AS Comms - final advice for tomorrow

The AS Comms exam is at 9.30am tomorrow in the Sports Hall.
Please make sure that you are there by 9.10 at the latest.

Remember:

There will be 4 questions - all equally weighted (20 marks):
Qu 1 will be on Culture
Qu 2 will be on Identity & self presentation
Qu 3 is the semiotics question
Qu 4 is the 'wild card' question, which asks you to draw from across the course

Spend 25 minutes on each question: 5 mins reading the question & planning; 20 minutes writing.

For Qu 3, spend a minute per mark (e.g. if a question is worth 4 marks, spend 4 minutes on it). It is fine to give bullet point answers for questions worth 2-6 marks.

How to write a strong answer:

- put the question at the centre of your answer
- use Comms & Culture terminology
- use specific examples through which to explore the question
- apply theory to your specific examples
- never put the examiner in a position where they are asking 'so?'; 'and?' or 'why?' about your answer


Example of an student answer which does the above:

·        We use verbal communication and NVC as a means of gaining power and status over others

Power and status are two things key to people’s sense of self; gaining these attributes requires a specific use of verbal communication and NVC. One of the most physical and clear examples of this is divergence; this is when a power figure, or someone trying to achieve a role of power widens the gap between how they speak compared to the person they are speaking to. For example, a manager who may not speak with very prevalent R.P. might make that accent more prevalent in the context of disciplining an employee. Goffman would argue that the manager is using their voice as a ‘prop’ while ‘front stage’ to achieve more power over their co-actor. This is a means of gaining power and status. Goffman would in turn argue that the manager is likely to change their voice while ‘back stage’, while away from work, when asserting power is less relevant.

Moreover, proxemics – how far away people are from each other – can be used to gain power and status over someone else. An argument between two teenagers would be a prime example of this. Standing over someone connotes a sense of higher status and makes the other person feel small physically and metaphorically. Berne would argue that using proxemics in an aggressive and attacking way would be an example of the ‘child ego state’, as proxemics embodies the physical nature of a tantrum. {Although Berne’s ego states fails to take into account any overlaps of the three states.} An argument may be in a controlling ‘parent’ context – although this would still demonstrate a desire for power and status.

In addition, both verbal communication and NVC can be used in harmony to create a sincere performance; thus gaining power and status. Status is sometimes inferred, like a pupil knows the teacher has the power but may try to challenge this by not conforming to the paradigm of expected class behaviour. The teacher might then try to re install their sense of status by changing their paralanguage and shouting. Shouting may not re-gain status but it is a trait identified with a position of power.

Overall, verbal communication and NVC are used in order to gain a means of power from both quietly elevating a person, as well as loudly asserting dominance.

 

GOOD LUCK!