This document provides guidelines for Assessment 2 which requires students to critically analyze one or two key issues, concepts, or themes from the module materials. Students must apply the concept to a factual television format example, such as a news broadcast, documentary, or reality show. The essay should principally focus on one concept and one television example. Higher grades will be given to those who can apply analytical frameworks from one area to a different example. The essay must be 2500 words with proper citations and referencing of academic sources to support the critical analysis.

1. Assessment 2
-Analysing factual texts
This assignment requires students to assess and critically
analyse one or two of the key issues, concepts, keywords or
themes raised across the module in some detail. The assignment
must address the above by paying specific reference to
examples drawn from one of the following factual formats listed
below.
Students must apply a concept to a textual example
:-Broadcast news (eg The Channel 4 News, PM)
-Political discussion show (eg Question Time, Any Questions)-
Current affairs (eg Newsnight, Today)-
The talk show (eg The Jeremy Kyle Show)-
Documentary (eg Dispatches, The Report)-
Reality television (eg The X-Factor)-
Lifestyle television (eg How to Look Good Naked)
The essay should focus principally on one concept. It can refer
to others in passing if there is significant overlap -eg if
discussing impartiality in broadcast news it may be appropriate
to briefly mention balance or objectivity. •Similarly, the essay
should focus principally on one television, radio
example.•Students are encouraged to engage with critical

2. debates that may take place around their chosen example (eg a
newspaper’s reaction to a broadcast).•If your analysis refers to
specific episodes, you must ensure you reference the text in
full (eg original date of airing, URL for online viewing, channel
name, etc).•Be careful not to dilute your analysis by trying to
cover lots of areas superficially.•The essay requires students to
be critical rather than descriptive. Describing the narrative of a
text achieves very little in isolation other than to pad out the
word count inefficiently.•Similarly, long general
historiographies of concepts or formats are seldom conducive to
critical analysis. Significant moments or developments are
acceptable providing they pertain to the selected example.•The
best work will demonstrate knowledge of the subjects,
contextualising relevant themes and issues in relation to
historical shifts and the contemporary television landscape.•The
assignment should consist of your own analysis of a media text
rather than paraphrasing an article by an established author.
Higher grades will be awarded to work that is able to apply an
argument/framework from one area and apply it to a different
example –eg taking the work of Lunt and Stenner on The Jerry
Springer Show and applying it to The Jeremy Kyle Show or
Higgins’ work on newspapers and applying it to television
news.•The essay should be 2500 words. It can go 10% either
side of this target without penalty. grades can be penalised for
failing to adhere to this target.Your essays must include critical
reference to definitions of your chosen concepts from legitimate
academic sources, either from within the recommended course
reading or from your own independent research. Your
assignments must be written entirely in your own words (except
for properly acknowledged quotations). A bibliography must be
appended. We remind you about, and emphasise the importance
of the university regulations on collusion and plagiarism.