Case Study Booklets/Questions

A big part of your revision will be going back over your Case Studies for New/Digital Media and Representation (as well as revising those we covered in class: about The Impact of New/Digital Media on the News; and Representations of Gender).

If you lost your booklets, you can get them here...

New/Digital Media Case Study Booklet

Representations of Gender Case Study Booklet

Make sure you refine your research - adding to it over the final few weeks with up-to-the-minute info from sources like MediaGuardian, and the new articles that will be posted up here.

Also, use the following advice/suggestions so you know precisely what kind of information you need to have researched (you should try to combine several of the topics listed to make sure you've covered a wide enough range)...

Impact of New Media Case Study Prompts

You should be able to answer all the typical questions for Section B in the exam...

New/Digital Media

• “Digital media have, in many ways, changed how we consume media products.” Who do you think benefits most – audiences or producers?

• “Media institutions are right to feel threatened by new/digital media.” Consider this statement and show how media institutions are reacting to technological developments.

• The development of new/digital media means the audience is more powerful in terms of consumption and production. Discuss the arguments for and against this view.

• “The new generation of UK media power players are going stratight to their audience via the web” www.mediaguardian.co.uk Monday July 14 2008. How have media institutions responded to the opportunities offered by new/digital media?

• Developments in new/digital media mean that audiences can now have access to a greater variety of views and values. To what extent are audiences empowered by these developments?

• Why and with what success are traditional media institutions adapting to the challenge posed by new/digital media?

Representation

• Critics have accused the mainstream media of tokenism and stereotyping by creating extreme and exaggerated representations. To what extent is this true for the group or place you have studied?

• Media representations rarely challenge the dominant values of society nor do they give a voice to those with little power. To what extent is this true for the group or place you have studied? Why?

• It has been said that media representations often reflect the social and political concerns of the age in which they are created. Discuss.

• Media representations favour those with power at the expense of those without. To what extent do you think this statement is true?

• 1Xtra, MTV Base and Zee TV are all hugely popular. But whenever I watch these channels, all I see is a ghetto… Nobody wants to be in the ghetto, OK? We all want to live in the mainstream.” (Lenny Henry in a speech to the Royal Television Society, Guardian News and Media Ltd, 2008)

• Why would the group or place you have studied want to be represented in the mainstream media?

• A dominant representation is one which is repeated across the media over time and so are the values that it carries. Discuss.

You should have detailed plans for each of these essays and have practised as many as possible under timed conditions (ONE HOUR for each).

Best Critical Investigations 2011

Here are the very best Critical Investigations from this year - all worthy grade A essays. Well done for producing excellent work!

They contain a wealth of research that is directly relevant for the MEST 3 exam, particularly those on New/Digital Media and Representation (the two Section B topics that need to be revised). Try to read/make notes on as many as possible in preparation, at the very least identifying a few quotes/ideas from each one that you think could be useful...

NEW/DIGITAL MEDIA

How and why is violence so prevalent in modern videogames, and should audiences be better protected from it through censorship? (Kalbir)

How and why does graphic violence within video games such as ‘Call of Duty’ attract a teenage demographic? (Bilal)

Why are video games such as 'Call of Duty:Modern Warfare 2' and 'Grand Theft Auto IV' becoming more violent? How is this a concern? (Parminder)

REPRESENTATION

Despite the success of 'Slumdog Millionaire' why is it that there is still a lack of South Asian actors in Hollywood? (Ranjot)

How does the R&B genre construct certain gender ideologies around artists such as Ne-Yo and Rihanna? Why might these ideologies be considered post-feminist? (Mariam)

How and why does the horror/thriller genre exaggerate the mentally ill in films such as ‘Shutter Island’ and ‘The Uninvited’? (Megan)

GENRE/AUDIENCE

How effective is aspirational advertising such as ‘Paco Rabanne: 1 Million’ and perfume advertising in general, in influencing male consumer lifestyles, and why is this the case? (Sonia)

How are reality TV documentaries, such as 'Wife Swap' and 'Supernanny' constructed? Why is this genre so popular? (Bianca)

Why is celebrity culture abundant in reality TV shows such as 'MTV Cribs' and how does the ideology presented affect the audience? (Raheam)

Media A-Z Glossary

You've all got copies of this, but make sure you're re-reading it during your revision.

The more media terminology you include in the exam (all the terms covered in this book) the more marks you will get, so keep testing/re-testing yourself on what's in here...

Media A-Z Glossary

And here is a checklist of the media Issues/Debates and Theories that the specification lists as you needing to know...

Issues/Debates

• Representation and stereotyping
• Media effects
• Reality TV
• News Values
• Moral Panics
• Post 9/11 and the media
• Ownership and control
• Regulation and censorship
• Media technology and the digital revolution – changing technologies in the 21st century
• The effect of globalisation on the media

Theories

• Semiotics
• Structuralism and post-structuralism
• Postmodernism and its critiques
• Gender and ethnicity
• Marxism and hegemony
• Liberal Pluralism
• Colonialism and Post-colonialism
• Audience theories
• Genre theories

...make sure you have some keywords/theorists for each one that you can apply to whichever texts appear in Section A, or in response to typical Section B questions.

Theories, Issues & Debates Summaries

Easy to revise from - some of the key ideas/theorists you need to know...

Theories Issues and Debates Handout A2

Revision Express Textbook

You received copies of this to carry out your Easter pre-mock revision. We advised you to learn all the key terms (in bold) and have a go at the exam questions at the end of each section (these are good for practice although NOT the typical ones you'll get in the exam; see the list of Section B questions for that).

This download covers most of the key issues & debates that you MUST be able to apply to the Section A texts you have to analyse/compare in the exam...

Advertising, Advertising & Marketing, Audience Profiling, Cult of the Celebrity, Effects Theory, Globalisation, Marxism, Media Ownership, Narrative Theory, News Values, Pluralism, Postmodernism, Reception Theory, Uses & Gratifications

...Revision Express Textbook

AQA A2 Textbook

Read and make notes on this text book, written by the exam board - great for revising...

Contents

1. Critical Perspectives

2. Media Theories

3. Approaching Texts Critically

4. Approaching Topics Critically

New Media Revision Links

From MediaEdu...

A2 AQA MEST3 Revision New and Digital Media Example Question

The Impact of Digital Media Revision

We Media, Democracy and Convergence

From MediaMagazine...

The Rise and Rise of UGC

Others...

Newspapers - The Effect of Online Technology

(Where prompted, use the login details you were emailed earlier in the year to access the site).

Representation of Gender Lessons

All of the representation lessons to revise from...

Representations of Gender Lessons 1-15

Representations of Gender Lessons 16-17

Representations of Gender Lessons 18

Representations of Gender Lessons 19-20

Representations of Gender Lessons 21-23

New & Digital Media Lessons

Use this to help you revise...

New Digital Media Lessons Yr 13

Introduction to New & Digital Media Yr 12

13C - Work for 25/5/11 and 26/5/11

Asha - Could you please lead the class in creating theory trading cards as we discussed? They should look a bit like these but yours will be much better!

Include: Name and picture of theorist, brief summary of theory, a useful quote, strengths and weaknesses of the theory.

Spend 10 minutes at the start discussing which theorists you will make cards for - allocate at least 2 theorists per student.

Refer to your critical investigations for useful quotations.

Periods 1 and 2 on Thursday I will be in DF10 doing controlled assessment - come and see me Period 1 to report on your progress.

By the end of period 2 on Thursday each student should email at least 2 trading cards to lwigley@greenford.ealing.sch.uk

Work hard! See you on Thursday!

13A Classwork 19/05/11

You MUST attend the lesson to be registered and you are expected to remain in the classroom throughout until 12.30pm.

Teachers will be in to monitor you!!

Firstly, spend 5-10 minutes showing each other your revision folders, getting ideas about what you also need to include in yours.

Please bring these in again on Monday for me to check them with any additional revision notes etc. that you add over the weekend. They should be really impressive (as good as Sonia's!) by then.

Then, start this new/digital media essay in class...

"Web 2.0 promises more opportunities than threats." (Jason Bhatti) Discuss this statement with reference to your case studies.

...this needs to be completed for homework, for Monday (should take an hour in total).

Also, for homework, for Monday, please complete the following representation question under test conditions (1 hour)...

Choose one or more group whom you believe to be inadequately represented in the media. Discuss some examples of the way the group is represented. Why is the group represented in these ways?

13A HW Due 13/5/11

Answer for the following question:

Some media research has raised concerns about unrestricted access to violent images. Do you think control is necessary?
You should refer to other media products to support your answer.

Remember: Refer to a wide range of theories, issues and debates and wider contexts (SHEP) and examples

Due 13/5/11

Representation Essay Question

13C: Answer the following exam essay question on your blog for Tue 29/03...

It has been said that media representations often reflect the social and political concerns of the age in which they are created. Discuss.

The net isn't as important as we think

13C: Read the article...

Did the washing machine change the world more than the internet, a tool we overestimate while ignoring its downsides?

...and answer the question on your blog: "Did the washing machine change the world more than the internet?" using your own ideas and summarising those in the article. Deadline: Tue 29/03.

Are We Obsessed with Facebook?

Make sure you make a note of some of the key statistics from the video/infographic...

Are We Obsessed with Facebook?

MEST 4 Peer Marking

The next draft of your Critical Investigation is due on March 14th so use the PowerPoint slides below to help you improve what you've done so far...

The Death Of The Music Industry

Especially for those looking at this topic for their new/digital media case studies, here's an interesting graph showing the impact of file-sharing/music streaming on the music industry's revenues...

The Death Of The Music Industry

13A - Work for 17/2/11 and HW

NewsCorp. is the world's third-largest media conglomerate.

•In the UK (under two subsidiary companies, News International and BSKYB), its news interests include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun & The News of the World (and their online versions) in addition to SKY News & SKY Sports News (a cross-platform , vertically integrated, multi-media company).

•Using NewsCorp as an example in pairs research and respond to the following question:

‘Why and with what success are traditional media institutions adapting to the challenge posed by new/digital media?’

•Create a multimedia presentation addressing the above question. You must include relevant examples, theories, issues & debates and wider context (SHEP) as applicable.

–Include the following in your response:

•Online subscriptions

•Price promotions for newspapers

•Content and its appeal

•Paid subscriptions for TV content

•Audience figures vs. Competition

•Impact of changes on both the audience and the institution

Complete your presentation for HW
You will deliver your presentation on 3/3/11

13A Work for 17/2/11 and HW

LO: To explore how to plan effectively for an exam style question

‘Digital media has changed the nature of media products and the ways in which we consume them.’

Who do you think benefits most – audiences or producers?

Work in pairs and brainstorm using all available case studies, yours, the class one (news) and your partners.

1. Brainstorm all points that could be made to answer the above essay question

2. Write points in 3 different colours (1 for each case study) – draw lines between points you would use in the same paragraph. To help plan an effective answer.

3. Draw out the 5 points you would make in your response for your particular case study.

4. Present back findings.

HW: Complete the above essay and email it to lwigley@greenford.ealing.sch.uk by 3/2/11. Please also make sure that you have emailed me your case study presentation and this essay:

The mutualisation of news

Interesting Guardian article for new/digital media case study...

The mutualisation of news

13A - Work for 11/2/11 and HW

Make a detailed plan for the following essay referring your new and digital media case study. Then write the essay and finish for HW:

The development of new/digital media means the audience is more powerful in terms of consumption and production. Discuss the arguments for and against this view.

Remember that as well as your own case study, you can also refer to the impact of new and digital media on the news.

Remember to include theory: Marxism, pluralism, audience theory, uses and gratifications.

Remember to give specific examples to support all the points you make.

Don't forget User Generated Content!

Due: Friday 18/2/11

13C Work for 9/2/11

Please continue with your practical productions with the aim of shooting all footage by 28/2/11.

You should have already completed production intentions and a production schedule, please email these to lwigley@greenford.ealing.sch.uk

Also email me a link to the blog you have set up for your production.

By 16/2/11 you need to have produced a detailed storyboard if you are doing moving image or detailed mock ups of the pages you will produce if you are doing print.

Email me if you have any questions.

13A - Case Study Presentation HW Due 11/2/11

Finish your 10 minute presentation on your New and Digital Media Case Study which answers all the questions in the case study booklet and gives specific examples from the research you have conducted.

You will deliver the presentation on Friday 11/2/11. Email it to lwigley@greenford.ealing.sch.uk before the lesson.

13A - HW - Due 4/2/11

Research your new and digital media topic area in detail. Post all your research to your blog. Then complete your new and digital media booklet in detail giving specific examples from your research. Due 4/2/11.

Coursework - 1st Draft

The following needs to be completed by Monday 31st January. (Tuesday 1st for 13C1)

• Complete your first draft of your Critical Investigation.

• It must be a word processed 2000 word essay (with a precise word count included at the end).

• Also, include correctly set out references, quotes and footnotes. Footnotes should take the following form - Author Surname, Author First Name Initial (Year of Publication), Page Number(s). e.g...Lacey, N. (2009). p. 122.

• Where the next reference is from the same text and the same page use ibid. (in italics). This means 'in the same place' in Latin. If it's from the same text but a different page you include the new page reference too. e.g. ibid. p23.

• A full bibliography must be submitted. (See the Xmas Book Research Task for help with this) . The first section should be titled 'Works Cited' and will contain everything that you make direct reference to in your essay. Divide it into 'Books', 'Newspapers & Magazines', 'Internet' and 'Moving Image Texts'. The second section should be called 'Works Consulted' and will cover all the additional research you did but that didn't necessarily get directly quoted. This should have the same subheadings as the first section. Use BibMe to help you do this correctly, using the APA format for books. e.g. Lacey, N. (2009). Image and Representation (2nd ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

• Two copies are necessary. Hand in a hard copy (on paper) on the deadline day, and this needs to have one and a half spacing. Also paste it up on your blog.

If you're in any doubt about what this all should look like then please check out some of the finished grade 'A' and 'B' essays from (2010), (2009), (2008), (2007), (2006). But remember that all of these 9apart from 2010) were for a different specification and had to be 3000 words, unlike yours (which should be 2000).

They will be helpful, though, when thinking about how to write your essay (what to include in the introduction and conclusion, how to structure the work, how to set out quotes, the correct tone, and how much research to include - they each contain between 20 and 40 footnotes - you should aim for around 30.)

But please ensure that all writing is done in your own words. Plagiarism is a very serious business and anyone found simply copying from other sources (either students or books/websites) will be in real trouble. And you will be found out if you do! We're not stupid - we know how you write, and we know very well what was in the previous studies (and there are numerous online checkers that we can feed your work into to see if it has been plagiarised).

This is the big one so no excuses and good luck!!

13A - Globalisation HW - Due 21/1/11

Read all of the handout on globalisation, highlighting the key points.

‘The news automatically becomes the real world for the TV user and is not a substitute for reality, but is itself an immediate reality’ (Marshall McLuhan)

On your blog make at least two points which agree with this statement and at least two points which disagree. Use as much theory as posible to back up the points you make.

Due 21 January 2011

13C - Work for 12/1/11 and 13/1/11

While I am giving tutorials you must continue to attend all lessons. Please work in DF06 on the following:

Read at least 2 A grade Critical Investigations from last year (there are links to these further down the blog). Look at the assessment criteria you wrote down in your books (or check the aqa website). On your blog explain why the 2 students where given A grades.

Then continue writing your Critical Investigation (you should have written the introduction and first paragraph over the Christmas holidays). Email your work so far to lwigley at the end of each lesson.

Use your time wisely!

13A HW Due 14/01/11

Read the article ‘The death of a newspaper’ and from the discussions in class and what you have read write a detailed letter to Rupert Murdoch in which you challenge his view for charging for online news content.

Due 14/01/11

13C - Critical Investigation Tutorials

Please sign up for your Critical Investigation Tutorial as soon as possible by adding a comment with your name and the date/time you would like to attend. The available dates/times are

12/01/11 - 9.40 - 10.05am
12/01/11 - 10.05 - 10.30am
13/01/11 - 8.50 - 9.15am
13/01/11 - 9.15 - 9.40am
13/01/11 - 9.40- 10.05am
13/01/11 - 10.05 - 10.30am
19/01/11 - 9.40 - 10.05am
19/01/11 - 10.05 - 10.30am
20/01/11 - 8.50 - 9.15am
20/01/11 - 9.15 - 9.40am
20/01/11 - 9.40 - 10.05am
20/01/11 - 10.05 - 10.30am
26/01/11 - 9.40 - 10.05am
26/01/11 - 10.05 - 10.30am
27/01/11 - 8.50 - 9.15am
27/01/11 - 9.15 - 9.40am
27/01/11 - 9.40 - 10.05am

Remember I am also available to help with first drafts every Monday after school until 31/1/11.

13C HW - Due 12/01/11

Please email your bibliography and detailed essay plan including theory and quotations to lwigley@greenford.ealing.sch.uk by 12/01/11 so that I can provide you with feedback on your progress.