You heard it straight from the Examiners....

AS Students look carefully through the list below. It is key information from the Examiner report of the 2009 exam session (taken from the AQA Website )


Section A: 

• Use note-taking and planning time effectively 
• Pick up on the hints in the introductory paragraphs provided 
• Avoid MIGRAIN as a planning tool but instead focus on the specific requirements of each of the four questions  
• Focus on the question 
• Be aware that most questions encourage links to be made between key concepts 
• Remember that thorough answers require a range of arguments, ideas and examples to be provided 
• Have stamina  
• Avoid repeating ideas and overlapping responses  
• Make sure that equal time and effort is spent on all four questions 
• Be clear, concise and succinct  
• Remind themselves that the two pages provided in the answer booklet for each question is enough space for a top mark  
• Make detailed references to the media product 
• Learn media terminology and use it with confidence  
• Avoid regurgitating theory just for the sake of it  - Only use theory if its relevant to the question

Section B 

• Prepare an individual and contemporary cross-media studies  
• Do not make your case studies too narrow (i.e. one core product with just one linked product in each platform) 
• Choose the question carefully. Spend time considering and planning your answer 
• Maintain question focus throughout your answer and not provide a descriptive account of the cross-media study. The introductory paragraph should only be a brief overview (1sentence) of the area and products studied 
• Avoid hypothetical and generalised examples in your answers. Select detailed and concrete examples from your case study to support their argument (remember to mention print examples too!) 
• Evaluate what opportunities each platform offers institutions and audiences. Always place the study of individual media products within this context 
• Ensure consistent consideration of the issues and debates which the cross-media study raises about the current media landscape  
• Consider links with MEST2 which itself illustrates how media products work across the platforms and could also provide further individualised research evidence/examples