Lesson Plan

• Identify and formulate clear research questions relevant to media texts.
• Locate, assess and organise appropriate primary and secondary sources for media research.
• Apply analytical frameworks to evaluate media texts, linking evidence to arguments.
• Produce concise evaluation paragraphs that justify conclusions using research data.

• Projector and screen
• Whiteboard and markers
• Handouts with a media case study
• Source‑reliability checklist
• Research log template
• Audio‑visual excerpt of a TV advertisement

Begin with a short video clip that demonstrates how research underpins successful media campaigns. Ask students to recall key terminology from previous lessons (e.g., audience segmentation, media convergence). Explain that today they will develop the skills needed to research, analyse and evaluate media texts, and that success will be measured by their ability to produce a justified evaluation paragraph.

1. Starter – Quick terminology quiz (5 minutes).
2. Mini‑lecture – Primary vs. secondary sources and reliability criteria (10 minutes).
3. Group activity – Each group receives a case study, formulates two research questions and identifies three potential sources for each (20 minutes).
4. Source reliability check – Using the checklist, assess one source and record findings in the research log (10 minutes).
5. Evaluation exercise – Analyse a short TV ad using the provided framework (target audience, techniques, context, persuasive impact) (15 minutes).
6. Plenary – Groups share research and evaluation outcomes; teacher highlights common pitfalls and links back to assessment objectives (10 minutes).

Summarise how effective research and critical evaluation strengthen media arguments. For the exit ticket, ask each pupil to write one sentence describing the most useful research skill they practiced today. Homework: write a 150‑word evaluation of a media text of their choice, citing at least two pieces of research evidence.