This module offers students of Italian the opportunity to develop their knowledge of an Italian text or film (chosen from a short list) and their research and study skills, under the guidance of an academic supervisor. Students will produce a portfolio of work based on their chosen text and / or film, including: an academic bibliography, a comprehension exercise based on secondary literature, a commentary and an essay of 2000 words. These assessments guide students through the process of researching around a topic, and will allow them to receive feedback on each aspect of research. Students will work under the guidance of an academic supervisor, meeting them at regular intervals to agree a plan of reading, to discuss progress and to prepare their assessed work. Students will submit a plan of their essay to their supervisor for feedback before completing the assignment. The module is required for students of 75 (and 100) per cent Italian, and can be taken by students studying Italian ab initio . Together with the module ITAL210, this forms part of a research pathway designed to develop research skills in preparation for the MODL307 dissertation in final year.