Dear students, 

Below you will find some frequently asked questions regarding reflections 1 and 2:

Q: What is the word limit for the reflections?

A: 200-250 words for Reflection 1 and 300-350 words for Reflection 2

Q: Can you please remind of the questions we need to answer in the

reflections?
A:
Reflection 1:

1. What were your thoughts on the topic prior to starting your research for this SBA?
2. What are your thoughts now?
3. How have your source materials changed your thoughts, intensified your views or introduced
you to new ideas or perspectives on your topic?

Reflection 2:

1. What is the writer/singer/poet/interviewee/video producer's purpose?

2. What point or message is he or she trying to bring across?
3. What effect is he or she trying to have on the audience? Is he or she trying to inform the
audience of something, persuade them to believe something, stir their emotions?
4. What devices does the creator use to achieve the purposes outlined in 1-3?
5. Using examples, explain whether these devices are effective in achieving what the creator
aimed to accomplish.

Q: For Reflection 1, do we write on how each source material shaped our

thinking?
A: Not necessarily. You may take that approach if it seems feasible but since the
word limit is so narrow, I would not advise it. A better approach would be to comment
on how all the sources have shaped your thinking generally. However, please be
sure to make specific reference to two or three of your sources by name in your
reflection.

Q: Can I get an example of what Reflection 1 would sound like?

A: Sure.

Simple example:
  
  Prior to starting my research on Criminal Behaviour Among Celebrities, I believed
that many celebrities engage in activities that harm or infringe upon the rights of
others because they believe themselves to be superior to the common man and
therefore, "above the law." My view was reinforced by this research, especially when
I heard a statement made in one of my video sources by William "Bill" Effectsby, a
noted actor recently accused of sexually assaulting his 21 year old intern. In an
interview with "Half An Hour" on SBC, Effectsby blatantly said, "She's a liar... Yes it
happened but it was totally consensual. You could see it in her eyes. Who wouldn't
want a piece of the big man?" The tone of this statement clearly indicates that this
man had no disregard for this young woman's right to choose as he believed himself
to be irresistible and therefore exempt from the rigmarole of requesting a young
woman's express consent before making sexual advances towards her.
  I also thought that the persons who were taken advantage of by these celebrities
were cowards for not speaking up. However, my views were changed when I
discovered that ..........

Q: For Reflection 2, do we write about the language devices used

in each source?  

A: Yes. You should have at least three paragraphs. In each paragraph, you should
write about one piece of source material and how language was used effectively in
that source. You should do that for each source.

Q: Can use of colour and graphics be discussed as a language device?

A: No. Graphics are not language. This reflection focuses specifically on language.

Q: So what would qualify as a "language device"?

A: A variety of things, including but not limited to: diction, word imagery, metaphor,
tone, sarcasm, rhyme, metre, simile, hyperbole, personification, statistics, quotes,
etc.

Q: How many devices should we analyse for each source?

A: At least two.

Q: I still don't understand reflection 2. Can you give me an example of what we

would write?
A: 
Sample paragraph:
  In the article, "Cyberbullying is a disease we must eradicate" by Sarah Gavins, the
writer intends to persuade the audience to believe that cyberbullying is a lot more
serious than the general population makes it out to be. Gavins' intention is to shock
the reading audience by outlining the scope and the effects of cyberbullying. One
device she uses to convey the gravity of the situation is statistics. One pointed
example is "over ten percent of suicides among teenagers in North America are a
direct result of persistent bullying via some social media platform." This and other
statistics used by Gavins highlight that we as a society really have not been taking
the threat of cyberbullying as seriously as we should be. Gavins interlocks this use
of statistics with carefully crafted rhetorical questions, such as "So are we going to
just sit back and let our future die before their screens?" The sharp sarcastic diction
in the rhetorical questions used by Gavins are meant to stir the readers' sympathy,
lead them to deep introspection and thus motivate them to take action against this
insidious epidemic.
--