MEST 3 Exam Tips for success

2hours / Inc 15 minutes viewing time

Section A (32)
45 minutes to answer the question
Question 1
8 marks (10 mins)
Moving image analysis of technical codes / visual codes / potentially
written codes
Key words
Answer both texts equally
Sophisticated knowledge
Relevance to specific question highlight key words
Genre
Narrative
Question 2
12 marks (17 Mins)
Read the question very carefully
Spend a minute planning your approach
Blend in theory appropriately
Question 3

12 marks (18 mins)

Read the question very carefully
Spend a minute planning your approach
Blend in theory appropriately

Some good lines / ideas you might be able to weave in?

The media landscape is one of constant change, negotiation and

fragmentation
All texts are ideologically constructed
The Media operates as an agency of ideological power
Audiences are positioned to read texts / respond to texts
Texts are produced and consumed in a highly competitive climate /
they can often be considered as commodities within a capitalist
structure and context
Public service principles are arguably under siege in a profit / ratings
driven climate
The media climate is incredibly complex often characterised by
opposing forces e.g. Concentration of institutional power and an
ever more spirited empowered audience
Texts are fundamentally polysemic

Theories some of you have been confused about

Gender
Gender is a sociological / cultural concept that arose out of the feminist movement and is concerned with ideas of
both femininity and masculinity.

Marxist perspectives of the media

Marx considered the threat of the False Consciousness where Social
institutions like the mass media play a key role in ensuring that the
working class remain happy with their situation despite the inherent
unfairness of the system. Marx described the situation in which members
of the subordinate classes cannot see that they are being duped as false
consciousness. In Marxist terms, ideology can ultimately be identified as
the lies, deceptions and misinformation given to the working classes in
order to maintain the state of false consciousness.

Ideology - An ideology is a belief system that is constructed and then

embedded in the public consciousness by the media.Media texts represent
the world usually in order to support a dominant ideology. For example,
newspapers often promote the dominant ideology of patriotism through
their representation of race and nationality.
Male superiority. Men are more suited to positions of power, and more
suited to decision-making at work and at home.
Capitalism. The production of capital and consumption of surplus value
as a life goal.
Marriage and family. The right way to live is to marry an opposite-sex
partner and have children. Patriotism. To love, support and protect ones
country and its people.

A grade: Confident and insightful analysis and evaluation demonstrating

sophisticated knowledge and understanding of differing media
representations, key concepts and wider context. Writing will be well
structured, articulate and engaged.
B grade: Proficient analysis and evaluation, demonstrating good
knowledge and understanding of differing media representations, key
concepts and wider concepts. Writing is well written and clearly
expressed.
C grade: Sound analysis and evaluation demonstrating adequate
knowledge and understanding of differing media representations, with
reference to key concepts and wider contexts. Writing is reasonably well
written.
D grade: Satisfactory analysis and evaluation demonstrating some
adequate knowledge and understanding of differing media
representations, with basic reference to key concepts and wider contexts.
Writing will be satisfactory and poorly structured.
E grade: Basic analysis demonstrating some knowledge and
understanding of media representations. Little or no reference to key
concepts and wider contexts. Meaning may be obscured by weakness in
written communication.

Case Study
Text

Range of relevant theories / perspectives

Section B (48) I hour