Introduction to Communication & Cultural Studies

Assignment Requirements

Please follow the attached files.

Assessment 2: Guidelines

Theme: Social campaigns, communications systems and social practice.

Due date: 21 May, by 5pm via LearnOnLine.

Length: 1800-2000 words

Assessment topic: Social campaigns are cultural texts which (re)produce and/or challenge established meanings, values, identities, practices, and social structures (or we could say, ways of knowing, seeing, and being).

Identify and analyse the discourse (or discourses) that are central to your chosen social campaign and discuss the socio-political effects the campaign produces (or is likely to produce).

ASSESSMENT AIMS

This Assessment aims for you to demonstrate your expanded familiarity with the basic tools of semiotics and key theoretical concepts from a broadened repertoire of communications and cultural studies terms. It aims for you to apply these and critically appraise a campaign and its ‘communications system’.

The assessment requires students to demonstrate a level of analysis and writing skill commensurate with a university degree in communications and cultural studies. We also aim to assess your knowledge of effective communication in 2014.

What you need:

Select a social issues campaign, a charity or NGO campaign (or topic approved by your tutor). Choose 3 texts that are part of your selected campaign
Identify and critically examine the central discourse (or discourses) that are ‘at work’ in your examples and the socio-political effects they produce.
Key terms: discourse, power, identity, subject(ivity), otherness, habitus, cultural capital, field, class, gender, sexuality, race.
References: At least 4 references. Please note, Thwaites, Davis and Mules is only one reference.
At least five quotes from three different sources.
Harvard referencing system.

PREPARATION

Collect and prepare th e three texts from your chosen campaign
Think about how you will use them and where you will place them in the Assessment (as an appendix or in the body of the assignment?
Give each example a caption (eg. Example 1: Your daily intake of salt Source: Heart Foundation, Youtube. Retrieved January 2013). And YES, you should have all of these details!)
Make a list of the key terms and match elements of the example/s to them
Select at least 5 relevant quotes. (Be sure to use Thwaites, Davis & Mules and other recommended sources. Demonstrate the breadth and depth of your reading and preparation.)
Subheadings. Try using them! Most published articles and chapters include subheadings. An academic paper is very rarely a continuous essay. (As preparation, read articles to see how the author uses sub-headings, how creative are they, what do they indicate to the reader about what comes next)
Be sure to have an introduction, body and conclusion.
Be sure to demonstrate analysis and to develop an argument about semiotics, identity and representation.

Assessment #2 – Research paper (Graded)

Assessment 2— Research paper (1,800 words plus references and appendices)

Theme: Social campaigns, communications systems and social practice.

Due date: 23 May, 5:00PM via LearnOnLine.

Assessment topic: Social campaigns are cultural text which (re)produce and/or challenge established meanings, values, identities, practices, and social structures (or we could say, ways of knowing, seeing, and being). Identify and analyse the discourse (or discourses) that are central to your choice of social campaign and discuss the socio-political effects the campaign produces (or is likely to produce).

What you need:

Select a social issues campaign, a charity or NGO campaign (or topic approved by your tutor).
Identify and critically examine the central discourse (or discourses) that are ‘at work’ in your examples, and the socio-political effects they produce
Key terms: discourse, power, identity, subject(ivity), other(ness), habitus, cultural capital, field
References: At least 4 references. Please note, Thwaites, Davis and Mules is only one reference.
At least five quotes from three different sources.
Harvard referencing system.
Attach copies of campaign materials and/or urls

The Course Webpage has detailed information about preparing and presenting the assignment.

It’s become clear that some students are finding it difficult to either find suitable campaigns to analyse for assignment two, or are confused about what is, and what is not, a campaign. Below is a list of topics which campaigns designed by charities, NGOs, and government department frequently address:

Homophobia/anti-racism/anti-ableism (eg http://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/it-stops-with-me/resources )

Female genital mutilation

Anti-anorexia/anti-obesity/health eating (eg http://www.measureup.gov.au/internet/abhi/publishing.nsf/Content/About+the+campaign-lp )

Safe sex/sexual health (eg http://knowtherisk.org.au/?confirmed=true )

Tanning/skin cancer (eg http://www.skincancer.gov.au/ )

Environmental issues

Pro-vaccination

Anxiety/depression/mental illness (eg http://www.beyondblue.org.au/resources/for-me/lesbian-gay-bi-trans-and-intersex-lgbti-people/stop-think-respect-campaign )

Teen pregnancy (eg http://beyoubehealthy.org/posters.php )

Domestic violence/ violence between men/child abuse (eg http://www.oneinthree.com.au/ )

Road safety/ anti-speeding/ anti drink-driving

Anti-smoking