Modules

Core Module Information
Module title: Social Media and Analytics Project
SCQF level: 08:
SCQF credit value: 20.00
ECTS credit value: 10
Module code: JAC08116
Module leader: Aideen McLaughlin
School School of Arts and Creative Industries
Subject area group: Media and Humanities
Prerequisites

There are no pre-requisites for this module to be added
Description of module content:

Social Media offers a means for private users to communicate with family and friends, to engage with brands and to share information, ideas and opinion; for businesses to target advertising to specific demographics; for political parties and organisations to influence the electorate; and for news outlets to channel stories and opinion to target audiences. This explosion in the use and success of digital communications relies heavily on the exchange of personal data for access. On the one hand, this provides businesses with a means to target audiences, build online communities and analyse and refine the effectiveness of their social media strategies. On the other, private users give away vast amounts of data about themselves, which they often have little cognisance of or control over. Social media research refers to the process of gathering and analysing data from social media platforms to gain insights and understanding about various social, cultural, and behavioural phenomena. It involves studying user-generated content, interactions, and patterns on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and others. On this module, you will learn how and where to find social media insights and other digital data. You will consider why it is important and who uses it and for what purpose. You will learn how to establish social media research questions and conduct social media research to solve communications problems. You will investigate how to apply digital data collection to measure and evaluate communications and marketing campaigns. You will learn how to make data-driven decisions to identify target audiences, optimise social media posting times and create effective content strategies. You will also consider digital data collection and visualisation for storytelling and journalism. In doing all this, you will develop an understanding of the ethical, political, and sociological issues that arise within social media and digital research and analytics.
Learning Outcomes for module:

Upon completion of this module you will be able to

LO1: Understand what social media and digital data is and how and where to legally and ethically find it.

LO2: Legally and ethically collect, analyse and evaluate quantitative and qualitative social media and other digital data to gain insights and understanding about various social, cultural, political and behavioural phenomena.

LO3: Apply social media research skills to solve communications problems.

LO4: Use social media insights and social listening tools to inform, monitor, measure, and evaluate communications campaigns.

LO5: Visualise and tell stories from data.

LO6: Protect yourself and your personal data online.
Full Details of Teaching and Assessment
2024/5, Trimester 1, In Person, Edinburgh Napier University
VIEW FULL DETAILS
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: In Person
Location of delivery: MERCHISTON
Partner: Edinburgh Napier University
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Aideen McLaughlin
Module Organiser:


Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)NESH Description
Online Guided independent study 170 Throughout the trimester, you are expected to structure in time to reflect upon the learning you have undertaken in your scheduled sessions and to complete your essential reading. You are encouraged to read more widely around the topics you are studying and engage in Moodle activities and resources. You will also meet in your groups to plan and execute your research project.
Face To Face Tutorial 10 This module’s learning and teaching approach is underpinned by the principles of experiential learning and co-creation of learning with students. In tutorials, you will be introduced to key definitions, concepts and platforms related to social media, social media monitoring, social listening, and social media and digital research. Any materials and pre-requisite reading will be on Moodle in advance, and you are expected to engage with these week-to-week and come to tutorials prepared to engage.
Face To Face Practical classes and workshops 20 During workshops, the tutor will guide you through activities designed to support the alignment of your social media research practice with the key concepts discussed in the tutorials. You will also benefit from the module’s supervised project time, where you will work independently and in groups to source, collect, analyse and evaluate qualitative and quantitative social media and other digital data, towards your social media research project, receiving and giving peer and tutor feedback.
Total Study Hours200
Expected Total Study Hours for Module200


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words Description
Report 35 1~2~3 Week 9 , WORDS= 1500 The first summative assessment is a research dossier that presents the raw data collected from a variety of specified digital data points (both qualitative and quantitative) in relation to your social media and analytics project/research question, as supplied by or approved by your tutor. An example of a suggested project is:Do men like Barbie too?You work for Mattel’s’ inhouse corporate communications and marketing team. Using a variety of digital data points and primary and secondary online research, analyse data across different platforms, geographies, ages and genders in relation to the Barbie movie. From your research, draw conclusions and make recommendations for the direction of a campaign to market a follow-up.
Report 65 1~2~3~4~5~6 Exam Period , WORDS= 3000 The second summative assessment is based on the data collection from summative 1. It is an individual research report that explains the research question and goals, justifies the research methods, analyses the digital data collected, and demonstrates legal and ethical compliance throughout the research.You will also visualise and evaluate the digital data and draw conclusions and recommendations from the insights to inform future communications strategies and campaigns.
Component 1 subtotal: 35
Component 2 subtotal: 65
Module subtotal: 100

Indicative References and Reading List - URL:
JAC08116 Social Media and Analytics Project
 

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