Critical Research Study

Areas of research:

Women and film. Children and the media. Crime and the media. Politics and the media.
World cinema.

Top tips



Students' responsibilities

Students must:

- work independently
- develop own hypothesis
- identify a target audience
- use recognised research methods
- use academic, professional, textual analysis, focus groups/survey

- six areas of sources
- retrieve, select appropriate material, evaluate sources
- put research into institutional and audience context of case study
- use school resources as springboard for variety of research sources
- show initiative

- demonstrate media analysis of case studies
- apply theory
- evaluate research methods

- review progress/ test hypothesis/ redefine if necessary
- select focus groups and interview - analyse data - match with the broader picture
- interview/write to professionals in industry
- keep to deadlines
- show 12 weeks work in final research

- Exam practice in timed conditions
- Don’t repeat Q1 in Q2 - don’t list -analyse
- Q1. Show process/journey/exploration/reflection of success.
- Evaluate process - don’t describe
- Show sense of ownership
- Answer question set - Q2 may differ slightly.
- Cite all sources to avoid plagiarism
- Use your own critical voice to analyse
- It is ok to have an open ending with some things left inconclusive
- Show enthusiasm, keeping the reader interested.
- More focused research will be credited

Teachers must:

- Teach you research methods and theory

-Work to guide you and not to teach you thereafter

- Keep a regular eye on your progress

- Help point to useful resources in and out of school

- Give you plently on timed exam practice.