Communication Studies Syllabus

COMMUNICATION STUDIES MODULE ONE: GATHERING AND PROCESSING INFORMATION GENERAL TOPICS • RESEARCH • NOTETAKING • SUMMARY MODULE ONE: GATHERING AND PROCESSING INFORMATION SPECIFIC TOPICS WITHIN THE GENERAL TOPICS  Methods of data collection or data collection methods  Strengths and weaknesses of each method  Contexts for choosing each method or tool or instrument  Definition of terms; Primary and Secondary Sources, reliability, validity, authority, fact, opinion, bias, data collection method vs data collection instrument, data vs information  How and why there is a need for verification or authenticity  What makes a piece or person authentic  Writer’s main point or purpose  Strategies and language techniques employed/used by the writer  Types of writing: expository, descriptive, argumentative, narrative  Study and summary skills  Commenting on the reliability of information and evaluation of sources making mention to dates, writer’s qualification/experience, where the information was first published etc.  NB: BEGIN PREPARING FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO AT THIS POINT!!!!  CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC MODULE 2: LANGUAGE AND COMMUNITY GENERAL TOPICS • LANGUAGE • CREOLE; DIALECT • REGISTERS • TECHNOLOGY MODULE 2: LANGUAGE AND COMMUNITY SPECIFIC TOPICS WITHIN THE GENERAL TOPICS  Define and Differentiate between a language and language  Describe the characteristics of language  Purpose of language  Functions or roles of language in society re Identity marker, political role, social, ethical and psychological  Define dialect  Concept of Creole history in the West Indian context (influence of colonisers)  Characteristics or features of Creole languages  Differences between Creole and Standard English  Challenges faced by Creole speakers to learn Std English  Points on the Creole Continuum ( Define and explain Acrolect, Mesolect and Basilect)  Registers re what are the factors responsible for a person’s choice of register, dialect?  Attitudes to language and impact of these attitudes eg for regional integration, create sense of marginalization and alienation  Technological advances and its impact on communication re computer, internet, cell phones, communication gadgets MODULE 3: SPEAKING AND WRITING GENERAL TOPICS • COMMUNICATION • COMMUNICATION CONTEXTS • TYPES OF WRITING • SPEECH • COMMUNICATION AIDS MODULE 3: SPEAKING AND WRITING SPECIFIC TOPICS FROM THE GENERAL TOPICS  Define and describe the process of communication  Contexts of communication (intrapersonal, interpersonal, small group, mass communication etc)  Forms of communication (verbal, non-verbal)  Types of writing and speaking (narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, argumentative

 Audio Visuals  Elements of speech

On completing your syllabus you should be able to give detailed information on the following: • Contexts of communication • Register • Dialect • Creole Continuum • Standard languages • Interactive settings • Lexicon • Characteristics of language • Features of Creole (any territory) • Languages of the Caribbean today • Dialectal Variations • Attitudes to language re Creoles and Standard • How these influence language in an interactive setting: audience, message, purpose, occasion, gender and age • Data and information, investigation and research • Features of Verbal and non-verbal communication • Facilitators and barriers to communication • Speech and speech delivery • Correlation between author/ speaker, context , text and reliability and validity of sources • Suitability of data collection methods • Choosing your medium and channel • Technology and its impact (positive/negative) on communication