SUGGESTIONS FOR MODULE 2 ESSAY IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES CONTENT = 10 (2 + 2+ 6)
A superior response that addresses ALL areas identified 9-10 marks A good response that addresses most of the areas identified 3 – 8
marks
A fair response that addresses half of the areas identified, but not fully developed 5 – 6
A weak response- less than half of expected content. Not well developed. 3 – 4
A poor response – Minimal content evident 0-3 ORGANIZATION = 7
Excellent intro, thematic cohesion in paragraphs, appropriate use of transitional words/phrases, effective conclusion = 7
Good use of the above with one or two weaknesses 5 – 6
Adequate level of organization with several weaknesses noted 3 – 4. Unsatisfactory level of organization. Weaknesses in all areas
identified above 1-2 EXPRESSION = 8
Excellent, effective and error-free use of language = 8 Very good use of language with a few lapses =7
Good use of language with a few lapses 5-6
Some ability to use language accurately and effectively, but with inconsistency 3-4
Frequent or inaccurate use of language or insufficient information presented 1-2
Inability to use language accurately or too little information presented = 0
This is in an ESSAY format (p. 28 in syllabus) requiring
Content, Expression and Organization that has introduction, development, conclusion, coherence, transition or linking words from paragraph to
paragraph
SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNING YOUR ESSAY
• You may look at the questions and summarize what they have asked you for and you are going to write about
AND
• You may make an Introduction/Thesis Statement using general information about question
BUT
• Do not get carried away! Your introduction/thesis statement is just pointing the direction! So be BRIEF!
• Very importantly before you begin to explain/justify your responses please first identify or name what you are going to write about! For example if the question asks you something about the language (tone, context, register) used by the author or the characters then the first thing you need to do is to identify the language (some students just jump right in and begin to write about the
language/tone/context/register but they never identify what language they are writing about)
SOME TRANSITION OR LINKING WORDS
generally speaking consequently clearly, then furthermore additionally
and in addition in general at this level in this situation however
SUGGESTIONS FOR SOME PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE USE OF LANGUAGE AND THE CONTEXT OF THE NARRATIVE
• If you are asked to discuss a broad term (language, register, tone, context or setting) you must first specifically name or identify the term before entering into a discussion (problem is that some student either forget or do not know and cover try to cover this lack by just writing about “the register this and the register that” The teacher or the CAPE marker would ask, what register are you writing about?
IDENTIFY THE REGISTER (LEVEL OF FORMALITY) USED/CHOSEN
• The choice of register can seem automatic to many persons but there are always certain factors influencing a person’s choice of register(s). For example in this piece the person utilizes 2
registers, namely formal and consultative. (now you give the evidence from piece and you make a possible justification for the choice)
• If you are with strangers or persons of authority you’d use a FORMAL register (audience influencing register)
• The content (what you have to say) also influence register choice • Setting also influences register (subject to many factors such as
relationship, location, content)
WHAT A CHARACTER HOPES TO ACHIEVE BY ADDRESSING ANOTHER PERSON IN “GOOD ENGLISH”? OR WHAT POSSIBLE MOTIVATION IS THERE FOR ACHIEVING A GOOD CPMMAND OF ENGLISH?
(POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION OR THESIS STATEMENT) In many cases a Creole speaker sets out to communicate in what he/she believes is “good English” but which under scrutiny would be seen to contain errors. This was the case of Tiger when in his anxiety to appear as…
• Persons may hope to appear as a competent speaker of the language he/she is attempting (to impress)
• Persons may hope to appear confident, mature
• Person may hope to send a message that “I am your equal or you are not better than I am”
• May be motivated by their ambition and aspirations to be successful
• Because of their career choice
• By their parent who though is not able to speak the language motivates their child to speak Std because of the perceptions about the benefits of having a good command of English
• The exposure in their school situation to speak only the Standard English
• May believe that both learning and having a ‘good command’ of the Std which is the official language will give one the
opportunities for upward mobility
EXPLAINING HOW TECHNOLOGY (VIDEO, TELEVISION) WILL ENHANCE OR HIGHLIGHT SITUATIONS (discomfort/the fact that they are
Caribbean speakers in a similar setting) or THE MEANING OF THE WRITTEN PIECE.
(POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION OR THESIS STATEMENT) Each medium has its own benefits for the audience but one cannot deny that technology when effectively applied to a written piece enhances it in many ways. For example in this piece…
• In this exercise you need to write about how technology will allow the audience to see and hear certain situations found in the written piece.
• After identifying the situation give examples from the passage (the audience will be able to see the startled expression on Tantie’s face as she reacted to the clerk’s comment or that the audience will hear how comical Busboy sound as he tried to say the word ‘Saterde’)
