Task+-+Media+Investigation

=Assessment Component 3 - Media Investigation=

This assessment component is designed to assess primarily Learning Outcomes 1, 2, and 3. It is weighted at 30%. In this assessment component you undertake an independent investigation of a current media issue and present your findings in a written report. The focus of the investigation is the cultural, political, or economic impact of media on contemporary society. Through the investigative process you develop skills in selecting and synthesising information from a range of primary and secondary sources. You use your skills of critical analysis to review, interpret, and evaluate information and viewpoints. You use data from these sources to reach a logically developed conclusion.

You should use the key media concepts (media representations, media conventions, media organisations, and media audiences) to develop an appropriate topic for your media investigation. These concepts are outlined in the ‘Scope’ section. There is no list of prescribed topics for the media investigation; teachers are encouraged to negotiate a suitable topic with you. The following list of suggested topics is not exhaustive and you should not be constrained by the range represented: · The impact of the digital revolution on the entertainment industry. · The potential contribution of creative industries to national and state economies. · The extent to which media challenge or confirm cultural values. · The role of media in forming youth identity. · Media audiences — how they are created and how they can resist.

The topic that you develop for the media investigation should have been the subject of public debate or coverage within the previous 12 months. You should formulate a question to be addressed in the media investigation. The report should have an introduction in which the methods and sources used are listed. The findings of the investigation should be outlined and substantiated in the body of the report.

The report for the media investigation could take one of the following forms: · Predominantly written, incorporating visual elements such as graphs, charts, images, or films or · Produced and presented in a multimedia format. The report should be up to a maximum of 2000 words (refer to page 28 for information on the SACE Word-count Policy) or the equivalent in a multimedia format.

Criteria for Judging Performance
 Your performance in the media investigation will be judged by the extent to which you demonstrate:

Research
 · To what extent did you collect relevant primary and secondary sources that situate the media investigation in current debates? · How well do you examine sources for bias, relevance, and credibility? · To what extent do you demonstrate independent research and referencing skills?

Understanding
 · How well do you identify and understand the current media issue that is the focus of the investigation? · How well do you identify the facts, opinions, bias, value judgments, breadth of representation, and/or propaganda aspects of the views expressed?

Analysis
 · How well do you use analytical skills in investigating a current media issue? · How insightful are your analysis and interpretation of the information gathered? · To what extent do you consider different views?

Evaluation
 · How thoroughly do you discuss the debate aspects of the media issue? · How successfully do you make reasoned judgments on the findings of the investigation?

Communication
 · How clearly do you present your conclusions to the analysis of the media issue examined in the investigation? · How coherently, logically, and concisely do you produce and present the report?