Introduction - how do I get marks?
To be awarded marks in media and film studies, regardless of specification, you must demonstrate knowledge and understanding, and apply knowledge and understanding to very specific examples. To simply describe a scene, advert or film is insufficient.
In order to prove you have knowledge and understanding, you must use subject specific terminology. In media studies, this is related to media language, theory and the language of analysis. In film studies, it's micro and macro elements, theory, and the language of analysis.
When your work is marked, we do not deduct marks for what you do not have, but instead award marks for what you do have. This is reflected in the notation that I will use when marking your essay based work, which can be seen below. The more IND you have in an industry question (media) and the more PER you have in a performance question (film) the better, as it shows I have found evidence of your knowledge and understanding.
The mark scheme is subjective and based on broad analytical acumen. Adding one more example of terminology would not necessarily award one more mark. The marks awarded for each question are more a broad indication of how much work your teacher or examiner is expecting to see.
Big words mean big things. So referring to dominant ideological hegemonic values in media and how the spectator is sutured through as narcissistic intradiegetic gaze in film will allow me to award more marks than 'it's normal for the time' or 'it makes us feel like he's him'.
Beyond demonstrating knowledge and understanding, marks are awarded for contextual knowledge, analysis, and forming a coherent, surprising argument. This is harder to simply tick off with an abbreviation, but always presenting your argument in the introduction for longer responses and then refining this argument as your answer develops is a good way of thinking about this.
Universal
!, !!, !!! - Good, very good, excellent application
? - Missing element
TH - Theory
CON - Context
EG - Example
ARG - Argument
Underlined - Incorrect
DESC - Descriptive
Media studies
ML - Media language knowledge and understanding
REP - Representation knowledge and understanding
IND - Industry knowledge and understanding
AUD - Audience knowledge and understanding
SYN - Synopticity (required questions only)
Film Studies
CIN - Cinematographic knowledge and understanding
PER - Performance knowledge and understanding
ED - Editing knowledge and understanding
MES - Mise en Scene related knowledge and understanding
SOU - Sound based knowledge and understanding
REP - Representation macro element
NAR - Narrative macro element
GEN - Genre macro element
SPEC - Spectatorial/audience response