notezilla

Communication
Studies

Module 1:
(Gathering and Processing
Data)

The Piece to be Analysed

In module 1 they give you an expository
piece, typically taken from a magazine or a
report.
It talks about an important issue and uses
factual information like statistics and official
sources and stuff to relate the information

What They Want From You

This question typically has two parts but it can vary.
They usually ask for a:
a) summary/the writers point/purpose (Part 1)
b) an essay (Part 2)
) Part 1 would usually be 30 words for point/purpose and 50
words for a summary.
) The essay typically has a word limit of 500 words an
sometimes they ask you to include the point/purpose in it.

Writers Main Purpose

This is basically what the writer is trying to do when they
sit down and write the piece.
Its why they chose to write it and you typically have a 30
word limit to relate this.
You use the functions of language here to describe the
purpose.
For example you can say the writers main purpose is to
inform the reader about the dangers of energy drinks on
sheep

Writers Main Point

A lot of people confuse it with the purpose but

this is what the writer is trying to say.

Its basically what the piece is about so you need

to summarise it in less that 30 words (typically)

For example: The writers main point is that

energy drinks cause reproductive malfunctions in

young sheep and should be banned from farms.

Summary
You may be asked to summarise the piece you read
given a word limit (typically 50 or so)
Remember that a summary is a concise review of what
the author wrote so dont waste your time quoting or
using examples or describing in detail what was written.
Instead you need to paraphrase and reword things to
give the general idea instead of describing in depth
whats happening.

Language Techniques
and Strategies
This is how the writer manipulates
language to help bring across their point.
What you need to do is:
Name the technique they use
Give an example from the extract
Say what it does (that is describe how it is

effective)

Examples and some of their functions:

1. Statistics (credible information, easy to
comprehend as its quantitative)
2. Quoting a source (credible, valid information)
3. Hyperbole (emphasis)
4. Rhetorical questions (provoke thought and
empathy
5. Alliteration (creates rhythm)
6. Juxtaposition (creates contrast therefore
highlighting ideas)
7. Personification (appeals to emotion, empathy)

 One strategy the author uses throughout the

article is rhetorical questions. For example when
he asks can you imagine how a lamb feels
when his gentiles are being cut off?. By making
use of this device he encourages the reader to
put themselves in the position of the lamb,
which provokes empathy for the victim,
therefore appealing to the reader personally.

Tone
The tone of the writer says how they feel about the

subject by their style of writing. Its the quality their

voice takes on to express their purpose
Dont confuse this with mood which is the atmosphere

the writing itself creates.

So tone contributes to mood (setting and vocabulary do

too) but it is not mood.

A writers tone can be sarcastic, playful, ironic, informal

Register
This is the kind of language that the writer uses
according to situation.
When you talk about register in the piece you
need to consider who their target audience is,
what the topic is and how they feel about it.
These factors will influence the kind of register
they use.

The types of registers are:

1. Formal or Academic
2. Informal
3. Consultative
4. Intimate
5. Frozen
. You need to say why the writer chose to use a

particular kind of register and how appropriate

the choice was considering their purpose.

Organisational Strategies

Order of importance to emphasise a particular point

Logical linkages helps the flow

Compare and contrast lets you see the similarities and the
differences between two things

Problem/Solution makes the reader think and be all curious

Sequence teaches us how stuff is done so you can

appreciate the process

Cause and effect this forces you to think since its trying to
show you how the causes and effects are related.

 Thats about it.

Dont forget to use examples from the extract to
support what youre saying.
Use paragraphs!
Eat your veges!
Reread and check your spelling and grammar and
make sure youre making sense and answering the
question.
Write legibly and dont abuse the word limit.

Good luck!