Semester 1 Exam Prep

Our Semester 1 Exam will be 2.5 hrs long.  Answer the questions according to the following instructions. 

Section One: Short answer                                                                                          30%  (22 marks)

There are five questions in this section. You are required to answer two questions.

You should refer to at least one media work you have studied during the year in your responses and use relevant media terminology and/or appropriate media language.

Supplementary pages for planning/continuing your answers to questions are provided at the end of this Question/Answer booklet. If you use these pages to continue an answer, indicate at the original answer where the answer is continued, i.e., give the page number.

Suggested working time: 30 minutes.

Section Two: Extended answer 70%  40 Marks) 

There are five questions in this section. You are required to answer two questions. 

This section requires you to use extended answer form to answer the questions. Extended answers include but are not limited to conventional essay format; answers can use lists and dot points if they are appropriate to your answer. 

Justify your choices with evidence from any media work you have studied and other relevant information, referring to specific examples, using relevant media terminology and/or appropriate media language. 

Supplementary pages for planning/continuing your answers to questions are provided at the end of this Question/Answer booklet. If you use these pages to continue an answer, indicate at the original answer where the answer is continued, i.e. give the page number. 

Suggested working time: 120 minutes. 

As in our previous extended answer responses, these questions ask you to analyse a statement, with reference to media work.  The statements you will analyse are usually quite complex - to do with the relationships between media makers, aspects of production, and audiences.

Remember the structure we have been practicing.  

● Construct an overview of media work that appropriately relates to the question. (2 paragraphs)

● Summarise the relationships. (2 paragraphs)

● Discuss in detail the relationship between the media makers and the aspects of production.  (3 or 4 paragraphs)

● Analyse how it relates to audience.  (3 or 4 paragraphs)

IMPORTANT TIPS

• During reading time, decide which questions you are going to answer, and start a mental note of dot points that will help you structure your argument.

• Spend one minute writing the dot points  for each question as part of your answer - leave enough space to write the whole essay.  Return to these any time you have fresh ideas, even if you're in the middle of writing another answer.

• If you're running out of time, quickly jot down everything you can think of that relates to the answer.

• Don't under any circumstances, leave the exam early.  You will inevitably have more ideas you can add to your answers.