GCSE MEDIA STUDIES
Investigating the Media: Science Fiction Films/Unit 1 48101 Report on the Examination 4810 June 2016 Version: 1.0
Further copies of this Report are available from aqa.org.uk Copyright Š 2016 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.
REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION – GCSE MEDIA STUDIES – 48101 – JUNE 2016
Overview Marking the paper was very enjoyable during this series. It was clear that the vast majority of schools and colleges had prepared their students well for the examination. It was certainly obvious that students had engaged with the topic of Science Fiction Films. In the published AQA Teacher Guidance, schools and colleges were advised that students needed to research, in depth, examples of science fiction films in preparation for this examination. It was apparent that this advice had been used to good effect as a wide range of films were used as examples by students across the entry. It was encouraging to see that few schools and colleges have limited their students by preparing them to work with the same two examples. However, whilst there was still evidence of this approach, there was also evidence of good practice with centres encouraging individual research and engagement with the topic. The format of the paper is now well established and the important relationship between the Preliminary Material and the Question Paper should never be underestimated. The Preliminary Material always takes the form of a brief. Importantly, it always contains guidance to students to inform their final preparation during the four weeks leading up to the examination. Teachers have always been encouraged to read and discuss this material with their students to ensure their students are confident moving forward with their individual preparation. In all but a very small number of students, the Preliminary Material was used well. Frequent references to the brief were evident in students’ responses, with many writing in-role. The vast majority grasped the need to target family audiences. Virtually all students were able to offer two examples of science fiction films in response to Task 1. Similarly, most were able to produce a pitch that addressed the brief and the bullet points in Task 2. Finally, most students were able to offer three promotion methods in Task 4. Where schools and colleges had encouraged their students to respond in role, and where this was done well, students were able to pick up marks throughout the paper on AO3. The use of appropriate media terminology is also rewarded under AO3. However, there was much evidence this year of students using, often ill-fitting, media theories and struggling to adapt these to the specific demands of the questions asked in the paper. Applying theory successfully can elevate a response, but there were many responses seen where the focus seemed to be far too much on theories, rather than the bullet points students should have been addressing. There was some evidence of students using other formats than continuous prose – several used bullet points and charts to good effect. These approaches often work well, and are always encouraged. Students continue to cope with the demands of responding to four tasks in 90 minutes. There were few incomplete scripts. The quality and quantity of the work that some students produce is a continued source of surprise and pleasure for examiners. Task 1 In this series, students were asked to respond to the three bullet points specified in the question, with reference to two examples of science fiction films drawn from their own research. This gave
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students the opportunity to produce work showing breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of the science fiction genre. Many students showed detailed knowledge of their chosen film examples and, in most cases, the three bullet points were successfully addressed. Students approached the question in a variety of ways. Some used the bullet points from the question as sub-headings and covered each one in turn. The majority of students wrote about one example first, referring to the bullet point prompts, and then repeated the process. The vast majority of students produced responses written in continuous prose. Where students had used other formats, such as charts or bullet points, these approaches often worked well. Most students were able to write about two examples of science fiction films. It was heartening to see a fairly wide range of examples being used. Inevitably, more recent films such as The Hunger Games, Divergent and Stars Wars: The Force Awakens were the most popular choices. However, it was often the case that a range of different examples had been chosen by students from the same schools and college, and it was obvious that a good deal of independent research had taken place in preparation for the examination. There were many instances where all the students from a schools and college had written about the same two films. Although, this approach obviously has its practical advantages and students are certainly not penalised for it, it is worth schools and colleges bearing in mind that it is sometimes difficult for students to display sophisticated knowledge if there has been little independent research undertaken. Approaches which discourage differentiation frequently impede more able students. There were isolated examples of whole schools and colleges where students had all approached the question in a very similar way. Again, modelling and practising how a Task 1 question might be approached is sensible. However, where this becomes almost formulaic, this can limit students. Furthermore, there were some instances of ‘prepared answers,’ which failed to address the demands of the question. Another common issue was the over-use of media theory. Although it is expected that students will use appropriate media terminology and language in their responses (credited by AO3), there has never been a specific requirement for students to address named media theory/theorists within the paper. Of course, application of theory can sometimes be useful, and reference to it can help students to show their overall knowledge and understanding of the genre. When used well, this enhanced responses. Unfortunately, for many students their overuse of theory actually obstructed the response, and caused a loss of focus on the actual question. Weaker responses tended to describe the narrative of the films, or bolt the bullet points onto their description of the films. Better responses kept a close focus on the appeal of the genre and used the bullet points as ways into discussion about aspects of appeal within their chosen examples. Task 2 This task was clearly set up in the Preliminary Material and students showed a good level of engagement with the three film outlines provided in the brief. All three: The Last Day, Space and Time and Destructorismo were widely chosen, with none proving to be more or less popular choices than any other. Some students took the option of changing the working titles given in the question. Where this was the case, most students could usually offer at least a satisfactory rationale for their decision. 4 of 7
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The vast majority of students were able to produce at least a satisfactory pitch that responded to the demands of the brief and the four bullet points in the question. The first bullet point ‘an outline of the narrative’ was, typically, covered in the most detail. Some students spent too long on this aspect of the question by giving a detailed description of plot. This sometimes hindered responses as it meant that the other bullet points were not addressed fully. However, some extremely succinct, engaging plot outlines were also seen, where a real grasp of the genre and its appeal to the target audience was clearly evident. The vast majority of students also satisfactorily covered the bullet points: ‘details about settings and locations’ and ‘a profile of a lead character.’ In these, the latter was generally the weaker of the two. Some students focused on their choice of actors for lead roles rather than profiles of the actual characters. However, this was often justified in terms of appeal to audiences and therefore could be credited. On the whole, it was the final bullet point, the requirement to give ‘an explanation of how your ideas will appeal to family audiences’ that was covered with the least confidence by students. Some students covered the appeal to audience explicitly in their coverage of each bullet point in turn, and implicit understanding of appeal was often evident. However, many only touched upon the explanation of appeal at the end of a response. Weaker responses made only general comments and offered little more than stating their film would be a ‘PG’ or ‘12A’ certificate, or not contain violence or swearing. Students who worked their way through the bullet points, explaining their choices as they went, through their understanding of the four key concepts which underpin the course, were generally very successful as they showed sophisticated knowledge as they progressed through the bullet points. Stronger responses showed that students clearly understood why families were attracted to certain films and the science fiction genre. Here students appreciated how audiences relate to characters and storylines, and the parents’ need to ensure the content is suitable for their children. Unfortunately, there were some instances of students ignoring the requirements of the task by presenting their ‘pre-prepared pitch’ for a science fiction film – occasionally with only limited reference to the brief itself. Although the vast majority of students were able to show understanding of the codes and conventions of the genre, several pitches were quite derivative. Task 3 The production task is well-established on the Unit 1 paper. However, there was a surprising number of schools and colleges whose students seemed to lack confidence in handling the conventions of websites. Many students produced generic website designs that barely acknowledged the film they were promoting. However, even fairly unambitious responses could be awarded marks for AO1 when there was an understanding of basic website conventions. The most successful designs recognised the importance of appealing to the target audience and focusing on their chosen film. More successful designs were clearly signalled to the audience as being a both a film website and a science fiction film. There were several highly creative and imaginative ideas offered that had a clear persuasive impact. The importance of institutional information related to the brief and the use of social media icons often added to the overall impact. 5 of 7
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There were some students who did not seem fully prepared for a website design task. A very small number of students offered a storyboard. Several other designs had more in common with film posters, with little recognition of typical website conventions or the potential for interactivity that websites offer. However, there were still many highly creative and impressive designs seen. The very best of these incorporated references to the characters or storyline of their chosen film, or had created games based on it. Some students produced an evaluation of their design – either in the answer booklet or on the A3 design sheet. This is not an expectation. Indeed, such work could only be credited if the explanation clarified ideas that were unclear from the design. Labelling or annotation should not be encouraged. A limited number of students produced only a very basic outline of a website and then went into considerable detail explaining what would feature on it. This time-consuming approach can be self-penalising as it can mean that students do not spend sufficient time on other tasks. Task 4 The vast majority of students were able to offer three suggestions for how to promote and market their film. The biggest differentiator was whether students had related their marketing suggestions to their own film. A good understanding of film promotion was clearly evident overall. However, there were a lot of generic suggestions given, such as social media, chat shows, tie-ins, posters and trailers all perfectly acceptable and creditable ideas. Many justified and explained the use of these methods of promotion. There were many responses seen where students made little or no links at all to their own film. Where students did make links to their own film, they often also showed a greater degree of creativity in their suggestions and detail about how it might appeal to the target audience. When students did not do so well on this question it was largely because they had not related any of their suggestions to the appeal to family audiences. The very best responses had a real sense of a promotion and marketing campaign to them, rather than merely explaining three different ways their film could be promoted. Conclusion Once again schools and colleges should be commended and thanked for their hard work, dedication and creativity in preparing students for this paper. Preparing for a different topic each year is demanding. It is always pleasing to see the enthusiastic way that teachers rise to the challenge of preparing their students for the paper. The real pleasure is seeing students obviously engaging with a topic, and this was seen in abundance this year. Hopefully, the comments and advice in this report will help schools and colleges to confidently prepare their students for the 2017 Unit 1 topic: Television Game Shows.
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Mark Ranges and Award of Grades Grade boundaries and cumulative percentage grades are available on the Results Statistics page of the AQA Website.
Converting Marks into UMS marks Convert raw marks into Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) marks by using the link below. UMS conversion calculator
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GCSE MEDIA STUDIES
Understanding the Media/Unit 2 48102 Report on the Examination 4810 June 2016 Version: 1.0
Further copies of this Report are available from aqa.org.uk Copyright Š 2016 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.
REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION – GCSE MEDIA STUDIES – 48102 – JUNE 2016
Overview It has become my custom to rightfully praise the creative work of students in my introduction to this report but this perhaps neglects the achievements with regard to the analytical skills demonstrated in the Controlled Assessment submissions. Almost all students are able to use a range of terms that they have learned during the course and they show an understanding of key concepts. Most are able to apply theory and interpret and compare texts intelligently. Considering that they would have had little or no knowledge or experience of any of this when starting out on the course, the fact that so much impressive work is seen by moderators has to be a mighty accomplishment on the part of their teachers and the students themselves. Assignment 1 Analyse and Respond Annotation was the preferred method of analysis and, as long as students avoid simply labelling their products, this encourages a concise, analytical response which focuses on some key features. Moving image products were often analysed through annotation of screen shots which achieves the same effect. Where two products are analysed it is necessary to avoid repetition (for instance, by not considering the effect of direct address on both magazine covers analysed). The key concept of audience was usually more ably tackled where students had been introduced to some theory or demographic profiling. Media terms were used with some confidence but of all of them the most helpful to students was probably ‘connotation’ as it ensured that students considered the effect of a particular feature and avoided a simple explanation of what was there. Autonomy Where students chose at least one of the products themselves they were able to demonstrate their analytical skills much more effectively than those in groups where all had analysed the same product. This applies mostly to higher marked students but affected all in that giving students the responsibility to find their own product was good practice for Assignment 3. Analysis of common products, whether as a class or in small groups, is obviously vital but students should then work independently. It can be difficult for moderators to agree that a student’s work is ‘convincing’ (Level 6) or ‘good-quality’ (Level 5) if they submit a response very similar to that of their peers and presumably dependent on their teacher. For centres who enter a very large number of students and where some ‘non-specialists’ may be teaching the subject this may provide some difficulty. However, marks of seven or above should be reserved for students who show real confidence or a sound understanding, rather than the ability to just rephrase or repeat. Word Limits & Explanations For Assignment 1 responses should be between 500 and 700 hundred words in length. This does not include any words used in the creative piece but does include the explanation. Where these limits are ignored students cannot fully meet the Level 5 or 6 criteria. Where they are applied students are encouraged to focus on what is needed. Take the explanation of the creative work. For Assignments 1 & 2 students’ explanations should focus on the key concepts primarily applicable in each case: Media Language and Audience for Assignment 1 and Representation and Institution for Assignment 2. Many submit lengthy evaluations of their work and try to cover a range
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of aspects – but this is unlikely to bring any reward. By focusing on the concepts students can further demonstrate their understanding and improve their AO2 mark. These explanations should be brief, perhaps a hundred words, and are not intended to offer the detailed reflection required by the evaluation which is part of Assignment 3. However, they are, as befits an introductory assignment, a useful starting point. The more effective explanations are usually presented as annotations or as bullet points. Research and Planning There is still a tendency to submit preparatory work for this assignment. This is not necessary. Obviously students will benefit from research and preparation but the artefact itself will determine the award of the five marks. Many excellent Level 6 responses were completed using original photography and DTP. However, there were a great many more which were successfully handdrawn. Work which relied on found images was something of a poor relation in many, though not all, cases. Magazines, DVD covers and comics were popular and generally successful as students can gain marks either by replicating codes and conventions or by showing creativity or preferably by a combination of both. Advertisements were rather mixed. The format does not offer the security of codes and conventions so is more dependent on the image. Where a found image is used there usually seems very little to reward. Not all students have the visual perception or creativity to be successful in creating their own image and many depend on a rather hard sell approach which seems to deny all that they have learned. Storyboarding Many centres are not taking advantage of the standardised storyboard template available on the AQA website. The use of centre or student designed ones means that students often miss out crucial technical information. Storyboarding was again uneven in quality. In view of the regularity of storyboarding being required in the External Assessment it is surprising that students are not always being educated in the finer points. Or so it appears. As a preparatory activity, simply asking students to draw still shots from a television screen (or projected screen perhaps) can reveal a great deal of misunderstanding on the part of many students as to what is or isn’t a long shot or a close-up. The only issue with the AQA template might be the aspect ratio and this could be adapted if you are using a projector in the classroom. Storyboards (whether for Assignment 1 or 2) should consist of ten frames. The thinking here is that it is preferable for students to offer a carefully presented ten frame storyboard that acts as a representation of their vision rather than twenty plus frames which attempt to demonstrate the entire narrative but where each frame is produced rather hastily. Assignment 2 The most popular choices from the Assignment Banks were Film Promotion, Promotion of Music and Advertising.
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Analyse and Respond Whilst most students now seem to be getting to grips with the concept of Representation, often their analyses were limited to descriptions of what the representations were as opposed to how they had been created. Some centres have done very well in guiding their students toward discussion of Institution but many of the responses merely quoted facts such as how much a particular film had taken at the box office and this concept remains the weakest of the four in most folders across all assignments. Many responses analysed each of the two texts in isolation but the more successful ones used a more comparative approach. Some students discussed the idea of synergy and of how the two texts, as well as other platforms were used in a particular campaign. It was rare for there to be any serious misinterpretation of the requirements but there are still weaknesses in many of the responses. These are usually due to one or more of the following: •
• •
•
The cross-media aspect of the assignment is not sufficiently addressed. Synergy is a crucial consideration. This cannot be the case when the analyses of the two chosen products are separate and only cursory connections are made. Students should analyse two texts from the same campaign – a trailer and poster for the same film; a print advertisement and a moving image advertisement for the same product; a music video and a tour poster which are contemporaneous. Students have not analysed a Print or web-based text and an Audio visual text. Please refer to the Assignment Bank for clarification here. Representation is addressed but not in sufficient depth. Commenting on the representation of character or even genre is not really enough. Some consideration of wider representational issues must be present for the higher marks to be achieved. Gender is usually a reliable choice: “How does the artist/film/advertisement you have analysed conform to or challenge stereotypical representations of men/women?” A general summary of how a person is represented is not as effective as the identification of how the representation has been achieved through media language (mise en scène, camerawork, lighting, etc). Institutions is addressed but appears to be bolted on with little relevance to the rest of the response. To avoid this reference to synergy is a good starting point. Budget, finance, regulation, convergence, branding or the importance of stars and celebrities are all areas for consideration.
Students will benefit from some class/preparatory work on the impact of budget on marketing and distribution. For instance, for Film Promotion, a comparison of the marketing of two contemporary films, one British (likely to be quite low-budget) and one US (by contrast awash with promotional dollars), should prove revealing. As with Assignment 1, the issue of autonomy requires some attention. As an illustration, it was common for moderators to find that a group of students had analysed and annotated screen shots from a particular moving image product. This was appropriate and helpful but it was disappointing when all of the students in a class had used the very same screen shots. There are some logistical difficulties in ensuring that students choose products for analysis themselves but students seeking the higher grades should not expect to have a film poster and trailer or a music video and a magazine article specially chosen for them. For some students the teacher will have to provide products but all should certainly be encouraged to find their own material. This may not be an explicit requirement of the mark scheme or specification but in terms of the spirit of inquiry and investigation that the subject seeks to foster it should be considered essential. 5 of 12
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Research, Planning and Presentation Some of the production work in this assignment was excellent. Most offered hand drawn products that were clearly intended as part of a consistent campaign and therefore, ‘complemented each other’. These were often carefully crafted pieces that usually displayed far more creativity than products where found images were employed. The use of original photographs for magazine pages, advertisements and film posters was often commendable. Television or radio interview scripts usually included suggestions for costume, setting, clips or performance. There was evidence to suggest that many had analysed chat shows to gain an understanding of codes and conventions which then informed their creative work. It isn’t enough to simply give an account of what would be said. Codes and conventions of script writing were often neglected and this is an area that could easily be improved by reference to/study of actual scripts which are readily available on the internet. A great many storyboards were offered for this task. In most cases these were vibrant, colourful and ten frames in length (see also Assignment 1 Research and Planning). An explanation is even more necessary here than for Assignment 1. Even the most gifted media student might struggle to convey a sense of campaign, imply representation and demonstrate an awareness of institutional aspects purely through their creative work and without being able to offer any commentary. Presentation of work There were cases where work was presented in a rather rough or slap-dash fashion. This seemed acceptable in a few centres. In most it wasn’t tolerated or was marked punitively when it was seen – as it should be. Assignment 3 Research Planning and Presentation Each student should submit their own 12 pages of research, planning and preparation. There were a few centres that made the significant error of allowing a group of students to submit their RPP collectively. This is not permissible. There may be a little overlap between students working in a group but each student is required to submit their own evidence of research and planning. As in the previous series, many students submitted far too much material for RPP - much of it unfocused. The inclusion of copious amounts of source material, in some instances whole magazines, led moderators to assume that this material had not been vetted by teachers and that students had not received sufficient guidance. In several cases it was difficult to see how this work impacted on the production. A limit of twelve pages has been set by the specification and this should be sufficient for students to demonstrate the quality of their work. The amount of work is not being measured here and if it was, the submission of multiple copies of the same questionnaire would not offer students any advantage. Nor would huge folders and extensive notes that would take days to read. Fortunately, in most school and colleges, the organisation of this work was appropriate, covering a range of 6 of 12
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activities and with a sense of purpose. Some centres encouraged their students to write a short statement of intent at the beginning of the process, often entitled Proposal. This acted as a pitch which enabled them to identify a customer or target audience and this made their research more purposeful. One successful approach was the creation of an avatar of a typical audience member. In some cases a booklet of templates was provided for the research and planning. While this provides students with support and guidance it is important that students, particularly those wishing to access the higher grades, are able to demonstrate autonomy and an ability to research ‘independently’ (Level 6 descriptor). Audience Research Questionnaires tend to be the go-to method of market research for most students. These sometimes enable students to meet the needs of their intended audience but all too often the collection of quantitative data is the end product. Qualitative research, in the form of small focus groups, might prove more informative. Creating a focus group would mean the students involved putting a small group together and asking them to review and comment on a few chosen texts from the genre in which they plan to work, for instance, magazines or film trailers. A series of questions would be needed to guide the discussion. Students can record the conversations, transcribe some of the more interesting contributions and draw some conclusions from the exercise which may then inform their production. Overall, there was much more planning offered than research. Rough drafts, storyboards, scripts and sketches tended to provide evidence of the careful crafting of the final piece. A shift toward research in some schools and colleges would be beneficial. When constructions were less successful this was often due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the format. For instance, often magazine productions tended to decline in quality after effective front pages (informed by research of existing products). Subsequent contents pages and articles lacked columns, page numbers, institutional signifiers and captions and employed inappropriately large fonts because these pages had not been researched sufficiently. Double page spreads for magazines should be presented on A3 in order to ensure codes and conventions are applied correctly. Construct and Evaluate Found or original material in print work? There were some instances where students relied heavily on found images and even found copy. This mainly applied to magazine work and particularly to double page spreads. This is not acceptable. The work must be the students’ own and teachers are required to authenticate that this is so. Students who use their own images have to consider the framing, angle and distance of their shots and various aspects of mise en scène such as lighting, pose, props, colouration and choice of model. Most of the students who use found images simply select what they think is the ‘best’ picture. It is possible to achieve high marks for Assignment 3, Print, Construction work using found images – but it is much more difficult to demonstrate real technical proficiency and/or creativity. Where original photography is used it is essential that this be made clear to the moderator (as there are instances where it is difficult to tell). The most effective way of doing this is to include principal photography as part of the RPP work, perhaps with some indication of choices made.
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Advertising and Marketing There were fewer multi-media campaigns and this was perhaps understandable. Most Advertising and Marketing work was print based. As mentioned in Assignment 1, it is even more important that students offer their own images for Advertising and Marketing campaigns than for other topics as there are usually few codes and conventions to fall back on. It is also wise to insist on a person appearing in all advertisements whether studied or created. This avoids some of the rudimentary advertisements which only feature the packet and a grand claim. Few students fell into the trap of devoting an inordinate amount of time to the creation of a brand and its packaging. This assignment should focus on the construction of an advertising campaign – not the creation of a new product. One way of avoiding this pitfall is to have students promote an existing product but one that isn’t widely marketed. This allows them to create a campaign with a client in mind while not having to create the product itself. Moving Image A greater variety of genres were attempted in the production of trailers and some very pleasing texts were produced. The most successful were where students had considered costume, props, mise en scène, soundtrack and filming in locations outside the school environment. Happily, the idea of running amok (Blair Witch-style) in the woods is losing its appeal and becoming less prevalent; being superseded by more thoughtful narrative approaches with some excellent results, some of which are on a par with those seen at AS level. Sound is often a key discriminator for trailers. Many students are unable to manipulate sound effectively and rely on a continuous backing track and screen titles rather than a voice-over. Level 5 and 6 Moving Image work is often characterised by a range of sound conventions such as dialogue, voice-over, stings and sound effects as well as backing music. Promotion of Music Music video was very popular and in general was tackled effectively. The length of most songs proves a little challenging – being able to sustain the viewers’ interest for more than three minutes is not easy. Students can edit the song if they wish. The Assignment Bank requirement is for a three-minute music video. Magazines Magazines were the most popular Assignment 3 choice. There was good use, by and large, of original images. Access to digital cameras and Photoshop put some students at a distinct advantage. There were still some projects relying heavily on found images, for instance, celebrity/fashion magazines for girls or car, film and football magazines for boys. This often resulted in very derivative work in terms of copy and image. Magazine production may often appear the easiest option but if students are unable to envisage a magazine wherein they can create original material they might be advised to choose something else.
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Should students wish to produce a film, television or celebrity magazine they should be encouraged to create their own ‘stars’ – just as they might do for Assignment 1 and 2 practical pieces. There was some effective use of ‘found’ backgrounds to enhance images of boys in football shirts! There was often a discrepancy between the quality of front covers (carefully constructed with precise application of codes and conventions) and inside pages (fonts too large, lack of columns, little more than image and text). The root of this was usually found in the research and planning where covers had been annotated but inside pages ignored. Better work was characterised by careful application of a range of codes and conventions and a sense of house style. Websites Few websites were submitted for Assignment 3 this year. Some of these were submitted on paper. This is not appropriate for Assignment 3 where the students are expected to use ICT to construct an actual working media product. If centres wish to submit on paper it is suggested they might consider doing magazines as an alternative. Having embarked on a new media topic, there is tendency to assume that website work is invariably fresh and innovative. This is not necessarily the case. Some are submitted with quite mundane content and frequently moderators are unable to support marking where schools and colleges have attached a halo to anything as modern as a website. On websites, as much as any other topic, images need to be carefully framed, lit and posed. Copy needs to be lively and interesting. The lay-out or presentation of the pages needs to appeal. Backgrounds, scrolling text, rollovers and animation might be expected for those aiming for higher marks. Technical competence hasn’t been demonstrated if the site does not have working links. Websites are not just a medium for the static, dull presentation of basic information. There are also concerns sometimes regarding the submission of websites. Advice is offered for the submission of all Construction work on the AQA Media Studies website, under Key Materials/Teacher Resource Bank. The section on submitting websites is particularly useful. http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcse/pdf/AQA-4810-W-TRB-U02-U04-ITRESCONTASS.PDF Radio Some radio work was offered for Advertising and Marketing as part of a campaign alongside Print advertisements. Students constructed adverts using voice, sound effects and bedding music and carefully considered the potential impact on their target audience. All within thirty seconds. Radio talk shows were quite rare but effective when offered. Audacity, Garageband and other programmes have taken some of the fear out of radio production and if students research the codes and conventions of the medium and plan carefully there are opportunities for groups of up to four students to produce lively and entertaining radio shows. Evaluation Evaluations were generally sound. They were mostly detailed, evaluative, addressed the key concepts and relatively few were limited to descriptions of the process. It is probably fair to say that students cope well here as they might have written two explanations already and know what is required. Many centres supported students by offering headings or questions, some following the guidance on page 16 of the specification. Most Evaluations adhered to the word limit. Many were enlivened by screen shots and annotations. It is important to steer students away from a general
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description or narration of the process. This will earn no more than a Level 3 mark regardless of the detail included or the effort expended.
Administration For the first time the submission of marks and selection of the sample for moderation was completed electronically. The e-Subs system meant that work was received in a timelier manner and reduced the amount of administration required in order to get the samples to moderators. There were several instances of incorrect addition and recording of marks resulting in the wrong marks being entered on e-Subs and this did delay the process slightly. On the whole, this system improved the sampling process and is a positive move toward making everything more straightforward.
The majority of schools and colleges presented a moderator friendly sample • • • • • •
Students’ work was treasury tagged and assignments were separated by a cover sheet and stored in a wallet folder Student’s name, candidate number and mark were clearly visible on the front of the folder Disks and memory sticks were used to store Moving Image or Audio work – preferably a single one which carries a clear menu Detailed comments appeared on the Candidate Record Form (CRF) explaining the marking with reference to the assessment criteria, interpreted in line with the students’ work Work was annotated to show where grade criteria are met and key concepts addressed Marks, work and Declaration Sheet were with the moderator by 7 May.
Some possible issues to avoid: • • • • • • • • •
• •
Clerical errors such as incorrect addition of marks or incorrect transfer of marks from work to e-Subs The use of couriers where a signature is required on delivery. Almost all of the moderators are full time teachers and it is unlikely that they will be home when the courier calls Plastic wallets. These are fine for individual sheets but having to remove and replace bunches of papers can be very awkward and time consuming. Treasury tags please Work being presented on A3 card – or larger. Nothing larger than A4 (or A3 folded) need be submitted Marks and/or work arriving considerably late All three assignments on very similar topics – ie, Assignment 1 – DVD covers, Assignment 2 – Film Promotion, Assignment 3 – a film trailer or film magazine. Please contact your Controlled Assessment Adviser if you have any concerns Not being able to tell where one assignment ends and another begins DVDs and their cases crushed in transit Failure to send or properly complete the Centre Declaration Sheet URLs for websites and moving image work either don't work, have been inaccurately transposed to CRFs or have subsequently been removed by students before moderators are able to observe the work Inclusion of copy for magazines or websites or even essays that were ‘found’ and had to be investigated for plagiarism.
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REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION – GCSE MEDIA STUDIES – 48102 – JUNE 2016
Large Entry Schools and Colleges In cases where more than fifty students are entered it is really useful if a rank order is included with the sample and if different teaching groups can be identified. The most important factor is the internal standardisation of the work and in a few large schools and colleges there appeared to be insufficient time invested in this process. As a result marking was inconsistent. Invariably this involved some teachers marking fairly and accurately while others over-rewarded. It is crucial that schools and colleges arrive at the correct rank order of students with a consistent standard of marking shared and applied by all media teachers. Marking Generally speaking, the marking of work was fair and accurate. Once again, where over-marking did occur it was likely to involve Assignment 3, AO4 Construct or Assignment 2, AO2 Analyse and Respond. These are the higher tariff tasks. For Construction there seemed to be a reluctance to use the full range of marks in some centres with 10/20 awarded to what was very basic work. Similarly for Assignment 2 there seemed reluctance in some centres to award less than half marks. To achieve 10 out of 20 on the AR task students should be able to demonstrate more than a basic understanding of representation and of institutions. This wasn’t always the case and awarding too high a mark here often led to inflated marks throughout a particular cohort. The information given to moderators by teachers was variable. There were a few who simply ticked work and left it to the moderator’s imagination to unravel how marks had been awarded. However, the vast majority of teachers were annotating work, using descriptors, AOs, KCs and making relevant comments on the AQA forms or on school or college designed assignment sheets. It was always heartening for moderators when these comments engaged with the work produced and interpreted the assessment criteria. There is very little value in simply copying out phrases from the assessment criteria. One area that continues to cause a good deal of concern is the marking of group work for Assignment 3 Constructions. It is essential that teachers comment on the contributions of particular group members and offer an explanation of how this has affected the respective marks awarded. The need for marking and annotation of the work was summed up by one Moderator, who wrote: “One of the biggest issues I have noticed is the lack of annotation. Most of the centres I moderated did not annotate their folders. This raises questions in my mind about internal moderation processes and potentially the feedback students are getting throughout the course. Clearly I can empathise with the demands placed on teachers but it's truly unacceptable for there to be no attempt to annotate a sample.” Final Thoughts As ever, the general feeling among moderators was that centres and students had coped confidently with the demands of the specification. While marking was mostly sound, there was evidence of continuing pressure on centres to award higher marks which left moderators increasingly anxious when determining whether marking could be accepted as within tolerance. However, all were impressed by the high standard of work submitted, which demonstrated the enthusiasm and commitment of staff and students and proved, once again, the true value of the subject.
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REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION – GCSE MEDIA STUDIES – 48102 – JUNE 2016
Mark Ranges and Award of Grades Grade boundaries and cumulative percentage grades are available on the Results Statistics page of the AQA Website.
Converting Marks into UMS marks Convert raw marks into Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) marks by using the link below. UMS conversion calculator
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