EDF5638 Assessment Frequently Asked Questions

Assessment 1(a) and 1(b)

Assessment 1(a)
Do we need references?
No extra references are required - you need to show your understanding of the
content we've been covering in the unit. If you do use references, you need a proper
(APA 7) reference list at the end.
Is it ok if my words count is above 800? Do you have a maximum standard?
The usual rule of +/- 10% of the word count applies.
Could I use only a part of the oral presentation's transcripts? The whole video is too
long.
Excerpts from texts are absolutely fine (and much better than trying to include the
whole text if it's long!). The text needs to be between 150-300 words.
I would like to ask a question about the formal text of AT1. Is it fine if there are
several conversations in the formal text?
The most important thing is that the level of formality is different for your 2 texts. If
you have conversations in a more formal text, this is fine as long as the
conversations are more formal (interviewing for a documentary, for example). Think
of level of formality on a continuum.
In two different texts, should my student groups be the same or should there be two
different student groups based on different text types?
You can choose the same student group for each text or you can have different
student groups for each one - it's up to you. Have a look on the template for the
assessment and you'll see that you have a space to explain each text. If you do
choose to use the same student profile for both texts, you need to say this when
addressing the final criterion of Text 2 (ie state it explicitly).
I'd like to ask about the maximum Turnitin percentage of AT1.
There's no maximum percentage (Turnitin picks up the text you include, so it can
come back quite high). We go in and have a look at what is happening if it is high.
The main thing you need to avoid is copying chunks of text in your own writing
(phrases, clauses, sentences). This is what we're looking for. Any copying of this
kind won't be marked. This means you lose marks because the copied parts are not
assessed.
Just a question but what type of register would a thing like a song have for example.
The way to work out the register is to look at the language choices. What kind of
solidarity is the composer/singer trying to have with the public? Is the text
spontaneous or is it something that somebody has reflected on in order to produce?
See if you can start with the kind of language used (and the purpose of the text) and
work back from that. Songs can have a different register from each other. Remember
to think of aspects of register on a continuum - not just one end or another end.
Can you help me to clarify the difference of high or limited solidarity in informal and
formal texts?
Solidarity is when you feel a connection with people. Obviously, families usually have
high solidarity, but you can also feel it if you are in a common situation with people
you don't know (for example, other students you need to complete a university task
with/ people experiencing a disaster with you - like in a bushfire). Events like the
Olympic Games can also make people feel a high solidarity with athletes from their
country (and they might call them by their first name and talk to them on the TV
screen like they're talking to family) Solidarity can be imagined. People also like to try
to create the impression of solidarity to readers/ listeners, especially when they are
trying to persuade them of something or bring them into a story.

Assessment 1(b)
I'd like to ask about the word count in AT1b. Do the translation parts including
English to Chinese and back to English in ideational metafunction account for the
overall 1600 words?
Wordcount applies to your work in the assessment (ie not anything copied/translated
from other sources, but if is your translation to show the ideational metafunction, it
counts).
Could a text have no affect/ feelings and have no appreciation? For example, like in
a news, sometimes, the author does not show/ describe his/her emotion inside
his/her writing. He/she only shows the fact.

Yes, a text can have neutral language - it doesn't always show feelings/appreciation.

In this criteria "Have you identified the tenor of each text, explained it from an
appraisal perspective, and provided at least 2 examples from each text relevant to
your explanation" it mentions that we need to provide at least 2 examples of the
appraisal perspective. Are those 2 examples for each engagement, attitude, and
graduation? or 2 examples overall?

These are 2 examples overall (not for each aspect of appraisal).

For the organizational meta-function, if the text does not contain ellipsis, I could only
explain the lexical organization. However, how about if there is only one type of
lexical organization in my text? Is that okay to give 2 examples of one type of lexical
organization? or should it be 2 examples for 2 types?
Try to find 2 types of lexical organization if there is no ellipsis. Go back to week 6 for
some ideas of what you can choose (there should be more than one type in your
text).

Could we use a different student profile? For example, In 1a, students are G10 in a
Shanghai senior high school while in 1b, students are G7 in a Shanghai junior
middle school?
Changing the student profile between 1a and 1b is fine. You can also have different
student profiles for each text.

I am confused about monogloss and heterogloss. If there is a text about people in

different fields discussing a topic on YouTube, does the engagement belong to
heterogloss?

Think about the language choices of each person. Heterogloss doesn't refer to a
dialogue between people but how individual people are using language. In the
dialogue, one person could be using monoglossic language and the other
heteroglossic language, for example.