1 - Write down the question
There's no choice of questions in A-level media studies, so this is nice and easy. You'll get given a question every lesson. Also, this is a great place to jot down what the media product we'll be referring to is
2 - Underline the key terms
Here we'll write out the question again and underline the key terms as a class. It's really important not to get too gung ho when underlining key terms. If you underline too many, it gets confusing.
Why do we underline key terms? Because these are the words that you are going to use over and over and over again in your response to actually answer the question. It makes your life SO MUCH EASIER!
3 - Kneejerk reaction
Don't think about it! Just let your lizard brain take over. What is the answer? Yes or no? Agree or disagree? It helps top be EMPHATIC here. If it asks 'to what extent', it's SO MUCH EASIER to argue "to a really great absolutely massive extent"...
For example "yes, the tide advert is really stereotypical and straightforward. That's it. That's your argument.
4 - Plan
This is where you vomit all your thoughts and ideas all over the page (or in this case, the blog). No need for any order or structure. And again, no thinking. Lessons are for thinking. There's no point thinking in an exam. This is potentially controversial, but I am right.
We
Will
Structure
Our
Plan
Like
This
Because
It
Looks
Cool
Sort of like
A typewriter
Or something
5 - Introduction
DAC, definition, argument context. Define the key terms that you've underlined, state your argument (that you JUST came up with. Or your lizard brain did, anyway), and then give some contextual information on your case studies to ease your answer in.
Your argument is YOUR point of view, though in class, we'll be using the hive mind's point of view. You can argue whatever you want as long as it' s not stupid
This really works well for component two, but don't bother doing this for short answer component one questions.
Oh! and you can DAC in any order. So Argument, Context, Definition if you really want. I prefer DAC because DAC sounds funny.
6 - Content
- This is the content, the stuff that goes in your answer. It's all about examples, and media language, as well as theory and arguments and all that stuff.
- Other teachers love really long acronyms like GNRIOPOOHH or something but I hate that sort of thing. We've already had DAC, so now PEA
- Point - A simple, one sentence point related to your question. Another way in which The Tide advert presents singular and straightforward representation of women is...
- Evidence - stuff from the toolkit to back this up
- Argument - how this relates to your argument