1. GCSE MEDIA
Controlled Test - Guidance Tips

2. General Points
• The exam will be 1hour and 30 minutes long
• The exam will be held on Thursday, June 6th at 1:30 pm
• Each question is worth 15 marks and you should spend
approximately 20 minutes on each question.
• You should bring design equipment such as drawing and
colouring pencils, a ruler and an eraser in order to
answer question 4.
NOTE: These notes are designed to be comprehensive; they
are merely designed to start you off and provoke some
ideas.

3. Institution identified
Use of
Social
Media
Twitter
Name of Online
Magazine -
consider the font
used
One website page
focused on one genre
- NOT A
HOMEPAGE!
Suggests a Q.
that will ask
you to justify
the advantages
and
disadvantages
of publishing
online
Q on knowledge and
understanding on music
press print and online
Demonstrate
some element
of mode of
address
Focus on new talent not
existing big stars -
consider language to
highlight this
Consider the aesthetic
design (style) and what
will be included
(content). You may
need to explain and
design this!

4. The Scenario
The scenario you are provided with gives you a situation that requires your expertise. In
reality, it is a reminder that you are expected to respond to the questions in role; in other
words, you are the music fan and should write your answers in an appropriate style.
The scenario also provides with useful bits of information that will help you, such as:
•Revolutionary Publishing is excited to announce the launch of our online magazine -
RHYMIX
•We intend to produce something different.. not just another promotional tool for the
music industry
•provide independent and informed comment on all that is trending in the music scene
AND
•uncovering creative taken from all over the country and aim to support new
bands/artistes whose talent and creativity deserve recognition.
•ideas for the content and design of an updateable page

5. Possible Question 2 -
Pitching your ideaPLEASE REMEMBER THE ORDER CAN CHANGE
PLEASE REMEMBER THE ORDER CAN CHANGE
For your pitch you will need to remember to
remain in role, using persuasive and exciting
language. You need to show the examiner that
YOUR Online Page is the BEST THING EVER!
It is likely you will need to include:
•Genre
•Content
•Design
Q.2 will test your ability of recall,
select and communicate
knowledge and understanding
(AO1)
It will test the ability to
demonstrate research, planning
and presentation skills (AO3)
It will also test the ability to
construct and evaluate your
own products (AO4)

6. Question 3PLEASE REMEMBER THE ORDER CAN CHANGE
PLEASE REMEMBER THE ORDER CAN CHANGE
It is likely you will need to explain
why it is a good idea for
Revolutionary Publishing to
publish online
•What are the advantages?
•What are the disadvantages?
Q.3 will test your ability
of recall, select and
communicate
knowledge and
understanding (AO1)
It will test the ability to
demonstrate research,
planning and
presentation skills (AO3)

7. Question 4: Creative TaskPLEASE REMEMBER THE ORDER CAN CHANGE
PLEASE REMEMBER THE ORDER CAN CHANGE
You will be supplied with an A3 sheet of paper to produce your design. It
would be a good idea to draw your webpage leaving room to write
annotations around the perimeter of your design. These would explain the
decisions that you have made to the examiner.
Your content needs to be appropriate the brand values. The ideas you
came up with for Question 2 and 3 will be a good starting point...
Remember it’s states a page, not a homepage so considering how you
might include conventional elements such as the title, colour, font, images
to link in with the overall aesthetic appeal.
You must observe the conventions of a webpage - consider how your
reader will navigate the page with hyperlinks and where these hyperlinks
should be placed. How should your content be arranged on the website?
Research existing sites for ideas and good practice.
Consider the advantages of the webpage format - interactive elements like
moving image footage, animations, sound, music, links to other sites - and
how these could be used to attract your target audience. You should also
explain how these techniques could be used to present information
effectively
Link to social networking sites - how could these be used? You might also
consider how to use forums or microsites (blogs) to develop relationship
between the text and audience
Q.4 will test your ability
of recall, select and
communicate
knowledge and
understanding (AO1)
It will also test the ability
to construct and
evaluate your own
products (AO4)

8. Title of website and URL
(address of website) Search engine
Similar
layout/
typography/
colour
schemes to
the show.
Why?
Hyperlinks easy navigation
Embedded
video
clips/Stream
s/Podcasts
Sign in/ Register
links/Subscriptions
Synergy,
social
media, cross
media
Institution/ Production
company
Appropriate
style of writing
Graphics/Log
o design in
header

9. Remember...
NOTE: These notes are designed to be
comprehensive; they are merely
designed to start you off and provoke
some ideas.

10. Remember...
NOTE: These notes are designed to be
comprehensive; they are merely
designed to start you off and provoke
some ideas.