Researching Theatre and Performance

Module title	Researching Theatre and Performance
Module code	DRAM150
Academic year	2023/4
Credits	30
Module staff	Professor Heike Roms (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	30

Module description

This module will assist you in developing, critically reflecting on and evaluating a research topic of your own design. You will explore key methodologies in theatre and performance studies (including ‘practice-based’ and action research), develop advanced research and writing skills and work towards identifying an area of independent research in consultation with your tutor and peers. The module aims to prepare you for your MA dissertation project in either theatre practice or applied theatre, and to equip you with key skills in research, analysis, writing and academic practice. By the end of the module, you will be familiar with academic resources, have an advanced understanding of research processes, practices and methodologies, and be able to confidently research and present your ideas and place them within the broader research landscape of drama, theatre and performance studies.

Module aims - intentions of the module

to introduce you to drama, theatre and performance studies as a diverse field of research practices and traditions
to familiarize you with key methodologies in the field, including practice-based research, action research and reflective practitioner methods.
to equip you with essential research skills in drama, theatre and performance studies and skills in planning a research project at Masters level
to provide you with the opportunity to define an individual research project in theatre practice or applied theatre and prepare a full proposal for it; and to undertake work toward an associated literature review
to develop your presentation and academic writing skills

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate advanced reading, writing and research skills; and advanced bibliographical techniques
2. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the different methodologies for researching into drama, theatre and performance and evaluate critically their respective strengths and weaknesses
3. Identify a research field within the discipline, define a specific research enquiry, formulate an appropriately framed research question and identify suitable theories and methodologies
4. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of different theories or paradigms of knowledge in your area of research interest

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of different theories or paradigms of knowledge in your area of research interest
6. Display an advanced understanding of the relationship between theatre scholarship and theatre practice in the areas of contemporary theatre or applied theatre

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

7. Work in an independent and self-reliant manner, set goals and manage your own workloads and timetable
8. Develop a sophisticated appreciation of the research work of yourself and others in practical, theoretical, and methodological terms

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics::

Introduction: why and how do we perform research?
Theatre and Performance Research: fields, topics, questions
Research fields, topics, questions: how to design a research enquiry
Tracking debates in theatre and performance studies
What are methods in theatre and performance research?
Methods 1 : Encountering the live – performance analysis
Methods 2 : Practice-as-Research
Research Ethics
Conducting Interviews for Research
Forms of Evaluation and Feedback
Modes of writing on and as performance
The reflective practitioners – autoethnographies
Documenting Practice
Annotated Bibliography and literature review
Research Proposal development: questions, methodologies, literature, plan
Proposal Workshop
Next steps: from proposal to dissertation
Mini-conference

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
33	267	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning and teaching	33	Seminars of 1.5 hrs/ week delivered thinly over two terms
Guided independent study	267	Includes: reading and preparation for seminars; writing tasks (formative assessments); attendance at departmental research seminars; theatre visits; independent study on research projects; work on assessments

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Writing tasks	Between 50 to 500 words	1-3, 5-8	Written or oral
Draft Annotated Bibliography presentation	5 minutes	1-7	Oral
Proposal-in-progress workshop presentation	5 minutes	1-8	Oral

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
60	0	40

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Annotated bibliography	30	2,500 words	1-7	Written
Reflective journal of research skills and methods	30	2,500 words	1-2, 4- 8	Written
Presentation of research proposal for individual project, including outline of research question, methodology, literature review, timetable and structure	40	30 minutes	1-8	Written

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Annotated bibliography	Annotated bibliography (2500 words)	1-7	Referral/Deferral period
Reflective journal of research skills and methods	Reflective journal of research skills and methods (2500 words)	1-2, 4- 8	Referral/Deferral period
Presentation of research proposal for individual project, including outline of research question, methodology, literature review, timetable and structure	Written presentation of a research proposal for individual project, including outline of research question, methodology, literature review, timetable and structure (3000 words)	1-8	Referral/Deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

BASIC/ ESSENTIAL

Kershaw, Baz and Helen Nicholson (eds) (2011) Research Methods in Theatre and Performance, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press
Mills, Jane and Melanie Birks (eds) (2014) Qualitative Methodology: A Practical Guide, Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications.
Nelson, Robin (2013) Practice as Research in the Arts: Principles, Protocols, Pedagogies, Resistance, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Soyini Madison, D. (2019) Critical Ethnography: Method, Ethics, and Performance, 3^rd edition, Thousand Oaks: Sage.

RECOMMENDED

On Applied Theatre

Alrutz, Megan (ed.) (2010 Playing with Theory in Theatre Practice, Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Dawson, Kathryn and Daniel A. Kelin (eds) (2014) The Reflexive Teaching Artist: Collected Wisdom from the Drama/Theatre Field (Theatre in Education), Bristol: Intellect.
Shaughnessy, Nicki (2012) Applying Performance: Live Art, Socially Engaged Theatre and Affective Practice, Basingstoke: Palgrave.

On Practice as Research:

Leavy, Patricia (2020) Method Meets Art: Arts-Based Research Practice. 3rd ed. New York: Guilford Press.
On Writing Skills:
Biggam, John (2015) Succeeding with your Masters Dissertation, Buckingham: Open University Press.
Elbow, Peter (1998), Writing with Power, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

On various methods:

Bauer, Martin and George Gaskell (2000) Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound – A Practical Handbook. London: Sage.
Cochrane, Claire and Jo Robinson (eds) (2016) Theatre History and Historiography: Ethics, Evidence and Truth, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Cochrane, Claire and Jo Robinson (eds) (2019) The Methuen Drama Handbook of Theatre History and Historiography, London: Methuen Drama.
Counsell, Colin and Laurie Wolf (eds) (2001) Performance Analysis: An introductory coursebook, London: Routledge.
Fielding, Nigel and Raymond M. Lee, Grant Blank, G. (eds) (2017) The Sage Handbook of Online Research Methods. London: Sage.
Patriarche, Geoffrey et al.(eds) (2014) Audience Research Methodologies. Between Innovation and Consolidations. Abingdon: Routledge, 2014.
Rose, Gillian (2016) Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials. 4th ed. London: Sage, 2016
Yin, Robert (2018) Case Study Research: Design and Methods. 6th ed. Los Angeles: Sage.

On Theatre and Performance Studies as a Field:

Fischer-Lichte, Erika et al (2014) The Routledge Introduction to Theatre and Performance Studies, London: Routledge
Fortier, Mark (2016) Theory/Theatre: An Introduction, London: Routledge.
Schechner, Richard (2020) Performance Studies: An Introduction, 4^th edition, London: Routledge.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Exeter Digital Archives http ://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/exeter/media/mediahome.php
Digital Theatre Plus https://www.digitaltheatreplus.com /
Drama Onlinehttps://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com /
ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=13302

Key words search

Research methods, research skills, writing skills, discipline, bibliography, research project

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	Yes
Origin date	19/02/2021
Last revision date	02/05/2023