Paper One
| Question | Assessment |
| 01 | UNSEEN PRODUCT: Semiotics, Representation, Language (8) |
| 02 | UNSEEN PRODUCT + CSP: Semiotics, Representation, Language (12) |
| 03 | CONTEXT + CSP: Representation, Language (9) |
| 04 | THEORY + CSP: Representation, Language (20) |
| 05.1 | MULTIPLE CHOICE (TERMINOLOGY): Industries, Audience (3) |
| 05.2 | DEFINE (THEORY/TERMINOLOGY): Industries, Audience (3) |
| 06 | CONTEXT + CSP: Industries, Audience (9) |
| 07 | STATEMENT (ARGUMENT) + CSP: Industries, Audience (20) |
Paper Two
| Question | Assessment |
| 01 | UNSEEN PRODUCT (WITH KEY CONCEPT): Semiotics, Language (9) |
| 02 | CSP + THEORY: Language, Representation, Audience, Institution (25) |
| 03 | STATEMENT (ARGUEMENT) + CSP: Language, Representation, Audience, Institution (25) |
| 04 | STATEMENT (ARGUEMENT) + CSP: Language, Representation, Audience, Institution (25) |
Past Questions – Paper 1
| CSP | Past Questions |
| Score (Paper 1, Section A) | – ‘How useful is Stuart Hall’s theory of encoding and decoding in analysing the meaning of the Score hair cream CSP?’ – “Judith Butler describes gender as an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of box acts”. In other words it is something learnt through repeated performance. How useful is this idea in understanding how gender is represented in marketing and advertising products? Refer in detail to the Close Study Products Maybelline ‘That Boss Life part 1’ and the Score hair cream advert.’ – Explain how representations of power within media products reflect their social and cultural contexts. You should refer to the Close Study Product Score and Figure 1 to support your answer. – How valid are Baudrillard’s ideas of simulation and hyperreality to understanding the media? You should refer to the Close Study Products Score and Maybelline to support your answer. – To what extent can the Score advert be seen as an example of the male gaze? -Explain how representations of stereotypes within media products reflect their social and historical contexts. You should refer to the Close Study Product Score and Figure 1 to support your answer. |
| Maybelline (Paper 1, Section A) | – ‘How do representations of gender reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts?’ – “Judith Butler describes gender as an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of box acts”. In other words it is something learnt through repeated performance. How useful is this idea in understanding how gender is represented in marketing and advertising products? Refer in detail to the Close Study Products Maybelline ‘That Boss Life part 1’ and the Score hair cream advert.’ – How valid are Baudrillard’s ideas of simulation and hyperreality to understanding the media? You should refer to the Close Study Products Score and Maybelline to support your answer. – To what extent does the Close Study Product Maybelline ‘That Boss Life part 1’ use cultural codes to reflect society’s values. |
| Ghost Town (Paper 1, Section A) | – ‘Paul Gilroy has identified the emergence of a Black Atlantic culture. He argues that the themes and techniques go beyond ethnicity and nationality to produce something new. How valid is Gilroy’s argument? You should refer to your music video Close Study Products, Ghost Town and Letter to the Free.’ – Explain how economic and political contexts influence the ways in which media products represent reality. You should refer to the Close Study Product Ghost Town and Figure 1 to support your answer. |
| Letter to the Free (Paper 1, Section A) | – “Paul Gilroy has identified the emergence of a Black Atlantic culture. He argues that the themes and techniques go beyond ethnicity and nationality to produce something new.” How valid is Gilroy’s argument? You should refer to your music video Close Study Products, Ghost Town and Letter to the Free. – Explain how representations of musical artists and their work communicate information about their cultural and political contexts. Your answer should refer to Figure 1 and the Close Study Product, Common’s Letter to the Free. – To what extent is Common’s Letter to the Free ideological? – Steve Neale’s summary of genre theory includes consideration of ideas such as sub-genre, hybridity and ‘genre as cultural category’. How valid are Neale’s ideas when analysing media products? You should refer to the music video Close Study Product Letter to the Free. – Paul Gilroy claims that ethnic identity is a product of Double Consciousness. How valid is this claim? You should refer to the Close Study Product Letter to the Free in your response. |
| Blinded by the Light (Paper 1, Section B) | – Explain how low-budget British films are marketed and distributed to global audiences. You should refer to the Close Study Product Blinded by the Light to support your answer. |
| The Daily Mail (Paper 1, Section B) | – “Ideology can be defined as a collection of values and beliefs.” To what extent do media products target audiences by constructing an ideological view of the world? You should refer to your newspaper Close Study Products, The i and The Daily Mail.’ – Explain how newspapers respond to and shape contemporary social and cultural contexts. You should refer to the Close Study Product the Daily Mail to support your answer. |
| The i (Paper 1, Section B) | – “Ideology can be defined as a collection of values and beliefs.” To what extent do media products target audiences by constructing an ideological view of the world? You should refer to your newspaper Close Study Products, The i and The Daily Mail. |
| War of the Worlds (Paper 1, Section B) | – “Media audiences always respond to media products in the way that producers intended.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? In your answer, refer to your Close Study Products War of the Worlds (1938) and Newsbeat (BBC Radio 1). – Explain how historical contexts influence how audiences respond to media products. You should refer to the Close Study Product The War of the Worlds to support your answer. – “The relationship between producers and audiences has changed over time.” How far do you agree with this statement? You should refer to the Close Study Products War of the Worlds and Newsbeat to support your answer. |
| Newsbeat (Paper 1, Section B) | – “Media audiences always respond to media products in the way that producers intended.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? In your answer, refer to your Close Study Products War of the Worlds (1938) and Newsbeat (BBC Radio 1). – “The relationship between producers and audiences has changed over time.” How far do you agree with this statement? You should refer to the Close Study Products War of the Worlds and Newsbeat to support your answer. |
Past Questions – Paper 2
| CSP | Past Questions |
| No Offence (Paper 2) | – Cultivation theory argues that TV viewing had long term effects on the audience which were gradual but significant. How valid do you find the claims made by cultivation theory about audience response? You should refer to the Television Close Study Products. – To what extent do television producers attempt to target national and global audiences box through subject matter and distribution? Refer to both of your television Close Study Products to support your answer – Hall’s theory of encoding and decoding argues that audiences do not simply accept the message encoded in a media product, but are involved in a negotiation with the producer in order to create meaning. How valid is Hall’s theory in explaining the relationship between the producer and the audience of TV programmes? You should refer to both of your television Close Study Products to support your answer – To what extent do media products suggest that society has gender equality? You should refer to both of your television Close Study Products to support your answer |
| The Killing (Paper 2) | – Cultivation theory argues that TV viewing had long term effects on the audience which were gradual but significant. How valid do you find the claims made by cultivation theory about audience response? You should refer to the Television Close Study Products. – To what extent do television producers attempt to target national and global audiences box through subject matter and distribution? Refer to both of your television Close Study Products to support your answer – Hall’s theory of encoding and decoding argues that audiences do not simply accept the message encoded in a media product, but are involved in a negotiation with the producer in order to create meaning. How valid is Hall’s theory in explaining the relationship between the producer and the audience of TV programmes? You should refer to both of your television Close Study Products to support your answer – To what extent do media products suggest that society has gender equality? You should refer to both of your television Close Study Products to support your answer |
| Teen Vogue (Paper 2) | – Media products are shaped by the economic and political contexts in which they are created. To what extent does an analysis of your online, social and participatory Close Study Products (The Voice and Teen Vogue) support this view? – Media producers must respond to changing social and cultural contexts to maintain audiences. To what extent does an analysis of the online Close Study Products The Voice and Teen Vogue support this view? |
| The Voice (Paper 2) | – Media products are shaped by the economic and political contexts in which they are created. To what extent does an analysis of your online, social and participatory Close Study Products (The Voice and Teen Vogue) support this view? – Media producers must respond to changing social and cultural contexts to maintain audiences. To what extent does an analysis of the online Close Study Products The Voice and Teen Vogue support this view? |
| Metroid: Prime 2 Echoes (Paper 2) | – To what extent do video game makers target audiences through changing representations? Refer to Close study products Tomb Raider Anniversary and Metroid Prime 2 Echoes to support your answer – Media effects theories argue that the media has the power to shape the audience’s box thoughts and behaviour. How valid do you find the claims made by effects theories? You should refer to two of the Close Study Products (Tomb Raider Anniversary, Metroid: Prime 2 Echoes, Sims Freeplay) in your answer -The target audiences for video games change because of the historical and economic contexts in which they are produced. To what extent does an analysis of the Close Study Products Tomb Raider: Anniversary and The Sims FreePlay support this statement? |
| Tomb Raider Anniversary (Paper 2) | – To what extent do video game makers target audiences through changing representations? Refer to Close study products Tomb Raider Anniversary and Metroid Prime 2 Echoes to support your answer – Media effects theories argue that the media has the power to shape the audience’s box thoughts and behaviour. How valid do you find the claims made by effects theories? You should refer to two of the Close Study Products (Tomb Raider Anniversary, Metroid: Prime 2 Echoes, Sims Freeplay) in your answer – The target audiences for video games change because of the historical and economic contexts in which they are produced. To what extent does an analysis of the Close Study Products Tomb Raider: Anniversary and The Sims FreePlay support this statement? |
| The Sims Freeplay (Paper 2) | – Media effects theories argue that the media has the power to shape the audience’s box thoughts and behaviour. How valid do you find the claims made by effects theories? You should refer to two of the Close Study Products (Tomb Raider Anniversary, Metroid: Prime 2 Echoes, Sims Freeplay) in your answer – The target audiences for video games change because of the historical and economic contexts in which they are produced. To what extent does an analysis of the Close Study Products Tomb Raider: Anniversary and The Sims FreePlay support this statement? |
| Men’s Health (Paper 2) | – Media products often challenge the social and cultural contexts in which they are created. To what extent does an analysis of the Close Study Products (Men’s Health, Oh Comely) support this view? – In a digital world, print magazines have little appeal. To what extent do you agree with this statement? You should refer to the magazine Close Study Products Oh Comely and Men’s Health to support your answer. – Postcolonial theory suggests that media representations are shaped by the racial and ethnic hierarchies that still exist in society. How valid is postcolonial theory in explaining the representations in magazines? You should refer to the magazine Close Study Products Oh Comely and Men’s Health in your answer. |
| Oh Comely (Paper 2) | – Media products often challenge the social and cultural contexts in which they are created. To what extent does an analysis of the Close Study Products (Men’s Health, Oh Comely) support this view? – In a digital world, print magazines have little appeal. To what extent do you agree with this statement? You should refer to the magazine Close Study Products Oh Comely and Men’s Health to support your answer. – Postcolonial theory suggests that media representations are shaped by the racial and ethnic hierarchies that still exist in society. How valid is postcolonial theory in explaining the representations in magazines? You should refer to the magazine Close Study Products Oh Comely and Men’s Health in your answer. |