Things You Need To Study (A Review of CAPE Communication Studies)

I know it's the day before the exam and I'm only just uploading something. But I'm a pro-procrastinator (sounds like a stutter-doesn't it?)  so this is actually pretty early. Each module has one question, you don't have a choice, you have to do all the questions. Each question will require you writing an essay worth 25 marks. You do have a word limit of 500 words, well for module 1 and 2 at least. They really let you go crazy for mod 3, so have fun with it. Here is a quick list of things they like to keep bringing for Paper 2.  The stuff in  green  are the topics they absolutely  love. MODULE 1: GATHERING AND PROCESSING INFORMATION For this section of the paper, they'll give you a an extract of some sort to analyse. It can be from a story or a newspaper article. State writer's main point . They usually give you a word limit (in no more than 30 words...) The writer's main purpose. (No it's NOT the same thing!) Strategies and language te...

Rhetorical question really, as all my questions are (but just in case yuh rel slack)....YOU! (and me).  Just try an remember wat time yuh exams is. Yuh don't want yuh principal riding up in de morning while yuh sitting down  in yuh gallery eating yuh roti and baingan choka to tell yuh yuh doh have exams in de evening like yuh taught yuh did. Just remember your shit - your stationary and your work that is. It's just paper 01A. Chill. It's Comm. Plus...  Yuh ha next year chile! Oh...and formal manners require me to tell you good luck, but I really don't think it matters, doesn't affect my life, just makes it harder actually...but anyway...good luck and such. Don't die. :) Here's cute fluffy good luck bunny to wish you good luck:

Yes another important topic. Have fun  :) Communicative behaviour is basically what is communicated to the listener by the speaker. Its the impression that they get. The speaker may be unaware of these impressions but they say a lot about a person. Let me tell you about them in fancy CAPE words: Vocalics or paralangue - this refers how how loud/fast the speaker talks (volume/rate), their tone and pitch of voice. Basically how they speak. Example?  Someone who speaks really quickly, with a high pitch during an interview can be assumed to be nervous.  Someone who speaks my sarcastic monotone is conveying that they are bored and probably annoyed at how stupid you are.   Proxemics - you know, like proximity? That's basically the speaker's use of space when they try to deliever a message. What do these things say about the speaker? They stand six inches in front of you They stay in one place when delivering a speech, gr...

Yet another important topic! You really need to know this because you WILL get it in an exam. The register refers to the kinds of English appropriate to a particular purpose or situation. It refers to the level of formality or informality and tone that are correct for a specific context.  A few things affect register, so when doing a question about suitability of register (it will come - probably)  please keep in mind the following: The audience - that is who the communication is intended for. Who are you speaking or writing to? How old are they? What's their level of education or social status?  The subject matter - what are you really speaking or writing about? Are you speaking about poverty in India, nuclear proliferation, building a highway through someone's house or leprechaun rights?  The medium - how are you getting the message across? Is it a public speech? Are you on television, are you writing a letter to the president, are you te...

Okay here in the Caribbean we have something special we have THE CREOLE CONTINUUM. Let me explain this wonderful thing to you. People speak differently here, even within our dialects. Look at this: Yes, we went to the river today to get some fish for the broth Yeah, we went to de riva today to get some fish for de broth. Yer gyal, me and he went dung by de riva taday ta geh some fish for de brot (yeah not too sure about this example...just trying to prove a point) Variation in speech can be found on the creole continuum. It links the more standard end of the linguistic range to the creole end. Let me illustrate with illustrations.  buum..buum buum!! CONTINUUM!!!  Let's use Jamaica as an example, although their official language is Jamaican Standard English, there are still variations of speech even within that. I've never been to Jamaica but I assume the people in the rural areas speak differently from let's say Parliamentarians. The people i...

Dialect is one of the various forms of a particular language, spoken by a group in the language community  ^That's a definition. KNOW IT. Okay, let me try to clarify....  English is a language. Right? You speak English, some kid in Australia speaks English, and some old guy from Yorkshire speaks English. Do you understand half of what they're saying?  Most likely not. Each of you speaks with a different accent, has different vocabulary and might throw in some slang here and there. So although you all are speaking  English , you all are speaking different forms of English. Each of these forms is a  dialect. Some examples of dialects are British Standard English, Jamaican Standard English, American Standard English, Trinidadian Standard English, Barbadian Standard English, Cockney English you get the point... Next post will be Creole Continuum. That's some important stuff there. It goes with this.

Arguments  For Creole as a Language: Over here they basically ask you for the characteristics of a language. You're supposed to say that Creole is dynamic/human/systematic etc. so therefore it is a language and equal to Standard English. What language are you writing this exam in again? Standard English? Oh the hypocrisy CAPE! Arguments  Against Creole as a Language: Throw all that bullshit about national pride and heritage out the window now. Who gives a shit if we're independent nations? Europe is the shit! We should be more like them. Creole is the language of the lower class, uneducated, powerless, country folk and persons whose ancestors were slaves and indentured workers in the Caribbean! It has no prestige and it is sub-standard and inferior! (word of advice, I don't think examiners appreciate this much sarcasm in answers, so tone it down a little)  Creole cannot be written as there is no consensus on an official written form Creole la...

There are many 'rules' of Creole. (ignore my cynicism). Here are a few of the main ones. This is a popular question in Paper 01A, so know it!  Habitual action is shown by the use of the word 'does' before the verb in the sentence  She does be real annoyin sometimes  In Creole nouns that are always plural in Standard English are used as both singular and plural Ah ha to go buy a pants today. Jenny bring a scissors to school to stab up Leroy for stealing she man Creole speakers use double negatives. Alot Mary doesn't want no mango from he yard cause he is a obeah man We (Creole speakers) replace the consonant cluster 'th' with 'd' Someone dung dere next to de parlour steal de blasted foul dat meh mudda did give meh  Omission of the 'g' in past participles   He does study be jumpin dem fence  Doh feel yuh could be playin up in yuh arse here inno! Diz not yuh mudda house! Silencing of the end...

Okay this is important. This comes phrased in all sorts of strange ways but basically every year it comes. So know this shit.  Language is  Human  - It is only spoken/written/used by humans for communication. The parrot doesn't know what he's talking about. Don't listen to him.  Language is  verbal  - it doesn't matter whether it's written or oral...words are still involved.  Arbitrary  - there is no fixed association between the words in a language and the objects or ideas it signifies or represents. Objects have different words in different languages. (book, libre, livre all mean well...book, they all mean the same thing but they are different words.) Similarly the same word can have different meanings in different languages (fag in American slang is a derogatory term for a homosexual, in British slang it means a cigarette.)    Systematic  - language is rule...

Communication Studies requires us to differentiate between  language  and  a language . This is an extremely important lesson, without which will will DIE! Okay maybe not but the difference is more than a simple  'a'.  Just learn it to be on the safe side, it'll come for Paper 01A (maybe). A language  refers to one recognizable, identifiable or acceptable entity used by one or more community/ies of speakers. (definition right there bitches!) Language  is an ability which every human being has and allows him or her to communicate not only with other human beings but also with him/herself. So basically language is the  general  term that refers to all language systems (definition for 'a language') as a general phenomenon. 

They never really ask for more than two advantages or disadvantages at a time, learn about three of each just to be safe. This part is easy to bullshit your way through though.  Interviews: Communication Studies doesn't really make a fuss about whether it's structured or unstructured interviews. So feel free to generalize.  Advantages: provides detailed responses provides clear context to questions provides subjects point of view interview can observe non-verbal behaviour higher response rate invites discussion Disadvantages: Time consuming  Difficult to analyse No statistical inference opportunity for interviewer bias to intervene  Questionnaires: Same goes for questionnaires.... it doesn't matter if it's open or close ended. Advantages: large target audience statistical analysis responses are anonymous  easy to organize data cost effective trends can be identified b...

No I personally don't have any hints for you. Instead I have something even better! A link to a much more helpful page. Have fun!  http://erratic-explosions.tumblr.com/CS_Mod3

This paper, as you (should) know is the structured part of the exam. That means you don't have an essays, just structured questions.  Paper 01A consists of 3 sections; one for each module. I assume you know what each module is but really it's not that important - the name that is. Module 1 is worth 15 marks and Module 2 and 3 are worth 30 marks each. This paper is worth 75 marks total. Paper 01B is a listening comprehension question. You will be given a question paper worth 15 marks. The examiner will then  read a passage to you (reeeally slowly). Twice. You should carry a scrap page because you'll have time to write down each word. The question paper will obviously be based on the passage. Here is a quick checklist of things you MUST know for Paper 01A exam: MODULE ONE: GATHERING AND PROCESSING INFORMATION Sources: Examples of primary sources  Examples of secondary sources Data collected  from each source.  Research Methods: ...