COM3703
TUTORIAL LETTER 101/3/2024
, COM3703/101/3/2024
Tutorial Letter 101/3/2024
Media Studies:
Media content and media audiences
COM3703
Semesters 1 and 2
Department of Communication Science
This tutorial letter contains important information about your module.
BARCODE
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ...................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 4
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION ........................................................................................... 6
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS .................................................................................. 6
4.1 Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Department .................................................................................................................................. 7
4.3 University ..................................................................................................................................... 7
5 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 7
5.1 Prescribed book(s) ....................................................................................................................... 7
5.2 Recommended book(s) ................................................................................................................ 9
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ................................................................................................... 9
5.4 Library services and resources ..................................................................................................... 9
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ............................................................................................. 10
6.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme ............................................................................ 10
7 STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................ 11
8 PRACTICAL WORK .................................................................................................................. 12
9 ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................... 12
9.1 Assessment criteria .................................................................................................................... 12
9.2 Assessment plan ........................................................................................................................ 12
9.3 Assessment due dates ............................................................................................................... 13
9.4 Submission of assessments ....................................................................................................... 13
9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions ...................................................................................... 14
9.5 The assessments ....................................................................................................................... 15
9.5.1 Assignment 01 ............................................................................................................................ 15
9.6 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................ 35
9.7 The examination ......................................................................................................................... 35
9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring .................................................................................................................. 35
10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ........................................................................................................ 36
10.1 Plagiarism .................................................................................................................................. 36
10.2 Cheating ..................................................................................................................................... 36
10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: ..................................................... 37
11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES ................................................................................. 37
12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 37
13 SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 37
14 IN CLOSING .............................................................................................................................. 38
15 ADDENDUM .............................................................................................................................. 39
2
, COM3703/101/3/2024
1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student
We are pleased to welcome you to this module and hope you will find it interesting and rewarding.
Please go through this tutorial letter, which has all the important information that you need in order
to begin.
Unisa is a comprehensive open distance e-learning (CODeL) higher education institution. The
comprehensiveness of our curricula encapsulates a range of offerings, from strictly vocational to
strictly academic certificates, diplomas and degrees. Unisa's "openness" and its distance eLearning
character result in many students registering at Unisa who may not have had an opportunity to enrol
in higher education. Our CODeL character implies that our programmes are carefully planned and
structured to ensure success for students ranging from the under-prepared but with potential to the
sufficiently prepared.
Teaching and learning in a CODeL context involve multiple modes of delivery, ranging from blended
learning to fully online. As a default position, all post graduate programmes are offered fully online
with no printed study materials, while undergraduate programmes are offered in a blended mode of
delivery where printed study materials are augmented with online teaching and learning via the
learner management system – myUnisa. In some instances, undergraduate programmes are offered
fully online as well.
Furthermore, our programmes are aligned with the vision, mission and values of the University.
Unisa’s commitment to serve humanity and shape futures combined with a clear appreciation of our
location on the African continent, Unisa’s graduates have distinctive graduate qualities, which
include:
• being independent, resilient, responsible and caring citizens who are able to fulfil and serve in
multiple roles in their immediate and future local, national and global communities
• having a critical understanding of their location on the African continent with its histories,
challenges and potential in relation to globally diverse contexts
• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information and
data from multiple sources in a globalised world with its ever-increasing information and data
flows and competing worldviews
• knowing how to apply their discipline-specific knowledges competently, ethically and creatively
to solve real-life problems
• an awareness of their own learning and developmental needs and future potential
Please note that COM3703 is offered as a blended module, meaning it is a combination of printed
and online learning (all information is available via the internet). You are required to visit the myUnisa
website regularly, as we use this platform to provide learning support and other important module-
related information. All assignments need to be completed online only, Assignment 01 occurs via a
file upload on myUnisa and Assignment 02, the MCQ/Quiz assignment, will be available online only.
3
TUTORIAL LETTER 101/3/2024
, COM3703/101/3/2024
Tutorial Letter 101/3/2024
Media Studies:
Media content and media audiences
COM3703
Semesters 1 and 2
Department of Communication Science
This tutorial letter contains important information about your module.
BARCODE
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ...................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 4
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION ........................................................................................... 6
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS .................................................................................. 6
4.1 Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Department .................................................................................................................................. 7
4.3 University ..................................................................................................................................... 7
5 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 7
5.1 Prescribed book(s) ....................................................................................................................... 7
5.2 Recommended book(s) ................................................................................................................ 9
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ................................................................................................... 9
5.4 Library services and resources ..................................................................................................... 9
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ............................................................................................. 10
6.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme ............................................................................ 10
7 STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................ 11
8 PRACTICAL WORK .................................................................................................................. 12
9 ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................... 12
9.1 Assessment criteria .................................................................................................................... 12
9.2 Assessment plan ........................................................................................................................ 12
9.3 Assessment due dates ............................................................................................................... 13
9.4 Submission of assessments ....................................................................................................... 13
9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions ...................................................................................... 14
9.5 The assessments ....................................................................................................................... 15
9.5.1 Assignment 01 ............................................................................................................................ 15
9.6 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................ 35
9.7 The examination ......................................................................................................................... 35
9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring .................................................................................................................. 35
10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ........................................................................................................ 36
10.1 Plagiarism .................................................................................................................................. 36
10.2 Cheating ..................................................................................................................................... 36
10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: ..................................................... 37
11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES ................................................................................. 37
12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 37
13 SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 37
14 IN CLOSING .............................................................................................................................. 38
15 ADDENDUM .............................................................................................................................. 39
2
, COM3703/101/3/2024
1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student
We are pleased to welcome you to this module and hope you will find it interesting and rewarding.
Please go through this tutorial letter, which has all the important information that you need in order
to begin.
Unisa is a comprehensive open distance e-learning (CODeL) higher education institution. The
comprehensiveness of our curricula encapsulates a range of offerings, from strictly vocational to
strictly academic certificates, diplomas and degrees. Unisa's "openness" and its distance eLearning
character result in many students registering at Unisa who may not have had an opportunity to enrol
in higher education. Our CODeL character implies that our programmes are carefully planned and
structured to ensure success for students ranging from the under-prepared but with potential to the
sufficiently prepared.
Teaching and learning in a CODeL context involve multiple modes of delivery, ranging from blended
learning to fully online. As a default position, all post graduate programmes are offered fully online
with no printed study materials, while undergraduate programmes are offered in a blended mode of
delivery where printed study materials are augmented with online teaching and learning via the
learner management system – myUnisa. In some instances, undergraduate programmes are offered
fully online as well.
Furthermore, our programmes are aligned with the vision, mission and values of the University.
Unisa’s commitment to serve humanity and shape futures combined with a clear appreciation of our
location on the African continent, Unisa’s graduates have distinctive graduate qualities, which
include:
• being independent, resilient, responsible and caring citizens who are able to fulfil and serve in
multiple roles in their immediate and future local, national and global communities
• having a critical understanding of their location on the African continent with its histories,
challenges and potential in relation to globally diverse contexts
• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information and
data from multiple sources in a globalised world with its ever-increasing information and data
flows and competing worldviews
• knowing how to apply their discipline-specific knowledges competently, ethically and creatively
to solve real-life problems
• an awareness of their own learning and developmental needs and future potential
Please note that COM3703 is offered as a blended module, meaning it is a combination of printed
and online learning (all information is available via the internet). You are required to visit the myUnisa
website regularly, as we use this platform to provide learning support and other important module-
related information. All assignments need to be completed online only, Assignment 01 occurs via a
file upload on myUnisa and Assignment 02, the MCQ/Quiz assignment, will be available online only.
3
