Research and Planning

What skills did we learn about the importance of

R&P?

G325: Section A: Theoretical Perspectives in Media

Question 1a)

Secondary research – second hand information – work on codes and

conventions of texts, use of theory.

Primary – first hand – textual analysis, audience feedback:

questionnaires, vox pops.

Learning research skills from AS to A2

1. Types of Research

• Secondary research – My music video blog, class notes, library – which textbooks did you use? Internet – viewing figures, ABC figures for magazines etc.

•Primary – Internet, Television, Magazines

Write down briefly what you used for both pieces BUT this will require an in-depth assessment of your materials for the write up.

What were the pros and cons of secondary and primary research?

•2. Advantages and Disadvantages of sources

The focus is on SKILL – progression and changes in methods from AS to A2. You need to think about what you learned about the advantages/disadvantages of:

•Expense/Cost – how much did the research cost? Books? Magazines?

•Accessibility – Was the research easy to find? E.g those doing documentary had a tough time finding newspaper ads?

•Time – Was it time consuming?

•Reliability – was the research measured to be consistent – did you find a trustworthy source, was it another student’s work?

•Accuracy – were the facts and figures correct? Did your audience feedback results provide a fair sample of overall opinions?

•Bias – textual analysis can be bias as it is subjective – did you complete enough research to overcome this? Were any secondary sources biased? Think about documentary and mediation?

•Validity – was there a link between the particular research and final product? Was there a strong indication that this research effected the outcome of your work – e.g you shouldn’t have researched CD covers if you were doing a documentary piece...

•Usefulness – how relevant was this to your project (see validity). OR did any of your research methods prove to be completely useless and why? Could you have used BOOLEAN searches on the internet for example??

3. Organisation of Research• You used your blog to organise ALL of your research.

• What skills did you learn about organising and referencing materials?

• How did your skills of organisation develop from AS and A2?

For the planning section of this write-up:• Adequate research – link this to DIGITAL

TECHNOLOGY – where did you find the research?

• Drafting – flat plans for magazines and storyboards and ancillary drafts for A2 - link to DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY and CREATIVITY – how did you construct these?

• Gaining Audience Feedback – Again link to DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY if possible. How did you make sure you collated this – what was the development between AS and A2?

4. Planning – Pre-Production Requirements

• Organisation of time, personnel and equipment

• Did you complete on time? Did you meet deadlines? • What are the pros and cons of organising personnel? • What have you learned about communication between

personnel? • Did your knowledge of call sheets/production schedules

grow?• What could you have done better? • What are your strengths and weaknesses? • Did you utilise DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY to aid your

organisation (call sheets and production schedules on blog)????

Working individually or as part of a group

• What did you learn about individual and team work?

• What are the pros and cons? • What main things have you learned about

group work at AS and A2 in terms of planning your product?

5. Organisation of Planning Materials

•Link to DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. How did you organise your planning materials?

•Did you utilise the blog more at A2 level than at AS?

•How did you follow your flat plans and storyboards – what did you understand about changes to be made?

•Did all members have copies of production schedules, call sheets and storyboards?

• Did you complete diaries and/or ‘progression so far’ posts? Why was this important in terms of planning both pieces of coursework?

• Have you used any of the research and planning skills in other products?

•How did you present your primary and secondary research on your blogs? We are talking about enhancing CREATIVITY and USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

•Did your presentation of audience feedback for example become more creative through your increased use of digital technology available for embedding on the blogs (onlinecharttool)??? Slideshow of storyboards???

•Again, did your knowledge of referencing grow? Did this allow you to become more knowledgeable of presentation skills? i.e did your present research findings in slideshow format?

6. Presentation of Research and Planning

Please think of all the above questions as part of your 750 write

up.• There is a choice of two questions:

1. Detail how your understanding of the importance of good research and planning skills developed throughout the pre-production of your AS and A2 coursework.

2. How did your knowledge of digital technology to aid your research and planning skills throughout the pre-production of your AS and A2 coursework?