AMB263 Intro to Public Relations Week 7 Assignment 2: Essay • Due date: Must be uploaded to Blackboard by 11.59pm Sunday 22 September 2013 (end of Week 9) • Length: 1500 words • Weighting: 30% Assignment 2: Essay • What you have to do: • Write an essay in which you discuss the Grunig and Hunt model of four types of public relations practice. For each type, identify a ‘realworld’ example of contemporary public relations practice. Across your examples you should include discussion of the use of traditional media, social media and stakeholder engagement. Your discussion should also consider the ethical elements in practice. Assignment 2: Essay Describe the four types of public relations in the model: ▫ Find an example of a real world application of each type in contemporary public relations practice. ▫ You must find a different example for each type. ▫ Identify how traditional and social media, and engaging with stakeholders are used in these types of public relations Assignment 2: Essay For each of the types: Reflect on any ethical considerations (challenges or benefits) related to using each in practice. (FYI We covered ethics in Week 6 and Chapter 9 of the text) Present your ideas in a formal essay. Assignment 2: Essay Knowledge of theories (out of 40 marks): You describe/analyse each type/model of public relations (Grunig & Hunt). You overview and identify the key elements of each type. You draw conclusions about the implications of the combination of all the concepts for public relations practice. You support your discussion by references from the text and other sources. Application of theories (out of 40 marks): You identify appropriate examples of each of the models in practice. You state how media and engagement is being demonstrated in each real-world example/situation. You clearly identify and discuss the links between the key elements of each type, media/engagement and your practical examples. You provide justification for your decisions. Done? Assignment 2: Essay Social and ethical understanding (out of 10 marks): You identify and discuss ethical issues in your practical examples. You apply ethical framework/s to your organisation’s behaviour. Technical elements (punctuation, grammar, referencing, structure) (out of 10 marks): Your assignment follows the essay format requirements. Your assignment avoids technical and referencing errors. Your assignment demonstrates academic integrity (including adhering to the word limit). General order of content for an analytical academic essay - see your tutorial guide for some more insights Intro - 200 words Theory 1 – 300 words Theory 2 – 300 words Theory 3 – 300 words Theory 4 – 300 words Conc - 100 words Source: Queensland University of Technology’s Cite/Write website http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/essayorg.jsp How to write an essay • Remember, this is an essay, so you don’t include headings, but this will give you an idea of how it should be structured…. • Introduction: ▫ Appropriate definitions ▫ Provide background info about your topic ▫ Outlines the ideas and concepts to be discussed in your essay ▫ Define the scope or limits of what will be discussed in your essay ▫ Indicate you argument (point of view on the topic) For AMB 263, you will need to outline the contents of your essay in approximately 200 words How to write an essay • Body paragraphs ▫ ▫ ▫ Paragraph 1: Topic sentence Additional information sentences Supporting evidence A concluding sentence Paragraph 2: Topic sentence Additional information sentences Supporting evidence A concluding sentence And so on… ▫ For AMB263, you should write as many paragraphs as necessary – within the word limit! – to present your information. For more detail, see your assignment guide. This section is the major part of this assignment and should be about 1200 words (guideline only). How to write an essay • Conclusion: ▫ Restate the purpose for comparison and/or contrast ▫ Summarise the main similarities and differences ▫ Draw a conclusion For AMB 263, you will need to provide a conclusion that summarises your discussions – remember, no new information here. About 100 words here should be enough. How to write an essay • Reference list: ▫ This must contain all of the material cited in the essay For AMB 263, you need to follow APA. Keep in mind that you will have a heading called “Reference List” • Appendixes ▫ This contains extra support information that is put at the end of the essay so as not to distract the reader from the main issues. They contain detailed information, such as questionnaires, tables, graphs, and diagrams. Appendixes should be clearly set out and numbered in the order they are mentioned in the text. For AMB 263, you may not have an appendix, but you are welcome to include one. Format 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. (without the headings of course!) Introduction ▫ Road map – what the essay will say Type#1 a. Overview the type of public relations in the G & H model and explain significance for contemporary PR b. Identify relevant real world examples. Discuss use of media and engagement c. Outline and link recent example d. Ethical considerations relevant to example, using ethical frameworks outlined in Week 6 Type #2 (repeat a-d) Type#3 (repeat a-d) Type#3 (repeat a-d) Conclusion Reference list Appendices (optional) A step-by-step guide 1. Start researching each type. Begin with the text book. ▫ Describe each one and note where these types are most commonly used. A step-by-step guide 2. By the time you have completed this you will have a good understanding of the four types. Now you need to start looking for situations in which you can demonstrate what they look like in practice. You can look for potentially relevant media stories in the Factiva database, available through QUT’s library website. Once you’ve found a couple of likely scenarios for each theory, see what else you can find out about the situations. Try looking on organisational websites and similar sources for this type of detail. Make notes about what you find. You should now be in a position to decide on examples to illustrate each different type. A step-by-step guide 3. Following the guidelines provided in the CRA sheet for this assignment, start writing your essay. I would suggest using the following template to make sure you are on track: ▫ Introduction – about 200 words. ▫ Body Type 1 – describe, discuss, apply (about 300 words) Type 2 – describe, discuss, apply (about 300 words) Type 3 – describe, discuss, apply (about 300 words) Type 4 – describe, discuss, apply (about 300 words) ▫ Conclusion – about 100 words. More detail about the content of each section can be found on the template in this tutorial guide. You should also refer to the CRA sheet, and talk to your tutor well in advance of submission if you are unsure of what is required. 4. Aim to finish the first draft of your essay no later than the Wednesday before it is due – this gives you ample time to proof read it, and check for any grammatical or referencing mistakes. A step-by-step guide 5. Make sure you save your draft – and subsequent versions of your essay – in multiple locations. ▫ We won’t accept technical problems or the loss of a single file as an excuse for late submission. 6. Make sure you attend the Week 9 tutorial and take advantage of your tutor’s availability to answer short last minute questions. A step-by-step guide 7. Plan time to refine, edit, and proof read your essay. Make sure your references are correct. Allow plenty of time for this. Maybe see if you can get someone else to help you, as you will probably not be able to get an objective perspective on your essay at this stage. 8. Don’t leave it to the last minute to submit it ▫ Remember, it is due via online submission Final assessment : CRA Knowledge and skills (KS) Grade Range of marks allocated to each criterion 7 35 – 40 6 30 – 34.5 Discussion of theories You use and provide an in-depth review of each model, overviewing their key elements. You provide a wide range of detailed, accurate insights into the implications of these models for public relations in contemporary practice with a diverse range of sources to support these. You use and provide an accurate description of each model. You overview most key elements of each theory. You provide some detailed and accurate insights into the implications of these models for public relations in contemporary practice with a diverse range of sources to support these. Grade Marks Application of theories (building on the previous section) 7 35 – 40 You source four ‘real world’, relevant examples which reflect the models overviewed. You provide a comprehensive and sophisticated analysis of the links between all elements of the models and your practical examples, and provide strong justification for your decisions. 5 26 – 29.5 You use and provide an accurate description of each model. You overview some key elements of each theory. You include mostly-correct insights into how these models relate to public relations contemporary practice. You include some additional sources to support these. Critical thinking and application (CTA) 6 5 30 – 34.5 26 – 29.5 You source ‘real world’, relevant You source ‘real world’, relevant examples which reflect the three examples which reflect the three models overviewed. You discuss the models overviewed. You links between most of the key describe the links between some elements of each model and your of the key elements of each practical examples with clear model and your practical justification for your decisions. examples with some justification for your decisions. 4 20 – 25.5 3-1 0 – 19.5 You use the models and provide a mostly-accurate description of each concept with key elements acknowledged. You attempt to identify links between the public relations theories and practice. You include few additional sources to support these beyond the readings. You do not make an appropriate selection of models; AND/OR You do not provide an accurate description of each model or their key elements; AND/OR You do not include references to sources beyond readings. 4 20 – 25.5 Your ‘real world’ examples are not all relevant to the three models overviewed. You state which model is being demonstrated in each situation, but with limited justification for your decisions or inaccurate assumptions. 3-1 0 – 19.5 You do not clearly identify three different examples of your models in practice; AND/OR You do not offer justification for your choices. Final assessment : CRA Grade Marks Understanding of ethical issues 7 8.5 – 10 You provide a comprehensive discussion of ethical issues in all of your practical examples and provide a sophisticated application of one or more of the ethical framework/s covered in this unit to the organisation’s behaviour in each situation. Grade 7 8.5 – 10 Assignment follows the essay format requirements for this unit with no more than two errors (including referencing errors) on any one page. Social and ethical understanding (SEU) 6 5 7.5 – 8 6.5 – 7 You clearly identify ethical issues in You identify ethical issues in all of your all of your practical examples and practical examples and show to a closely apply one or more of the limited extent how one or more of the ethical framework/s covered in this ethical framework/s covered in this unit unit to the organisation’s behaviour in could be applied to the organisation’s each situation. behaviour in each situation. 4 5–6 You identify ethical issues in all of your practical examples and link one or more relevant ethical framework from those covered in this unit to the organisation’s behaviour in each situation. 2-1 0-4.5 You do not identify ethical issues in some of your practical examples. 4 5–6 Assignment follows some of the essay format requirements for this unit and contains more than four technical errors (including referencing errors) on any one page. 2-1 0-4.5 Assignment does not follow essay format requirements for this unit (including word limit). AND/OR APA referencing is not used, or is used incorrectly. AND/OR Assignment does not demonstrate academic integrity. Professional communication in an intercultural context (PC) Marks Technical elements (punctuation, grammar, referencing, structure) 6 7.5 – 8 Assignment follows the essay format requirements for this unit and contains no more than three technical errors (including referencing errors) on any one page. 5 6.5 – 7 Assignment follows most of the essay format requirements for this unit and contains no more than four technical errors (including referencing errors) on any one page. Next week • We will be looking at the CRA for the essay in more detail!!