas, Nickell, Eric 2007, ‘Doing Virtually Nothing: Awareness and
Accountability in Massively Multiplayer Online Worlds’, Computer Supported Cooperative Work,
no.16 pp.265-305.

Week 10 - Week beginning 10th May

Lecture: Combining Research approaches

All techniques of research – especially when trying to understand e-waste and the user of new
media – have their limitations. This lecture looks at the way that techniques can be combined to
produce more completed analyses.

Tutorial: In groups, we will now work to combine our approaches to studying the user. Some of
this work will generate the material for presentations and reports in the following week. The
latter half of the tutorial will look at other ways to expand our research and perhaps combine it
with a more thorough study of a particular digital communication technology, regulation and
users.

REMINDER: Second Blog Reports are due Friday May 14, by 4pm
Nominate your three strongest posts via email, provide a short justification for their inclusion.
Nominate the three best posts from your peers. Explain your nominations including short
citations but not block quotes. Blog posts can be reviewed and edited at any time until the due
date.

No Blog Task or Reading this week.

Week 11 - Week beginning 17th May

Lecture: - No Lecture - Research Project Presentations held during Lab/Tutorials

Tutorial: Students will be involved in the peer assessment of presentation groups.

Blog Topic: Review one of the presentations given this week, provide constructive feedback and
conduct a peer assessment addressing your comments in line with the assessment criteria. Use
this post to reflect on your own presentation style and preparation and what might you learn
from the group chosen.

Autumn Session 2010 15

Week 12 - Week beginning 24th May
Lecture: - No Lecture - Research Project Presentations held during Lab/Tutorials

Tutorial: Students will be involved in the peer assessment of presentation groups.

Blog Topic: Review one of the presentations given this week, provide constructive feedback and
conduct a peer assessment addressing your comments in line with the assessment criteria. Use
this post to reflect on your own presentation style and preparation and what might you learn
from the group chosen.

Week 13 - Week beginning 30th May

Lecture: No Lecture

Tutorial: The tutorial time will provide an opportunity for student to conclude their
presentation dossier and make it available online.

Codes of Practice, Rules and Guidelines

The University of Wollongong has in place codes of practice, rules and guidelines that define a range of
policy issues on both educational and student matters. Students must refer to the Arts Faculty Handbook
or online reference which contains a range of policies on educational issues and student matters. Some of
the policies relevant to the Arts Faculty are listed below:

Academic Grievance Policy (Coursework & Honours Students):

http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058653.html
Acknowledgement Practice/Plagiarism: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058648.html
Code of Practice Teaching & Assessment: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058666.html
Code of Practice Honours: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058661.html
Code of Practice Students/Student Conduct: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058664.html
Code of Practice – Practical Placements: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058662.html
Course Progress Policy: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058679.html
EEO Policy: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058685.html
Human Ethics Research Guidelines: http://www.uow.edu.au/research/rso/ethics/human/index.html
Intellectual Property: http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/generalcourserules/UOW028651.html
Non-Discriminatory Language Practice & Presentation:
http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058706.html
Occupational Health and Safety: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW016894.html
Academic Consideration Policy: http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058721.html
Student Conduct Rules and accompanying Procedures:
http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/rules/UOW060095.html

Conventions Governing Written Work

Consult the relevant School and Program on the Faculty of Arts website for the appropriate
referencing system used for this subject at

www.uow.edu.au/arts

Autumn Session 2010 16

OR

http://www.library.uow.edu.au/resourcesbytopic/UOW026631.html#electronic

Presentation
• assessments must be laid out in 1.5 line spacing (minimum) or in double spacing
• use A4 paper
• leave a margin of no less than 4 cm
• students are strongly encouraged to print on both sides of the paper
• all assessments should be word processed
• all assessments must be page numbered, including bibliographies or works cited (not
including coversheets or title pages).

Submission of Assignments: Wollongong Campus

To submit an assignment and for any student enquiries please go to Arts Central located in
19.1050.
Unless your tutor or lecturer asks you to do otherwise, submit all assignments by depositing
them in one of the three School slots opposite Arts Central (19.1050 in the Arts building. All
essays for ‘ELL’, ‘LING’, Japanese, French, Mandarin, Spanish, Italian & STS are to be placed in
the SELP slot.
All assignments are to be submitted by 4.00pm on the due date. Any assignments handed in
after 4.00pm will be considered late and will be stamped with the next day’s date.

All assignments deposited in the School slots must have a cover sheet attached. Ensure that all
sections are filled in including your tutor’s name, the assignment question and sign the
plagiarism declaration. Coversheets can be found above the bench opposite Arts Central. You
can also download a coversheet from the Faculty’s webpage at:
www.uow.edu.au/arts/coversheets/index.html - Make sure you download both pages.

PLEASE ensure that you include the name of your tutor on all work submitted to Arts Central;
if unsure consult the Subject Coordinator for clarification.

Receipts are not mandatory (you can just drop the assignment in the box if you wish), but if you
want a receipt for your assignment, please fill out the bottom section of the coversheet and ask
the person to whom you submit the piece of work to date-stamp it for you.

Students must keep a copy of all work/assignments handed in.

Assignments sent by fax or e-mail will not be accepted unless by prior agreement between the
lecturer and student.

Autumn Session 2010 17

Return of Assignments: Wollongong Campus

The University’s Code of Practice Teaching and Assessment requires that at least one
assignment be assessed and returned before Week 9 of session.

Assignments submitted during session will be returned to you by your lecturer or tutor. Arts
Central does not hold any assignments during session.

Assignments submitted at the end of session will be held at Arts Central until the end of Week 3
of the following session. After this time, assignments will be disposed of. Please take your
student card with you when collecting your work. During this period, assignments can be
collected: Monday-Friday between 10:30am-12.30pm and 2:30pm-4.30pm.
If you cannot collect assignments personally during the allocated hours and have confirmed
that your assignment has been marked and returned to Arts Central, there are two options
available:

 Print off the Alternative Assignment Collection form from

http://www.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@arts/documents/doc/uow062060.
pdf
or collect a copy from Arts Central. Complete all information on the form (especially your
signature) and pass onto a family member or friend to collect the assignments on your
behalf.
 Drop off a stamped and self-addressed envelope any time to Arts Central and it will be
mailed out. Please mark your Subject Code/s on the back. Most Faculty of Arts assignments
can be sent out this way but allow enough space/postage for all your work in one envelope.

Academic Consideration

Students who miss a deadline, or fall below the minimum attendance requirements, or
otherwise find their work in the subject affected by illness or serious misadventure should lodge
a formal request for Academic Consideration via SOLS. The procedures for lodging a request are
available at:
http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW060110.html

Penalty for late submission of work:

Late work (i.e. any work required for assessment that has not been given an extension) will be
subject to a 10% penalty per day. The penalty is applied to the original mark awarded. Work
submitted after seven calendar days will not be marked and will be given a mark of 0.

Autumn Session 2010 18

Plagiarism

Students are responsible for submitting original work for assessment, without plagiarising or
cheating, abiding by the University’s policy on plagiarism as set out in the University Handbook
under the University’s Policy Directory and in Faculty Handbooks and subject guides. Plagiarism
has led to the expulsion from the University.

For full details about the University’s plagiarism policy see:

http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058648.html

Faculty Handbook

The Faculty issues a Handbook free of charge to all students enrolled in degrees administered by
the Faculty of Arts which can be picked up at Arts Central (19.1050). It contains information on
the structure of the Faculty’s degrees, the majors/specialisations/strands offered, the more
important University policies and other matters that may affect your time as a student in the
Faculty. An up-to-date version of the handbook is also available in downloadable format on the
Faculty of Arts website on the Arts Central webpage:
http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/current/artscentral/UOW018544.html

Grievance Procedures

The term "academic grievance" refers to a complaint by a student concerning an act, omission
or decision by a member of staff that adversely affects a student's academic experience. Some
examples of a grievance include the following:

 failure to assess work in accordance with specified criteria;

 administrative error in the collating or recording of marks;
 failure to address requests for Special Consideration in accordance with the Special
Consideration Policy;
 failure of a member of staff to adhere to General Course Rules or requirements of a relevant
Code of Practice;
 failure to adhere to Faculty assessment or examination requirements.

The University and the Faculty of Arts have formal Student Academic Grievance Policies that are
to be used only after informal approaches have been made to the relevant staff member. If the
informal approach has an unsatisfactory outcome the student should follow the procedure
outlined in the Faculty of Arts Student Grievance Form.

This form can be downloaded from the UOW website or a copy may be obtained from Arts
Central, Level 1, Building 19, Room 1050.

For more information: http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/current/stgrievance

Autumn Session 2010 19

Support Services

Both the Faculty and the University offer support services to its undergraduates.

Arts Central University Library, including the Faculty

Building 19 Room 1050 Librarian
phone: 02 4221 5328 fax: 02 4221 5341 Building 16
Mon – Fri: 8.30am to 5.30pm phone: 02 4221 3545
Email: fac_arts@uow.edu.au uba@uow.edu.au
www.uow.edu.au/arts
Student Support Adviser
Sub Dean Viv McIlroy
to make an appointment to see the Sub Dean, Mon & Tues Room 67.207
contact the Sub Dean’s Assistant, Mark Wed, Thurs, Fri Room 19.1075
Hutchings, at Arts Central: Support, information and referral for all UOW
Location: 19.1050 students , especially:
Email: arts-subdean@uow.edu.au  international students
Ph: 4221 4838  students with a disability
 students on low incomes
Course Readers and Textbooks  indigenous students
UniShop – Building 11 Email: vmcilroy@uow.edu.au
phone: 02 4221 8050 fax: 02 4221 8055 www.uow.edu.au/student/services/SSA/index.
unishop.uow.edu.au html

Student Administration Learning Assistance

Student Central – Building 17 Learning Resource Centre – Bld 11, 209 (level
phone: 02 4221 3927 fax: 02 4221 4322 3)
e-mail: askuow@uow.edu.au phone: 02 4221 3977
www.uow.edu.au/student www.uow.edu.au/student/services/ld

Woolyungah Indigenous Centre – Building 30 Careers Service – Building 11

phone: 02 4221 3776 fax: 02 4221 4244 phone: 02 4221 3325
www.uow.edu.au/wic/ careers@uow.edu.au

Counselling Service – Building 11 (level 3)

phone: 02 4221 3445
StudentServices@uow.edu.au

Autumn Session 2010 20