a level media studiesPendleton College

critical research handbook

Name: ............................

2005-2006

Unit 2734: Critical Research Study (30% of total mark)

IntroductionIn this unit you will independently research, investigate and analyse one media topic from a given list of options below. The nature of the research is intended to be one of active investigation into the areas of audience, institution, and critical perspectives and you should develop an independent and individual critical response.A note from the subject specification:“This unit is to be undertaken by the candidate as individual and independent work, with the Teacher in the role of supervisor only. The role of the Teacher is to introduce the topic, supervise the candidate’s use of time and to assist in general issues related to research and extended writing under examination conditions.”

The ExamThere is a 2-hour exam and two questions for each topic. You will be able to take 4 sides of A4 research notes into the examination; these must be handed in at the end. The notes must be hand-written by you and should cover primary and secondary research sources, statistics, brief quotations, diagrams and note-form summaries. They should not contain essay plans or continuous prose. You will answer two questions for your chosen topic:

Research, an evaluation of how you carried out your research–(Question 1) Analysis and Presentation of your research findings–(Question 2)

The Critical Research exam will take place in June 2006

To prepare for the exam you will carry out individual research and produce a Research Folder which will provide the basis for your exam answer. Details, of this are given in this booklet.

2

Contents

Topics for the Critical Research Study p 3

The research process p 4

Details, Dates and Deadlines pp 5-6

Research Proposal Form p 7

Details of Secondary Research Reading 4 main pieces pp 8-11 Other secondary research p 12

Structure of the Research Folder p 13-14

Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: Topics for Study

You will be asked to choose one topic from the following list. The details given here are from the Specification. When choosing a subject from within one of these topics, you should ask yourself:

Is this a subject which will keep me interested? Will I be able to get access to suitable research material? Will it allow me to use a range of research approaches?

Women and FilmResearch into the relationships between female filmmakers and the industry, as well as between their films and their spectators and/or female spectatorship of film.[Filmmaker is here defined as director, actor, producer, screenwriter or other personnel, for example editor, production designer, director of photography]Gender issues such as equality of opportunity for women filmmakers in the industry; issues of gender representation in films; feminist critical perspectives; popular criticism; audience reception. Candidates may draw on examples of films classed as ‘feminist’, films made for female audiences and films made by women as well as female responses to other films.

Children and TelevisionResearch into the relationships between children as subjects of media representation and as consumers of television.[Broadcast on British television only, which may include programmes made elsewhere for British consumption]Children’s television genres; advertising targeting, and using, children; representations of childhood and gender; academic perspectives; television as education; research on the effects of television on children; children as participants in television programmes; views of parents, teachers and children themselves on television and childhood, effects’ debates, violence and theoretical models ownership and government legislation.

Crime and the MediaThe representation of crime in/across a range of media.[British media only]UK crime films; UK television crime series; True-Crime magazines; press representations of crime and criminality; news reporting of crime; radio and Internet crime coverage.(NB You are recommended to use only moving image media for this option, eg TV News or drama or British crime TV or film.)

3

Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: The research process

Initial idea

Initial Secondary Research: Looking at the ideas and the research methods used to investigate an idea

Books Articles Newspapers/magazines Video/DVD/television Research reports Websites etc

Decide on a specific Research Question or Hypothesis

Further secondary research focused on the question

Primary Research: Textual Analysis

Selection and analysis of media texts to be used in research.

Primary Research: Investigation E.g. visits/letters/phone calls

Primary Research: Audience ResearchE.g:

Interviews Surveys Focus groups Observations First person narratives/accounts

Analysis of findings (with, perhaps, reference to further secondary research)

Conclusions in answer to the Research Question and suggestions for further research

4

Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: Details, Dates and Deadlines

Weeks 20 & 21 (week beginning 30th Jan)Consideration in class and through readings of some of the key ideas connected with each topic area. By Friday 10th Feb you will have decided on your topic and produced a Research Proposal (page 7)

Weeks 22, half term & 23, (wb 13th Feb)You will now carry out on your secondary research in books, journals, newspapers and the Internet to focus your ideas and give you background into your research area. You will need to keep detailed notes on the content of your secondary research and on its effectiveness. You must work on at least four pieces of secondary research (summarise these on pages 8-11 with further comments on page 12). In class we will also be considering the key concepts of audience, text and primary research methodologies which you are likely to be dealing with when you carry out your research.By Friday 3rd March, you will have a clear idea of your research area and will have produced the following sections of your Research Folder:

Part 1 (b): Review of Literature (600-750 words) Part 1 (c): The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)

(Instructions on how to do this are on page 13)

Week 24 (wb 6th March)Class and homework will be devoted to an evaluation of the research methods you have used so far and to planning your primary research.By Friday 10th March you will have produced the following sections of your Research Folder:

Part 1 (c): Account and Evaluation of the Secondary Research methodology (500 words)

Part 2: Primary Research Planning and Methodology (500-600 words)(Instructions on how to do this are on page 13)

Weeks 25 - 28 (wb 13th March to Easter) One lesson per week will be used for Critical Research (the other two will be used for studying Radio and TV News). All homework and private study time will be devoted to your own first-hand primary research and to the analysis of results. You will need to keep detailed records, to work in a steady and disciplined manner and to complete the research and analysis by Easter.

On Friday 7th April you will hand in a completed Research Folder which will include:

Part 1: Initial Investigation a) Research Proposal formb) Review of Literature (600-750 words)c) The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)d) Account and Evaluation of the Secondary Research methodology

(500 words)

Part 2: Planning and Methodology (500-600 words)

Part 3: Primary Research: Results, Analysis and Conclusion a) Results (up to 500 words depending upon the nature of your

research)b) Analysis (500 words)c) Conclusion (200 words)

(Instructions on how to do this are on page 14)

5

Part 4 of your Research Folder, the Evaluation of Primary Research Methods should be written over Easter. This must be handed in on the first lesson back after Easter ie Week beginning 24th April

Week 30 (wb 1st May)Having completed the research project and had it marked, you now need to prepare for the exam itself.By Friday 12th May you will have handed in two 1-1500 word answers to each of the exam questions:

1. Give an account of, and evaluate, the research methods you used to investigate your chosen topic.To answer this you will need to use the following sections of your Research project:

Part 1: Initial Investigationa) Research Proposal formb) The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)c) Account and Evaluation of the Secondary Research

methodology (500 words) Part 2: Planning and Methodology (500-600 words) Part 4: Evaluation of Primary Research Methods

2. With detailed reference to your research findings, analyse and discuss the relationship between crime and the media/ children and television/ women and film.To answer this you will need to use the following sections of your Research project:

Part 1: Initial Investigationb) Review of Literature (600-750 words)c) The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)

Part 3: Primary Research: Results, Analysis and Conclusiona) Results (up to 500 words depending upon the nature of

your research)b) Analysis (500 words)c) Conclusion (200 words)

Week33 (wb 22nd May)Your tutor will mark your answers and return them to you before the half term break. Over the holiday you will be able to work on any areas of concern, perhaps by carrying out extra reading or some further research, and draft your 4 pages of notes.

6

Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: Research Proposal FormAt this point your aim should be to consider a broad topic within your chosen research area and plan your secondary research. You should not be planning your primary research in any detail.Research Topic: Women and Film; Crime and the Media; Children and Television

Area which you would like to research:

Reasons for choosing this area. What particularly interests you?

What kind of information will you be looking for in your secondary research?

Tutor Comment

7

Unit 2734: Critical Research Study – Secondary Research Reading

You will need to make detailed notes on your reading but use the following pages to summarise the most

significant pieces you have read.Piece One: Title, author, date, source (web address, publisher, etc):

The main purpose of this article is:

(State as accurately as you can the author’s purpose for writing the piece)

The key question the author is addressing is:

(Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when they wrote the piece)

The most important information in the piece is

(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is using to support the ideas)

The main points of view in this piece are

(What is the writer looking at and how does s/he see it? Use quotations from the piece.)

What are the implications of this piece for your research?

(How could you use ideas from this piece to help you formulate or develop your own research?

8

Piece Two: Title, author, date, source (web address, publisher, etc):

The main purpose of this article is:

(State as accurately as you can the author’s purpose for writing the piece)

The key question the author is addressing is:

(Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when they wrote the piece)

The most important information in the piece is

(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is using to support the ideas)

The main points of view in this piece are

(What is the writer looking at and how does s/he see it? Use quotations from the piece.)

What are the implications of this piece for your research?

(How could you use ideas from this piece to help you formulate or develop your own research?Piece Three: Title, author, date, source (web address, publisher, etc):

9

The main purpose of this article is:

(State as accurately as you can the author’s purpose for writing the piece)

The key question the author is addressing is:

(Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when they wrote the piece)

The most important information in the piece is

(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is using to support the ideas)

The main points of view in this piece are

(What is the writer looking at and how does s/he see it? Use quotations from the piece.)

What are the implications of this piece for your research?

(How could you use ideas from this piece to help you formulate or develop your own research?Piece Four: Title, author, date, source (web address, publisher, etc):

10

The main purpose of this article is:

(State as accurately as you can the author’s purpose for writing the piece)

The key question the author is addressing is:

(Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when they wrote the piece)

The most important information in the piece is

(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is using to support the ideas)

The main points of view in this piece are

(What is the writer looking at and how does s/he see it? Use quotations from the piece.)

What are the implications of this piece for your research?

(How could you use ideas from this piece to help you formulate or develop your own research?

11

Unit 2734: Critical Research Study – Other Secondary SourcesUse this page to note details, ideas, concepts and any other relevant information from your secondary

research.Title, author Date, source (web

address, publisher, etc)

Main ideas, point of view, significance to your research

Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: Structure of the Research Folder

Part 1: Initial Investigationa) Research Proposal form

b) Review of Literature (600-750 words)

12

This section shows what you found out from secondary research into the research topic. It describes the main ideas you have identified from researching a variety of sources, for example:

Books Articles Newspapers/magazines Video/DVD/television Research reports Websites etc

(There should be detailed reference to at least four main sources with shorter reference to a number of others)

b) The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)This is a short summary of the main issues and ideas that you have discovered from your secondary research (including at least one quotation from your reading) and then presents a specific hypothesis (eg The violence in recent British gangster films is what has most attracted their target audience) or question (eg What is the appeal of romantic comedy for its audience? or Does food advertising on TV influence children’s eating habits?). It should be followed by a number of specific questions which you want to answer.

c) Account and Evaluation of the Secondary Research methodology (500 words)

This section describes honestly and in detail the methods you used to review the literature:How did you begin?Where did you look? Why?What types of source did you use? Why? How helpful were they?What did you find difficult? How did you overcome the difficulties? What mistakes did you make? How did you get back on track?

Part 2: Planning and Methodology (500-600 words)This section must be written before you start your own primary research. It will explain:

What you intend to do. Be specific: what should each method help you find out?

How you intend to do it ie what methods or approaches you will use? Why you are doing it this way ie what are the strengths, weaknesses and

points to remember when using this approach.You MUST use:

Primary Textual Research ie Analysis of specific media texts eg TV programmes, films. Explain: What? How? Why?

Primary Audience Research eg: interviews, surveys, focus groups, observations, first person narratives/accounts, questionnaires. Explain: What? How? Why?

13

But you may also want to use: Further secondary research focused specifically on the hypothesis/research

question. Primary investigation research eg visits/letters/phone calls.

Part 3: Primary Research: Results, Analysis and Conclusion

a) Results (up to 500 words depending upon the nature of your research)This section gives details of what you found out from each of the methods you used. It will probably:

be quite factual, will almost certainly use specific quotes from and references to texts you

have analysed as well as quotes from audiences you have researched include statistics

b) Analysis (500 words)This section will return to the initial hypothesis or research question and will explain how the Results can be used to answer the hypothesis/question you set yourself. This section needs to be very specific and will probably be structured to answer the questions you set yourself in Part 1(b)

c) Conclusion (200 words)Referring back to your hypothesis/question and relevant quotes from your secondary research, has your research confirmed your hypothesis or answered your question?

Part 4: Evaluation of Primary Research Methods

This section describes honestly and in detail the primary methods you used. Look at what you planned in Part 2:

Did you do everything?What was successful? What didn’t work?What did you find difficult? How did you overcome the difficulties? What mistakes did you make? How did you get back on track?What could you have done differently?How effective was your research?

14