Unit 3 Research Techniques

What unit 3 is about?

The aim of this unit is to develop understanding of and skills in research relevant to creative media production. Learners will present their findings in both written and oral forms and will learn how to cite and reference their sources.

On completion of this unit you will:

1. Understand the nature and purposes of research in the creative media industries
2. Be able to apply a range of research methods and techniques
3. Be able to present results of research.

The brief

You have been asked by Sidney Stringer Productions to produce a short film, in order to demonstrate that there is a potential market for your production. You will need to find out about existing products as well as find out if there is an audience for your product.

Assignment 1

• Research Primary and Secondary research  within the creative media industry providing relevant examples through conventional resources. 
• Investigate types of Qualitative and Quantitative data providing advantages and disadvantages. 
• Look at the purposes of research and methods and techniques appropriate to different purposes.  

Write a report/essay about what research is and what different methods and techniques there are. You should give examples for all types and provide advantages and disadvantages for each example you give.


From the Spec:


Methods: primary; secondary; qualitative (eg opinions, attitudes, behaviour patterns) quantitative (eg
ratings, circulation figures, web hits)
Techniques : using libraries; using the internet; reading; searching archives; interviews; observations; questionnaires; surveys; focus groups; recce
Information trail : log of library; internet and archive searches; Collate: sift and select; organise, eg by name, by date, by type, by content, by information source; index
Store : secure storage; ease of access

You should be aiming to create a detailed analysis of different research methods and techniques. You should evaluate research methods with reference to precise and detailed illustrative examples.

For a distinction: methods and techniques will be explained by reference to precise, well-chosen and detailed examples and they will be subjected to some sort of evaluative procedure or weighing up. For example, a learner might comment, ‘The internet will produce information faster than using a reference book but it will produce a lot more which then needs to be sifted through. This may in the end take longer than getting just what you want from a book.’

BTEC Standardisation

Dear Standards Verifier,

Here is a list of the links to students work for Unit 29 - Music Video Production

Marian Hussain
Shuab Ahmed
Syranpreet Rai
Daniel Azhar 

Muddassir Allarakha
Tanya McEntee (Hayman)

Many thanks,

Spencer Ayres

Audience Feedback

Today you will watch each others documentaries.

In order to receive quality feedback, you will design a short survey to find out the thoughts of your peers.

You should create a form on Google Docs, then link it to your blog, so that other students can fill it out directly onto your blog. This data can then be analysed in your evaluation.

Year 12 - What you need to do for your planning

Be able to plan and research a factual programme for television:

• Write about the genre of your idea:
• Genres: news; documentary, eg docudrama, docusoap, infotainment, ‘reality’ TV, educational, wildlife, special interest, makeover; magazine; discussion; review; chat show
• Develop ideas: 
• programme concept; target audience; development techniques, eg creation of narrative, scenario, synopsis, research process, interview questions
• Research: 
• primary sources, eg contacts, interviews; 
• secondary sources, eg broadcasts, reviews, internet, archives; checking information
• Legal and ethical considerations: 
• filming in public; clearances and permissions; privacy; libel and defamation; requirements of the Broadcasting Act 1994; BBC producers’ guidelines; Ofcom
• Planning: 
• production organisation; roles and responsibilities; schedules; interview and contacts; appointments; location recces; budget (planned, evolving); risk assessments; documentation
• Proposal: 
• subject idea; format; genre; style; audience; intended aim; budget

You should have separate blogs for each of the areas above. You have already created the proposal/pitch (it may need to be finished), I need to be able to see it on your blogs.

Year 12 Homework - March 12

Assignment 1 – Issues in Factual Programming

You must produce a media production textbook chapter on the issues facing producers of factual programming and the impact this has on their work:
You must:

• research the issues facing the producers of factual programming
• accuracy; 
• balance; 
• impartiality; 
• objectivity; 
• subjectivity; 
• opinion; 
• bias; 
• representation; 
• access;
• privacy; 
• contract with viewer
• select particular examples found within their research and investigate these further
• produce a textbook chapter on the issues facing producers of factual programming and the impact these have on their work.

By 19th March, you must have done the first part - researching the issues.You will then be asked to do the other sections for other home works.

BTEC B - Blogs list

Muddassir
Daniel
Shuma
Jasreet
Enock
Kamiul
Shoaib
Sabeena
Anthony
Shamim
Gift
Warda
Syranpreet
Shaukat
Kevin
Kaseem
Bham

Initial Documentary Idea

You need to come up with an idea for your documentary. This must be done individually, even if you working in a group, you must produce your own idea.

• Your documentary can be about anything (within reason) but you must try to think of an idea that you are really interested in. 
• Your ideas must be achievable so no point in making one about someone that you will not be able to interview of find anything out about. 
• It must be around 5 minutes long so do not try to combat a giant question, think small, but think about accuracy and creativity.
• There should be some kind of narrative, documentaries are all about telling stories - everyone has a story to tell, so think about the story that you want to tell