COMM1023 Fundamentals of Communication
Final Essay (25%)
Deadline: 27 December 2024 (Friday), 9.00a.m. (upload to iSpace, late submissions will be deducted 10% per day late)
Length: 900-1000 words (excluding References)
Draft Essay Due Date (5%): 2 December 2024 (Monday), 9.00a.m. (upload to iSpace). Feedback on draft to be given in Week 14 (Dec 9-13) during seminars.
Answer one of the following questions:
1. In what ways has digital media reshaped patterns of media consumption? Discuss two specific examples of these transformations and critically examine their broader social or cultural implications.
2. Examine the challenges faced by media producers in the digital era. Discuss issues such as copyright concerns, shifting audience behaviors, and the influence of social media on media production.
3. In the digital age, we are not just sitting there passively receiving. How do audiences actively shape the meaning of media texts? Use your own examples from areas such as social media or fan communities to discuss how audience interpretations can challenge or reinforce the creator's intended message.
4. How does social media influence political beliefs among young adults? Explore how social media platforms shape or reinforce political views and opinions among young people. Students can examine theories such as the agenda-setting function of social media, the spiral of silence, and the third-person effect, providing examples from recent political events to illustrate how social media impacts audience perception and behavior.
5. Choose a specific example where AI-Generated Content (AIGC) was used in a news story or media production. Analyse the ethical challenges posed by this case from perspectives such as authenticity and public trust, media professional responsibilities, copyright issues, and social bias. How did these challenges impact the relationship between the audience, media practitioners, and the media content itself?
6. In the digital age, we don’t just consume images passively; visual culture plays a role in shaping who we are. Discuss how visual media (like films, TV, or social media) contributes to personal and collective identity. For instance, consider how movie characters or online personas might influence people’s sense of self or values. Use your own examples to explore this influence.
7. How is virtual reality transforming consumer experiences in retail and entertainment? Explore how VR technology is utilized in retail and entertainment to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction. Students can discuss interactive design principles and analyze real-world examples, such as virtual try- ons in fashion and immersive experiences in movie theaters and gaming.
8. What is the role of nonverbal communication in building trust during live-stream shopping and TV sales? Explore how nonverbal cues—such as body language, eye contact, and tone—affect consumer trust in live-streaming sales and TV shopping. Students can apply theories of interpersonal communication to discuss why nonverbal communication is crucial in these scenarios, supported by examples from popular live-stream platforms or TV sales shows.
9. How have recent technological developments influenced China’s ability to “tell a Chinese story well” on the international stage? Analyse how advancements in digital media have impacted the effectiveness of Chinese storytelling campaigns. Use a specific case to illustrate how technology has enhanced or hindered the ability to convey cultural narratives to a global audience.
Instructions:
l The assignment needs to be written formally with paragraphs, an introduction and conclusion, and a References list. Use APA referencing style. consistently.
l Do not write the essay using bullet points.
l Your essay needs to have a References list.
Reminders:
Penalties for academic dishonesty should be executed in the following manners:
l A student who is found to have committed an act of academic dishonesty in respect of any part of a course-based assessment such as plagiarism in written assignments, submission of material(s) for assessment which is not the student’s own work, the use of fabricated or copied data for assessment, shall receive zero marks for the part found plagiarized.
l For more serious or repeated cases, the student concerned shall be given an F grade for the whole course and disciplinary action may be sought from the Student Disciplinary Committee.
l Any student found to have committed academic dishonesty shall be excluded from participating in the end-of-semester teaching and learning evaluation for the course concerned.
l ChatGPT and other generative AI tools may be used for brainstorming and proofreading, but not for writing this assignment.
Final Essay Rubrics
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%
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
|
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Use of examples
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35
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No
examples
|
Poor examples; most not relevant to the topic
|
Examples often
inadequate to support
argument
|
Good examples; some examples are irrelevant to the topic
|
Excellent examples that illustrate the topic very well
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Depth of analysis
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35
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No analysis
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Minimal analysis that often rests entirely on description
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Adequate analysis that does not probe beneath the surface of the topic
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Often deep analysis that partially includes the
student’s own input
|
Very deep analysis that explores multiple aspects from the student’s own
perspective
|
|
Inclusion of Sources and Citations
|
20
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No
materials referenced
|
Poor understanding
shown; very few
readings mentioned;
inconsistent with APA style
|
Comprehension often
unclear; narrow range of readings discussed; many errors following APA
style
|
Comprehension fair; some slight
misunderstandings; wide range discussed; often
follows APA style
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Shows excellent
comprehension with a
wide range of materials;
follows APA style
|
|
Structure
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10
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Incoherent
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Very poorly structured; hard to follow; intro
and/or conclusion missing
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Adequate structure
although unclear in
places such as intro and conclusion
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Good structure;
Any lack of clarity does not greatly impede
comprehension; intro and conclusion fair
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Clear structure; easy to follow and comprehend; includes complete intro and conclusion
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