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Course Outline:

Module 4 - Texts and Contexts in the Media

Module 5 - Independent Study

Module 6 - Comparative Critical Analysis

Independent Study Guidance

Assessment Objectives

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and application of the key concepts employed within Media Studies and the evaluation of texts and ideas using the key concepts.

AO2 Demonstrate knowledge and application of the wider contexts (historical, social, political and economic) relevant to Media Studies.

AO3i Demonstrate knowledge, application and evaluation of major ideas, theories, debates and information relevant to the study of contemporary media.

AO3ii Demonstrate the ability to analyse critically and comparatively a range of texts to determine and account for their similarities and differences.

AO5 Demonstrate the ability to use appropriate investigate and research techniques in carrying out an independent study of a media text, topic or issue.

Course Outline

Module 4: Texts and Contexts in the Media

Using a range of contemporary and historical media texts as a basis, students will study two from a choice of four media topics:

1. The Production and Manufacture of News

News values, including institutional and cross-media differences in news values.
News sources and their influence.
Balance and bias in the news.
Influence of technological developments upon news (e.g. digitisation, the Internet).
Recent changes and current issues in news production.
Political, social and economic issues relating to news.

2. Representations

Two detailed studies of the images of particular groups or places across a range of media.
Alternative images of these groups or places across the media.
General issues of representation and stereotyping within the media.
Problems of producing fair and accurate media representations.
Representation and power in the media.
Reasons for dominant representations (e.g. historic, economic, social, political etc).

3. Genre

Codes, conventions, iconography and themes of one genre from any medium or media.
Detailed study of a range of modern and historical texts in a chosen genre. Historical development of the genre (via textual study rather than potted history).
Social, economic and political contexts of a genre. Reasons for any rise and fall in its popularity.
Recent developments in genre; parody and pastiche; playing with generic conventions; mixing genres.

4. Media Audiences

Textual representations of audiences and the public. Their role in phone-ins, documentaries, confessional shows, audience participation programmes, news etc.
Economic, social and political issues raised by the role of audiences in different media texts.
Segmentation of audiences by the media.
Theories of audience. How audiences read media texts.
Political, social and economic functions of audiences: audiences as citizens, consumers and products.
Audience power. How to use/influence/complain about/support the media.
Influence of new technologies (e.g. digitisation, the Internet) on media-audience relations; the interactive audience.

Assessed in a 90 minute written examination, 15% of A2

Assessment Objectives

AO1, AO2 and AO3i

Module 5: Independent Study

Students will use the key concepts to investigate or research an independent area of study, which will deal with a contemporary text, topic or issue, and its relevant contexts. This will form the basis of a 3000 word extended essay.

The Independent Study should be investigative or research based. It should seek, for example, to answer a question, clarify an issue, or test a hypothesis.

This module will provide candidates with the opportunity to produce an independent study of either:

contemporary media text or texts

a topic or issue arising out of or suggested by a contemporary media text or texts.

Contemporary is defined for this module as being produced or released within the previous two years (thus, for example, repeats of programmes made outside this period should not be used as central texts). However, historical texts may be used for the purposes of comparison in order to illuminate the nature of the contemporary text, but they must remain subordinate to it. Any text studied should be appropriately contextualised. Appropriate contexts might include any relevant historical, social, political or economic contexts. The contexts of production, distribution and reception might also be included. The analysis and discussion of the contemporary text, topic or issue should be the dominant element in the study. If a topic or issue is chosen as the subject of the Independent Study it should be clearly textually-centred. The Independent Study should be investigative or research-based. It should seek, for example, to answer a question, clarify an issue, or test a hypothesis. The evaluative and analytical comment produced by candidates should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the relevant key concepts.

Appropriate Research Methods

The Independent Study is not intended to be an exercise which will involve the collection of large quantities of empirical data. It should be textually-centred. The use of such research techniques as questionnaires, surveys and interviews will therefore probably be inappropriate, as will the presentation of information in the form of charts, graphs or computer analyses.

More appropriate would be any of the following techniques:

Reviews of the literature on the text, topic or issue.
The formulation of a question, problem, hypothesis or area of debate around the text, topic or issue.
Investigation of, or research into, the question. This should normally involve some textual or content analysis (content analysis should not simply be head-counting but have an interpretative element).
Comparative analysis (e.g. with a generic or historical text) which elucidates the contemporary text.
Textual analysis from a particular perspective or point of view.
Investigation of an issue (e.g. censorship; the value of the Internet; the influence of ratings) via the analysis of a contemporary text.
Political, social, economic, or historical influences upon the text.
Institutional influences or audience issues might also be researched.

Assessed through coursework

20% of A2

Assessment Objectives

AO1, AO2 and AO5

Module 6: Comparative Critical Analysis

Students develop their understanding of the connections between the different elements of media study and the contexts of production. This is demonstrated through the comparative analysis of two different, unseen media texts.

This is a synoptic module in which candidates must demonstrate their understanding of the connections between the different elements of the specification. In order to do this, candidates will be expected to produce evidence of their attainment of the broad objectives of the specification (critical autonomy and media literacy) through the comparative analysis of texts. They will be required to analyse, explain and account for the similarities and differences between media texts. To do this satisfactorily candidates will need to:

(i) demonstrate their critical reading abilities using the key concepts

(ii) draw upon their knowledge of major ideas theories, debates and information

(iii) use their knowledge of a range of relevant contextual factors.

Examples of the kind of comparative readings which might be undertaken could include the following:

the same topic represented in different media forms
the same genre from different historical periods
the same theme treated by different media
similar texts produced by different institutions
the same medium or genre with different target audiences
cross-cultural comparisons
mainstream and alternative variants (e.g. of topics, representations, audiences, ideologies etc.).

Assessed in a 90 minute written examination

15% of A2

Assessment objectives

AO1, AO2, AO3i and A03ii

Module 5 - Independent Study Guidance

Your study involves investigating a media text, topic or issue. You will be expected to draw together your understanding of the key concepts, major ideas, theories, debates and information, in order to make effective textual readings and textual comparisons. You must draw upon your knowledge and application of possible relevant contexts, in order to account for the characteristics of media texts and the similarities and differences between media texts.

Your project must include:

A hypothesis
Application of the key concepts
References to theory and theorists where applicable
Clear evidence of research undertaken
Close textual references to at least 2 media texts
References to the wider contexts of the media text(s) studied (SHEP)
A bibliography (with a minimum of two books that you have used)

Wider Contexts

It is essential when evaluating texts within a topic area to think carefully about the contexts of production and consumption as well as the institutional context. Ask yourself:

When the text was created?
What was happening at the time and how did this affect the construction of the text?
Was this part of a wave of similar texts?
Was it a groundbreaking text?
Did it provoke a lot of reaction or controversy?
Is it typical of its time and place?

Remember that this is not a sociology essay. It is important that your study is routed in close textual analysis of media texts. It is not about researching information on the internet! Be selective when choosing sources and research your topic thoroughly. It is important that you acknowledge sources that you have used, as plagiarism counts as cheating. You can use quotations providing that you reference them.

It is your opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge that you have gained whist studying different areas of the media. Go on, be a show-off!

Private Study

The purpose of private study is to supplement and enhance your understanding of work attempted during scheduled lessons. You are encouraged to use your intellectual independence to explore these areas further and to bring that knowledge back with you to your lessons. Therefore we anticipate that in every session you will be capable of making enlightened, useful and enthusiastic contributions to discussion and debate. You will also be expected to keep a record of your notes and responses in a log book, which will be provided at the start of the course.

Term 1a Week	Task/Activity
2	Reading material – social, historical, political and economic contexts (see handbook).
3	Draw up a ‘context map’ of a decade of your choice, such as 1960s or the 1990s. A context map could consist of a circle like the one used to illustrate cultural and social contexts, listing inside the landmark features of the decade. Now list some of the television programmes or movies that seem to reveal aspects of the context map that you have prepared.
4	Consider major events and influences over the last ten years and consider how these have shaped the media texts constructed.
5	Using the internet, examine a selection of historical advertisements and analyse by applying the key concepts and considering the wider context of when the adverts were created. Compare with recent texts for similar types of products.
6	Study the representations of a particular group across a range of media texts and record your findings (e.g. politicians, sports personalities, students etc).
7	Consider the following question: ‘are immigrants convenient scapegoats for social ills?’ Can the representations of immigrants be considered a ‘moral panic’?
Term 1b Week	Task/Activity
1	Study the representations of a particular issue across a range of media texts and record your findings (law and order, politics, terrorism etc).
2	Consider the following question: What is the advantage of stereotyping for the film maker?
3	Research the codes and conventions of a genre of your choice.
4	Research Andre Basin’s work on Westerns in the 1950s.
5	Research the work of Feuer (1987) who identifies three distinct approaches to genre study – the aesthetic, the ritual and the ideological.
6	Are genres too predictable and unimaginative? Discuss.
7	Summarisethe ways in which the idea of genre might be helpful for media producers and for audiences.
Term 2a Week	Task/Activity
1	Assess the validity of passive and active theories of media audience. Illustrate your response with examples from your own media consumption.
2	Research the ‘encoding and decoding model’ devised by Stuart Hall (1974). Write down your own views about the relationship between audience, text and meaning.
3	Research for Med 5 (Independent Study)
4	Coursework completion
5	Coursework completion
6	Coursework completion
7	Coursework completion
Term 2b Week	Task/Activity
1	Have recent advances in technology had an impact on news coverage? Provide examples to support your answer.
2	Visit the websites of major news providers. Consider how changes in technology have affected the production and manufacturing of the news.
3	“The producers of Reality TV/Documentary are constantly pushing the boundaries of taste and decency in order to maximise the audience for their programmes.” How far do you agree with this statement?
4	Research the following news agencies and broadcasters: Reuters Agency, CNN, Fox News, Sky News, BBC and ITV.
5	Visit the Sky News website and click on the education section to read about the editorial process at Sky News.
6	Research and make notes on the news values identified by Galtung and Ruge.
7	Research the Six Dimensions of News (Shultz).
Term 3a Week	Task/Activity
1 – 4	Analysis of unseen texts and completion of past paper questions.

Deadlines

Coursework proposal due 7th January

1 week consultation period commences 12 January

- Research and planning stage -

Three week writing block Commences 2nd Feb

First finished draft due 23rd Feb

Final deadline: 9th March

Useful Websites

www.allisonmedia.net/

www.mediaknowall.com

www.mediaedu.co.uk

Exam Preparation

Complete past exam questions.
Try to use the appropriate terminology.
Know and understand how to apply the key concepts.
Have textual examples that you can use to exemplify your points and explore topic areas (examples of films / TV programmes, advertising campaigns and newspaper reports).
Practice analysing short moving image and print texts under timed conditions.
Be aware of issues and theories surrounding your topic areas.
Read through your notes and make revision cards or produce a PowerPoint presentation of key points.