FH4S14 - Researching Practice 01 Sep 2021 - 31 Aug 2027 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: FH4S14
Module Title: Researching Practice
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Fashion, Marketing and Photography
Faculty Sub Group: Photography
Module Leader: Eileen Little, Lisa Barnard
Module Team: David Barnes, Mark Durden, Paul Reas, Steven Wright
First Intended Intake: SEP 2021 Final Year of Intake: 2026
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 7
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes:
HECOS Code Weighting:

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2021
Valid To 31 Aug 2027

Module Aims

1. To contribute to the development of theoretical documentary photographic research knowledge and skills at postgraduate level

2. To encourage a critical engagement with approaches to practice, and with ideas, debates, and issues in the wider creative and cultural industries, develop a proposal connected to student's practice

3. To encourage the assimilation of critical evaluation and reflectivity within self-directed practice and introduce the student to good practice in the presentation of their research in both verbal and written form

Content Summary

It is important for a contemporary photographic practitioner to have knowledge and understanding of the history and theory of photography, not only in itself, but as it relates to the development of their own practice.

At the same time, it is important that students can utilise the tactics and techniques of academic research in order to pursue their own studies. Through a series of lectures and seminars students will survey the evolution and current state of documentary photography, introducing themes, ideas, and contexts.

Through the production of a proposal focused on literature reviews connected to students own practice, the module will focus on:

1. The practice and expertise of those teaching within the school of documentary photography.
2. Artists and literature connected to students own practice.
3. The Reflective Practitioner: an introduction to ideas and practices.
4. Understanding practice as postgraduate research with a focus on eliciting distinct types of knowledge.
5. 'Creativity' - exploring ideas of creativity and creative processes
6. Development of presentation skills, alongside Q&A contextualising study skills: understanding the importance of histories, theories, and politics pertinent to students own practice.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 9
Seminar 7
Tutorial 2
Independent Study 158
Directed Study 20
Formative Assessment - Scheduled 4
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Synthesise and articulate knowledge from a variety of sources whilst reflecting on students' own interests.
LO2 Analyse, practical and theoretical sources to inform the writing of a proposal of a personal body of work.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Research Plan / Proposal / Project/ Log 1 A project proposal which includes a case study and literature/sources review relevant to the student’s own discipline and area of interest. 0 3000 50 No 40
Synchronous Online Oral Assessment Presentation (Synchronous Online) 1 Individual conference style paper focusing on the presentation of a case study, literature/sources review, pertinent to the student's own discipline. In addition, the oral presentation should reflect an understanding of the themes explored in this module. 20 N/A 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Research Plan / Proposal / Project/ Log 1
Presentation (Synchronous Online) 1

Reading List

Alexander, J.A.P. (2015) Perspectives on Place: Theory and Practice in Landscape Photography. London: Bloomsbury. eBook I/S
Campt, T. (2017) Listening to Images Paperback, Duke University Press. eBook I/S
Fox, A. and Caruana, N. (2012). Basics Creative Photography 03: Behind the Image Research in Photography. eBook I/S
Good, J. and Lowe, P. (2017). Understanding photojournalism. London, Uk ; New York, Ny, Usa: Bloomsbury Academic, An Imprint Of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. eBook I/S
Miller, S. (2020). Contemporary photography and theory: concepts and debates. London ; New York, Ny: Bloomsbury Visual Arts. eBook I/S
Ritchen, F. (2013), Bending the Frame: Photojournalism, Documentary, and the Citizen, Aperture. eBook I/S
Robson, C. (2011). Real World Research (3rd ed.). London: John Wiley and Sons. eBook I/S
Rubinstein, D. 2020 Fragmentation of the Photographic Image in the Digital Age, Routledge eBook I/S
Smith and Sliwinski, (eds.) 2017, Photography and the Optical Unconscious, Duke University Press. eBook I/S
Solomon-Godeau, A. and Parsons, S. (2017). Photography after photography : gender, genre, history. Durham, N.C. ; London: Duke University Press. eBook I/S
Thompson, S and N Thompson (2008). The Critically Reflective Practitioner. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. eBook I/S
Wells, L. (ed.) Photography: A Critical Introduction, London, 2009. 2015 5th ed eBook I/S.
Yanai Toister (2020). Photography from the Turin Shroud to the Turing machine. Bristol, Uk ; Chicago, Il: Intellect. eBook I/S