Communication
Studies
Module 1:
(Gathering and Processing Data)
The Piece to be Analysed
• In module 1 they give you a piece of writing
(often 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 writer’s 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.
Writer’s Main Purpose
• This is basically what the writer is trying to do when they
sit down and write the piece.
• It’s 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 writer’s main purpose is to
inform the reader about the dangers of energy drinks on
sheep”
Writer’s Main Point
• A lot of people confuse it with the purpose but
this is what the writer is trying to say.
• It’s basically what the piece is about so you need
to summarise it in less that 30 words (typically)
• For example: “The writer’s 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 don’t 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
what’s 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 it’s 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 genitals 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. It’s the quality their
voice takes on to express their purpose
• Don’t 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 writer’s 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.
• That’s about it.
• Don’t forget to use examples from the extract to
support what you’re saying.
• Use paragraphs!
• Eat your veggies!
• Reread and check your spelling and grammar and
make sure you’re making sense and answering the
question.
• Write legibly and don’t abuse the word limit.
Good luck!