In SOSC2190 Human Bodies, Culture and Society students are asked to find a recent item of media (released within the last 3 months) that raises issues that align with the themes of the course (the social and cultural aspects of bodies). They are then asked to design a research question that they can answer using the existing academic literature, and answer it in essay form. This can be tricky sometimes as many of the exciting body-related topics they find in the media have not been given sufficient academic attention. Therefore, there are often some false starts until students find a question they can answer given the constraints of the literature. In SOSC2190 students are given some example media items along with some example questions that could be inspired by those media items. They are also given some guidance on how to design a research questions (e.g. tips like 'questions that lead to a yes or no answer often do not allow you to develop an argument', 'how' questions are more likely the type of questions you can build an argument from). A template for the research question is also given: "How does [insert body modification or body decoration practice] construct [insert social boundary] among [insert society]". Most relevant questions can be made to fit into this template and this makes it easier for students who have probably never designed their own question before. In SOSC2190 the media item only serves as foundation for the discussion as the intention is not a media review but a media inspired academic essay. But course coordinators could choose to make the media a more significant part of the final essay.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 80-100
- CLASS LEVEL
- Second year
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- Low security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Medium time
- CONDITIONS
- Work-related
- FEATURES
- Problem based
Advantages
Connects abstract academic discussions to real world issues. Engages students. Active learning – students chose their focus and design their own research question. Promotes academic integrity.
Challenges
Students must consider the existing academic literature when designing their question as they must ensure they design a question they can actually answer given the constraints of the existing literature on the topic. As a result they may have some false starts as they choose questions that can't be answered given the existing academic literature. In the end students will learn to design a research project that is feasible. Students may need some examples and guidance given to them as this process requires skills that many students do not have (e.g. working back and forth from the literature to the research question).
Tips for implementation
Provide examples of media, and potential research questions inspired by that media. Give guidance with regards feasibility of topics. Help students word their research questions so that they reflect the themes of the course. '
How it supports academic integrity
The basing of the essay on a contemporary media issue discourages students from rehashing past essays or submitting someone else's past essay. If they did attempt this they would need to incorporate the media into the pre-existing essay which would require some engagement. Thus the need to incorporate the media would discourage the use of essay banks (where students can buy existing papers), but not necessarily essay mills (where students can have essays custom written).
Dr Mair Underwood
m.underwood@uq.edu.au
Mair Underwood is an anthropologist in the School of Social Science who specialises in bodies. In particular she explores how body modifications (such as tattoo or bodybuilding) are used to create, reflect and disrupt social boundaries such as those of gender and class. She is especially interested in the social lives of image and performance enhancing drugs: how they acquire meaning through social interactions and how they alter social interactions. Find out more