2001

48

Extended response: Written persuasive text suitable for a public audience This sample is intended to inform the design of assessment instruments in the senior phase of learning. It highlights the qualities of student work and the match to the syllabus standards.

Dimensions assessed • Understanding and responding to contexts

• Understanding and controlling textual features

• Creating and evaluating meaning

Assessment instrument The response presented in this sample is in response to an assessment task

Context: You have read and analysed a selection of editorial cartoons and humorous feature articles and have explored the ways that cartoonists and journalists use humour and other textual and aesthetic features to represent ideas and attitudes. Task: Write a feature article which analyses how a newspaper columnist or editorial cartoonist uses humour and other techniques to represent particular ideas or attitudes and how this influences readers. Genre: Feature article Role: Student columnist Audience: Readers of a weekend newspaper Purpose: To analyse; to evaluate Length: 800–1000 words

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority October 2014

Page 2 of 9

Instrument-specific standards matrix Student responses have been matched to instrument-specific criteria and standards; those which best describe the student work in this sample are shown below. For more information about the syllabus dimensions and standards descriptors, see www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/11703-assessment.html.

Standard A Standard C

Unde

rsta

ndin

g an

d re

spon

ding

to c

onte

xts

The student work has the following characteristics:

The student work has the following characteristics:

• exploitation of genre patterns and conventions of a feature article to achieve specific purposes

• use of genre patterns and conventions of a feature article to achieve purposes

• discerning selection, organisation and synthesis of relevant and substantive subject matter to support opinions and perspectives

• selection, sequencing and organisation of relevant subject matter to support opinions and perspectives

• manipulation and control of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience.

• establishment and maintenance of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience.

Unde

rsta

ndin

g an

d co

ntro

lling

text

ual f

eatu

res

The student work has the following characteristics:

The student work has the following characteristics:

• a discerning combination of a range of grammatically accurate language structures for specific effects, including clauses and sentences

• use of a range of mostly grammatically accurate language structures to achieve purposes, including clauses and sentences

• discerning use of cohesive devices to develop and emphasise ideas and connect parts of the feature article, including paragraphing

• use of cohesive devices to link ideas and connect parts of the feature article, including paragraphing

• discerning use of a wide range of apt vocabulary for specific purposes

• use of suitable vocabulary for purposes

• discerning use of mode-appropriate features to achieve specific effects: ­ conventional spelling and punctuation

­ design elements

• suitable use of mode-appropriate features to achieve purposes: ­ conventional spelling and punctuation

­ design elements

• discerning analysis of the ways ideas, attitudes and values underpin humorous texts and influence audiences

• analysis of the ways ideas, attitudes and values underpin humorous texts and influence audiences

• subtle and complex evaluation of perspectives and representations of concepts, identities, times and places in humorous texts

• evaluation of perspectives and representations of concepts, identities, times and places in humorous texts

• discerning evaluation of aesthetic features and their effects in humorous texts.

• identification and explanation of aesthetic features and their effects in humorous texts.

Note: Colour highlights have been used in the table to emphasise the qualities that discriminate between the standards.

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority October 2014

Page 3 of 9

Student response — Standard A The annotations show the match to the instrument-specific standards.

Comments discerning use of mode-appropriate features to achieve specific effects exploitation of genre patterns and conventions of a feature article to achieve specific purposes a discerning combination of a range of grammatically accurate language structures for specific effects, including clauses and sentences manipulation and control of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience discerning use of a wide range of apt vocabulary for specific purposes a discerning combination of a range of grammatically accurate language structures for specific effects, including clauses and sentences

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority October 2014

Page 4 of 9

Comments discerning selection, organisation and synthesis of relevant and substantive subject matter to support opinions and perspectives subtle and complex evaluation of perspectives and representations of concepts, identities, times and places in humorous texts discerning analysis of the ways ideas, attitudes and values underpin humorous texts and influence audiences discerning use of a wide range of apt vocabulary for specific purposes discerning use of cohesive devices to develop and emphasise ideas and connect parts of the feature article, including paragraphing discerning evaluation of aesthetic features and their effects in humorous texts manipulation and control of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority October 2014

Page 5 of 9

Comments discerning selection, organisation and synthesis of relevant and substantive subject matter to support opinions and perspectives exploitation of genre patterns and conventions of a feature article to achieve specific purposes manipulation and control of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience a discerning combination of a range of grammatically accurate language structures for specific effects, including clauses and sentences manipulation and control of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority October 2014

Page 6 of 9

Student response — Standard C The annotations show the match to the instrument-specific standards.

Comments use of genre patterns and conventions of a feature article to achieve purposes establishment and maintenance of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience use of suitable vocabulary for purposes use of a range of mostly grammatically accurate language structures to achieve purposes, including clauses and sentences use of genre patterns and conventions of a feature article to achieve purposes selection, sequencing and organisation of relevant subject matter to support opinions and perspectives

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority October 2014

Page 7 of 9

Comments

establishment and maintenance of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience selection, sequencing and organisation of relevant subject matter to support opinions and perspectives analysis of the ways ideas, attitudes and values underpin humorous texts and influence audiences use of suitable vocabulary for purposes use of cohesive devices to link ideas and connect parts of the feature article, including paragraphing analysis of the ways ideas, attitudes and values underpin humorous texts and influence audiences identification and explanation of aesthetic features and their effects in humorous texts evaluation of perspectives and representations of concepts, identities, times and places in humorous texts

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority October 2014

Page 8 of 9

Comments

use of a range of mostly grammatically accurate language structures to achieve purposes, including clauses and sentences analysis of the ways ideas, attitudes and values underpin humorous texts and influence audiences identification and explanation of aesthetic features and their effects in humorous texts use of genre patterns and conventions of a feature article to achieve purposes use of genre patterns and conventions of a feature article to achieve purposes use of cohesive devices to link ideas and connect parts of the feature article, including paragraphing establishment and maintenance of role of the feature article writer and relationship with newspaper audience

English 2010 Sample assessment instrument and student responses

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority October 2014

Page 9 of 9

Acknowledgments Cartoons by Nicholson from ‘The Australian’ newspaper: www.nicholsoncartoons.com.au. Used with permission. The QCAA acknowledges the contribution of All Saints Anglican School in the preparation of this document.