communication studies 2012
CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL
REPORT ON CANDIDATES’ WORK IN THE
CARIBBEAN ADVANCED PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION
MAY/JUNE 2012
COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Copyright © 2012 Caribbean Examinations Council ®
St Michael, Barbados
All rights reserved.
2
GENERAL COMMENTS
Overall, candidates’ performance in the 2012 Communications Studies examination continued to improve, with noticeably higher percentages earning Grades I and II; indeed, the percentage earning
Grade I almost doubled that of 2011. The percentage of candidates achieving Grades IV was approximately 95 per cent, following the pattern of the previous two years. Candidates improved their performance on Modules 2 and 3, with marked increases in the number of candidates achieving Grade I.
They faltered on Module 1 however, where there was continuing decline in the percentage achieving
Grade I.
There was appreciably better performance on Papers 01A and 02, with the respective means being noticeably greater than in 2011. Performance on Paper 031 held constant, while on Papers 01B and 032, it dropped – slightly, in the case of the former, and appreciably, in the case of the latter. (The drop in performance on Paper 01B partially explains the lower performance on Module 1 since that Paper covers only Module 1.)
DETAILED COMMENTS
Paper 01A – Short Answers
Section A – Module 1
Module 1 consisted of Questions 1 and 2, which were concerned with the research process. It tested candidates’ knowledge of data collection methods, including the disadvantages of particular methods, and their ability to ensure validity of their data. The vast majority of candidates attempted both questions.
Question 1
The question came in three parts and was based on a scenario in which a Mr David Henry, the person in charge of discipline at Kingsman High School, was looking to research the reasons for students not doing homework. Part (a) asked candidates to identify two methods of data collection that Mr Henry
REPORT ON CANDIDATES’ WORK IN THE
CARIBBEAN ADVANCED PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION
MAY/JUNE 2012
COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Copyright © 2012 Caribbean Examinations Council ®
St Michael, Barbados
All rights reserved.
2
GENERAL COMMENTS
Overall, candidates’ performance in the 2012 Communications Studies examination continued to improve, with noticeably higher percentages earning Grades I and II; indeed, the percentage earning
Grade I almost doubled that of 2011. The percentage of candidates achieving Grades IV was approximately 95 per cent, following the pattern of the previous two years. Candidates improved their performance on Modules 2 and 3, with marked increases in the number of candidates achieving Grade I.
They faltered on Module 1 however, where there was continuing decline in the percentage achieving
Grade I.
There was appreciably better performance on Papers 01A and 02, with the respective means being noticeably greater than in 2011. Performance on Paper 031 held constant, while on Papers 01B and 032, it dropped – slightly, in the case of the former, and appreciably, in the case of the latter. (The drop in performance on Paper 01B partially explains the lower performance on Module 1 since that Paper covers only Module 1.)
DETAILED COMMENTS
Paper 01A – Short Answers
Section A – Module 1
Module 1 consisted of Questions 1 and 2, which were concerned with the research process. It tested candidates’ knowledge of data collection methods, including the disadvantages of particular methods, and their ability to ensure validity of their data. The vast majority of candidates attempted both questions.
Question 1
The question came in three parts and was based on a scenario in which a Mr David Henry, the person in charge of discipline at Kingsman High School, was looking to research the reasons for students not doing homework. Part (a) asked candidates to identify two methods of data collection that Mr Henry