Paper 2. Section A: Music

MUSIC MAGAZINES: MOJO magazine

For the topic of Music magazines, you will be looking at aspects of representation and media language, as well as the magazine industry and its audience.

Your case of study will be the music magazine MOJO.

Exam paper example

  1. You can find an example of Paper 2_Music and News in the link below. THIS IS NOT A REAL PAPER AND YOU WILL SEE THAT SOME CASES OF STUDY DON’T CORRESPOND TO THE ONES THAT YOU WILL NEED TO USE IN YOUR PAPER. However, the questions are good examples of the type of questions you may be asked in your exam. Also, the structure of the exam (sections, insert materials, questions, etc.) is the same to the exam you will have to sit.
  2. Read questions 1 to 5 (Section A: Music). This will help you to identify the type of questions you may be asked, and how many marks are each one of them worth.
  3. Included in this document you can also find the mark scheme for this paper. This will help you to self-assess this practice paper once you attempt to answer its questions as well as help you to understand what content you may include in your answers.
  4. The last document is an example of different answers for this paper marked by the examiner, so you can see how a top marks answer looks like.
Paper 2_Music and news_example paperDownload
Paper 2_Music and news_example paper insertDownload
Paper 2_Music and news_example answersDownload

December 2018 exam example

In the documents attached below you can find the December 2018 exam with its marking scheme, so you can see what the examiner will be looking for in your answers. Please read the questions and the marking scheme and use this example paper when working on your exam preparation.

Paper 2_Exam_December 2018Download
Paper 2_Exam insert_December 2018Download
Paper 2_Mark scheme_December 2018Download

June 2019 exam and example answers

In the documents attached below you can find the June 2019 exam with example answers which have been marked by the examiner, so you can see how a top marks answer looks like, as well as the examiner’s comments and report, so you can see what the examiner will be looking for in your answers. Please read the questions and the answers and refer to these examples when working on your exam preparation tasks.

Paper 2_Exam_June 2019Download
Paper 2_Exam insert_June 2019Download
Paper 2_Example answers_June 2019Download
Paper 2_Examiner’s report_June 2019Download

November 2020 exam example

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November 2021 exam example

november-2021-question-paper-music-and-newsDownload
november-2021-question-paper-music-and-news-insertDownload
november-2021-mark-scheme-music-and-newsDownload

June 2022 exam example

j200-02-qp-jun22Download
j200-02-ins-jun22Download
j200-02_ms_jun22Download

Exam preparation task:

  1. Read the PowerPoint presentation below.
  2. Highlight the main facts and relevant information about the topic (MOJO magazine and Music magazines and media language).
  3. Take notes on the highlighted facts and relevant information.
  4. Answer the exam style questions in the presentation below.
  5. Answer the questions in the PowerPoint presentation below.
  6. Answer the exam style questions in the PowerPoint presentation at the bottom of the page.

Task: Music magazines and media language

L.O.: To understand how music magazines use media language to construct representation.
Task:

  1. Read the attached PowerPoint.
  2. Try to answer the exam question in slide 8 of attached the PowerPoint:

How far is media language used similarly and differently in the extracts from Mojo and We Love Pop magazines to address their target audiences and reflect genre conventions? In your answer you must:

  • Analyse examples of how media language is used differentlyin both extracts to fit different target audiences.
  • Make judgements and reach conclusions about whether there are more similarities due to genre conventions than differences in the extracts.

MUSIC VIDEOS

Topic 1: Music videos, media language and representation

L.O.: To learn about the use of audiovisual media language in music videos to construct representation. 

For the Music videos topic, you will be looking at aspects of representation and media language, as well as music videos audiences in their socio-cultural contexts.

Task 1:

Read the pages 75-76 in the GCSE Media studies textbook and using the notes from the lesson answer the questions below::

  1. What is the purpose of music videos? Why are they made?
  2. State the three genres of music videos.
  3. What term describes a mixing of genres?
  4. State two generic conventions of music videos.

Task 2:

  1. Watch all of these four videos.
  2. Choose one set of videos out of the two.
  3. Complete the tasks set below (Topic 1: Music videos, media language and representation and Topic 2: Music videos and audience)

Task 3: Complete the following task:

  1. Read the documents below each set of music videos (Media language and representation comparison grids) and:
  2. Using the Music videos analysis template 1 attached below, make a list of similarities (comparison) and differences (contrast) in the use of media language to construct representation.
  3. Take your notes on media language in the first grid (Media language)and your notes on representation in the second grid (Representation)

Set 1: Tinie Tempah ft. Jess Glynne Not Letting Go (Performance) vs. Paloma Faith Picking Up the Pieces (Narrative+performance)

Tinie Tempah ft. Jess Glynne – Not Letting Go
Paloma Faith – Picking Up the Pieces
Set 1_Media language comparison grid
Set 1_Representation comparison grid

Set 2: Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars Uptown Funk (Performance) vs. Beyoncé If I Were a Boy (Narrative+performance)

Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
Beyoncé – If I Were A Boy
Set 2_Media language comparison grid
Set 2_Representation comparison grid

Task 3:

  1. Choose one set of videos (either the two videos from Set 1 or the two videos from Set 2)
  2. Using the Music videos analysis template in Task 2, make a list of similarities (comparison) and differences (contrast) in the use of media language to construct representation.
  3. Take your notes on media language in the first grid (Media language) and your notes on representation in the second grid (Representation)
Music videos analysis templateDownload
Media language and representation Download

Question 1: Answer the following question:

Explain one way that music videos use audio-visual media language to differ from one another. Refer to one example of contrasting audio-visual media language in the following set of two music videos to support your answer. (Question 2. 4 marks. Example answers can be found in the sample example paper published at the top of this page)

Question 2: Using your notes and your answer to Question 1, answer the following question:

Explain how music videos use representations to create difference. (Question 3. 10 marks. Example answers can be found in the June 2019 paper published at the top of this page)

Topic 2: Music videos and audience

L.O.: To learn how different music videos target different audiences. 

For this exam topic, we are looking at how different music videos target different audiences.

  1. Read the pages 80- 81 (section Audience identity and interpretation) in the GCSE Media studies textbook.
  2. Revise the Uses and Gratifications Theory (you can click on that link to go to the resources for Lesson 5_Audience theory: The Uses and Gratifications theory or visit the Audience section in this websiteand scroll down to Lesson 5_Audience theory: The Uses and Gratifications theory.

Task 1: Answer the questions below:

  1. What are the uses and gratifications for music video audiences? Explain your answer.
  2. How can audiences use music videos to reinforce a sense of personal identity?
  3. How can audiences use music videos for integration and social interaction?

MUSIC RADIO

For the topic of Music radio, you will be looking at the relationship between the radio industry and its audience, in its socio-cultural context. You will be studying the BBC as a public broadcast service, as oposed to commercial radio stations such as Kiss FM or Absolute Radio (both owned by Bauer)

You must understand the BBC’s purpose as a public broadcast service according to the BBC’s remit.

Your case of study is the BBC 1 Live Lounge radio program. You can listen to it and watch it here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07mypvd, here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p01029mq/radio-1s-live-lounge , and here: https://www.youtube.com/user/bbcradio1/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=27

Music radio fact sheet

Task:

  1. Read this factsheet and highlight the most important information in it.
  2. Take notes of the points that you have highlighted.
  3. Answer the exam style questions in the PowerPoint presentation at the bottom of the page.
Radio industry and audience Radio 1 Live LoungeDownload

MUSIC: Exam style questions

NOW TEST YOURSELF (Answers)

Paper 2_Section A_MusicDownload

BIBLIOGRAPHY

In combination with the resources published by the exam board (fact sheets), we will be using the following textbook, published by Hodder. Copies are available at the Learning Resources Centre and classroom, but you are recommended to buy your own one for your personal use:

Aaron French, Eileen Lewis, Michael Rodgers, Rebecca Morris. My Revision Notes: OCR GCSE (9–1) Media Studies. Hodder education. 2018.

https://www.hoddereducation.co.uk/subjects/media-studies/products/14-16/my-revision-notes-ocr-gcse-(9%e2%80%931)-media-studies