G325: Section A: Theoretical Perspectives in

Media

Research and
Question 1a)

Planning
What skills did we learn about the
importance of R&P?
Learning research skills
from AS to A2
1. Types of Research

Secondary research – second hand

information – work on codes and
conventions of texts, use of theory.

Primary – first hand – textual analysis,

audience feedback: questionnaires,
vox pops.
• Secondary research –Moodle, class
notes, library – which textbooks did you
use? Internet – viewing figures, ABC
figures for magazines etc.

•Primary – Internet, Television,

Magazines

Write down briefly what you

used for both pieces BUT this
will require an in-depth
assessment of your materials
for the write up.
What were the pros and cons of
secondary and primary research?
2. Advantages and Disadvantages of sources

The focus is on SKILL – progression and changes

in methods from AS to A2. You need to think
about what you learned about the
advantages/disadvantages of:

•Expense/Cost – how much did the research cost?

Books? Magazines?
•Accessibility – Was the research easy to find? E.g
those doing documentary had a tough time finding newspaper
ads?
•Time – Was it time consuming?
•Reliability – was the research measured to be
consistent – did you find a trustworthy source, was it another
student’s work?
•Accuracy – were the facts and figures correct? Did
your audience feedback results provide a fair sample of overall
opinions?
•Bias – textual analysis can be bias as it is subjective –
did you complete enough research to overcome this? Were any
secondary sources biased? Think about documentary and
mediation?
•Validity – was there a link between the particular
research and final product? Was there a strong indication that
this research effected the outcome of your work – e.g you
shouldn’t have researched CD covers if you were doing a
documentary piece...
•Usefulness – how relevant was this to your project
(see validity). OR did any of your research methods prove to be
completely useless and why? Could you have used BOOLEAN
searches on the internet for example??
 3. Organisation of Research
• You used your blog to organise ALL of your
research.

• What skills did you learn about organising and

referencing materials? (Remember if your
research isn’t referenced correctly then you will
not get full marks – e.g. every poster from the
internet has to be referenced).

• How did your skills of organisation develop from

AS and A2?
4. Planning – Pre-Production
Requirements
For the planning section of this write-up:
• Adequate research – link this to DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY – where did
you find the research?

• Drafting – flat plans for magazines and storyboards and ancillary drafts for A2
- link to DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY and CREATIVITY – how did you construct these?

• Gaining Audience Feedback – Again link to DIGITAL

TECHNOLOGY if possible. How did you make sure you collated this – what was the
development between AS and A2?
• Organisation of time, personnel and
equipment
• Did you complete on time? Did you meet deadlines?
• What are the pros and cons of organising personnel?
• What have you learned about communication between
personnel?
• Did your knowledge of call sheets/production schedules grow?
• What could you have done better?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Did you utilise DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY to aid your organisation
(call sheets and production schedules on blog)????
Working individually or as part of a group
• What did you learn about individual and
team work?
• What are the pros and cons?
• What main things have you learned
about group work at AS and A2 in terms
of planning your product?
 5. Organisation of Planning
Materials
•Link to DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. How did you
organise your planning materials?

•Did you utilise the blog more at A2 level

than at AS?

•How did you follow your flat plans and

storyboards – what did you understand
about changes to be made?

•Did all members have copies of production

schedules, call sheets and storyboards?
• Did you complete diaries and/or
‘progression so far’ posts? Why was
this important in terms of planning both
pieces of coursework?

• Have you used any of the research and

planning skills in other products?
 6. Presentation of Research
and Planning
•How did you present your primary and secondary
research on your blogs? We are talking about
enhancing CREATIVITY and USE OF DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY

•Did your presentation of audience feedback for

example become more creative through your
increased use of digital technology available for
embedding on the blogs (onlinecharttool)???
Slideshow of storyboards???

•Again, did your knowledge of referencing grow? Did

this allow you to become more knowledgeable of
presentation skills? i.e did your present research
findings in slideshow format?
 Please think of all the above
questions as part of your 750 write
up.
• There is a choice of two questions:

1. Detail how your understanding of the importance of

good research and planning skills developed
throughout the pre-production of your AS and A2
coursework.

2. How did your knowledge of digital technology to

aid your research and planning skills throughout
the pre-production of your AS and A2 coursework?