Module: Digital Media Research: Approaches and Methods

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Digital Media Research: Approaches and Methods
Module Code	MCO1085
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Communications
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10

Description

This module seeks to provide students with a set of tools to research digital media practices. The module will develop a conceptual awareness of the key theories in digital media research, from mediatisation and media logic to media affordances and algorithmic logic. It will also equip students with knowledge of appropriate methods to critically research various digital media practices and platform dynamics. Students will apply theoretical insights and empirical tools and skills to contemporary case studies involving a variety of digital media environments, activities and politics. Throughout, students will be expected to engage with a wide range of reading materials including research articles, monographs, blogs, and in-depth media reporting.

Learning Outcomes

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	22	Lectures on key theories and methods in digital media research; Discussion of class material and student research projects.
Online activity	25	Formative reflections and reading responses.
Assignment Completion	45	Completing and delivering individual and group assignments.
Independent Study	158	Independent reading of assigned and other relevant material, research and study, data collection.
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	21406	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Tetyana Lokot	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Completion of online activity	Reading responses /reflections: Biweekly reading responses to engage critically with the readings.	20%	n/a
Assignment	Individual research proposal and peer feedback: Designing an individual research proposal and giving peer feedback.	40%	Week 8
Research Paper	Group research project & presentation: Group research project & in-class presentation of results.	40%	Week 12

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	,
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Lecture/Seminar Content
1. Introduction. Social media, digital platforms and the hybrid media ecosystem 2. Theories of digital media. Media logic, (re)mediation, mediatisation 3. Theories of digital media. Media practices and socio-technical affordances 4. Theories of digital media. Platformisation and algorithmic sociality 5. Theories of digital media. Influence, authority and authenticity in digital spaces 6. The research process. Digital media research ethics 7. Digital research methods. Qualitative and computational text analysis 8. Digital research methods. Digital ethnography 9. Digital research methods. Visual content analysis methods 10. Digital research methods. Social network analysis 11. Digital research methods. Platform analysis methods 12. Group project presentations

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Lindgren, S., & Krutrök, M. E.: 2024, Researching Digital Media and Society, 1st, SAGE Publications Limited, London,
Christine Hine: 2015, Ethnography for the Internet, Bloomsbury Publishing, 230, 9780857855701
Jean Burgess,Alice Marwick,Thomas Poell: 2019, The SAGE Handbook of Social Media, 5-13, SAGE Publications Limited, 9781526486875
Anabel Quan-Haase, Luke Sloan: 2022, The Sage Handbook of Social Media Research Methods, Sage Publications Limited, 712, 9781529720969
Axel Bruns,Gunn Enli,Eli Skogerbo: 2017, The Routledge Companion to Social Media and Politics, Routledge, 9781138300934

Articles:

van Dijck, J. and Poell, T.: 2013, Understanding New Media Logics, Media and Communication, 1 (1), 214, 523489
2014: The relevance of algorithms, Media technologies: Essays on communication, materiality, and society, 167, 523490, 1
Digital methods for ethnography: Analytical concepts for ethnographers exploring social media environments: Journal of contemporary ethnography, 47(5), 551, 523491, 1, Madianou, M. and Miller, D.
International Journal of Cultural Studies: 16(2), 169,

Other Resources

1: Website, SAGE, 2010, SAGE Research Methods Package, SAGE Publications