HFMK03504U FM, Research Design and Empirical Methods - Seminar B; digital media culture, network, and society

Volume 2025/2026
Education

Master in Film and Media Studies, 2019-curriculum

Content

In this seminar, we will focus on empirical methods in the context of ‘socio-mediated scandals’ (Zulli 2021). We will investigate how scandals are co-constructed across platforms by traditional media and social media users who are now contributing to the salience, negotiation, and evaluation of transgressions. We will discuss what constitutes a scandal in the digital age, who is involved in which ways, which dynamics are unleased in traditional and social media (e.g., bottom-up exposing of scandals and participation of marginalized voices, yet also shitstorms and hate speech), and what the public value of scandals in modern democracies might be. Scandals are used as showcases to highlight the challenges of grasping social phenomena, utilizing empirical research, and demonstrating the creativity necessary to gain insights into complex communicative interactions in vibrant digital media contexts.

 

The seminar is complementary to the lecture “Research Design and Empirical Methods.” Our discussions will build on the lecture’s content, and we will discuss follow-up questions. Yet, most importantly, you will prepare and conduct your own research project on a socio-mediated scandal with a case of your choice, which you will develop in groups throughout the seminar. In preparation, the seminar will deepen your knowledge of empirical research by examining exemplary study designs and specific methods applied in the research of scandals. You will learn to apply your knowledge on how to decide which method fits a research question best, how methods differ when it comes to qualitative, quantitative, and computational approaches, and we will do exercises that will help you to put your knowledge into practice.

Learning Outcome

At the examination, the student is able to demonstrate:

 

Knowledge and understanding of:

  • the application of qualitative and quantitative empirical research methods to answer a given research question.
  • the theoretical bases underpinning different qualitative and quantitative methods, their respective explanatory efficacy, and how they are embedded in different research traditions.
  • mixed-method strategies, including the use of digital IT tools, their complex interaction, and how they may be applied to different film and media research questions.

 

Skills to:

  • formulate a research question and develop a complex, theoretical research design that necessitates the application of several empirical methods.
  • use different tools to collect and analyse different types and amounts of data and reflect critically on the tools used and the results achieved.
  • present a research design and argue for the selected methods in both written and spoken forms.

 

Competencies to:

  • select and combine the right methodological and theoretical tools to address a research question.
  • assess the chosen strategy and the applicability and validity of the research in relation to specific functions and contexts.
  • plan, conduct and present the results of empirical research based on film and media theory and methodology.

The joint seminars rely on a textbook on research designs and empirical methods. The seminar tracks use academic texts within the particular field that the seminar focuses on. Teaching and readings are predominantly in English.

Required academic qualifications
The course presupposes basic knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methods in film- and media research. If a student is not familiar with the methods beforehand, it is expected that the student acquires
knowledge of these methods on their own during the semester.
Lectures, seminars, in-class participation, presentations, group work, home assignments. In the first half of the semester, the course covers the fundamental stages in research designs. Here, lecturers and seminars supplement each other. In the second half of the semester, the teaching is primarily done as seminars, where students work on their own research projects in groups.
Be aware that you need to sign up for Education in both the Lectures HFMK03501U(counts 0 ECTS) and Seminar B (counts 15 ECTS):

If there are too many registrations for this course, a lottery will be conducted. Students who do not get a slot on this course will be moved to Seminar A.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 42
  • Preparation
  • 367,5
  • Total
  • 409,5
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination
Type of assessment details
Oral exam, optional subject, with material, following active class participation
Examination prerequisites

Active class participation is defined as:

  • 2 approved oral or written exercises set by the seminar lecturer (10-15 minute presentation or 3-5 standard pages per submission). 
Aid
Only certain aids allowed (see description below)

 

  • 1) There must be no AI-generated text in any submitted written work (such as assignments, writing exercises, final exam papers).
  • 2) Any other use of generative AI (exploratory, idea-generating, discussing, summarizing, research-related, etc.) must be specified and described in the HUM-form for declaration of the use of generative AI.

 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Exam period

January 2026

Exam period: See  Find tid og sted on KUnet.

The exam period will be announced at the start of the semester.

Re-exam

February 2026

Exam period: See  Find tid og sted on KUnet.

You will find the exam format for re-exam in the  Programme curriculum for Masters Programme in Film and Media Studies

Criteria for exam assesment