MECM30016 How to write assignment 2 2024

How to write assignment 2 (3,000 words - 75%) due 11:59am Monday 3 June 2024

Assessment 2: Research Project (Max:3000 words)

For the project, you will research and write a report in the form of an academic journal article. When you are reading journal articles, please make sure to look at how they are written – the style of writing, and the kinds of content that are included.

Instructions

To simply inform you, we ask that all submissions follow the same investigatory structure and address the same main research questions. These questions ensure that you maximise the utility of the methods and the analytical skills we teach in this course.

The research project is predicated on the comparison of two topic communities. You may include companies, charities, NGOs, governments, political parties, politicians, hospitals, universities, newspapers, celebrities, journalists etc. You might be interested to know what users post, and how they post within these two communities. Can you identify a theme in their posting? How are the communication themes and methods different between the two topic communities? Why might this be?

The comparison will help you answer three types of research questions (it is not necessary

to follow the sequence below to structure your final report; you can make adjustments based on your logic).

Research Question 1: What types of messages are the two topic communities engaged with on Reddit?

This question focuses on what the users within the two topic communities communicate about. You can use content analysis to capture themes that you feel most interested in the communication.

Research Question 2: What sentiment is expressed within the two topic communities on Reddit?

This question focuses on the sentiment expressed by users within the two communities.

Assessing sentiment is a key metric that is widely used in the industry. You might want to consider what topics or issues produce the most negative, positive, and neutral sentiment?

Research Question 3: How are the social network structure of the two topic communities?

This question is interested in the structure of the network of the topic communities. You might explore who holds the most important positions in the network; whether there is evidence of polarization or an echo chamber; and what position the most positive and negative users hold.

Depending on which communities you choose and how you decide to structure your comparison between them, the methods for addressing each of the RQs above may be different. Make sure that you decide on your comparison early so that you can discuss it with your tutor and make sure that you design an appropriate research strategy.

Reports should follow this structure (word counts are for guidance only):

Introduction (300 words)

This should be two or three paragraphs. Paragraph one must briefly set out the context for your research. Paragraph two must briefly describe what you will do.

Literature review (200 words)

You are asked to summarise the key literature from your full literature review, summarise and synthesise the findings and explain the justification for your own project.

Methodology (500 words)

This describes your methodology: what you did and why you did it. You must cite relevant methodological literature and studies that have applied the method in a similar context to justify your selection. You should present any ethical considerations here or later in the reflection part..

Research Findings (1100 words)

This is where you present and discuss your findings. There are two ways to do this. First, you can present all of your data, and then have a discussion after this (common in scientific research – use two sub-headings: research findings, discussion). Second, and more common in humanities and social sciences, you can break your findings up into key areas or findings. These typically relate to the research questions. You may use sub-headings (these  do not have to directly repeat the research questions but should make clear what is to follow). In each section you present and briefly discuss the finding and what this means for the research question.

Note: do not include any tables or images in word counts.

Conclusion (300 words)

This brings together your findings in your conclusion and summarises what you have found.

Critical Reflection (600 words)