MIGRAIN October assessment learner response

FEEDBACK

1) Type up feedback in full

Total = 36 = B

WWW:
This is one of the best Autumn assessments I've read - seriously impressive! Real insight shown, confident use of theory to support points, good depth to your analysis.

EBI:
> Perhaps just exam technique + timing... you needed a little more for the genre question (another paragraph and more theory - Neale, Chandler, Abercrombie)
> Q2 could have offered a little more comparison

2/3) Identify at least one potential point that you missed out on for each question in the assessment.

Q2:
> Similar themes of determination
> Both dressed for an urban environment

Q3:
> Neale's repetition and difference: Allows producers to evolve genre + maintain audiences.
> Abercrombie: "Sound economic sense", "loyal audience"

Q4:> Preferred: Can trust this magazine, know what they're talking about, trend setters
> Oppositional: Arrogant, negative black/youth stereotypes, hand gesture = gang sign

4) Did you get any media terminology or theory wrong in the assessment? Make a note of it here for future revision, including theories/terminology that you could have used but didn't.

Q3:
Tolson: genre "mediates between industry and audience
Neale's repetition and difference
Schatz's genre of order + intergration
Abercrombie: "exploit conventions"

5) Identify your strongest question. Why did you do better on this question?

Question 1: Full marks. I cited the 3 different narrative theorists and covered a large range of points.

6) Identify your weakest question. Why did you score lower on this particular task?

Question 3: I had trouble remembering the specific names and details of genre theories/theorists regarding genre.

7) Re-write your weakest answer in full (or, if it was the essay question, write out a full essay plan). Use the mark scheme to identify anticipated content you can add to your response and make sure your typed re-draft is a top-level answer.

Genre is important for media producers as it allows them to exploit the interests of certain audiences and also allows their content to remain interesting. Schatz suggested that genre goes through a cycle; innovation, classical, parody and deconstruction. After media codes are established and repeated for a genre, they begin to become parodies and cliched as the conventions are oversaturated. This is important for media producers as it allows them to consistently create successful media by treading familiar ground that they know is popular.
Genre is also important in allowing media producers to create a profitable product that attracts an audience: Abercrombie suggests that “television producers set out to exploit genre conventions [as] it makes sound economic sense.” This is further backed up by Neale declaring that “difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre.” Neale’s theory of repetition and difference suggests that genre allows producers to evolve genre and maintain audiences. Audiences will go into a piece of media with pre-determined conventions and expectations for the genre, such as themes or structure. Chandler called these “conventions of content,” implying that audiences that disliked certain conventions of a genre will know not to consume media of that genre again.

8) Email your re-written answer (7) to the next person below you on the blog list. Ask them to provide a WWW/EBI response before next Friday and then include this underneath your answer on your blog. 

WWW: This is an outstanding answer and would certainly be top level - excellent use of your notes and the mark scheme to deliver this!

EBI: You could potentially discuss the importance of genre for audience pleasures - there is a significant pleasure for audiences in having expectations satisfied which genre allows. Also, make your paragraphs clearer - it will make it easier for examiners to see you have covered all aspects of the question.