Media Research

Media Studies Resources

What we need to know is how to ask the questions. Most of us are surrounded by answers and solutions in our lives. Our adeptness at asking questions will determine how we reach the solutions."

(R.S.Wurman, Information Anxiety. 1989, p.152)

For the A2 Critical Investigation Once you have your topic area begin with a literature review.

This shows that you can.....• Understand and critically analyse the background research• Select and source the information that is necessary to

develop a context for your researchIt also:• Shows how your investigation relates to previous research• Reveals the contribution that your investigation makes to

this field (fills a gap, or builds on existing research, for instance)

• Provides evidence that may help explain your findings later

Record your findings

• Keep a journal on paper or electronically. • Jot down all examples, ideas, articles you come across.• Note source, date, author, main point or view,

your feeling (gut response) & how it fits in with your investigation.

• Colour code when you can for quick access to information.

There are many General Media Studies sites –

some are linked here...

• http://alevelmedia.co.uk/• http://www.media.edusites.co.uk/ • http://westudymedia.wordpress.com/• http://mediaknowall.com/blog/

Exam Board Links

• BTEC Creative Media Production Level 2 Extended Certificate

http://www.edexcel.com/quals/firsts10/media/Pages/default.aspx

• AQA GCSE Media Studies http://www.aqa.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/media-studies.php

• AQA A Level AS and A2 Media Studies http://www.aqa.org.uk/qualifications/a-level/media-studies.php

Contemporary Media News

• http://www.guardian.co.uk/media• http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/ • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/ • http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/

Audience Ratings

• http://www.barb.co.uk/ (for TV viewing figures)• http://www.rajar.co.uk/ (for radio listening figures)• http://www.rajar.co.uk/ (for news & magazines)

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/index.asp?navcode=9 (for news and magazines)

• http://industry.bfi.org.uk/weekendboxoffice (for UK Box office figures)• http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ (for audience

reviews of films)

• Media Awareness network has some good articles on media issues such as Media Violence, Stereotyping, Privacy etc. http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/index.cfm

•

Academic Articles• Type your subject area in Amazon

Find what academic theory books have been published on your subject area

Use the Look Inside function to check contents

• Once you know the chapter title try typing it into Google

• The full chapter or an extract from it may come up in Google Scholar or Google Books

University Media Departments• Theoretical articles and links http

://www.aber.ac.uk/media/• glossary of key terms http://

csmt.uchicago.edu/glossary2004/navigation.htm

• Dan Laughey has a site for his university students with theory, key theorists, opinion and debate http://danlaughey.com/date/2012/01/

Advertising

• Advertising Education Foundation http://www.aef.com/index.html

• Creative Advertising examples http://storecrowd.com/blog/creative-advertising/

• Ads of the world – Global ad examples comprehensive site http://adsoftheworld.com/

• Thinkbox – on British Television and advertising http://www.thinkbox.tv/

Photography

• Magnum Photographers http://www.magnumphotos.com/

• Life and Time Magazine Photographers http://life.time.com/photographers/

• National Geographic photography http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/?source=NavPhoHome

Film

• Internet Movie Database IMDB http://www.imdb.com/

• Analysing Moving Image Texts PDF http://www.englishbiz.co.uk/downloads/filmanalysis.pdf

• Research into Film http://nickredfern.wordpress.com/

• Some great examples of types of shots from real cinema examples http://www.youtube.com/user/mdfilmmakingvideos#p/u

Television

• Thinkbox UK based site with research into television

• http://www.thinkbox.tv/

Other resources for Media

• Slideshare and Prezi for presentations on just about anything

• Scribd for articles and extracts• Youtube for how to info on practical

productions as well as loads of examples of real texts and student produced texts

• Vimeo as another video sharing site• Media magazine in library or sign up online

Not to mention....

• Your local University library may have a Media section – they may need a letter that you are an A level student but are often very helpful and you can copy single articles that are useful.

• Our very own department site media-radar

• PLUS the articles, books and resources in the MEDIA ROOM

K McCabe 2012