Course Title: Project Analysis and Evaluation Report

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Project Analysis and Evaluation Report

Credit Points: 24


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COMM2070

City Campus

Postgraduate

345H Media and Communication

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007

Course Coordinator: John Power

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5266

Course Coordinator Email:john.power@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 9.3.20


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

It is expected that you have either completed the Research Strategies (Creative Research Methods) COMM 2068 in a previous semester of the Masters by Coursework degree or that you complete this course in tandem with the Project Analysis and Evaluation Report COMM2070. It is also possible to negotiate with the course coordinator recognition of the completion of an equivalent training in research methods but this should be done before you commence COMM2070.


Course Description

This course will develop the student’s critical abilities through writing a research report that locates a focused topic within the area of Animation and Interactive media. Since this course is a mandatory component of the overall Master of Arts (MA) by Coursework (Animation & Interactive Media), it is intended to work as a meaningful compliment to the elements of studio practice encountered in the other semesters of the program.

The complimentary function of the report can be approached in a number of ways. For example, if a student is carrying out the report before the "Major Project" (COSC1003) component of the MA, they may use the report as an opportunity to conduct intensive research around a problem statement or a research question that may anticipate issues that the student can foresee arising in their "Major Project". If, on the other hand, the report is being carried out after the "Major Project", the report may lean more toward an investigative analysis of an archive of creative work generated during the "Major Project". There is also provision for past graduates of the Graduate Diploma in Animation & Interactive Media (GD072) to nominate archival material or specialised knowledge as a subject of study that has been derived from industry practice, private studio practice or other work pertinent to the field of Animation and Interactive Media.     

With the awareness of an archive and a research question established, the student is expected to apply rigorous scholarship through an appropriate research method or methods. As mentioned above in "prerequites", this scholarly inquiry will be aided by the application of knowledge gained in COMM2068 - Research Strategies. The student may determine the form of the report as perhaps historical survey, cultural theory, technical report, critical analysis or some other form deemed appropriate by their supervisor. When writing the report, the student will be expected to establish a clear and focused discussion - if not argument - that demonstrates a balanced awareness of past and current ideas, texts, artists, significant works and cultural production in the area specific to the report.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

The process of research, writing, reportage, presentation and communication skills developed by this course will help the student to work professionally and collaborate either within a creative or industry environment. The student will learn to locate and identify trends, influences and wider historical narratives, technical data and/or cultural frames of reference when developing new projects, identifying problems or answering specific questions.

The course enables and encourages students to:

  • Critically evaluate a piece of time based screen art work, and to objectively appraise and articulate its strengths and weaknesses.
  • Develop a rigorous approach to the formal and scholarly investigation of a topic using appropriate research methodology.
  • Place their own work or technique in a wider context and articulate in their report how their work may be informed by this wider context.
  • Become knowledgeable about other important works and literature associated with the nominated topic of their report.
  • Be able to establish a genealogy of: ideas, creative innovation, artistic collaboration, cultural development, technical innovation or other milestones that pertain specifically to their inquiry.
  • Develop the ability to write a formal, well-constructed document that develops a body of knowledge and critical commentary useful to the discipline area in a clear and succinct manner.
  • Make articulate written comparisons of various production processes and approaches associated with time-based audio/visual works.
  • Demonstrate an appreciation of ways technology is apprehended and how this can affect cultural and/or historical readings of time based works.
  • Describe the initial aims and objectives of an animated or interactive media project, map the deviations that occurred during the project’s production and reflect upon the reasons for such deviations.
  • Critically analyze each stage of a production as it occurred in relation to other state-of-the-art industrial and arts based practices.
  • Use the Project Report to pinpoint deficient or erroneous production processes and to speculate on how these processes might be improved or corrected.
  • Exploit the potential of tools and resources made available by electronic networks, such as online research databases, research and expert email lists, online refereed journals, and research ‘blogs’.
  • Establish and maintain a personal online research journal or ‘blog’ throughout the semester.
  • During the semester, verbally present, elucidate and defend their research in a public forum of peers as a means of demonstrating progress toward their final report.



Overview of Learning Activities

The student who successfully completes "Project Analysis and Evaluation Report" will be prepared to independently establish a train of investigation into an elected topic across the broad range of knowledge associated with Animation and Interactive Media. The student will learn to articulate their ideas clearly, back these ideas up with relevant and contemporary literature, recognize significant work in the field and establish an independent perspective toward a body of knowledge expressed In texts and other cultural phenomena.   

In order to develop verbal communication skills, students will present progress of their findings from their report to a forum of practitioners and peers at least twice during the semester.


Overview of Learning Resources

Students are expected to conduct literature review and research through RMIT and other University and State Library resources. Students will have access to the AIM studio to conduct study groups, reading, online web searches, word processing and use resources needed for maintaining their individual research blogs.


Overview of Assessment

The Project Analysis and Evaluation Report will account for 80% of marks for this course. Another 20% of marks will be derived from research-oriented tasks set during the semester and are described below in "Assessment Tasks". The topic of the report and its contents will build upon the structure developed in the complimentary module, COMM2068 - Research Strategies assessment task. The student is expected to present a well-written, scholarly and highly focused document of 7,000 words. These reports can be illustrated and are submitted as printed hard copy, in line with the publication guide provided.

Assessment of the completed Project Analysis and Evaluation Report will be by an anonymous reader selected from senior positions in industry, academia or arts practice in the field of Animation and Interactive Media. While the reader is asked for their independent assessment of the completed report, they will be also asked to give special regard to:

· Quality of writing
· Cohesiveness and Structure
· Presentation
· Critical Thinking
· Depth of Discussion
· Contribution to the body of knowledge

Each of the above criteria will be thoroughly expanded upon as part of the Research Strategies (Comm 2068) course. The report shall also include a descriptive title, a summary, a table of contents and a bibliography that cites all texts and other materials referred to in the report. Ideally this report should form the basis of a paper for submission to a refereed conference, journal, book or other internationally recognised publication.

Since the assessment task for this course requires a major written component, students with language backgrounds other than English (LOTE), are strongly advised to access the Learning Skills Unit (LSU). The LSU provides assistance to LOTE students with essay and thesis writing, learning and study skills. Individual sessions and group workshops are available. Information on these can be found at:
http://aps.eu.rmit.edu.au/lsu/rmitprog/individ.html and
http://aps.eu.rmit.edu.au/lsu/rmitprog/workshop.html
The LSU is located on the City Campus at:
Building 94, Level 3
Telephone: 9925 4488