Top tips for A level Media

students
How to operate like a media professional from the very
beginning. Discuss, share and absorb in your own time.
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O rganise your work
 Create a folder structure for your files and
remember to slot files into the appropriate
places when it gets messy. When you start
something new, have the presence of mind
to set up a new folder in the right place (it
makes all the difference!). Save all work,
even drafts and label them 01, 02 etc.
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E xplain E

 Always explain what you did in your

coursework, what you learned and how you
went about it. Imagine you are unveiling
‘the making of’ your magnificent project to
a potential employer. This form of
presentation is essential for anyone looking
at the project for the first time. It must flow!
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Be P ro-active E

P
If you’re stuck, don’t sit there like a
 Make full use of the resources. There is a hyperguide
to help you along with workshop sessions. All media
staff (Steve, Eric, Rachel and Carol) can help.
 If you missed a lesson, it is YOUR responsibility to
catch up. For the coursework, use your student guide.
If you miss deadlines, you can be penalised.
 You should aim to complete the tasks in a new and
interesting way. Use pictures, videos, powerpoints,
audio and anything else to use on your blog. Post-it
notes can be cleverly used:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egvvabe_eTk and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IeSqVboADw&ob
=av1e
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Explore C onventions E
P
 Conventions are the normal way things
are done. They can be adhered to or C
broken. Broken is more interesting but it
must be justified.
 The secret here is to observe, analyse and
apply: observe the common methods,
analyse how they work and use whichever
are appropriate. You must be thorough
and selective.
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R esearch Carefully E
P
 Research carefully. Know what it is you
are looking for, use key words to search C
with and take care to use reliable sources. R
Always make a log of the websites you
visit for use in your bibliography. Avoid
cutting and pasting but synthesise your
research by highlighting and stating how
and why something is meaningful or
useful.
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A pproach E
P
 Watch the clock; you may find that
C
you are spending too much time on
something that is not going to get you R
the marks. You may be filling the A
page with obvious details, researching
in the wrong areas or not be
investigative enough in your
approach.
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D eepen understanding E
P
 Fully grasping the key concepts takes time.
The more you explore using different media
C
the better. Learn RAILING and be aware that R
proficiency in media can mean reading
around the topic.
A
D
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P resent E
P
 Besides explaining, remember to make your C
files presentable and illustrate your points
where possible with examples and R
multimedia. Check your work and put it A
into sections and sequences if possible. D
P
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Make L inks E
P
 Keep your writing precise and C
concise and don’t forget to make
links with other fields of study as R
media draws on many sources for A
inspiration as it adapts. D
P
L
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Easy to remember?

C O L D

R A P P A