SEP3707 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 1 2026 - DUE April 2026; 100% Correct solutions and explanations.

SEP3707 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 1 2026 - DUE April 2026; 100% Correct solutions and explanations. SEP3707/2026 ASSESSMENT 2 Case Study Violent crime, including murder, aggravated robbery and gender-based violence, makes headlines in South Africa. National newspapers, online news platforms, and social media sites frequently report on crime incidents, often using explicit headlines, actual footage, and highly emotive language. Community organisations, academics, and policing forums have warned that the intensity and framing of crime in media coverage contribute to heightened public fear and mistrust in the criminal justice system. In some communities, residents complain that this impacts their quality of life. People alter their daily routines, restrict their movement, invest in private security measures, or avoid certain public spaces in response to perceived crime risks. Journalists and media practitioners, on the other hand, argue that extensive crime reporting is justified by the public’s right to information and the need to hold government accountable. They maintain that crime coverage reflects lived experiences rather than exaggerates them. However, researchers note a potential disconnection between official crime statistics, victims-of-crime data, and public perceptions of crime trends. They suggest that perceptions of crime may be influenced by factors beyond direct victimisation. This raises important questions about how public perception of crime and safety is influenced by media exposure, media consumption, and the framing of crime incidents. You have been tasked with designing and conducting a study to explore the relationship between media coverage and public perceptions of crime in South Africa. Read the case study above carefully and answer all the questions that follow. Your responses must demonstrate critical thinking and the application of research methodology concepts. QUESTION 1 Identify and list five (5) academic sources of information that will be relevant to this study. Each source should be referenced correctly. (Refer to Tutorial letter SCHJALL/301/2026 for referencing guidelines.) (10) QUESTION 2 Explain why background reading is important when conducting research. (10) QUESTION 3 Formulate an appropriate research aim and three (3) objectives for this study. (5) QUESTION 4 Critically analyse whether a