Ocr media studies help

Hi guys!

I'm about to start Year 12 Mocks and am a bit stressed for Media, as I can't find many online resources to revise or past papers that don't have sources that are blocked for copyright.

For those who have received or are predicted As to A*s, what did you use to revise and practice questions? I use Mrs Fisher (WHO IS AMAZING BTW) but I unfortunately can't find much on the OCR Newspaper topic, which is probably my worst.

Also, I'm not too sure on how to write essay questions - is there a structure that you guys have found helpful? If any of you know, I'd really appreciate any knowledge about how many paragraphs to do per question and how long to take on each question.

Also, if any of you have received/are predicted an A* in OCR Media Studies, if you have any notes or flashcards, or any other resources that you would be willing to share, I would be really grateful!

Thank you!

Reply 1

TSR Jessica

Sorry you've not had any responses about this. :frown:

Are you sure you've posted in the right place? :smile:

Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. :redface:

Reply 2

MK1!2

Hey! I totally get how stressful it can feel before mocks, especially with Media and OCR being quite limited in terms of online resources. I’m also doing OCR A-Level Media Studies and my predicted grade has bounced between an A and A*, so I thought I’d share what’s helped me so far.
📚 Revision Resources
I honestly found it hard to get good online resources too because the case studies are so new, especially for the Newspapers topic. One thing that’s helped massively is making big mind maps for each case study. Here’s how I break them down — maybe it’ll help you organise your notes too:

Historical Context

Social Context

Cultural Context

Target Audience/Demographic

Media Online (how they use digital platforms)

Theorists – but only the ones that apply to that topic (e.g. Barthes or Hall for Newspapers)

Common Media Language Features – so you always have something to talk about, even if a question catches you off guard

Key Exam Points – where I bullet the most important facts I tend to forget

Make sure to bullet point for these, write short and simple points - don't write out long sentences as they are a waste of time and you won't remember them
Use these mind maps to actively recall things by reading over them and then testing myself.
Also, Quizlet is underrated — there are some great flashcard sets for each case study (like The Guardian, Daily Mail, etc.). I use the “Test” and “Learn” functions and they really show where I’m weaker in each topic.
✍️ Essay Writing Tips
Honestly, I don’t think Media requires a super strict structure, but you do need to show depth and lots of examples. My go-to is:
P.E.E.E.E.L

•

Point

•

Evidence

•

Explanation

•

Second Evidence

•

Second Explanation

•

Link to Question

Try to include at least two solid examples per paragraph — it makes your points feel much more developed.
🚨 Final Tips for Newspapers

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Focus on the differences between The Guardian and Daily Mail – editorial stance, audience, visual layout, tone, etc.

•

Remember that context is a big deal in newspaper questions — think about the political landscape, social events at the time of cover publication, etc.