Revision is an essential component of any course, as you attempt to prove to whoever is assessing your work that you have not only a detailed and excellent knowledge and understanding, but an ability to apply this knowledge and understanding. So what's the difference?
Raw knowledge vs application
Raw knowledge is facts and figures and definitions
Examples of raw knowledge include
- Stuart Hall argued that representations are constructed through media language
- Vertical integration refers to a model of ownership where a media corporation, most often a conglomeration, owns various stages of production, for example film production and distribution
- High angle shots can often indicate vulnerability
- The pull quote "women are like snow capped volcanoes" is used to illustrate the Alfred Hitchcock interview in Woman magazine
Many examples of raw knowledge can be found in your notes, and resources in this blog such as the cheat sheet.
Application of knowledge is what you actually do with raw knowledge
It's a badly kept secret that examiners hate parroting facts. Remember, these guys know their stuff. Instead, it's way more important to apply knowledge. For example:
- The use of the solid purple background on the front cover of Woman both constructs and reinforces a stereotypical representation of hegemonic femininity
- Black Panther is therefore a clear product of vertical integration, with it's continued distribution on Disney Plus made possible through the vertically integrated, conglomerated nature of its parent company Disney
- Victor's troubling vulnerability is further reinforced through a particularly troubling shot: an extreme long shot high angle POV seen through Julie's window, which not only emphasises Victor's isolation, but also functions as a proairetic code of Julie's impending potential threat
- The selection of the pull quote, "women are like snow capped volcanoes" here of course not only reinforces Hitchcock's patriarchal hegemonic values, but also indicates Woman magazine's need to reflect dominant ideological values to ensure financial success
Types of revision
Of course, you can't do one without the other. Careful revision of raw knowledge must be accompanied by equally careful revision of applied knowledge. But what revision techniques help with each kind of knowledge?
Raw knowledge
- getrevising.co.uk
- Revision boards
- Watching Media Focus
- Making notes from your notes
- Flash cards
- Mind maps
- Senneca
- Quizlett
- Kahoot
- Revisionworld
- Writing as many facts as you can remember (closed book)
- Record yourself talking
- Study buddies
- Get someone to test you
- Make a song
- Mind palaces/word association
Applied knowledge
- Past paper questions
- Teach someone else
- Fact sheet on each industry (open book)
- Analyse something random (open youtube!)
The secrets to effective revision
There is no such thing as bad revision
Some revision techniques are more effective than others, but you will quickly lose focus if you JUST do past paper questions. Mix things up!
Revising little and often is better than huge cram sessions
After you finish reading this article, revise for ten minutes. That's it! Only ten minutes! You'll probably end up doing more than ten minutes, which is fine. But if you set yourself an unreasonable or easy to fail goal like 'I will revise for three hours every day', you're setting yourself up for failure. Your new goal is to revise for ten minutes every day, in any way you chose. This is easy! You can do it! And, even if for some reason you do the bare minimum, you're still doing hours and hours of revision!