MIGRAIN 3 Assessment - Learner response

 1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

• WWW: Great application of media theories in relation to Q2, you are beginning to validate the theories.
• EBI: Not enough subject specific terminology for Q1.
• 15/20 B

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Write down the number of marks you achieved for the two questions: _/8; _/12. If you didn't achieve full marks in a question, write a bullet point on what you may have missed.

• 6/8
• The choice of typography – serif font, formal white on dark background – reinforces this idea of traditional gender roles and rejects the current move in society and the mass media for a more ‘woke’ approach to gender identity and fluidity. The typeface is old-fashioned, authoritative and extends the idea that men and women should be expected to dress and act in a certain way.
• 9/12
• The Carolina Herrara adverts reinforce Mulvey’s idea of the ‘male gaze’ – that the media is constructed for the pleasure of a male audience. The image in the ‘Good girl’ advert overtly sexualises the female model, placing her in a submissive position at the feet of a man and exposing her leg. The male model in the ‘Bad boy’ advert – although he could arguably be conventionally attractive and therefore attract the ‘female gaze’ – is fully dressed and sat normally, reinforcing male power and control.

3) For Question 2 on the social and cultural contexts of gender representations, identify three potential points in the mark scheme that you didn't include in your answer.

• David Gauntlett argues that masculinity is constantly evolving and social concerns that masculinity is ‘in crisis’ are exaggerated. However, this campaign does not provide particular evidence for an evolution in representations of men (aside perhaps from a lack of socks and no necktie). Indeed, this campaign reinforces classic masculine stereotypes and therefore perhaps provides evidence against Gauntlett’s theory.
• The Carolina Herrara advertising campaign reflects a more traditional approach to representation than found in many modern campaigns. This perhaps reflects the recent cultural backlash against ‘woke’ or ‘PC’ (politically correct) causes as evidenced by right-wing political campaigns such as Trump or Brexit.
• The Carolina Herrara advertising campaign may be seen as an attempt to reclaim traditional gender roles in response to an increasing tolerance of gender fluidity and non-binary gender identity.

4) Having read the whole mark scheme, pick out one media theory that you didn't include in this assessment and summarise it briefly here so you can use it confidently in future.

• Gauntlet "Masculinity is not in crisis": masculinity is constantly evolving and social concerns that masculinity is "in crisis" are exaggerated. However, this campaign does not provide particular evidence for an evolution in representations of men

5) Based on your experience in this assessment, identify three aspects of Media (e.g. skills/particular theories/examples) that you need to work on for your next assessment.

• Include more subject specific terminology
• validating the theories
• Include more mentions of theorists.