CYB115 Understanding Audiences


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Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Unit code:CYB115
Credit points:12
Equivalent:CYB105
Coordinators:Amanda Lotz | amanda.lotz@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

This unit introduces the ways in which the media, entertainment, and news industries have imagined, measured and monetised their audiences. Understanding that audiences are powerful economic and cultural constructions in the media and entertainment industries, the unit examines how researchers and industry professionals build knowledge about how people use media and the role that it plays in their lives. The unit establishes a theoretical foundation in audience studies, as well as explores a range of research methods that are used to study audiences/users, and prepares students to evaluate different types of knowledge claims about audiences.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate understanding of critical debates in audience studies
  2. Demonstrate critical research skills and ability to synthesise industry and academic approaches to understanding audiences
  3. Evaluate and apply research methodologies to understand dynamics of audience(s) drawn from the media, entertainment, and/or news industries
  4. Demonstrate effective and professional written/verbal communication skills

Content

This unit may address:

  • Theoretical and conceptual approaches to ‘the audience’
  • Audience economics and industrial value
  • Socio-cultural understandings of audience experiences and practices
  • Methodological approaches to studying audiences

Learning Approaches

In this unit, you will learn by engaging in lectures, tutorials and self-study. In lectures, you will learn foundational knowledge of, and critical perspectives on, media, entertainment, and news audiences. In tutorials you will apply your understanding in activities and discussions. You must prepare for tutorials by engaging with the lecture material and completing any prescribed reading in advance.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive feedback on your progressive understanding of key issues and debates in weekly tutorials. You will be provided with a Criterion Referenced Assessment sheet for all assessment that explains how your achievement will be evaluated.

Assessment

Overview

You will complete assessment tasks that will measure your understanding and critical analytical skills. Your understanding of foundational knowledge will be tested through critical engagement in tutorial-based activities; your evaluation and analytic skills will be examined through an oral history interview task and audience research project proposal.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Critical engagement and professional dialogue

This task requires you to demonstrate your developing critical communication skills and capacity for professional dialogue through a series of formal peer group exercises within your tutorial sessions.

Exercises will relate to unit content, readings and key concepts and expectations for how you contribute will be clearly outlined in the assessment criteria sheet.

Weight: 10
Length: This activity is conducted within the normal tutorial duration.
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Progressive across the semester
Designated assessment weeks will be communicated by the unit coordinator at the start of the unit.
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 4

Assessment: Oral History Interview

Students will design and conduct an interview regarding media use. The interview will be based on key learning materials: students will identify a research question, evaluate findings from the interview, and provide a methods reflection.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 40
Length: 1500 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 6
Related Unit learning outcomes: 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Audience Research Project Proposal

Students will write a proposal for an audience research study that reveals their understanding of audience research. The proposal will introduce an original research question(s) that studies audiences/media users and explain why/how this is an important question to explore in the field of media and communication.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 50
Length: 2500 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages.

You will be advised if a unit requires additional mandatory health and safety inductions.  

Resources

This unit has required readings. All readings and other learning resources will be made available on Canvas.

Resource Materials

Other

To enable your full participation in units that utilise virtual learning environments, for example participating in online activities and engaging with online learning materials, you will need access to a reliable computer with an internet connection, webcam, headset and microphone, as well as a learning environment where you are able to fully participate undisturbed when required. 

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.

You are advised to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury.

Please be advised that this unit may include the presentation and scholarly analysis of material and subject matters that may be considered confronting, such as certain representations of race, class, gender and violence. QUT counselling support is available should you feel the need to avail yourself of these services.

Course Learning Outcomes

This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.

KC40 Bachelor of Communication

  1. Demonstrate capacity to understand and critique the historical, cultural, technological, and regulatory implications of digital media, entertainment, communication, and news industries.
    Relates to: ULO1, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Oral History Interview, Audience Research Project Proposal
  2. Demonstrate capacity to engage with and apply specialised knowledge of one or more areas of digital media, entertainment, communication, and news industries, including the relationship between disciplinary theory, research methodologies, and professional practice.
    Relates to: ULO1, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Oral History Interview, Audience Research Project Proposal
  3. Demonstrate capacity to engage with and apply diverse ways of knowing the world in local and global contexts, including Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives.
    Relates to: ULO3, Oral History Interview, Audience Research Project Proposal
  4. Demonstrate effective communication skills with the ability to adapt strategies across different media and professional settings and for diverse audiences.
    Relates to: ULO4, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Oral History Interview, Audience Research Project Proposal
  5. Critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise complex forms of information and evidence to inform decision-making, problem solving and argumentation.
    Relates to: ULO2, Audience Research Project Proposal
  6. Critically interrogate the economic and cultural power of digital media, communication, entertainment, and news to make ethical, sustainable, and inclusive contributions to diverse workplaces, communities, and audiences.
    Relates to: ULO2, Audience Research Project Proposal
  7. Demonstrate critical digital literacy skills across diverse platforms and technologies, including familiarity with analytic tools to effectively and responsibly interpret data in the media, communication, and news industries.
    Relates to: ULO3, Oral History Interview, Audience Research Project Proposal
  8. Create authentic and professional-quality communication outputs that reflect an application of academic content, critical thinking skills, and social awareness.
    Relates to: ULO4, Critical engagement and professional dialogue, Oral History Interview, Audience Research Project Proposal