The Examination for Unit 3: Media: Critical Perspectives

The examination for Unit 3 will take the form of a two hour examination paper. It will be marked out of 80. Section A tests AO1 and section B tests AO2.
Quality of Written Communication will be assessed in Section B.

Section A (40%) 1 hour including 15 minutes reading/viewing time; 32 marks

The first section will be based around unseen stimulus materials which may be print, e-media, audio or moving image based. The stimulus materials will be designed to be easily assimilated by candidates in the space of 15 minutes and there will be time for note-taking and essay planning. The materials will be chosen to raise issues about:

• media concepts (form, representation, institutions, audience, values and ideology)
• wider contexts
• media issues and debates.

There will be three compulsory questions based around the stimulus materials. The questions will demand short answers to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the media.

Section B (60%) 1 hour; 48 marks

Candidates will have been given two pre-set topic areas for study during the year. They will be expected to answer one question from a choice of questions linked to the pre-set topics. Questions will be open-ended so that candidates can respond to the question utilising the media texts that they have studied throughout this course through the application of their synoptic knowledge and understanding of the media.