ocr media studies a level coursework mark scheme

(OCR) A-Level Media Studies

Introduction.

If you want to become more confident in discussing ideas and important issues, learn more about how producers communicate ideas to the audience, and show off your practical skills by devising and creating your own media production, then you really need to pick A Level Media Studies. OCR’s specification gives you lots of opportunities to apply critical and theoretical frameworks to media texts so you can develop your understanding of their impact on the world.

This overview of the specification includes information about what to expect int the exam and some thoughts about the coursework (NEA).

Summary of Assessment

There are two examination papers, both worth 35% of the overall grade, and a cross-media product which makes up the final 30%.

Media Messages

Media Messages is the first paper. There are 70 marks available, the exam lasts for 2 hours and it is divided into two sections.

Section A: News and Online Media

This section focuses on contemporary news in the UK. You need to explore how and why newspapers continue to evolve as media products and analyse the relationship between both online and offline news. You are expected to study:

• two front covers and one complete edition of The Daily Mail
• two front covers and one complete edition of The Guardian
• at least two articles from both The Mail Online and The Guardian websites.

Section B: Media Language and Representation

Once again, OCR sets which media texts for study, but they will be in the following forms: magazines, advertising, and marketing and music videos.

• Old Spice advertisement
• Lucozade advertisement
• Shelter advertisement
• The Big Issue

You need to choose one text from List A

• Corinne Bailey Rae – Stop Where You Are
• Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
• Emeli Sandé – Heaven

You also need to pick a music video from List B

• Fatboy Slim – Ya Mama
• Radiohead – Burn the Witch
• David Guetta – Titanium

Evolving Media

The second paper is called Evolving Media. It is marked out of 70 and the exam lasts for 2 hours. Again, there are two sections.

Section A: Media Industries and Audiences

• The Jungle Book (1967) and The Jungle Book (2016)
• One complete episode of the BBC Radio One Breakfast Show

Section B: Long Form Television Drama

You must study two complete episodes of the television dramas listed below. Pick one US English Language programme form List A and one European non-English language show from List B:

• House of Cards
• Stranger Things
• The Killing
• Deutschland 83

Making Media (NEA)

One of the reasons why students are attracted to the subject is the opportunity to create a cross-media product. Your responses are marked out of 60 and the results makes up 30% of the total A level.

You are expected to complete a Statement of Intent which outlines how your products demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the key concepts in media studies. If you would like know more about this part of the Making Media component, you should look at our statement of intent examples . Your response should be around 500 words.

The NEA briefs are set by OCR and they change each year. However, you will have to satisfy certain requirements for each media form if you want to achieve the top marks. For example, if you are expected to deliver a television extract, it needs to last three minutes. Anything less than that amount could cost you marks.

For more information about the length and scope of each product, you should read our guide to the indicative content . We have suggested amounts for websites, magazines, newspapers, film trailers, advertisements and other media forms.

OCR A2 Level

Media Studies

Past papers and mark schemes.

The following pdf files from OCR’s website will open in new tabs.

Further Reading

(AQA) A-Level Media Studies

WJEC – A Level

WJEC – GCSE

Thanks for reading!

Recently Added

Rule of Thirds

The Classification of Advertisements

Narrative Functions

Key concepts.

• Moral Panic

The Characteristics of Postmodernism

Structuralism and the Media

• The Study of Signs
• Ferdinand de Saussure and Signs
• Roland Barthes
• Charles Peirce’s Sign Categories
• Jean Baudrillard’s Simulacra and Simulation
• Binary Opposition
• Vladimir Propp
• Tzvetan Todorov
• Quest Plots
• Barthes’ 5 Narrative Codes
• Key Concepts in Genre
• David Gauntlett and Identity
• Paul Gilroy
• Liesbet van Zoonen
• The Male Gaze
• The Bechdel Test
• bell hooks and Intersectionality
• The Cultural Industries
• Hypodermic Needle Theory
• Two-Step Flow Theory
• Cultivation Theory
• Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory
• Abraham Maslow
• Uses and Gratifications
• Camera Shots
• Indicative Content
• Statement of Intent
• AQA A-Level
• Exam Practice

Programmes & Qualifications

Cambridge international as & a level media studies (9607).

• Past papers, examiner reports and specimen papers

You can download one or more papers for a previous session. Please note that these papers may not reflect the content of the current syllabus.

Unlock more content

This is only a selection of our papers. Registered Cambridge International Schools can access the full catalogue of teaching and learning materials including papers from 2018 through our School Support Hub .

Past papers

• -->June 2022 Mark Scheme Paper 21 (PDF, 224KB)
• -->June 2022 Mark Scheme Paper 41 (PDF, 222KB)

Examiner reports

• -->June 2022 Examiner Report (PDF, 2MB)

Specimen papers

• -->2021 Specimen Paper 2 Mark Scheme (PDF, 943KB)
• -->2021 Specimen Paper 4 Mark Scheme (PDF, 903KB)

Stay up to date

Sign up for updates about changes to the syllabuses you teach

• Syllabus overview
• Published resources

This website works best with JavaScript switched on. Please enable JavaScript

• Centre Services
• Associate Extranet
• All About Maths

A-level Media Studies

• Specification
• Teaching resources
• Assessment resources
• Introduction
• Specification at a glance
• Close study products (CSPs)
• Contexts of the media
• Extended response and synopticity
• Media language
• Media representation
• Media industries
• Media audiences

Non-exam assessment (NEA)

• Scheme of assessment
• Non-exam assessment administration
• General administration

• music video
• advertising/marketing
• online, social and participatory media
• video games
• communicate meaning to an intended audience.

To complete the NEA, students must independently create a cross-media production in response to a brief set by AQA. AQA will release six briefs on 1 March in the year preceding the exam via Secure Key Materials. These briefs will change  annually . The briefs will be linked to the A-level Media Studies CSPs. AQA will specify the media form and the intended audience for the media products. The media products that are devised and realised by the student must communicate meaning to a specified audience, draw on what they know and understand about the theoretical framework of media studies and demonstrate understanding of the digitally convergent nature of media products.

The Marking criteria detail what students will be expected to demonstrate and provide evidence of when completing the NEA task. Additional task-specific content will be issued with each of the briefs. Please refer to Non-exam assessment administration for more information about the instructions for conducting the NEA.

The Statement of Intent

Students must complete a Statement of Intent that outlines how they have applied their knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework to their media product. This must be submitted to AQA with the media product.

This Statement of Intent should be a maximum of 500 words long and it should be submitted to the teacher no later than 1 April in the year of assessment. The template for the Statement of Intent will be supplied by AQA in the NEA Student Booklet along with the briefs.

Size and duration of products

Each brief will specify the required length, amount or duration of the media product that must be created.

Unassessed participants

• appear in their media products
• operate equipment under the direction of the assessed student.

All unassessed participants involved in the products must be listed on the Candidate Record Form (CRF). Assessed students can only be credited for work they have undertaken themselves or has been completed under their direction. Students and teachers will be required to sign the CRF to confirm that this is the case.

Credit can only be given for contributions made by unassessed participants under the clear direction of the assessed student. Details of what each of the unassessed participants contributed to the product and how the assessed student directed that contribution should be listed on the Candidate Record Form.

Time spent on NEA

There is no limit to the amount of time that students can spend on their NEA but we recommend they spend around 30 hours on the physical creation of their products. It should be noted that excessive time spent on this component in the classroom could be detrimental to the overall attainment of the students. Teachers should strike a balance between the completion of the NEA and preparation for the examined components. Additionally, demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework is key to success in the NEA so time spent teaching the framework will inform the development of the NEA products.

Use of non-original material

With the exception of musical performances, students should not use any non-original material in their media products. All images, footage and text is to be created by the student. If a student does use any non-original images, footage or text, they should be aware that their marks will be limited by the marking criteria (see Guidance on applying the marking criteria ). They must acknowledge any non-original material on the Candidate Record Form.

Students do not have to write and record their own musical performances, either to use as part of a soundtrack or in a music video. Musical tracks that they use should be acknowledged on the Candidate Record Form.

Websites and video games

For briefs where website or video game creation is required, students do not need to be able to code. Students can use website design apps, online templates and game design software. Students are responsible for the design of the website or game and the content (such as language, images, audio-visual material) must be created by the student. Students must acknowledge any software or templates which have been used on the appropriate Candidate Record Form.

Marking criteria

Guidance on applying the marking criteria.

Level of response marking instructions are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level.

Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s media product, review the product and annotate it and/or make notes on it to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the marking criteria.

Start at the lowest level of the marking criteria and use it as a ladder to see whether the product meets the descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s product for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the product.

You can compare your student’s product with the standardisation examples to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse.

When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the product. If the product covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the product to help decide the mark within the level, ie if the product is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content.

• Level 5: Both products within the cross-media brief are completed to an equal standard.
• Level 4: Both products within the cross-media brief are be completed to a generally equal standard, although one product may be slightly better than the other.
• Level 3: Both products within the cross-media brief are be completed, but one product may be better than the other.
• Level 2: Both products within the cross-media brief are attempted, but one product may be significantly better than the other.
• Level 1: Only one of the cross-media products may be attempted.

If a student submits a Statement of Intent with no accompanying media products then this should be awarded a mark of zero.

If a student creates an audio-visual product that is longer than the stipulated duration then you should only mark the work that falls within the time limit.

If a student creates a print or online product that exceeds the stipulated length or amount then you should mark all of the pages and only give credit for the best pages up to the number of pages stipulated in the brief.

If a product is shorter than the stipulated size or duration then no penalty is to be applied as the work is likely to be self-penalising – particularly in relation to the Effectiveness and engagement with industry and audience section.

If a student has used any non-original images, footage or text or has failed to clearly demonstrate how they directed the activity of any unassessed participants in the media product then they should not be awarded marks above Level 2 in the Effectiveness and engagement with industry and audience section of the marking criteria.

Statement of intent

Students will be expected to complete and submit a statement of intent which includes their interpretation of the brief, the research they have done, how that research has informed their ideas and the strength of the ideas they have developed.

The statement of intent should be submitted to the teacher in April before the submission of the final product. It should then be submitted to the moderator along with the students' final products.

Media Language

In this section students will be rewarded for the degree of expertise they demonstrate in using media language within the chosen media form.

Media Representations

In this section students will be rewarded for the degree of expertise they demonstrate in creating and using appropriate representations within the chosen media form.

Effectiveness and engagement with industry and audience

In this section students will be rewarded for how well their media product communicates meanings, reflect the industry specified in the brief, whether or not they have met the requirements stipulated in the brief and the extent to which they have exploited the potential for digital convergence. Teachers/assessors are to use their professional judgement rather than looking for evidence of testing the product on a live audience.

OCR homepage

Administration

• Active Results
• Interchange
• Submit for Assessment
• Teach Cambridge
• ExamBuilder
• Online Support Centre

Main navigation

As and a level film studies - h010, h410.

Full assessment teaching materials, including secure assessment materials, are now only available on Teach Cambridge. Examples are shown below.

Question papers, mark schemes and reports

2022 - june series.

• Question Paper - Film history H410/01 - PDF 856KB
• Mark scheme - Film history H0410/01 - PDF 531KB
• Examiners' report - Film history H410/01 - PDF 1MB
• Question Paper - Critical approaches to film H410/02 - PDF 875KB
• Mark scheme - Critical approaches to film H0410/02 - PDF 496KB
• Examiners' report - Critical approaches to film H410/02 - PDF 2MB
• Moderators' report - Making short film H410/03/04 - PDF 384KB
• Modified Papers ZIP 2MB

2021 - November series

• Question paper - Film history H410/01 - PDF 855KB
• Mark scheme - Film history H410/01 - PDF 501KB
• Question paper - Critical approaches to film H410/02 - PDF 887KB
• Mark scheme - Critical approaches to film H410/02 - PDF 468KB
• Modified papers H410/01/02 - ZIP 2MB

2020 - November series

• Question paper - Film history H410/01 - PDF 1MB
• Mark scheme - Film history H410/01 - PDF 473KB
• Question paper - Critical approaches to film H410/02 - PDF 1MB
• Mark scheme - Critical approaches to film H410/02 - PDF 494KB
• Modified papers H410/01/02 - ZIP 3MB

2019 - June series

• Question Paper - Film history H410/01 - PDF 1MB
• Mark scheme - Film history H0410/01 - PDF 554KB
• Examiners' report - Film history H410/01 - PDF 702KB
• Question Paper - Critical approaches to film H410/02 - PDF 1MB
• Mark scheme - Critical approaches to film H0410/02 - PDF 555KB
• Examiners' report - Critical approaches to film H410/02 - PDF 820KB
• Modified Papers ZIP 6MB

Sample assessment materials

Marking instructions are included at the beginning of specimen assessment material mark schemes and were accurate at the time of publication. Marking instructions may be revised in live papers as appropriate during the lifetime of the qualification.

We're currently revising our SAMs to update third-party copyright agreements. For question examples see our question papers, marks schemes and reports.

• Film history H410/01 - Sample question paper and mark scheme. PDF 433KB
• Film history H410/01 - Annotated sample assessment material PPTX 337KB
• Critical approaches to film H410/02 - Sample question paper and mark scheme. PDF 1MB
• Critical approaches to film H410/02 - Annotated sample assessment material PPTX 766KB
• Question paper - Elements of film H010/01 - PDF 869KB
• Mark scheme - Elements of film H010/01 - PDF 1MB
• Modified papers H010 - ZIP 1MB
• Question paper - Elements of film H010/01 - PDF 862KB
• Mark scheme - Elements of film H010/01 - PDF 460KB
• Question paper - Elements of film H010/01 - PDF 1MB
• Mark scheme - Elements of film H010/01 - PDF 525KB
• Examiners' report - Elements of film H010/01 - PDF 1MB
• Elements of film H010/01 - Sample question paper and mark scheme. PDF 1MB
• Elements of film H010/01 - Annotated sample assessment material PPTX 476KB

NEA support for teachers

For free online courses to support marking and moderation sign into My Cambridge and click OCR Train. If you need a login, ask your exams officer.

• Eduqas Home chevron_right
• Qualifications

AS/A Level Media Studies

For help with e-submission process click here.

Amended question numbering in exam paper and separate answer booklet provided – see Sample Assessment Materials for AS and A level , and Answer Booklet in the Sample Assessment Materials tab below.

Please see our  e-Submissions centre guidance , Media Studies NEA e-Submission Guide , email:  [email protected] , or phone  029 2240 4310 .

Apply now and join our team of examiners.

*Subject dependent, based on marking a full allocation and completion of training (which we pay you to attend).

• Key Documents
• Past Papers / Mark Schemes

The Eduqas AS & A level in media studies offers learners the opportunity to develop a thorough and in depth understanding of key issues, using a comprehensive theoretical framework and a variety of advanced theoretical approaches and theories to support critical exploration and reflection, analysis and debate. The study of a wide range of rich and stimulating media products is central to the specification, offering opportunities for detailed analysis of how the media communicate meanings in a variety of forms. Learners will work from the product outwards to debate key critical questions related to the social, cultural, political and economic role of the media. Through studying media products holistically in relation to all areas of the theoretical framework, learners will engage with the dynamic relationships between media products, media industries and audiences. Learners will also consider established media forms alongside more contemporary forms, developing an awareness of emerging and evolving media.

Although the primary emphasis in this specification is on the contemporary media, learners will explore how the products relate to their wider historical contexts. Learners will also extend their experience of the media through the study of products with which they may be less familiar, including those produced by or for a minority group, non-mainstream and non-English language products. This specification aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the transnational nature of the media, considering the effect of different national contexts on representations in media products, the global reach of media industries, and the targeting of audiences on a national and global scale.

Choice and flexibility are a vital part of the specification, enabling teachers to select the most appropriate, relevant and engaging products for their learners to study in Component 2.

This specification also recognises the fundamental relationship between theoretical understanding and practical work, providing learners with exciting opportunities to develop media production skills in different forms, apply their knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework to media forms and products, and become creators of meaning themselves. Learners will be offered a choice of briefs and forms within which to work, enabling them to explore and pursue their own media interests.

The Eduqas AS & A level in Media Studies offers a broad, engaging and stimulating course of study which enables learners to:

• Demonstrate skills of enquiry, critical thinking, decision-making and analysis
• Demonstrate a critical approach to media issues
• Demonstrate appreciation and critical understanding of the media and their role both historically and currently in society, culture, politics and the economy
• Develop an understanding of the dynamic and changing relationships between media forms, products, industries and audiences
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the global nature of the media
• Apply theoretical knowledge and specialist subject specific terminology to analyse and compare media products and the contexts in which they are produced and consumed
• Make informed arguments, reach substantiated judgements and draw conclusions about media issues
• Engage in critical debate about academic theories used in media studies
• Appreciate how theoretical understanding supports practice and practice supports theoretical understanding
• Demonstrate sophisticated practical skills by providing opportunities for creative media production.

Any requirements set for entry to a course following this specification are at the discretion of centres. It is reasonable to assume that many learners will have achieved qualifications equivalent to Level 2 at KS4. Skills in literacy and analysis will provide a good basis for progression to this Level 3 qualification. Some learners will have already gained knowledge, understanding, and skills through their study of GCSE media studies .

Why choose Eduqas?

• A choice of options for production
• A choice of options for the set products/texts
• Topics and products/texts chosen to appeal to students
• Creative work which is central to the course
• Unlimited access to free resources
• Face-to-face professional learning courses
• Uniform design across GCSE, AS and A level to allow for coherent progression
• Flexibility for teachers to choose relevant and appropriate texts/products
• Direct access to Subject specialists
• Support from our  Regional Representatives

Important information, past papers, marking schemes, entry/amendment uploads & make post-results enquiries.

Grade boundaries are the minimum number of marks needed to achieve each grade.

• Digital Resources
• Online Exam Review

Discover FREE Digital Resources!

Unlock your learners’ potential with an impressive range of FREE digital resources, teaching tools and materials.

View resources

WJEC/EDUQAS ENDORSED TITLES

WJEC/EDUQAS NON-ENDORSED TITLES

Access a collection of interactive units that bring together a number of elements including general data, exam questions, their marking schemes and examiner comments, which will lead you through a review of exam questions.

Visit OER website

• Upcoming Courses
• Materials from previous events

Download your free Guide to Switching! 

This is a hidden field that will be populated via javascript in preparation for submission to Campaign Monitor letting you know the name of the document the user downloaded