STAGE 2
Application of Research
L.O 1.1 – Critically describe a range of contextual perspectives influencing a chosen discipline in creative media production
L.O 1.2 & L.O 2.2 – Apply knowledge of critical perspectives and critically evaluate information from a range of sources to inform ideas.
ESSAY STRUCTURE
Having conducted detailed research into your topic,
you will begin writing your personal investigative study,
applying critical perspectives and media theory
relevant to the subject you are investigating.
Your investigative essay will be between
1500-2500 words.
ESSAY STRUCTURE – Introduction Roughly 500-700 words
The introduction sets the tone for the essay and frames the main argument. Include the
following:
1. State the Focus of Your Investigation
○ Clearly define the media topic or question you’re exploring.
○ Specify the aims of your investigation: What are you trying to discover, prove, or
analyse?
2. Explain Relevant Stereotypes/Genre Types/Typical Narratives
○ Identify common conventions, stereotypes, or narrative structures in your media
texts.
○ Briefly outline whether your chosen texts conform to or challenge these norms.
3. Set Up the Main Argument
○ State your central argument or hypothesis. This should act as a thread connecting
all parts of your essay.
ESSAY STRUCTURE – Main Body Roughly 1000-1500 words
For each chosen text, explore 5-6 points that develop your argument. Use the following framework for each point:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Scene Analysis (2-3 Scenes per Text)
○ Identify key scenes that exemplify your argument.
○ Describe the scene briefly, focusing on relevant details (e.g., mise-en-scène, camera angles, dialogue,
sound, or editing).
Make a Clear Point
○ Relate the scene to your argument.
○ Highlight how the scene supports your argument or challenges conventions.
Challenge Representations/Generic Types/Conventional Narratives
○ Consider opposing perspectives.
○ Are there ways the representation or narrative deviates from norms? Does it reinforce them?
Apply Relevant Theory
○ Link your analysis to media theories (e.g., Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze, Stuart Hall's Reception Theory, or
Todorov’s Narrative Structure).
○ Explain how the theory enhances your understanding of the text.
Mini-Conclusion
○ Summarize the point you’ve just made.
○ Address the issues raised and the effects created: What message does the scene convey? How does it
influence the audience?
ESSAY STRUCTURE – Conclusion Roughly 300-500 words
Summarise Your Findings
● Restate your central argument and key discoveries.
● Reflect on how your chosen texts conform to or challenge stereotypes, genre
types, and narratives.
Relate Findings to the ‘Bigger Picture’
● Discuss what your findings reveal about the broader media form or cultural
context.
● What are the wider implications of your analysis?
Link to Your Own Project
● Reflect on what you’ve learned from your analysis.
● Specify the techniques, methods, or devices you want to incorporate into your
own film or project, and explain why.
HOW TO INCLUDE QUOTES
1. Introduce the Quote
Set the context for the quote by explaining what it relates to in your argument.
2. Use the Quote
Include the quote with proper formatting (e.g., quotation marks) and an in-text
citation in Harvard style.
3. Explain the Quote
Discuss what the quote means and how it supports your point.
EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH
In action films, heroes are often portrayed as fearless, hyper-masculine figures.
This stereotype is reinforced in Die Hard (1988), where John McClane embodies
the classic male hero archetype. As Laura Mulvey argues, “the male protagonist is
often the active force in narrative cinema, driving the story forward and
commanding the viewer’s gaze” (Mulvey, 1975).
This quote highlights how traditional male characters dominate action films, both
in narrative and visual representation. McClane’s confidence and physical strength
in pivotal scenes, such as his barefoot battle against terrorists, align with Mulvey’s
theory, reinforcing the audience’s perception of male dominance. However, this
archetype has been increasingly challenged in modern action films, where female
characters take on more active and heroic roles
KEY TIPS FOR USING QUOTES
1. Choose Relevant Quotes
Only include quotes that directly relate to your argument or analysis.
2. Introduce the Quote
Don’t drop quotes into your essay without context. Always explain who is speaking
or why the quote is important.
3. Use In-Text Citations
Include the author’s last name and year of publication in parentheses.
○ Example: (Mulvey, 1975)
4. Explain the Quote
After the quote, explain how it supports your point or connects to your argument.
5. Keep Quotes Short and Relevant
Avoid overloading your essay with long quotes. Use only the part that is most
relevant
HARVARD REFERENCING
Harvard is a style of referencing to cite information sources.
Two types of citations are included:
In-text citations are used when directly quoting or paraphrasing a source.
• They are located in the body of the work and contain a fragment of the full citation.
• Depending on the source type, some Harvard Reference in-text citations may look something like this:
"After that I lived like a young rajah in all the capitals of Europe..." (Fitzgerald, 2004).
Bibliographies are located at the end of the work and display full citations for sources used in the assignment.
• Here is an example of a full citation for a book found in a Harvard bibliography:
Fitzgerald, F. (2004). The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner.
HARVARD REFERENCING BASICS: Bibliographies
A bibliography is a complete list of all the sources used when creating a piece of work. This list includes
information about the sources like the author, date of publication, title of the source and more.
A Harvard reference list must:
• Be on a separate sheet at the end of the document
• Contain full references for all in-text references used (both for quotes and research)
Generally, Harvard Reference List citations follow this format:
Last name, First Initial. (Year published). Title. City: Publisher, Page(s).
Example:
Patterson, J. (2005). Maximum ride. New York: Little, Brown.
TASK: FIRST GROUP TO COMPLETE ALL CORRECTLY WINS
In pairs, complete both in text citation and bibliography for the following:
Book: The Film Book: A Complete Guide to the World of Cinema by Ronald Bergan
Book (2 authors): Film Noir by Alain Silver & James Ursini
Film: The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola
Website:
https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/willem-dafoe-interview-nosferatu-life-in-the-shadows/
Magazine: Theory Drop: Binary Opposition (MediaMagazine 94, Winter 2025)
https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/emc-magazines/
LOGIN: ilovereading
PASSWORD: Wonderful2021
TASK: Final Research session before the real work begins
Revisit your Research Summary and add citations and bibliography entries
for the quotes you have found so far
and then continue your research…You’ll start writing your essay tomorrow!