Welcome to Your Language Investigation!
Welcome to the guide for your Non-exam assessment (NEA)! Think of this as your chance to step away from the exam hall and become a language detective. Instead of answering questions someone else wrote, you get to choose what interests you, collect your own evidence, and solve your own linguistic puzzles.
In this chapter, we will break down exactly how to plan, research, and write your investigation. Don’t worry if it sounds like a big task—we will take it one step at a time!
What is the NEA?
The NEA stands for Non-exam assessment. It is a Language Investigation where you research a specific way that people use English. You will choose a topic, collect "data" (which is just a fancy word for examples of language), and write a report of about 2,500 words explaining what you found.
Why do we do this? It’s designed to test all the skills you’ve learned so far, including:
• Critical thinking: Asking smart questions about language.
• Data-handling: Organizing and making sense of your examples.
• Analysis: Using linguistic tools to explain how language works.
• Academic argument: Explaining your conclusions clearly.
Quick Review: The NEA is your chance to be the expert. You find the data, you do the analysis, and you write the report!
Step 1: Choosing Your Topic
The best part of the NEA is that you can study almost anything, as long as it involves the English language. You should pick something that actually interests you!
Real-world examples of topics you could choose:
• Language and Power: How do politicians try to persuade people in speeches?
• New Technologies: How has the language of text messaging or gaming changed over time?
• Children’s Language: How does a five-year-old tell a story compared to an adult?
• Media: How does a tabloid newspaper describe a celebrity compared to a serious news site?
• Environment: What kind of language is used on shop signs or street advertisements in your city?
Memory Aid: The "Four Big Questions"
If you are stuck for an idea, try asking one of these four questions to get started:
1. Genre: What are the special features of this type of writing or speaking? (e.g., "What makes a sports commentary sound like a sports commentary?")
2. Function: What is the language being used to do? (e.g., "How does a teacher use language to keep control of a classroom?")
3. Attitudes: How do people feel about this language? (e.g., "What do people think about 'slang' in professional emails?")
4. User: Who is using this language? (e.g., "How do doctors talk to each other vs. how they talk to patients?")
Key Takeaway: Choose a topic that you find genuinely interesting. It makes the 2,500 words much easier to write!
Step 2: Collecting Your Data
Once you have a question, you need evidence to answer it. In linguistics, this evidence is called Data. You can collect many different types of data:
• Spoken Language: Transcripts of conversations, interviews, or TV shows.
• Written Language: Magazine articles, book extracts, or letters.
• Multimodal Language: Texts that use both words and images, like websites, social media posts, or advertisements.
• Word Lists: Collections of specific terms, like a list of new "slang" words used in a school.
Analogy: Collecting data is like gathering ingredients for a meal. If you want to make a great dish (your report), you need fresh, high-quality ingredients (good examples of language).
Step 3: Structuring Your Report
Your final report needs to be organized clearly so the examiner can follow your "detective work." You should follow this 6-part structure:
1. Aim(s)
A simple statement of what you are trying to find out.
Example: "The aim of this investigation is to see if male and female fashion bloggers use different types of adjectives."
2. Method
Explain what data you picked and why. Also, explain how you analyzed it. Did you count certain words? Did you look for specific grammar patterns? This is where you show your planning skills.
3. Analysis
This is the biggest section! You present your findings and explore them in detail. You should use your "linguistic toolkit" here—look at lexis (words), grammar (sentences), phonology (sounds), and pragmatics (context).
4. Conclusion
What is the answer to your original question? Summarize your findings and link them back to your aims. Don't worry if your results weren't what you expected—that's still a valid finding!
5. References
A list of any books, websites, or articles you read to help you with your research.
6. Appendix
This is where you put your raw data (like your full transcripts or copies of the advertisements you studied) so the examiner can see your "raw evidence."
Quick Review: Structure is key! Aim -> Method -> Analysis -> Conclusion -> References -> Appendix. Follow this, and you won’t get lost.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Being too broad: Don't try to study "the language of the internet." That's too big! Instead, study "the use of emojis in three specific Instagram posts."
• Forgetting linguistic terms: Don't just give your opinion. Use terms like imperative verbs, politeness markers, or semantic fields to explain the language.
• Choosing a boring topic: If you don't care about the topic, it will show in your writing. Pick something you enjoy!
Final Encouragement
The NEA is a fantastic opportunity to show off what you know. Don’t worry if it seems tricky at first—once you start collecting your data and seeing patterns, the investigation starts to take on a life of its own. You’ve got this!
Key Takeaway for the NEA: Be curious, be organized, and use your linguistic tools to explain the "how" and "why" of the language you find.