Mock Exams

For all Year 13s...

Don't forget...mock exams are next week and you should all be revising hard for them this weekend. This is your only chance to practise these questions and develop these skills under full test conditions so make the most of the opportunity - if you haven't prepared you'll be wasting both your own and your teacher's time as the only feedback you'll get is 'do some work' - not very helpful when the purpose is to help you improve for the real thing on June 19th.

The dates/times are (in case you've forgotten)...

• MODULE 4 Mock for 13D - Monday 27-03, periods 4 & 5 (in P06)

• MODULE 6 Mock for 13D - Wednesday 29-03, periods 1 & 2 (in E01)

• MODULE 4 Mock for 13C - Tuesday 28-03, periods 3 & 4 (in E01)

• MODULE 6 Mock for 13C - Thursday 30-03, periods 4 & 5 (in A22)

Your revision/preparation should be...

MODULE 6

• Read through the 13D Issues and Debates blogs.

• Read through the handouts on Issues & Debates (Marxism, Uses & Gratifications, etc.).

• Read the Media Keywords A-Z handout (the big one).

MODULE 4

• Read through all notes and handouts on the two key topics...
• Representation - Representation pack (cartoons), Gauntlett, Mulvey, etc.
  
• Genre - Genre pack, Slasher pack, repertoire of elements worksheets, etc.
  

• Read through all 'Representation' & 'Genre' past questions.

• Write essay plans for as many different questions as possible.

• Complete at least one timed essay for each topic (Rep, Genre - 45 minutes/question).

Good luck and make sure you turn up on time!!

Independent Study - TASK 18

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK EIGHTEEN. It needs to be completed by Wednesday 29th March. The deadline is non-negotiable!!

• Complete your penultimate draft of your Independent Study, using the feedback from Macguffin and your Study Buddy to improve on the last one.

• This is the last draft you will do before the final one (which, incidentally, will be due on Tuesday 25th April, after you've received this version back, marked).

• Post this latest draft up on your blog, calling it Version 2.2.
  

Issues & Debates Work

For 13D students...

A reminder of what needs to have been done by midnight Wednesday 22-03-06...

• Complete h/w reading on globalisation, ownership and reception theory and answer all questions on each handout (on paper).

• Complete h/w on pluralism and Marxism - applied to the 'Revolution' texts and posted up on your blogs.
  

• Read and highlight handout (‘Med 6: The Number of the Beast’). This is vital for next week’s mock exam.

Homework (for Wednesday 29-03-06):

Revision for the mock exam…

· Read through your Issues and Debates blog (and others in the class).

· Read through the handouts on Issues & Dabates (Marxism, etc.).

· Read the Media Keywords A-Z handout (the big one).

Independent Study - TASK 17

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK SEVENTEEN and it needs to be completed by Friday 24th March.

• Read your new Study Buddy's latest draft of their Independent Study on paper.

• Annotate the essay, identifying spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors and highlighting anything that is unclear. Also, point out where they haven't followed correct referencing conventions.

• Evaluate the essay using the Module 5 marking criteria that you have used before. Write an overall comment at the end.

• List five things that they've done well. Try to comment on each of the five different assessment focii - research, key concepts, wider contexts, synoptic ability (issues/debates & theory) and writing.
  

• Then list five things that could be improved. (Again using the assessment focii).

You will also be given time in the lesson on Friday to discuss the essays and to provide verbal feedback to your Study Buddy.

Independent Study - TASK 16

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK SIXTEEN. It needs to be completed by Tuesday 21st March. Failure to meet the deadline could mean that you don't get this version marked at all before you hand in your final draft after Easter.

• Re-draft/re-write your Independent Study, using the extensive feedback you have received as a guide. Don't forget to consult your Study Buddy's comments as well as those from Macguffin.

• Ensure that you consider and address every point made by Macguffin on your previous essay - the more you have listened and responded accordingly, the more detailed will be the help you receive next time.

• Hand in your previous copy as well as your new copy on the deadline day - this is to check that you have improved on the first draft.

Independent Study - TASK 15

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK FIFTEEN. It needs to be completed by Tuesday 14th March. Failure to complete the task could mean that you don't get your marked coursework draft back from Macguffin on that day.

• Read your Study Buddy's latest draft of their Independent Study online on their blog.

• Evaluate the essay using the Module 5 marking criteria that you have received. Identify the Level that you think it is currently at (remember, it's a 'best fit') and explain why, using language from the criteria to back up your judgements. Post this after their essay as a comment.

• Post another comment where you list five things that they've done well. Try to comment on each of the five different assessment focii - research, key concepts, wider contexts, synoptic ability (issues/debates & theory) and writing.
  

• Then, post another comment where you list five things that could be improved. (Again using the assessment focii).

• Your next comment should be a redrafting of one of their paragraphs (but not the introduction or a particularly short one). Add comments or suggestions as to how it could be improved and what is missing as well as helping them with written expression and accuracy.
  

• Finally, post the link to these comments on your own blog.
  

The principle here is that by assessing each other's work you will become more aware of how to write a better essay yourself when it comes to completing the next draft. (And you'll be helping someone else improve at the same time...perfect!).

Blog Evaluation

For 13C students...

Now that you've completed your first drafts, you need to reflect on the whole process before attempting the next one! This will allow us to think about how you (and future students) can best be helped in the future. In particular, we need to evaluate the impact of using blogs when preparing for coursework.

Therefore, could you please cut and paste the following questions to your blogs and answer them as fully as possible, providing concrete examples where you can. The deadline for completion is Tuesday 28th February...

1. How easy has it been to set up your Independent Study blog and to get used to posting things on it? Were you given enough support in doing it? What other help would have been useful?

2. How did the blog help with your research? Did the blog motivate you to do more and better research? How? Why?

3. Is it useful having all the Independent Study/blog tasks posted on the Macguffin blog? Does it make it more likely that you will get them done?

4. How often (honestly!) do you check the Macguffin blog? (Remember, it should be at least twice/week).

5. Has it been useful being able to see and access everyone else’s research and planning through their blogs?

6. How do you feel about the fact that your teacher can keep a close check on your progress through accessing your blog? Is it too intrusive and controlling or is it encouraging and supportive?

7. How useful have the comments been that you received from…a. Macguffin, b. other students.

8. How has the blog helped with your essay planning? How useful was the blog when it came to writing the essay? Do you think your first draft is better because you have used a blog?

9. How would you evaluate the quality of your blog? What could you have done better?

10. Do you think you will get a better final grade for your independent study through having used a blog?

11. Which are the best three blogs? Why?

12. Do you think next year’s Year 13s would benefit from setting up an Independent Study blog?

13. Are there any negative aspects to preparing for an Independent Study using a blog?

14. What could be done to improve teaching and/or learning in future through blogs?

15. Overall, are you pleased that we used blogs? Has it been interesting and enjoyable? Why? Why not?

Genre Film Club

For 13C and 13D students…

We will be running a compulsory Genre Film Club (for your Module 4 exam) over this next half term. It is vital that you attend the once (or twice) weekly film showings (on either a Tuesday or Thursday) as without doing this you will not be able to follow what happens in the lessons each week or contribute to the discussions. Also, it’s far less scary watching with friends!

Please don’t say: “I’ve seen it already” because we’ve heard it already. Each performance will be in E01 and will start at 3.30pm promptly. Registers will be taken and you will be expected to take notes so bring pen and paper.

Make sure you put all the following dates in your diaries and seek to cancel and re-arrange any prior appointments you may already have…your A Levels must be your priority!!

• Thur 23-02

Psycho (1960, Alfred Hitchcock, 109 mins.)

• Tue 28-02

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974, Tobe Hooper, 83mins.)

• Tue 07-03

Halloween (1978, John Carpenter, 91 mins.)

• Thur 16-03

Friday the13^th (Sean S. Cunningham, 1980, 95 mins.)

• Tue 21-03

A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, 1984, 91 mins.)

• Thur 23-03

Scream (Wes Craven, 1996, 111 mins.)

• Tue 28-03

My Little Eye (Marc Evans, 2002, 95 mins.)

Job Advert - Media Mentors

• Do you want valuable and rewarding paid work?

• Are you responsible, mature and capable of being a positive role model?

• Have you got excellent video editing skills?

We invite Year 13 students to apply for the post(s) of Media Studies Student Mentors. The appointment(s) are intended to improve the provision of video editing support for Year 12s undertaking their production coursework.

Two successful A2 students - to be selected at formal interview - will work in the video editing suite on Mondays to Fridays (one from 8am to 9am, and the other from 3.30pm to 5.30pm) starting on 27-02-06 for a total of 10 weeks at a rate of £7.50/hour for each student.

The students will only work (and be paid) when necessary as there are likely to be some occasions when they are not needed. They will report directly to Mr. Bush, Mr. Munro or Mr. Baboo, one of whom will be on call every day to direct them, help out with any problems and lock up at the end of the sessions.

Tasks will include...

• Checking and trouble-shooting camera equipment

• Starting up and shutting down PCs

• Providing support to AS students with the use of Adobe Premiere

• Offering feedback to students about the quality of their practical work

• Maintaining order in the edit suite & limiting access to Media students

• Troubleshooting minor software issues

• Reporting larger problems to Mr Baboo or Mr Azeem

• Keeping the edit suite tidy & the equipment in good working order

• Helping students to source archived music & video clips

• Producing tip sheets and displays to help students use the equipment

• Running off DV copies of finalized productions

• Making VHS copies of productions for the exam board

If you wish to apply for these posts you must write a 300-500 word statement outlining your reasons for wanting to take up the position and the qualities and experience that you think make you suitable for the role. This must be emailed to Macguffin before Sunday 19-02-06. You will be informed by email if you have been shortlisted and those selected will be called for interview during the first week back after half term.

Good luck!

Independent Study - TASK 14

For 13C and 13D students...

The following comprises TASK FOURTEEN. It needs to be completed by Tuesday 7th February. (Like you'd forget!)

• Complete your first draft of your Independent Study.

• It must be a word processed 3000 word essay (with a 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 (year of publication), page number(s). eg...Craig, Steve (1992) p. 123.)
  

• A full bibliography must be submitted. (See TASK SIX 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.

• For 13C students three copies are necessary. Hand in a hard copy (on paper) on the deadline day. Also create two electronic versions - firstly, paste your first draft up on your blog; secondly, send it by your writeboard page to your Study Buddy and Macguffin. (No more waving around floppy discs saying, ' My printer doesn't work'!)

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

Independent Study - TASK 13

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK THIRTEEN. It needs to be completed by Monday 30th January.

• Go to the collaborative writing site - Writeboard - and follow the instructions to set up your own personal writeboard account.

• Paste your full Independent Study title and first paragraph onto your writeboard.

• Save your writeboard.

• Invite Macguffin and your 'Study Buddy' to collaborate to your writeboard. The latter was decided in the last lesson and was based on two key criteria - that you were researching similar areas and that you felt you could work well with each other, trusting that you would provide mutual support. (Shabaaz, Roohdip and Harbinder - who missed the lesson - will make up a 'Study Buddy' threesome).
  

• When you receive your email invitation from your 'Study Buddy' you must help them to re-draft their introduction by editing their writeboard page (whose link they will have also sent you). Make changes to spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence construction/expression, etc. Also, add anything that you think is missing and make suggestions about what else (quotes, references, elaboration, etc.) that needs to be included [do the latter in square brackets like these].

• Click 'save as the newest version'.

• Click 'send via email' to your 'Study Buddy'.

• When you receive your new version from your 'Study Buddy' go to your writeboard page and compare your version with the updated one using the compare tool. Make changes to the updated version based on your 'Study Buddy's' suggestions but remember that you don't have to follow everything they say (they may actually be wrong themselves!) Use each change/comment as a prompt to help you think about how your work could be improved.

• Click 'save as the newest version' when you're happy with the results and send to your 'Study Buddy'. Then you should have a much improved introduction to start off your essay and as this is one of the crucial aspects of any piece of writing, you should end up producing something much better when you complete your 3000 words (see TASK FOURTEEN).
  

This is the first of many more collaborations that you'll be embarking on with your 'Study Buddy' so make a positive start by meeting the deadlines!

'Munro' Tutorials

For 13D students...

Please read the message below about Independent Study Tutorials. Everything there also applies to you (including the deadline for the first draft) except that your meeting is with Mr Munro and you need to email him direct to book a time and he will get back to you to confirm. You must do this as soon as possible!

The address is... gmunro14@hotmail.co.uk

The options you have are...

• Mondays (16/01 or 23/01): P3, P4, P5

• Tuesdays (17/01 or 24/01): P1, P3, P4, P5, P7, P8

Booked already...

• Thursday: P1 (Sonia-12/01; Nisha-19/01), P3 (Atter-19/01)

• Friday: P1 (Kimberley-13/01; Har-20/01) , P6 (Renuka-13/01; Rajpreet-20/01)

Independent Study Tutorials

For 13C students...

Please sign up to one of the slots below by posting a comment at the end of this message. You must sign up before Christmas and then I'll put up a list on here of the finalised timetable. First come-first served. Remember - you must have completed all blog tasks (1-12) to be eligible for a tutorial so these need to be done by the day we return after Christmas (Thursday 05-01-06). Also, when you attend the tutorial you must bring your fully organised research folder with you so get those in order now if you haven't done already.

Finally, the deadline for the completed first draft of the Independent Study is...

• Tuesday 7th February

This means that if you have a tutorial towards the end of study leave you will only have two weeks to get all 3000 words done (with footnotes and a full bibliography for it to be accepted). As during some of this time you will be at Disney my advice would be to get in early for a tutorial.

Available times...

• Monday 09-01: periods 1 (Russell), 2 (Manjoth), 3, 4 (Mariam),5 or 6
  

• Tuesday 10-01: periods 1 (CANCELLED...choose another) or 3
  

• Wednesday 11-01: periods 2 (Charanpal), 3 (Anita), 5, 7 (Shabazz)or 8 (Sofia)
  

• Friday 13-01: periods 2 (CANCELLED...choose another) or 3 (Danny)
  

• Monday 16-01: periods 2 (Aanchal), 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8 (Russell)
  

• Tuesday 17-01: periods 1 or 3

• Wednesday 18-01: periods 1 (CANCELLED...choose another), 2 (Pardeep), 3 (Abisheik), 5 (Bilan) or 8 (Kristina)
  

• Friday 20-01: periods 2 (Harbinder), 3 (Iena) or 4 (Roohdip)
  

Independent Study - TASK 12

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK TWELVE. It also needs to be completed over Christmas and MUST be done for the day you return on Thursday 5th January, 2006. Failure to do so will mean that you will not receive a one-to-one tutorial about your work in progress...

• Type out the full title of your independent study, highlighting what you consider to be the keywords in a different colour.
  

• Then write out the first paragraph and post it on your blog. This is usually the hardest in any essay (along with the last one!) Obviously, it must be a clear introduction that makes reference to the keywords in the title and outlines the various areas that you will be exploring in the course of the essay. It may introduce a hypothesis (something that you will seek to test/prove during the next 3000 words). For example, you may be arguing that 'Kill Bill' demonstrates a change in the representation of women. It's a bit like the debate in this sense - you are putting forward a proposition and making points that will back it up (although you will also be given credit here for considering both sides of the argument too).

Independent Study - TASK 11

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK ELEVEN. It also needs to be completed over Christmas and MUST be done for the day you return on Thursday 5th January, 2006. Failure to do so will mean that you will not receive a one-to-one tutorial about your work in progress...

• Produce a detailed essay plan for your independent study, covering everything that you hope to include in your submission. Break your ideas and research down into sections and paragraphs with headings, summaries and a list of references that you hope to include at each step.

• Make sure that you label each point you hope to include by linking it to Key Concepts (MIGRAIN) and Wider Contexts (SHEP). (You could just include the initial letter in brackets). This way you can see whether you have covered everything that you need to in an even way. Also, ensure that you think about where you will include theories/theorists and media keywords. (Keep the 'Essential Word Dictionary' handy).

• This will make writing your essay so much easier. However, it is a big task as it requires you to read through all your research very carefully (including reviewing all the work that you've posted up in your blogs and checking through the comments/suggestions you've received).

• You may want to produce this plan as a straightforward series of bullet points or as a more complex mindmap. If it's the latter you may have to do it by hand and then scan it in before posting it up on your blog. Or you may want to try out a free trial of some mind-mapping software. (You can see an example - but not for an independent study - of how this software can be used below...)
  
  

Independent Study - TASK TEN

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK TEN. It needs to be completed over Christmas and MUST be done for the day you return on Thursday 5th January, 2006. Failure to do so will mean that you will not receive a one-to-one tutorial about your work in progress...

• Research a historical text that you can use to compare with your contemporary one (that is the main focus of your study). By 'historical' it is meant anything pre-1990 but the 40s, 50s, 60s or even 70s might be more fruitful because they pre-date many of the important changes that have occurred recently (such as the gains for women as a result of feminism). The purpose here is to be able to demonstrate how society has changed over the years and how these changes are reflected in different media texts.

• Ideally, you will watch at least one film/tv programme from the past, make notes on it and research it in Media/Film Studies textbooks and on the internet. (A highly recommended text here is 'The Cinema Book', edited by Pam Cook and Mieke Bernink and available in the school library. If you follow the link here you can read the contents page and index online and this will be useful). Through this you will become aware of developments in the genre you are researching - look for a range of titles (at least five) that you can refer to in your essay - and you should be able to link them to the wider contexts that were present at the time.

• If you can't get hold of the text it's not the end of the world - you are stuck with doing just secondary research instead of this and primary research. Just make sure you do plenty of it.

• List your media texts and research links/bibliography in a blog post entitled 'Historical Texts'.

Debate Evaluation

Well done to both teams...you were fantastic - a real credit to the school with your excellent research and detailed preparation, your extremely well argued points and your courage in standing up in front of so many people and appearing so confident and knowledgeable.

A draw really was the only fair result - take a look at the Macguffin Forum and you'll see that most of the Year 12s agree that it really was too close to call. Sometimes, in a battle between two heavyweights, there can be no overall winner because they are so evenly matched. If one team had either won all three debates (or won two and also had a higher overall points score than their rivals) then we could have declared a victor but it didn't happen.

Look at it this way - you both won!!

And if you can't bear that thought and you feel the need for a different resolution then perhaps we need a rematch to settle the matter?? But maybe this time something different other than a debate. What do people think? Any suggestions?

Anyway, you all need to post up your evaluations of the event on your blogs (call it 'Debate Evaluation'). Please answer the following questions as soon as possible so that the experience hasn't faded from your minds too much when you do it...before Monday 19th December at the latest!!

• What are the main things that you've learnt about Media Studies through taking part? (Try to list at least three new ideas, theories, etc.)

• What other skills have you developed? (e.g. debating skills, team-working, researching, public speaking, etc.)Has it been an effective way to motivate you and to help you learn? Why? Why not?

• Rate your personal performance for...a. research/preparation; b. performance on the day, and explain why.

• What could you personally have done better?

• pecial mention for their contributions?

• How could your team have done better? (Don't blame individuals but think about general points).

• Rate your opposing team's overall performance. What was particularly good about it? In your opinion, who deserves a special mention for their contributions?

• Was it a fair result? Why? Why not?

• Was the whole event like you expected it to be? How was it different?

• Do you feel that you had the right level of support from your teachers in preparing you? What else could we have done for you?

• How could the whole organisation of the debate have been improved? (Over the last few weeks and on the actual day).

• What do you suggest we could do next to test the relative abilities of Year 13 Media Studies students?

• Are you pleased that we had a Media Studies debate? Was it interesting and enjoyable? Why? Why not?

• Would you recommend that we have a debate for Year 12 students next year? Why? Why not?

McGuffey
McGovern
Magicking
McGuffey's
McGowan
Edit...
Ignore all
Add to dictionary

egg
ego
erg
GE
Ge
Edit...
Ignore all
Add to dictionary

wheat
what
wholewheat
why'd
whereat
Edit...
Ignore all
Add to dictionary

Independent Study TASK NINE

For 13C students...

What follows is TASK NINE and the deadline is 13-12-05...

• In your own words, write a summary on your blog of the arguments that Laura Mulvey puts forward in her Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975). As you know, this is one of the key texts in Media Studies when considering the representation of women. You can consult the two handouts that you've been given so far on her ideas or do some additional research on the internet (and don't forget to check the Essential Word Dictionary). Try to include as many of the keywords that we discussed in Friday's lesson...

Freud, psychoanalysis, the unconscious, resistance, repression, scopophilia, voyeurism, castration, sadism/masochism, fetishization/fetish object, objectification, patriarchy, misogyny, identification, narcissism, idealization, anxiety, audience positioning/spectatorship, MALE GAZE, narrative cinema, phallic objects, womb/penis envy.

• Then write about how the theory could be useful for you in your Independent Study. How can you apply it to your text and the representations within it? For most of you this will definitely be the case and even where it is not immediately obvious that you might be able to refer to it, try to be creative because it is a theory that we will revisit several times and you will feel very confident about discussing it eventually (believe me!). Therefore, it makes sense if you can fit it in.

Independent Study TASK EIGHT

For 13C students...

The following comprises TASK EIGHT and is required by 06-12-05...

• Take time to skim read through the AS/A-Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary by David Probert (2005) Debbingdon: Philip Allan Updates. Then choose TEN key terms that are especially relevant for your Independent Study. For each one, post up a brief definition on your blog - in your own words, if possible - and then give details about how it can be linked to the work that you are doing.

• Add another FIVE texts to your (book) bibliography on your blog (or create another posting) that you will consult and quote from in your Independent Study, taking you up to a total of THIRTEEN. This will require another visit to the school library where you should ensure that you photocopy some of the relevant pages and highlight the essential details you expect to include. Alternatively, you could be sneaky if you are working on the representation of women and simply refer to David Gauntlett's (2002) Media, Gender and Identity (London: Routledge). Choose the relevant texts/researchers/theorists from the handouts that you've been given and then use the bibliography from his book (that you've also been given) to find the publisher details etc.
  

Make sure you include all the correct information (author, date, place, publisher) in the conventional way as this will be necessary in your essay. (See TASK SIX for how to do this.)

Debating Rules

Basic Rules:

• The first minute of each speaker time is ‘protected’ so they cannot be challenged.

• The second minute is ‘unprotected’ and they may receive a ‘point of information’ from anyone on the opposing team.

• The final minute is also ‘protected’.

• During the ‘unprotected’ minute, any member of the challenging team may stand and offer a ‘point of information’ where they challenge a failure in the speaker’s argument. This must be brief. The speaker, however, may choose whether or not to accept, though they will receive marks for accepting a few.
  

• The Summary Speaker DOES NOT make new points but sums up those of their side and rebut points made by their challengers.

Intro:

• Chair person welcomes all and introduces debate.

• Invites speaker one of the proposition to begin.

• Chair explains that each speaker will have three minutes.

Speaker One of Proposition:

• It is vital that he/she defines the parameters of the debate e.g. “By censorship we mean the banning of…"

• Speaker One makes three points and tells their listeners what those points will be during their opening.

Speaker One of Opposition:

• Introduces their three points but may chose to ‘indulge in some rebuttal’ on points brought up by speaker one of proposition.

Speaker Two of Proposition:

• As above (three points + rebuttal)

Speaker Two of Opposition:

• As above (three points + rebuttal)

Summary Speaker of Proposition:

• The Summary Speaker DOES NOT make new points but sums up those of their side and rebut points made by their challengers.

Summary Speaker of Opposition:

• As above.

Chair opens the debate to the floor.