Core Module Information
Module title: Communication and Practice

SCQF level: 07:
SCQF credit value: 20.00
ECTS credit value: 10

Module code: LMD07107
Module leader: Ariadne Xenou
School School of Arts and Creative Industries
Subject area group: Screen and Performance
Prerequisites

There are no pre-requisites for this module to be added

Description of module content:

In this module you will be taught a range of communication skills central to your studies in the BA Film programme. These include academic writing principles, coherence and cohesion of argument, methodological approaches, and how to redraft, revise and edit your work. You will learn how to analyse an argument and how to construct your own. You will also learn how to undertake formal cinematic analysis and how to use it as part of your academic written output. You will learn how to communicate in different ways, develop and communicate knowledge, and undertake and evaluate relevant research. You will also learn how to present your ideas in writing through reports, essays, class discussions, and peer review. Further, you will be introduced to basic research methodologies that will prepare you for the practical and academic activities and assessments you will undertake across your degree studies.

Learning Outcomes for module:

Upon completion of this module you will be able to

LO1: Present clear and cohesive ideas through spelling, grammar and syntax.

LO2: Recognise potential research topics.

LO3: Identify and collect relevant research materials.

LO4: Extract core ideas from research materials.

LO5: Identify correct formatting, presentation, and structure of an essay.

LO6: Quote and paraphrase sources properly.

LO7: Present analytical, critical, and persuasive arguments in written assessments.

Full Details of Teaching and Assessment
2026/7, Trimester 1, In Person,
VIEW FULL DETAILS
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: In Person
Location of delivery: MERCHISTON
Partner:
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Ariadne Xenou
Module Organiser:


Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)NESH Description
Online Guided independent study 177 As part of every module, you are expected to schedule and manage your time and commit personal learning time for each activity. This includes lecture and seminar preparation, exercise preparation, assessment preparation and work. The module leader's office hours are available for you to aid you with these tasks.
Online Guided independent study 1 Reading week Consolidation of knowledge gained in component 1. An online group talk with our Subject Group Librarian to prepare students for Component 2.
Face To Face Lecture 11 This is a weekly lecture for the entire cohort during which you will be introduced to the core topics of the week and have the opportunity to discuss them and begin to practise them. The required weekly reading will be the basis for this class. During this time, we will also analyse and discuss all assignment questions. For reasonable adjustment, lecture notes will be provided in advance of all classes to ensure that anyone unable to attend or participate in class is up to date with the material. I will set aside a period of time during my office hours for those students who are not able to attend the weekly class.
Face To Face Tutorial 11 Weekly tutorials follow the weekly lecture and give you the opportunity to put into practice the weekly material in a smaller more cohesive environment. An important aspect of the tutorials is the testing, experimentation and practice of the tasks and components that will form each of your assessments. The tutorials are dialogue and peer-review-based. I will set aside a period of time during my office hours for those students who are unable to attend the weekly tutorials.
Total Study Hours200
Expected Total Study Hours for Module200


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words Description
Report 10 1~4~7 Week 4 , WORDS= 125 words Write a one paragraph, 125 word (+/- 10%) report on a specific article given closer to the time of the assessment. Your report should only summarise what you feel to be the key issues. You are not to convey your views on the article. Revise and proofread carefully. This is a formal writing assignment, so make sure you structure your sentences and the paragraph properly and that you adopt an appropriate tone.The objective of this assignment is to practise notetaking, summarisation, sentence and paragraph structure as discussed in class so you can build upon this in subsequent assignments.For reasonable adjustment, 5 working-days extensions are available to any student who applies for one. If students feel that they are unable to apply through the usual RE1 route, an email to me or their PDT will suffice.
Essay 15 1~2~4~5~7 Week 6 , WORDS= 500 words Write a 500 word (+/- 10%), 5 paragraph essay on the question given closer to the time of submission. Marks will be deducted for too many or too few words, for the wrong number of paragraphs, or for incorrectly structured paragraphs. Marks will also be deducted for poor spelling and grammar. Your essay will be assessed on how well you develop and reason through an argument, and structure your essay, sentences, introduction, content paragraphs, and conclusion, as discussed in class. Your essay must answer the question, assert a thesis, and present a well-reasoned argument. To do so you will need to undertake some basic research. At a minimum, you should read newspaper articles and watch or listen to news programmes. Your essay will be assessed on the quality of your argument, not your ability to pack data into your essay.For reasonable adjustment, 5 working-days extensions are available to any student who applies for one. If students feel that they are unable to apply through the usual RE1 route, an email to me or their PDT will suffice. Alternative methods of assessment are possible. These will be discussed according to requirements and agreed on an individual basis.
Class Test 10 5~6~7 Week 8 HOURS= 30 mins + 25% This will test you on Learning Outcomes 4, 5 and 6, though these are directly applicable to all Learning Outcomes that we have covered so far. It is an open-book test. The most important formative aspect of the test is to learn and engage with skillsets of taking tests that are directly applicable to time-management techniques required in your discipline.The test takes place online, outwith class hours, and on your devices. The test can be taken any time between 5pm and midnight on the day of assessment.The test incorporates +25% time for reasonable adjustment.
Project - Written 25 1~2~3~4~5~6 Week 11 , WORDS= see below Research Dossier2 bibliographic lists125-word summative paragraph3 annotations of 75 words eachThis project assesses you on learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, and 4. It has five components. 1) A research topic will be given closer to the time of submission. Lpcate 5 books or book chapters and 5 journal articles. These should be a combination of primary and secondary sources. Magazine articles are not acceptable and will not be counted or assessed.2) Once you have located your sources, list them in a bibliography using the MHRA Style Guide. 3) Produce a second bibliography or 'Works Cited' list of the sources you have found using either the Chicago Manual of Style (using the bibliographic formatting specified in the chapters on the 'Notes-Bibliography Style') or the MLA Handbook. 4) Produce a 125-word paragraph that summarises key recurrent themes in your research. Build your argument from your sources' discussions and reference your use of the sources appropriately.5) Provide three, seventy-five word annotations of the most important sources that informed your paragraph, complete with bibliographic entries preceding each annotation. This project prepares you for research that you will undertake and complete during your final assessment. It also provides you with the skills required throughout your academic career.For reasonable adjustment, 5 working-days extensions are available to any student who applies for one. If students feel that they are unable to apply through the usual RE1 route, an email to me or their PDT will suffice. Alternative methods of assessment are possible. These will be discussed according to requirements and agreed on an individual basis.
Essay 40 1~2~3~4~5~6~7 Week 14 , WORDS= 1000 words Write a 1000 word (+/- 10%) essay on a research question that will be circulated closer to the time. Marks will be deducted for too many or too few words or for incorrectly structured paragraphs. Marks will also be deducted for poor spelling and grammar. Your essay will be assessed on how well you develop and reason through an argument, and structure your essay, sentences, introduction, content paragraphs, and conclusion, as discussed in class. Your essay must answer the question, assert a thesis, and present a well-reasoned argument. You will need to undertake research for this paper. You must determine for yourself the extent and relevance of your research sources for your essay. This assessment covers all the learning outcomes in the module.For reasonable adjustment, 5 working-days extensions are available to any student who applies for one. If students feel that they are unable to apply through the usual RE1 route, an email to me or their PDT will suffice. Alternative methods of assessment are possible. These will be discussed according to requirements and agreed on an individual basis.
Component 1 subtotal: 35
Component 2 subtotal: 65
Module subtotal: 100

Indicative References and Reading List - URL:
Communication and Practice