The document provides instructions for a critical research study assignment at Pendleton College. Students must choose from one of three topics: Women and Film, Children and Television, or Crime and the Media. They will independently research their chosen topic and sit a 2-hour exam. For the exam, students will answer questions about how they conducted their research and will analyze and discuss their research findings. The document outlines the research process and provides deadlines for completing stages of secondary research, developing a research proposal and question, planning primary research methods, conducting primary research, and analyzing results. It describes the required sections and content for a Research Folder that will form the basis of exam answers.

1. a level media studies
Pendleton College
critical
research
handbook
Name: ............................
2005-2006

2. Unit 2734: Critical Research Study (30% of total mark)
Introduction
In this unit you will independently research, investigate and analyse one media topic from a
given list of options below. The nature of the research is intended to be one of active
investigation into the areas of audience, institution, and critical perspectives and you should
develop an independent and individual critical response.
A note from the subject specification:
“This unit is to be undertaken by the candidate as individual and independent work, with the
Teacher in the role of supervisor only. The role of the Teacher is to introduce the topic,
supervise the candidate’s use of time and to assist in general issues related to research and
extended writing under examination conditions.”
The Exam
There is a 2-hour exam and two questions for each topic. You will be able to take 4 sides of A4
research notes into the examination; these must be handed in at the end. The notes must be
hand-written by you and should cover primary and secondary research sources, statistics, brief
quotations, diagrams and note-form summaries. They should not contain essay plans or
continuous prose. You will answer two questions for your chosen topic:
• Research, an evaluation of how you carried out your research–(Question 1)
• Analysis and Presentation of your research findings–(Question 2)
The Critical Research exam will take place in June 2006
To prepare for the exam you will carry out individual research and
produce a Research Folder which will provide the basis for your exam
answer. Details, of this are given in this booklet.
Contents
Topics for the Critical Research Study p3
The research process p4
Details, Dates and Deadlines pp 5-6
Research Proposal Form p7
Details of Secondary Research Reading
• 4 main pieces pp 8-11
• Other secondary research p 12
Structure of the Research Folder p 13-14
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3. Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: Topics for Study
You will be asked to choose one topic from the following list. The details given here are from
the Specification. When choosing a subject from within one of these topics, you should ask
yourself:
• Is this a subject which will keep me interested?
• Will I be able to get access to suitable research material?
• Will it allow me to use a range of research approaches?
Women and Film
Research into the relationships between female filmmakers and the industry, as well as between
their films and their spectators and/or female spectatorship of film.
[Filmmaker is here defined as director, actor, producer, screenwriter or other personnel, for
example editor, production designer, director of photography]
Gender issues such as equality of opportunity for women filmmakers in the industry; issues of
gender representation in films; feminist critical perspectives; popular criticism; audience
reception. Candidates may draw on examples of films classed as ‘feminist’, films made for
female audiences and films made by women as well as female responses to other films.
Children and Television
Research into the relationships between children as subjects of media representation and as
consumers of television.
[Broadcast on British television only, which may include programmes made elsewhere for British
consumption]
Children’s television genres; advertising targeting, and using, children; representations of
childhood and gender; academic perspectives; television as education; research on the effects
of television on children; children as participants in television programmes; views of parents,
teachers and children themselves on television and childhood, effects’ debates, violence and
theoretical models ownership and government legislation.
Crime and the Media
The representation of crime in/across a range of media.
[British media only]
UK crime films; UK television crime series; True-Crime magazines; press representations of
crime and criminality; news reporting of crime; radio and Internet crime coverage.
(NB You are recommended to use only moving image media for this option, eg TV News or drama
or British crime TV or film.)
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4. Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: The research process
Initial idea
Initial Secondary Research:
Looking at the ideas and the research methods used to investigate an idea
• Books
• Articles
• Newspapers/magazines
• Video/DVD/television
• Research reports
• Websites etc
Decide on a specific Research Question or Hypothesis
Further secondary research
focused on the question
Primary Research: Textual Analysis
Selection and analysis of media
texts to be used in research.
Primary Research: Investigation
E.g. visits/letters/phone calls
Primary Research: Audience Research
E.g:
 Interviews
 Surveys
 Focus groups
 Observations
 First person narratives/accounts
Analysis of findings
(with, perhaps, reference to further secondary research)
Conclusions
in answer to the Research Question
and suggestions for further research
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5. Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: Details, Dates and Deadlines
Weeks 20 & 21 (week beginning 30th Jan)
Consideration in class and through readings of some of the key ideas connected with each topic
area. By Friday 10th Feb you will have decided on your topic and produced a Research Proposal
(page 7)
Weeks 22, half term & 23, (wb 13th Feb)
You will now carry out on your secondary research in books, journals, newspapers and the
Internet to focus your ideas and give you background into your research area. You will need to
keep detailed notes on the content of your secondary research and on its effectiveness. You
must work on at least four pieces of secondary research (summarise these on pages 8-11
with further comments on page 12). In class we will also be considering the key concepts of
audience, text and primary research methodologies which you are likely to be dealing with
when you carry out your research.
By Friday 3rd March, you will have a clear idea of your research area and will have produced
the following sections of your Research Folder:
• Part 1 (b): Review of Literature (600-750 words)
• Part 1 (c): The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)
(Instructions on how to do this are on page 13)
Week 24 (wb 6th March)
Class and homework will be devoted to an evaluation of the research methods you have used so
far and to planning your primary research.
By Friday 10th March you will have produced the following sections of your Research Folder:
• Part 1 (c): Account and Evaluation of the Secondary Research methodology (500
words)
• Part 2: Primary Research Planning and Methodology (500-600 words)
(Instructions on how to do this are on page 13)
Weeks 25 - 28 (wb 13th March to Easter)
One lesson per week will be used for Critical Research (the other two will be used for studying
Radio and TV News). All homework and private study time will be devoted to your own first-hand
primary research and to the analysis of results. You will need to keep detailed records, to work
in a steady and disciplined manner and to complete the research and analysis by Easter.
On Friday 7th April you will hand in a completed Research Folder which will include:
• Part 1: Initial Investigation
a) Research Proposal form
b) Review of Literature (600-750 words)
c) The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)
d) Account and Evaluation of the Secondary Research methodology (500 words)
• Part 2: Planning and Methodology (500-600 words)
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6. • Part 3: Primary Research: Results, Analysis and Conclusion
a) Results (up to 500 words depending upon the nature of your research)
b) Analysis (500 words)
c) Conclusion (200 words)
(Instructions on how to do this are on page 14)
Part 4 of your Research Folder, the Evaluation of Primary Research Methods should be
written over Easter. This must be handed in on the first lesson back after Easter ie Week
beginning 24th April
Week 30 (wb 1st May)
Having completed the research project and had it marked, you now need to prepare for the
exam itself.
By Friday 12th May you will have handed in two 1-1500 word answers to each of the exam
questions:
1. Give an account of, and evaluate, the research methods you used to investigate
your chosen topic.
To answer this you will need to use the following sections of your Research project:
• Part 1: Initial Investigation
a) Research Proposal form
b) The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)
c) Account and Evaluation of the Secondary Research methodology
(500 words)
• Part 2: Planning and Methodology (500-600 words)
• Part 4: Evaluation of Primary Research Methods
2. With detailed reference to your research findings, analyse and discuss the
relationship between crime and the media/ children and television/ women and film.
To answer this you will need to use the following sections of your Research project:
• Part 1: Initial Investigation
b) Review of Literature (600-750 words)
c) The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)
• Part 3: Primary Research: Results, Analysis and Conclusion
a) Results (up to 500 words depending upon the nature of your
research)
b) Analysis (500 words)
c) Conclusion (200 words)
Week33 (wb 22nd May)
Your tutor will mark your answers and return them to you before the half term break. Over the
holiday you will be able to work on any areas of concern, perhaps by carrying out extra reading
or some further research, and draft your 4 pages of notes.
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7. Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: Research Proposal Form
At this point your aim should be to consider a broad topic within your chosen research area and
plan your secondary research. You should not be planning your primary research in any detail.
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8. Unit 2734: Critical Research Study – Secondary Research Reading
You will need to make detailed notes on your reading but use the following pages to summarise the most significant
pieces you have read.
Piece One: Title, author, date, source (web address, publisher, etc):
Research Topic: Women and Film; Crime and the Media; Children and Television
Area which you would like to research:
The main purpose of this article is:
(State as accurately as you can the author’s purpose for writing the piece)
The key question the author is addressing is:
Reasons for choosing this area. What particularly interests you?
(Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when they wrote the piece)
The most important information in the piece is
What kind of information will you be looking for in your secondary research?
(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is using to support the ideas)
The main points of view in this piece are
Tutor Comment
(What is the writer looking at and how does s/he see it? Use quotations from the piece.)
What are the implications of this piece for your research?
(How could you use ideas from this piece to help you formulate or develop your own research?
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9. Piece Two: Title, author, date, source (web address, publisher, etc):
The main purpose of this article is:
(State as accurately as you can the author’s purpose for writing the piece)
The key question the author is addressing is:
(Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when they wrote the piece)
The most important information in the piece is
(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is using to support the ideas)
The main points of view in this piece are
(What is the writer looking at and how does s/he see it? Use quotations from the piece.)
What are the implications of this piece for your research?
(How could you use ideas from this piece to help you formulate or develop your own research?
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10. Piece Three: Title, author, date, source (web address, publisher, etc):
The main purpose of this article is:
(State as accurately as you can the author’s purpose for writing the piece)
The key question the author is addressing is:
(Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when they wrote the piece)
The most important information in the piece is
(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is using to support the ideas)
The main points of view in this piece are
(What is the writer looking at and how does s/he see it? Use quotations from the piece.)
What are the implications of this piece for your research?
(How could you use ideas from this piece to help you formulate or develop your own research?
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11. Piece Four: Title, author, date, source (web address, publisher, etc):
The main purpose of this article is:
(State as accurately as you can the author’s purpose for writing the piece)
The key question the author is addressing is:
(Figure out the key question in the mind of the author when they wrote the piece)
The most important information in the piece is
(Figure out the facts, experiences, data the author is using to support the ideas)
The main points of view in this piece are
(What is the writer looking at and how does s/he see it? Use quotations from the piece.)
What are the implications of this piece for your research?
(How could you use ideas from this piece to help you formulate or develop your own research?
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12. Unit 2734: Critical Research Study – Other Secondary Sources
Use this page to note details, ideas, concepts and any other relevant information from your secondary research.
Title, author Date, source (web Main ideas, point of view, significance to your research
address, publisher,
etc)
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13. Unit 2734 Critical Research Study: Structure of the Research Folder
Part 1: Initial Investigation
a) Research Proposal form
b) Review of Literature (600-750 words)
This section shows what you found out from secondary research into the research topic. It
describes the main ideas you have identified from researching a variety of sources, for
example:
• Books
• Articles
• Newspapers/magazines
• Video/DVD/television
• Research reports
• Websites etc
(There should be detailed reference to at least four main sources with shorter reference to
a number of others)
b) The Hypothesis or Research Question (100-150 words)
This is a short summary of the main issues and ideas that you have discovered from your
secondary research (including at least one quotation from your reading) and then presents a
specific hypothesis (eg The violence in recent British gangster films is what has most
attracted their target audience) or question (eg What is the appeal of romantic comedy for
its audience? or Does food advertising on TV influence children’s eating habits?).
It should be followed by a number of specific questions which you want to answer.
c) Account and Evaluation of the Secondary Research methodology (500 words)
This section describes honestly and in detail the methods you used to review the literature:
How did you begin?
Where did you look? Why?
What types of source did you use? Why? How helpful were they?
What did you find difficult? How did you overcome the difficulties?
What mistakes did you make? How did you get back on track?
Part 2: Planning and Methodology (500-600 words)
This section must be written before you start your own primary research. It will explain:
• What you intend to do. Be specific: what should each method help you find out?
• How you intend to do it ie what methods or approaches you will use?
• Why you are doing it this way ie what are the strengths, weaknesses and points to
remember when using this approach.
You MUST use:
• Primary Textual Research ie Analysis of specific media texts eg TV programmes,
films. Explain: What? How? Why?
• Primary Audience Research eg: interviews, surveys, focus groups, observations, first
person narratives/accounts, questionnaires. Explain: What? How? Why?
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14. But you may also want to use:
• Further secondary research focused specifically on the hypothesis/research
question.
• Primary investigation research eg visits/letters/phone calls.
Part 3: Primary Research: Results, Analysis and Conclusion
a) Results (up to 500 words depending upon the nature of your research)
This section gives details of what you found out from each of the methods you used. It will
probably:
• be quite factual,
• will almost certainly use specific quotes from and references to texts you have
analysed as well as quotes from audiences you have researched
• include statistics
b) Analysis (500 words)
This section will return to the initial hypothesis or research question and will explain how
the Results can be used to answer the hypothesis/question you set yourself. This section
needs to be very specific and will probably be structured to answer the questions you set
yourself in Part 1(b)
c) Conclusion (200 words)
Referring back to your hypothesis/question and relevant quotes from your secondary
research, has your research confirmed your hypothesis or answered your question?
Part 4: Evaluation of Primary Research Methods
This section describes honestly and in detail the primary methods you used. Look at what you
planned in Part 2:
Did you do everything?
What was successful? What didn’t work?
What did you find difficult? How did you overcome the difficulties?
What mistakes did you make? How did you get back on track?
What could you have done differently?
How effective was your research?
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