ND Media Production Y1

Semester 1 & 2 RESEARCH TECHNIQUES 2019-2020

U3: Research Techniques for the Creative Media Industries

Assignment Details Contents

Title: Research Techniques for the Creative Media This assignment brief covers the
Industries Outcomes 2&3, in both of which
Assessors: Faustina Starrett you must achieve a Pass. The brief
School: Media, Multimedia & Performing Arts outlines what you must do to
Programme Assignment number: 3 achieve a Pass, Merit, or
level: 3 Distinction. Read the Scenario and
Issue date: Interim hand-in (if applicable): N/A Tasks and follow them closely
10-01-2020 using the notes and guidelines
Feedback: Due: 20-03-2020 covered in class and resources
provided.
IV: IV dates: Brief 01/09/2019

Outcomes:
2 Be able to apply a range of research methods and techniques
3.Be able to present results of research
Overview:
The aim of this assignment is for the student to demonstrate an understanding of and skills in research relevant
to creative media production. Learners will present their findings in a formal written report and cite and
reference their sources

2 Be able to apply a range of research methods and techniques

Secondary research: quantitative research, eg programme ratings, readership circulation figures, hits on a
website, box office figures, sales of CDs and DVDs; qualitative research, eg film reviews, game reviews,fanzine
websites, attitudes to media products, responses to news coverage, responses to advertising campaigns,
searching internet forums
Primary research: quantitative research, eg questionnaires, surveys; qualitative research, eg interviews
(face-to-face, telephone, email), focus groups, participation in internet forums, audience panels; self
generated,eg observations, own video, audio or photographic records of events
Audience research: audience classification (socio-economic, geodemographic, psychographic,
ethnographic, age, gender, sexual orientation, occupation, education); media preferences; product
preferences; buying patterns
Market research: product market; competition; competitor analysis; advertising placement; advertising
effectiveness
Production research: content; resources, eg personnel, talent, finance, suppliers, facilities, locations,
logistical support; costs; viability; placement, eg publication, broadcast, webcast, podcast, audience
Interpreting results: collate; evaluate; summarise

3 Be able to present results of research

Format: written report; oral presentation, eg individual, group, PowerPoint, overhead transparencies,
multimedia, video diary, audio diary; illustration, eg graphs, pie charts, bar charts, graphics, video clips,
audio clips
Content: procedures; data; findings; conclusions; proposals
Quotation and reference: bibliography styles, eg Harvard, Modern Languages Association (MLA),
American Psychological Association (APA); quotation and citation; footnotes; acknowledgements;
credits;appendices; acknowledgement of copyright material, eg print, film, video, audio, photographs, published
letters; disclaimers
ND Media Production Y1
Semester 1 & 2 RESEARCH TECHNIQUES 2019-2020
U3: Research Techniques for the Creative Media Industries

Write Synopsis Summary reports for TWO OF YOUR

major Projects 2019-2020 including To achieve each outcome a
learner must demonstrate the
Biographical Sketch & Social Action Project AND/OR ability to:
BREXIT

Part 1
Explain the purpose and subject outline for your
Projects ( You can do each Project as separate reports )
P2 apply research methods
Part 2 and techniques with some
Describe and Illustrate how you have been able to apply a range of assistance
research methods and sources for developing your Projects with [IE]
illustrated examples from Industry sources and Examples
from your e-portfolio

Part 3 P3 present results of research

Results of Research
Discuss with examples from Industry sources and
Examples from your projects the format, content,
sources you used to complete your projects.

Merit Criteria Distinction Criteria

Merit: - Pass criteria plus following Distinction: - Merit criteria plus
following

M2 apply research methods and D2 apply research methods

techniques competently with and techniques to near professional
only occasional assistance standards
working independently to
M3 present results of research professional expectations
ND Media Production Y1
Semester 1 & 2 RESEARCH TECHNIQUES 2019-2020
U3: Research Techniques for the Creative Media Industries

competently.
D3 present results of research to
near-professional standards.

Delivery of personal, learning and thinking skills

The table below identifies the opportunities for personal, learning and thinking skills
The table below identifies the opportunities for personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS) that have
been
Included within the pass assessment criteria of this unit.
Skill when learners are …
Independent enquirers applying research methods and techniques to creative media production and
Creative media products.
Although PLTS are identified within this unit as an inherent part of the assessment criteria, there are
further
Opportunities to develop a range of PLTS through various approaches to teaching and learning.
Skill when learners are …
Creative thinkers developing a proposal from the research they have undertaken
Reflective learners assessing their individual contribution to a group research project
Team workers working in teams to undertake primary and secondary research and make a

Useful Sources -
Websites
http://www.barb.co.uk/
http://www.rajar.co.uk/
www.archive.org – an internet archive site
www.bbcfootage.com – BBC film archives
www.britmovieco.uk – British movie archive
www.businessballs.comn – a great business site with lots of information on research techniques,
Demographics, etc.
www.gamasutra.com – a sister publication to the print magazine Game Developer
ND Media Production Y1
Semester 1 & 2 RESEARCH TECHNIQUES 2019-2020
U3: Research Techniques for the Creative Media Industries

www.guardian.co.uk – The Guardian and The Observer

www.imdb.com – internet movie database
www.monitor.bbc.co.uk – BBC Worldwide News Monitoring
www.rcuk.ac.uk – Research Councils UK site
www.research.scea.com– Sony game research
www.research-live.com – Research Magazine website
Www.skillset.org/careers .

Primary Sources - (from original sources for project based work)

Emails from client; crew; contacts list; journalism mentors where relevant; telephone
logs; diary records; minutes; photo files; cutaway footage/screen grabs; scripts;
production logs; production templates; appraisal & peer review records. Source
websites. Quantitative & Qualitative Research findings where possible.

Secondary Sources
Textbooks
Baylis P, Freedman A, Procter N et al – BTEC Level 3 National Creative Media
Production, Student Book – 2017-2018
(Pearson, 2010) ISBN 978-1846906725
Abercrombie N, Long Hurst B – The Penguin Dictionary of Media Studies (Penguin,
2007)ISBN 978-0141014272
Branson G, Stafford R – The Media Students Book (Rutledge, 2016), ISBN 978-
0415371438
Briggs A, Cobley P – The Media: An Introduction (Longman, 2012) ISBN 978-
0582423466
O’Sullivan T Dutton B, Rayner P – Studying the Media: An Introduction (Hodder Arnold,
2003)