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 lawyer’s 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 I’m so hungry.


REPETITION
Uses repetition of either words, phrases or even a whole sentence. E.g What if I don’t make it, what if I can’t 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.

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)

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

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

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 don’t 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.