December Mock Exam: Learner Response

 December Mock Exam: Learner Response Blog Tasks

1) Type up any feedback on your paper (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential). If you only have marks and a grade on the paper, write a WWW/Next Steps yourself based on your scores.

WWW: strong responses for Q4 and 1.4 with lots of knowledge and examples

NEXT STEPS: ensure I focus most of my time on the 20 markers

2) Use the mark scheme for this Paper 2 mock (posted on GC) to read the answers AQA were looking for. First, write down a definition and example of non-diegetic sound (Q1.1 and 1.2). 

Sounds that can be heard by the audience and characters within the story, e.g. dialogue

3) Next, identify three points you could have made in Q1.3 - camerawork and the extract. Look for the indicative content in the mark scheme - these are the suggested answers from AQA.

• Camera angle is used in an interesting way in the extract. Will is often shown from a low angle which should suggest power or dominance. However, his expression and body language is very timid so in fact seems to further emphasise Lyra’s confidence. When Lyra is sitting at the table, the camera is deliberately placed at Lyra’s level so she is not presented as weak or vulnerable.
• Will’s suggestion that they work together is made while Lyra is shown in a medium close-up over-the-shoulder shot. This allows the audience to see her reaction – a slight smile that suggests she is in favour of the suggestion and grateful to have an ally after a lot of time alone.
• As Lyra walks into the house, the camera moves backwards with her – a faster-paced dolly shot to signal to the audience that things are changing, the relationship is moving on. Will is left out of focus and trying to keep up – once again communicating to the audience the power imbalance in Lyra’s favour.

4) Now look at Q1.4 in the mark scheme - pick out two points from the mark scheme that you could have included in your answer.

• Lyra’s costume subverts feminine stereotypes. It is blue, practical and does not emphasise her figure or draw attention. It helps to establish Lyra as a practical, confident character who is used to surviving on her own.
• However, there is perhaps one exception to this when Will suggests that they work together. Lyra is shown responding with a slight smile that suggests she is in favour of them teaming up and perhaps therefore removes a little of her independence.

5) Look at Q2 - the 20-mark essay on representations of age and social and cultural contexts. Pick out three points from the mark scheme that you didn't include in your answer.

• In HDM it is the teens/young adults who lead the way in driving the narrative forward. The adults tend to accept their more peripheral roles or discuss the prophecy that revolves around Lyra. The teens are proactive, and the adults react.
• Many of the Doctor’s characteristics are stereotypical features of old age: eccentricity, grumpiness and short temper.
• Susan is a stereotypical loner. Although she claims to like the school, she is not seen to engage with other pupils and they laugh at her mistakes (eg re decimal currency).

6) Turning your attention to Section B, write a definition and example of user-generated content - use the mark scheme to check it.

Content created by real people that use online accounts (users)

7) Look at Q4 - the 20-mark essay on the power of influencers. Pick out three points from the mark scheme that you didn't include in your own answer. 

• Marcus Rashford demonstrates this with his commercial partnerships with Burberry, Nike, Coca-Cola and more. The fact he appeals to such mainstream brands is evidence of his power in the digital age
• Kim Kardashian’s net worth has been estimated at $1.7 BILLION. This is from The Kardashians TV show on Hulu ($100m deal) alongside her brands SKIMS, KKW Beauty and many more
• Marcus Rashford’s Instagram engagement rate of 6% is exceptionally high. With more than 15m followers on Instagram this means an incredible number of ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ on his post. This boosts Rashford’s power and influence – and makes him even more appealing for mainstream brands and commercial partners

8) Now look at Q5 - the 20-mark essay on regulation and the internet. Again, pick out three points from the mark scheme that you didn't include in your own answer.

• an unregulated internet preserves the freedom of speech in a medium to which almost half the world's population has access
• education is more important than regulation, children need to be taught how to use social media and the internet safely in order to benefit from the huge advantages

9) On a scale of 1-10 (1 = low, 10 = high), how much revision and preparation did you do for your Media mock exam? Be honest here - it's a good chance to think about how to approach the next set of mock exams.

6 (7)

10) List three key things you want to revise before the next mock exams in February (e.g. particular CSPs, terminology, exam technique etc.)

• OSP statistics
• audience effects theories
• structuring 20 markers