This document provides tips for students on how to achieve high marks in answering questions about progress made from AS to A2 levels in media studies coursework. To get at least 60%, students must discuss progress made in each piece of coursework and evaluate their work objectively. To get over 80%, students must give clear examples of improved skills in areas like conventions, technology, creativity, and planning. Answers should focus on skills, progress, understanding, and be self-critical using phrases provided as examples to compare and evaluate AS vs A2 work and improved skills. Specific examples are needed rather than generalizations.

1. CTK – A2 Media: Unit G325 Critical Perspectives In Media: Section A Theoretical Evaluation of Production
Q1A. Tips for students:
For Q1a to achieve 15 or above out of 25 (equivalent to 60%) the following need to be included in an answer:
1. A discussion of progress made on each piece of coursework, or between AS and A2.
2. Progress made need to be evaluated objectively (this means you need to forget that this is your own
work, and criticise it to identify how technical skills can be improved)
In order to get a mark of above 20/25 (80%) you must:
• Give a clear sense of progress you have made to improve your skills, and support this with a wide
range of examples which link to the key areas mentioned in the question (conventions, digital
technology, creativity, post production or planning and research)
• Evaluate the progress you made during your two years of media studies.
Your answer must focus on:
• Your SKILLS
• Your PROGRESS
• Your UNDERSTANDING
• Examples need to be specific, not generalised.
The relationship between the processes of making/researching your pieces with how they turned out- The
exam board uses the word OUTCOME to describe finished pieces of work so use this, and be SELF CRITICAL.
Using phrases like the ones below will help you be self critical. Practice writing paragraphs similar to these for;
comparing AS and A2 work, evaluating the progress you made, and how your skills improved.
• My understanding of conventions / fonts /photography / image composition during AS was not very
developed since media studies was a new subject to me, and looking back, I understand that it took
me longer to realise this than it should have done. In A2, I made a big effort to think about X in
relation to the Film magazine/ poster/ teaser trailer, and spent more time researching appropriate
conventions / fonts /photography / image composition in order to improve my final piece of work
• In AS, my Photoshop skills improved a lot (support with example) but I was at a disadvantage as it
was a new program to me, and I had to construct my coursework while learning some of the
Photoshop tools. An example of this is……
• In AS, I thought my Photoshop skills were quite good, but one thing that held me back was my
understanding of magazine conventions, which could have been more thorough (support with an
example) but on A2, I improved by …..
• Trying to take photographs for my AS college magazine was difficult, as I used an SLR camera for the
first time. For my Music magazine I used the same SLR camera, but used it with a flash kit, which
involved developing my skills. Not only did I need to concentrate on how my models should pose and
what they should wear, but I had to try to ensure that the image would be in focus, and would leave
room for any copy writing (known as copy-space) that also had to be incorporated. On A2, I worked
as part of a team, so my responsibility was to (?) and I worked with different skilled students. Looking
at the final outcome from each piece, I can see that the photography for the A2 film poster is much
higher in standard and the composition and NVC is more sophisticated….
• In hindsight, I should have used sans serif fonts for my music magazine as they have a more modern
connotation, but I didn’t realise that would have such a big effect on the finished product….

2. CTK – A2 Media: Unit G325 Critical Perspectives In Media: Section A Theoretical Evaluation of Production