Friday, 17 March 2017

Exams - Essay Structure and Approach to exam questions

Starter - Whiteboards, 
List visual codes which have been used to construct one character from each of the three TV case studies.

Understanding the question.

It is important that before you start answering the question in the exam, that you consider what the question is actually asking you.
The key to this is to unpick the question, look for key words that will allow you to establish a focus for your response.

Example question: How stereotypical are the representations in you chosen texts?
By the use of the word ‘how’ you are being asked to make a judgement and come to a conclusion.
You would also be expected to explain what you understand by the word stereotypical in relation to the texts.

Example question: Explore how your chosen texts use digital technology in their marketing.
One of the key words here is ‘explore’, this implies a detailed analysis. You need to demonstrate your understanding of the terminology used. For example; what is meant by digital technology? Notice that the focus of this question is on Marketing not of the text itself.

Example question: To what extent is the success of your chosen texts dependent on stars and celebrities?
‘To what extent’ allows you to qualify which texts ARE dependent and which aren’t but the question suggests that you need to comment on how much they are dependent. This suggests there may be other factors that have contributed to their success. If this is the case, you will need to develop this point with examples. You should also discuss the notion of success.

Criteria Terms and command verbs
Command verbs that you will see in internal assessments can be confusing. Different command verbs will ask for different types of information. Below is a table, which has the command verb and definition.

Assessment/Command word
Definition

List
Write a list of the main items (not sentences).
State
Point out or list the main features.
Define
To state the meaning of something using the correct terms.
Identify
Give all the basic facts which relate to a topic.
Outline
Write a clear description but without going into too much detail
Demonstrate
Show that you can do a particular activity or skill.
Explain
Make your point clear by providing sufficient detail.
Describe
Give a clear, straightforward description which includes all of the main points.
Summarise
Write down or articulate briefly the main points or essential features.

Discuss
To present an argument for and against.
Explain
Give logical reasons to support your view.
Describe
Give a full description including details of all the relevant features.
Demonstrate
Prove you can carry out a more complex activity.
Analyse
Identify the factors that apply, and state how these are linked and how each of them relates to the topic.
Justify
Give reasons for the points you are marking so that the marker knows how you arrived at that conclusion.
Suggest
Give your own ideas and thoughts.

Assess
Evaluate in terms of advantages and disadvantages.
Analyse
Identify several relevant factors, show how they are linked, and explain the importance of each.
Evaluate
Bring together all of your information and make a judgement on the importance or success of something.
Recommend
Suggest changes or improvements.
Make recommendations
Make relevant and appropriate suggestions; usually for improvement.
Select and demonstrate
Select several relevant examples or pieces of related evidence which clearly support the arguments you are making. This may include showing particular practical skills.
Review
Consider each factor in turn, providing a description and explanation of their uses, strengths and weaknesses, making recommendations.


Essay Structure
Example question: 
Explore the different ways audiences/users respond to texts

Define the question - set out some structure for your response.

Audiences respond in a variety of ways - Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding theory.
Texts are polysemic. Expalin.
This can apply to TV

Introduce specific texts.
Happy Valley - 
Genre - Crime drama
Narrative conventions - Multi strand. Appeal to audiences?
Give a specific example from the episode.
Preferred response- enjoy the programme and understand the situation.
(Crime in rural areas).
Will watch all episodes as the narrative employs cliffhangers.
Oppositional response - offensive due to negative representations.

First Dates
Give specific examples from the episode

Always Sunny
Give specific examples from the episode

Show awareness of target audience.
(A, B, C1)

Discuss Uses and Gratifications.
Diversion/escapism - audience may see the text as a world worse off than their own.
Social interaction - 'Did you see Happy Valley on TV?'
Information on policework.
A variety of opportunities for construction of personal identity.

Conclusion:
Audience responses depend on a number of factors.
Consider:
Gender - men and women may respond differently to certain media texts. Some texts may alienate a particular gender through, or example, images and terminology.

Age - The age of audiences may evoke different responses. For example, younger people are said to be more desnsitized to violence in certain media texts.

Ethnicity - The upbringing and beliefs of different ethnic groups may affect their response to, for example, a news report on war in a foreign country.

Culture and cultural experience - The upbringing and ideologies of the audience as well as life experiences will affect how an audience responds to a text. The text itself may also shape the experience of the audience. For example, you may never have been to America but your perception of it may be formed by what you have seen in films, newspapers and television.

Cultural competence - This also links with age experience and gender. Some audiences may have different cultural competences than others. For example, older people may be less comfortable with accessing information through digital technology.

Situated culture - Where you are and who you are with affects how you respond to a text.

_______________________________________________________

Task 1: Look at the examples of past paper questions and practise ‘unpicking’ them.

Produce a structure for your response.

In the exam you should spend around 45 minutes on each question.

SECTION B: INDUSTRY AND AUDIENCE

Answer one question from this section.

B1. Discuss the different ways audiences are positioned by your three main texts. [30]

B4. Discuss actual audience responses to your three main texts. [30]


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