A Level Media Studies

A Level Media Studies

Easter Revision Course Dates 2024

• Week 1: Monday 25 March – Friday 29 March
• Week 2: Monday 1 April – Friday 5 April
• Week 3: Monday 8 April – Friday 12 April

Boards

Suitable for all examination boards.

Length of Course

Five full days, 40 hours total.

Times

9.00am to 12.30pm or 1.00pm to 4.30pm daily.

Students are advised to contact the college to discuss the units or topics they are studying; Media Studies tuition over Easter is arranged on an individual tuition basis. However, where two or more students wish to study the same topic area, a group may be formed. Generally, tutors will tailor courses to the needs of the individual and students are urged to be as detailed as possible in their questionnaire. For example, please ensure that you do give precise details of the specification you are taking:

• The examination board.
• The subject and component code.
• The topic and subject area covered.

Those studying Media know two things: first, they need to understand and engage with more theory, ideas and debate than almost any other subject, ranging from Marxism to Postmodernism and everything in between. Second, the written examinations are a real challenge, with candidates bringing acquired textual, theoretical and analytical skill to bear on the question focus. In each case, the candidate has a great deal to do in a relatively short time. There is a need to think fast and plan effectively.

Examiner’s reports tend to contain the same observations when providing an overview of candidates who have not achieved well:

• Responses that are ‘pre-rehearsed’ or planned around a comment or two for each of the Key Concepts tend towards the descriptive and superficial.
• Responses that are ‘pre-rehearsed’ essays do not answer the question set.

In each case it is almost impossible for pre-rehearsed answers to access the higher mark bands. The revision sessions at MPW offer the following:

• Work with a colour coded, dynamic ‘model’ of Media Studies (created by and unique to MPW) that enables you to develop a thought or argument and link Key Concepts together – one of the biggest mark earning skills. Students will take away a copy of this resource.
• Revision of theories, ideas and debates.
• Shaping and using individual student Case Studies.
• How Description leads to D and Analysis leads to A.
• ‘Critical autonomy’ explained.
• Can you revise for something unseen?
• Understanding the question.
• Questioning the question and recognising the myriad ‘questions within a question’ to help you plan and set the agenda for a high marking, engaged response.
• Developing a textual illustration journal: your ready-made revision tool.
• Approaches, not systems: a writing frame for every paragraph, to earn marks.