Meanings and Representations - Mock Feedback

Meanings and Representations - Mock Feedback 

Basic Issues:

• Black pen
• Clearly label answers as Q1, Q2 etc.
• Avoid ‘empty’ sentences
• Capitals for proper nouns
• Possessive apostrophes
• Use of semi-colons, especially to avoid comma splicing
• Write formally e.g. mothers not ‘mums’

Key Issues:

• No terminology, low, low marks (or none!) 
• Answer the question! Explore the representations or no/low marks
• Link the use of techniques (identified with terminology) to the GRAPE or no/low marks – why are those techniques used to make meanings/representations in that way for that specific GRAPE?

GRAPE:

• Identify the GRAPE during planning and anything from Hudson’s dimensions that seems useful e.g. mode, interactivity, formality etc.
• Don’t comment on it by itself by doing a GRAPE intro (we will get to how to write an overview) – link right from the start to techniques 

Planning:

• Plan to answer the question using a range of quotes that can be explored through a range of terminology (2+ language levels in order to hit level 4 so just grammar or just lexis won’t get you above a D). Looking at the affordances/constraints is considered top band, as is visual design (linked with language) and navigation (discourse structure)
• Don’t just deal with the main part of the text – explore the peripheral info too and how the techniques make meanings and representations that suit the GRAPE 
• Try and show how different language levels/frameworks combine to create meanings and representations
• Try to find a way to explore subtler aspects of the GRAPE e.g. secondary purposes, how expectations are thwarted or exceeded, sub-groups of the audience etc.

A line of argument - overview:

What the text seems to be doing and how and why needs to be in a short overview and explored throughout e.g. The producer of this page of the Mumsnet website seems to be creating a welcoming community for the target audience of predominantly mothers to discuss ideas and gain feedback in the “talk” section, offering them other affordances to keep them using and returning to the website.

Content worth exploring:

• Lexical field of prom (always exemplify connotations with two or three e.g. negative connotations of being spoilt and overly image-conscious) – always explore the focus of the text(s)
• Orthography (not ‘orthology’ as a few people put)
• Interactivity/navigation/affordances/constraints
• Formality – look for complexities e.g. brief shifts in formality
• Multiple purposes
• Self-representation as well as representation of other people/groups/ideas

Comparisons:

• Use a topic sentence that includes both texts and the point of comparison e.g. While both texts contain factual descriptions of costs, Kayano is not a journalist and uses her figures much more loosely to make her point than Sayid does, however his are used just as dramatically to both inform and entertain.
• Use a discourse marker at the start of the paragraph e.g. 
• contrasting discourse markers: Although… While… In contrast to…
• Connecting discourse markers: Both… In similar ways… 
• Facts and figures – explore the difference between “£30 back in the day… ended up costing nearly £200” from Kayano on Mumsnet and Sayid’s use of figures in “spending 24% more” and “rocketing 60%... soaring by 20%”  and  “…girls who blow £467.25.”
• How is the language used to provide these statistics different and how does the GRAPE affect these representations?
• Interactivity or any other of Hudson’s dimensions of mode – evaluate to what extent they are ‘interactive’ or ‘formal’ or ‘permanent’ using terminology and GRAPE comments to explore why.
• How the texts deal with the same subject matter differently
• You only need two paragraphs but each must explore very different aspects (different frameworks, only one theory like Hudson’s dimensions or Fairclough’s building the consumer)