SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2008

New Term 2008 the final frontier the New Wiki

This blog is now officially dormant.
You can find further information about the CAPE Programme for Mrs John's classes (and all are welcome to browse) at the NEW WIKI. The wiki is a more collaborative effort for students and teachers and also is a more flexible tool than the blog.

It's life Jim but not as we know it.

Labels: spock
POSTED BY MIZ JOHN A T

3: 43 P M

MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2008

Literary devices commonly used in Paper 1A (Listening comprehension)

CONTRAST The two widely differing elements are contrasted using a common value to convey further information about one or both elements. The differences between them often intensify either their positive or negative qualities. They frequently will be opposites. E.g the warmth of the Caribbean with the cold of a New York Winter (comparison point temperature). Contrasts also can be metaphorical. IRONY Irony is the contrast between what is expected or what appears to be and what actually is. For example A clumsy ballet dancer. Verbal Irony (sarcasm is the tone of voice/writing) The contrast between what is said and what is actually meant. E.g He did an excellent job of making a mess. Irony of Situation This refers to a happening that is the opposite of what is expected or intended. E.g. The wedding of a son causes a marital breakdown for the parents. DEVICES OF COMPARISON METAPHOR Compares by stating the element is the item of comparison e.g. The lawyers claws were out and he would not stop until they drew blood, ANALOGY Extends a metaphor to compare a situation or particularly to explain a complex item by using a familiar item to structure the explanation. E.g. Exam preparation is like baking a

cake all the ingredients must be used and preparations thorough before baking. Firstly the ingredients: study which is lightened with periods of recreation, physical health, managing stress. (The analogy would continue for several paragraphs even) SIMILE (note spelling well) Compares using the like, as, resembles, looked as though etc. e.g. His exam worries even after the event were as if a rat was gnawing at his brain. PERSONIFICATION Compares non-human, inanimate elements OR abstract concepts to using HUMAN qualities e.g. The building stared down at him daring him to enter OR Justice is never kindly but it is ruthlessly fair. If the qualities are not human then the comparison is a metaphor e.g. A beast of a car. ANTHROPOMORPHISM Gives animals human characteristics e.g. The fox spoke to the cubs and then strolled away with a dancing step. ALLUSION Uses familiar classical, biblical or other well know cultural references . E.g. Anasi-like cunning

DEVICES OF EMPHASIS HYPERBOLE Exaggerates qualities of an element or an overstatement (sometimes for comedic effect). E.g. I could eat my shoes Im so hungry.

REPETITION Uses repetition of either words, phrases or even a whole sentence. E.g What if I dont make it, what if I cant pass, what if I fail

DEVICES USING SOUND Alliteration similar consonant sounds Assonance similar vowel sounds Onomatopoeia - the word sounds like the sound

A search of the internet will bring up many more complex and obscure devices.
POSTED BY MIZ JOHN A T

10: 12 P M

CAPE Syllabus Module 1 - Gathering and Processing Information

Module 1 Gathering and Processing Information General objectives 1. use the structures of English correctly as well as with a degree of elegance 2. Evaluate examples of written and spoken communication, including arguments, taking in to consideration the form and content of the communication and the context in which it is presented and constructed. 3. Apply comprehension skills of analysis and critical evaluation to a wide range of oral and written material. 4. Demonstrate organising competencies in oral and written communication. Specific Objectives 1. Speak and write with control of grammar, vocabulary, mechanics and conventions of English usage; 2. indentify the characteristic formats, organizational features and modes of expression of different genres and types of writing and speech; 3. evaluation the appropriateness of data collection methods, including the use of the internet 4. apply any of the six different levels of comprehension to spoken or written material 5. write continuous prose and note form summaries of specific types of spoken and written material

6. evaluate the effect of source, context, medium or channel on the reliability and validity of information 7. gather information about current issues 8. evaluate information about current issues 9. present in appropriate oral form the evaluation of (8); 10. create a portfolio of oral and written work CONTENT 1. Structural competencies a. Grammar b. Usage c. Word choice d. Spelling e. Punctuation f. Pronunciation g. Enunciation h. Correcting errors and mistakes, revising and editing drafts 2. Levels of comprehension a. Understanding levels: literal, interpretive, analytical, application, synthesis, evaluative b. Understanding modes, genres and types of speech and writing, with specific attention to organisation and language used c. Levels of comprehension to different modes, genres and types of speech and writing i. Expository (for example definitions, technical writing) ii. Literary (for example prose fiction, poetry, drama) iii. Argumentative a. Forms (deduction, induction, analogy, authority) b. Fallacies (such as non sequitur, unproved assertion c. Evaluating arguments 3. Study and summary skills

a. General study skills i. Preparing to study (understanding mental, emotional and physical connections, scheduling and controlling distractions) ii. Defining and distinguishing between reading and listening iii. Setting purposes for reading (surveying, skimming and scanning) iv. Setting purposes for listening (general, specific) v. Understanding factors which affect reading and listening comprehension b. Summary skills i. Note taking and note making ii. Distinguishing between main and subsidiary ideas iii. Understanding logical linkages between ideas iv. Formulating topic sentences and linking them to subsidiary ideas v. Sequencing vi. Condensing vii. Writing outlines viii. Writing continuous prose summaries ix. Editing drafts (peer evaluation and self evaluation)
POSTED BY MIZ JOHN A T

8: 59 P M

THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2008

Summary of requirements for Expository Presentation

The expository presentation should conform to the following requirements An 8 minute presentation on the same theme as your reflective portfolio It will have 6 elements - An introduction with a thesis statement - A rationale in which you explain why you chose your theme - A discussion of issues (a factual presentation) - An evaluation of the reliability and validity of two sources of data used in your presentation

- A report on the challenges you faced while researching the presentation. - A conclusion You cannot read from a full script You can use notes in bullet point/ key words form (apart from details of references and statistics) The notes should cover no more than 8 small index cards (or paper the size of index cards) You can use visual aids but they are not a requirement You should wear school uniform which conforms strictly to the dress code for the examination You can find a more detailed explanation of the expository presentation here Labels: exposition, presentation, SBA
POSTED BY MIZ JOHN A T

10: 47 AM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 05, 2008

Research using the internet

The internet is a big old place and you can get very lost. When looking for factual information library sites and other tools which help control the search and make it more likely to be academic information are useful ways to do this. Below are a list of links which will help you find more relevant information A good starting place http://www.libraryspot.com/ (it is an American site but has many good international resources)

Encyclopedias 1. http://www.libraryspot.com/encyclopedias.htm 2. http://www.wikipedia.org/ 3. http://www.ipl.org/ General search engines 4. http://www.google.com/ 5. http://www.google.co.vc/ 6. http://www.yahoo.com/ 7. Meta-search engines (searches search engines) 8. http://www.metacrawler.com/ Find subject directories for a specific field (academic) 9. http://www.lii.org/ 10. http://infomine.ucr.edu/ 11. http://www.academicinfo.net/ General directories 1.7. http://www.google.com/dirhp%208 13. http://dir.yahoo.com/ Other directories which might help Google books and Google Scholar 14. Searches specialised data bases or the invisible web as not all websites are listed 15. http://www.searchability.com/ Finding journals and other publications http://www.e-journals.org/ (some are pay services listed) http://www.doaj.org/ (free journals)

General ideas for Caribbean 16. http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/ 17. http://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/bnccde/info.htm Labels: presentation, research, SBA
POSTED BY MIZ JOHN A T

6: 30 AM

The expository presentation for CAPE Communication Studies Internal Assessment

What it is NOT It is NOT a presentation of any of your reflective pieces It is NOT a persuasive speech although you may express an opinion in the conclusion It is NOT submitted in writing It is NOT an essay on legs. You should not read from a script So what is it then? The presentation has two distinct parts * A FACTUAL presentation on an aspect of your portfolio theme * A presentation about your research including an evaluation of two sources of information used to prepare your factual presentation. It will have all the following 6 elements present 1. An introduction (statement of topic) In the introduction you will give a brief explanation of topic/ theme and a preview (with a thesis statement) of what you are going to cover. For example. "My theme is Returning Migrants to St Vincent. Returning migrants or returnees are a group within the population of St Vincent who have spent a significant time away from the island and have then returned to permanently settle again. Returning migrants often

are retired from their previous occupation which they pursued in a more developed country such as the United States, Canada or Great Britain or they have been working in another Caribbean state. According to statistics from the Customs Department given to me by Mrs B Chalres in an interview 4361 people claimed the concession for returning residents in 2005. Returning migrants experience 5 phases of adjuststment when returning which can be termed as culture shock." NOTE WELL I CANNOT HAVE THIS ON MY CARDS WHICH I TAKE INTO THE EXAM. It would look like this Theme ; Returning Migrants to St Vincent. a group within the population of St Vincent a significant time away from the island returned to permanently settle retired from their previous occupation (the United States, Canada or Great Britain) OR working in another Caribbean state. Customs Department (Mrs B Charles) 4361 people claimed the concession for returning residents in 2005. Returning migrants experience 5 phases of adjustmentwhen returning which can be termed as culture shock. 2. A rationale In the rationale you need to explain why you picked the theme and it can form part of the introduction. In the rationale you should mention any personal interests, current academic links and future career plans which influenced your decision to choose the theme For example I chose the theme returning migrants to St Vincent and specifically to focus on culture shock because I am a wife of a returning migrant. I have a BSc honours in

Sociology and the concept of culture shock is part of socio-cultural studies carried out by Kavelo Oberg 1958. In the future I will be submitting my Masters thesis on this specific issue. NOTE WELL I CANNOT HAVE THIS ON MY CARDS IT MUST BE NOTE FORM 3. Discussion of issues The discussion of issues is the factual presentation about the theme and its narrowed focus based on the thesis statement. Remember this will be about 3 minutes or so it is not long. It should have a distinct organisational pattern and you should aim for one of the expository structures such as cause and effect, process analysis, analysis by division, classification etc (See Writing in English) It should also be referenced and include any research findings. You will also need to give a conclusion to your factual presentation as a sort of sub conclusion dont wait until the end Here is an example of a possible outline for my example presentation (not all of it). It uses the organisational pattern of process analysis Remember you cannot read from a script! Culture shock 5 phases Honeymoon, rejection/ regression, conformist, assimilation, reverse culture shock Honeymoon Centre for Overseas Travel the tourist phase Questionnaire (300 returning migrants) 78% not feel tourist 82% elated Rejection Oberg frustration etc

Questionnaire 50% wanted to return after 3 months, Reasons, poor service, backward attitude, nothing to do, boring Interview Dr Sheridan Mental health presentations tend to be in 1st 4 months of return.

4. Challenges of research You need to discuss what difficulties you faced in preparing your factual presentation. If you did not have any difficulties then just explain why. For example (in note form) Questionnaires time consuming, identifying sample, Other sources - no central data on returnees, newspaper articles useful Academic research not on St Vincent 5. Evaluation of two sources For this aspect of the presentation you need to discuss your research. The two sources need not necessarily be given as a reference in the presentation but they should be relevant. You should try to select two different types of data source e.g. a newpaper article and an interview. You may want to very briefly summarise all your sources before evaluating two for reliability and validity. Please see other parts of the blog for information on reliablity and validity. For example (in note form) Secondary sources: academic text books and journals, local and international newspapers and magazines, web sites: international public organisations e.g. Peace Corps general sites e.g. Wikipedia Primary sources interviews of experts in St Vincent questionnaire of returning migrants.

Questionnaire of returning migrants Reliable: primary data source, research method suited to collecting data for social research Valid: Problem with sample size as total population of RMs unknown Problem with generalisation as differences between UK, US and other RMs more research needed. Overall reliable and reasonably valid The Experience of Return Migration: A Caribbean Perspective, Joan Phillips and Reliable Denis Conway, Ashgate Press, London 2005 Author expert Phd Social Anthrop. Specialised Caribbean writer Canada Publisher: reputable, specialst academic main interest Social research Valid Recently published Problem no reference to St Vincent Overall general but very reliable and valid source 6. Conclusion The conclusion should be slightly different to the internal summary conclusion in your discussion of issues. At this stage you can express a personal view or put forward a possible solution. For example (in note form) Returning migrants YES culture shock 3 ways Honeymoon Rejection Conformist NO assimilation Solutions Programme promote overseas, keep in touch, Information - government

FINALLLY See my other post about the reseach using the internet for idea. Make sure that you are aware of the requirements for acceptable notes during the exam and be familiar with the marks scheme - it is not only content that is marked but also presentation skills. Labels: assessment, exposition, module 1 research, presentation, reliability, SBA, validity
POSTED BY MIZ JOHN A T

6: 15 AM

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 09, 2008

Worksheet 7 - Gathering and Processing Data

Question 1 You are carrying out research into savings institutions in St Vincent & the Grenadines. Identify which of the following are primary and which are secondary sources of information. Explain why for each source. (a) www.firstcaribbean.com (b) Your own interview with the manager of GECU (c) A report by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank on Savings in St Vincent from their website without a date. (d) Statistics from the Governments Annual Financial Statement on the Economy on Credit Union business for 2004. (d) The results of a survey using questionnaires carried out by a PhD student for his thesis on The growth of credit unions in St Vincent submitted in 2006 (d) A text book entitled Caribbean Economics published in 1997. (e) An advertisement for Millennium Offshore Banks Supergrowth Bond which

compares its rate of interest to other savings institutions in St Vincent in last weeks local newspaper

Question 2 Evaluate 3 of the references above in Question 2 for reliability and validity. Make sure you evaluate both source of the data and the data itself. Question 3 Evaluate the credibility ONE of the following websites.

http://www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com/ http://anthurium.miami.edu/home.htm http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Classroom/9912/kamguidepg.html Question 4 The Principal wishes to research whether changing to an Associate Degree from the current A level / CAPE programme would be successful. (a) What 3 different methods of research could he use to gather data on which to base his decision? State the method in detail and the source from which the data would be gathered for each method. (b) What factors might affect reliability and validity of one of the methods you chose. What could be done to minimise the effects of the factors you have identified. (c) The Community College has 830 students of which 700 are female and 130 are male.

Discuss the effect of sample size and demographic representation (include all the factors) if the Principal wishes to ensure a reliable and valid sample of the students. (d) The Principals is in favour of changing to an Associate Degree. How might this cause bias in interpretation of the data? Question 5 The following questions are from a survey into herbal medicine. Comment on the effectiveness of each question in generating reliable and valid data 1. Do you use alternative medicine? 2. Is herbal medicine a good or a bad thing? 3. Which of the following ways have you obtained herbal medicine / have you used herbal remedies (a) prescribed by a health professional e.g. registered nurse or doctor (b) herbal remedies suggested by other health practitioners e.g. bush doctor, herbalist (c) over the counter herbal remedies purchased at a pharmacy (d) herbal remedies from your own garden/collected by you (e) any other method of obtaining herbal remedies (Please give details) 4 (a) Have you used herbal medicine Yes / No / Not sure (b) What illnesses have you taken herbal medicine to relieve?

Question 5 You are carrying out research into attitudes towards recreational use of cannabis. Other than questions to elicit demographic information suggest 4 questions two open and two closed in the sequence they would appear in the questionnaire to generate data.

POSTED BY MIZ JOHN A T

7: 36 AM

Gathering data in research - an evaluation of reliability and validity

Primary and secondary data sources A research instrument can gather data from either a primary or secondary source Primary sources Primary sources are original materials on which other research is based. They are not interpreted or evaluated. Examples of primary sources are data gathered by a questionnaire, statistics of population from the Government census or a first report of a research experiment and its finding Secondary sources Secondary sources are less easily defined than primary sources. Secondary sources interpret and analyse primary sources examples might be text books, or journals which review others work. Sometimes is it always easy to distinguish primary from secondary sources. A newspaper article is a primary source if it reports events, but a secondary source if it analyses and comments on those events. Evaluating Reliability and Validity In evaluating sources there are two elements reliability and validity. For a data source to be accurate and credible high levels of reliability and validity is the aim. Both elements are equal in importance in judging the accuracy and credibility of a source.

Reliability Can the source provide the data? For a source to be reliable we must evaluate the ability of the source to provide the information. We are looking at the question Is it likely that this source can provide this data?

The issue is therefore authority. To evaluate authority we can look at several aspects of the data source. Author - Is the author an expert in the field? What qualifications do they have? For example an article on a website about HIV+ written by medical doctor might have more authority than one written by some one without qualification. Professional standards. Does the author have certain professional standards? The example of a doctor immediately comes to mind. Similarly academic writers who are published in academic journals or books have to conform to standards and have their work checked by other academics. Journalists mostly operate within a professional approach especially large international newspapers such as the New York Times or the Guardian (UK)Authority can mean expertise. Publisher Is the publisher reputable? Academic publishers need to maintain their reputation for accurate factual information so they also have editors to ensure a high standard. Other publishers such as newspapers, magazines etc need to avoid legal action for libel (telling lies about someone) so also should be careful to print the truth. Organisation or Institution If the data is from an organisation, for example the United Nations, we need to evaluate their reputation and their role or responsibilities. For example statistics on the economy from the East Caribbean Central Bank would come from a highly reliable source as the bank use the statistics to conduct the very important business of issuing bank notes and controlling the money supply in the region. Research method Could the research method chosen generate the data necessary? For example in researching teen pregnancy would carrying out an interview of an expert generate the data needed or would questionnaires of teens be a better choice.

Validity Is the data true?

A source could have high levels of reliability. For example, academic research published in an academic journal by the leading expert in the field however the data may have a low level of validity in that it might be very out of date. Equally it may be possible that a source might not be considered highly reliable for example an intenet site which does not have the name of the author, organisation who maintains the site etc however the data is still true or valid. In evaluating validity we need to look at accuracy and bias. To evaluate accuracy we can look at several aspects of the data Currency When was the data published or gathered? Could the information be out of date? For example statistics on rates of HIV+ infection will need to be up to date to be accurate. Relevance Does the information relate to the circumstances you are applying it to? For example, will research carried out in the United States apply to the Caribbean? Data collection Was the data collected by reliable methods? Was it accurately recorded? Sample size Was the sample size large enough for generalisation to be accurate? For example if a newspaper article has only interviewed one person in a large crowd can we assume that all the points of view are represented? Similarly with social research the sample size is vital to judging whether the data is representative of the population as a whole. Replicable Do other sources have similar information? Would another similar piece of research have the same result? This is particularly relevant to sources such as the internet which lack references. To evaluate bias we can look at:

Representation Does the sample include all the variables within the population such as age, gender, social class, religion, education level which might affect response? Even with a large sample if the sample is not representative then bias in the data will occur. Cultural bias Has the data been collected by someone of the same or a different culture. For example, an Western researcher may misinterpret a non-Western culture and be biased due to racism or other factors. Similarly when researching within ones own culture, being subject to the same values and beliefs as the subjects may cause one not to question certain responses. For example when evaluating religious or other beliefs. Political bias Is the data being presented from either a right wing or a left wing perspective. The conservative agenda (e.g. free market economics, personal liberty above all other rights and fundamental religious views) will differ from the liberal agenda (e.g. some control of the market for social gain, social control for the good of society, religious tolerance for different views). Social bias Aspects such as gender, race, age and social class may affect the presentation of data. For example a womens perspective on sexual equality may differ from a mans views. Faulty research methods Even the best academic researchers can make mistakes and inexperienced researchers such as a student may have issues with poorly designed and executed questionnaires and interviews. Mistakes within the research method inadvertently cause bias. This is why academic research is reviewed by several other academics to evaluate the methodology and avoid bias in the conclusions or faulty conclusions. Aim of the source in presenting the data The reason for the data being presented will have an effect on bias. For example a Government might present certain statistics on economic performance if they are favourable and might avoid others.

Whilst the data is valid, there might still be bias in that other relevant information is not present. If the sources aim is persuasive again there may be bias. For example commercial sites wishing to sell products.