Cambridge International Examinations AS & A Level Overview
This qualification is based on the OCR AS/A Level Media Studies specification – on the first page of the specification CIE state: “This syllabus is an adaption of OCR’s GCE Media Studies specification?.
Click the link above to access our Edusites OCR A Level Media Studies Overview page. Use the information below to understand the key differences between the OCR specification and the CIE.
Key Differences
CIE Component 1: Foundation Portfolio (OCR - G321 Foundation Portfolio)
- CIE candidates must have their own individual blog (most OCR candidates have this but it is very clearly written in the CIE specification).
- Only two briefs are offered – Film Opening Task (OCR Video) and Magazine Task (OCR Print).
- The CIE Magazine Brief allows for any genre while OCR prescribes a Music Magazine.
- The following Briefs on the OCR specification are not available with CIE – Audio, Website.
- OCR state as part of the Brief there is a Preliminary Exercise. This is not prescribed by CIE but they state: “This task should be preceded by a preliminary exercise to build up learnt skills with equipment and the understanding of conventions?.
CIE Component 2: Key Media Concepts (OCR – G322 Key Media Concepts - TV Drama)
Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation (same title for OCR)
- TV Drama is not mentioned in the CIE specification – in Section A CIE state: “Candidates analyse a moving image extract in terms of technical codes and representation?. OCR prescribes TV Drama. There are no past papers available but a sample CIE paper uses an unseen extract from The Wire, a TV Drama.
- There is no Radio Drama alternative offered, as OCR offer in their G323 (Radio Drama) paper.
- The CIE Section A question format differs slightly: “Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs meaning? while OCR state: “Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of class and status (or gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality, physical ability/disability, regional identity – representation area changing each year)?.
- However, CIE call Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation which makes it implicit that CIE candidates will, like OCR candidates be explaining how technical codes reveal a representation – the key difference (based on the CIE sample paper) is that it seems that CIE candidates will be discussing a broad range of representations while OCR candidates will have one prescribed area of representation to study e.g. class and status, gender etc.
Section B: Institutions and Audiences (same title for OCR)
- Only difference – CIE offer Print (allowing for the study of magazines or newspapers) while OCR have separate options in Newspapers and Magazines.
CIE Component 3: Advanced Portfolio (OCR – G324 Advanced Portfolio in Media)
- CIE candidates must have their own individual blog (most OCR candidates have this but it is very clearly written in the CIE spec).
- Two minor tasks accompany the CIE main production task, OCR call them ancillary tasks.
- Limited Briefs – CIE offer Music Promotion, Film Promotion, Documentary Package (slight difference to OCR in that the minor tasks are a Website and Poster) and Short Film Package.
- The following OCR Briefs are unavailable in the CIE specification – Advertising Package, Video Game Promotional Package, Soap Opera, Children’s TV Drama, Local Newspapers, Website for a new TV Channel, First Level of a new Video Game, Local TV News, Radio Play or Regional Magazine.
CIE Component 4: Critical Perspectives (OCR – G325 Critical Perspectives in Media)
- In Section A there is a slight difference in the title with CIE offering: Section A - Evaluation of Production Skills Development and OCR offering: Section A - Theoretical Evaluation of Production (the exam question format for both are similar).
- For CIE there is no Post Production question option in Section A, Part (a) while OCR in their specification have the option to target this question topic in the exam.
- Section B – the only difference here is that CIE do not offer We Media and Democracy as a study topic whereas OCR does.
Click to access our Edusites OCR A Level Media Studies Overview page.
