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Teacher Resource Bank

GCE Media Studies

MEST3: Section A – The focus of the questions

and useful tips

Teacher Resource Bank / GCE Media Studies / MEST3 Section A – Focus of the Questions/ Version 1.0

Copyright © 2010 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

SECTION A – FOCUS OF THE QUESTIONS AND TIPS

FOCUS OF THE QUESTIONS

The focus of the 3 questions are:

1. Media conceptsUse the unseen products to answer a question on forms, representations,institutions, audiences or values. This paper and the sample papers have beenon representation as a gentle introduction to the new paper, but question 1. canbe on any of the concepts.

2. Media issues and debatesUse the unseen products to answer a question on media issues and debates.You may refer to other media products to support your answer.The ‘may’ is intended to encourage candidates to move beyond the two unseenexam products, they will get more marks if they do, but they can still get a passlevel if they don’t.

3. Wider contextsUse the unseen products to answer a question on wider contexts.You should move beyond the texts, referring to other media products to supportyour answer.The ‘should’ is intended to tell candidates they will be expected to move beyondthe two unseen products and include other examples.

For question 2 and 3 candidates can include examples from either of theirindividual case studies, class work they have done and from their own mediause.

TIPS FOR ACHIEVING A GOOD MARK

1. Use the marks awarded to questions as a guide to how long to spend on eachanswer - Q1 8 marks, Q2 12 marks and Q3 12 marks.

2. Answer the particular question.

3. Make detailed references to the two media products, especially in question 1to illustrate the points made.

4. Higher level answers include a range of points, not just repeated explanationof one or two points.

5. Higher level answers include candidates own opinions explained and justified,especially for question 2 and 3. They take a standpoint and back it up with widercontexts and examples from other media products. Also if it is relevant to thequestion higher level answers discuss the different sides of the argument andshow a sense of debate.