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Researching Everyday Communication 2023-24

You should ensure that you understand the general requirements for submitting assignments to ELAL modules, including requirements for word counts, referencing style, etc. See the ELAL UG Handbook, available via the UG Canvas Hub for more information.

For any assignment requiring you to collect your own data, you have general ethical approval as long as you have completed an online ethics declaration for the academic year 2023-24. This covers you for any data collected without the involvement of participants (e.g. online or offline texts or recordings), and any data collected from human participants, provided that: a) they are over 18; b) they are not vulnerable/unable to provide informed consent; c) they are fully informed of your data collection (i.e. you are not undertaking covert observation without participant knowledge); d) they provide affirmative consent to take part. For anything else, you must consult with your module convenor before undertaking any data collection.

Where an assessment does not explicitly ask you to undertake primary research activity (i.e. your own data collection), you should not collect any data without speaking to the module convenor and completing a separate application for ethics review.

It is your responsibility to exercise appropriate judgment here, and to read the guidance available via the UG Hub (Research Ethics section).

Assignment 2023/2024

Content to be Submitted: Dataset and a 2,000-word Commentary

This assignment will allow you to demonstrate that you can (a) collect data, (b) explain what communication is, and (c) demonstrate the ability to plan a small research project.

You will create a dataset around one of four topics outlined below. You will then write a 2,000-word commentary about the process of the data collection, data selection, and potential avenues for analysis. When you submit, you can either submit two files: one for your dataset and one for your commentary, or you can submit one file that contains both your dataset and your commentary. Please follow the steps below to complete your assignment successfully.

1. Choose a communication focus from the list:

a. Multimodality

b. Soundscapes

c. Storytelling

d. Reception / Audience Response

2. Devise a research question around your chosen communication focus. Here are some examples (you may not use these):

a. How do L’Oreal advertisements make use of text and images to create a desirable product?

b. What do Aldi and Waitrose soundscapes sound like and how does it reflect the branding of each supermarket?

c. How do people change their story when sharing it with strangers compared to close friends?

d. What effects audiences’ evaluations of film adaptations of famous books?

3. Collect a dataset that can be used to answer your research question. The dataset may consist of various modes: audio/video recordings, images, text, or a combination. Here are some examples.

a. Copies of L’Oreal advertisements

b. Audio recordings of Aldi and Waitrose

c. Audio or video recording of people sharing stories

d. Film reviews from online or offline sources

Here is a guide to dataset length depending on the mode of your data:

• Passive recordings (e.g. you walk into a supermarket and record): 10-15 minutes

• Active recordings (e.g. you have to ask people to say something): 5-10 minutes

• Images (with or without text): 10-20 images

• Text: 5-10 pages

4. Write a 2,000-word commentary to be submitted along with your dataset. Answer the following questions. In brackets you will find suggested word counts for each. Make sure to ground your answers in your own reflections with support from academic references that provide evidence for your decisions.

a. What type of communication did you select? Provide a definition. (250 words)

b. What is your research question? How does it relate to your selected communication type? (250 words)

c. How does your dataset relate to your research question? (500 words)

d. How did you collect and select your data? (500 words)

e. Explain one method of analysis that could be applied to the dataset that would allow you to answer the research question. (500 words)