Communication studies internal assessment
BY NOW, you must have begun working on your portfolio. This week, we will take a brief look at what is expected of you.
The communication studies internal assessment (IA) represents 20% of the total assessment for the course. Failure to complete the assessment will result in an overall failure of the course, so it is important that you adhere to the criteria outlined in detail in the CAPE Communication Studies syllabus.
You will compile a portfolio on a selected theme, which should be approved by your teacher. It is best when teachers and students work together to ensure maximum results. The portfolio will consist of FOUR sections which must be coherently connected to each other by their exploration of the theme. Please note that one aspect of the theme may be explored in the Reflective section and another aspect of the same theme may be explored in the Exposition (oral presentation). The sections are as follows:
1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION (12 MARKS)
This section should not be longer than 200 words. It should relate to the Reflective and Expository sections, identifying the theme selected and the purpose of selecting it, and showing how it relates to the candidate’s academic, work-related and personal interests.
Upon reading the introduction, one should be able to have an appreciation for the theme being explored, in a general and a specific sense, and also why the student chose the theme.
2. EXPOSITION (16 MARKS)
This section will be orally presented and examined. The duration should be no longer than 10 minutes per student. Topics chosen in this section should be current. A student should collect at least two pieces of related information on the selected topic. It is usually best to use at least one primary source and one secondary source of information. This ensures that the research base is fairly wide and balanced.
The presentation should be well organied and effectively delivered in Standard English and should feature:
i. A discussion of the issues raised and the challenges experienced in exploring the selected topic
(This will look at the issues presented in the article or other source of information used and personal/emotional or practical challenges faced while exploring the theme)
ii. An evaluation of the effect of the source, context and medium (or channel) on the reliability and validity of information gathered.
(This will look at the expertise, authority, and perspective, social and political bias of the author/speaker/source; the social and historical context in which the piece was written /presented; the factual accuracy, logical structure and cogency of the piece).
Students may take into the room ONE cue card (4”x 6”) with headings/main points related to their presentation.
3. REFLECTION (14 MARKS)
Students will create ONE sample of original work which should not exceed 800 words. The sample created should cover ONE literary genre. The sample created must relate to the theme selected. The Reflective piece must include TWO of the following:
i. Registers (the range of language choices (the level of formality) available for use in different situations)
ii. Dialectal variation (the ‘versions’ of a language used, whether standard, non-standard, basilect, mesolect, acrolect, etc);
iii. Attitudes to language (how the speaker or the audience within the piece feels about the language being spoke)
iv. Communicative behaviours (the nonverbal elements of communication, namely, proxemics, artifacts, chronemics, facial expression, vocalics, movement, etc).
Students must ensure that the creative pieces are thoroughly written, reflecting the elements of creative writing such as plot, characterization, setting, dialogue, point of view.
The students should also write a preface of no more than 200 words, specifying:
i. The purpose (the reason he or she is writing the piece).
ii. The intended audience (the group(s)of persons for whom the piece is appropriate/ being written).
iii. The context (where the pieces can be presented/published in order to reach the target audience).
Students also need to ensure that they justify (say ‘why’) everything mentioned above.
4. ANALYSIS (18 MARKS)
The analysis should not exceed 350 words. Students must analyse the sample created for the reflective section. The analysis should address any TWO of the areas listed above in the Reflection.
The final portfolio should contain and be organised as follows: i. Cover Page ii. Table of Contents iii. General Introduction iv. Reflective Section (Title Page) a) Preface b) Reflection v. Analytical Section (Title Page) c) Analysis vi. Conclusion vii. Bibliography (Materials used for crafting the Introduction and the Exposition, especially materials from which quotes have been taken)
viii. Appendix (A second copy of the story with highlights of the sections discussed in the Analysis).
I hope this helps to make the IA a little clearer for you. Next week, we will explore non-verbal communication.