The document provides guidance for students on preparing and presenting an exposition as part of their portfolio. The exposition is worth 16 marks and requires a 10 minute speech on the portfolio theme. It must discuss the issues raised by research, challenges experienced during research, and evaluate the reliability and validity of the information gathered. An effective exposition is well organized with an introduction outlining the topic and background, a body discussing the issues and sources, and a conclusion summarizing key points. Strong delivery is also important for achieving high marks.

1. WRITING THE
EXPOSITION
P R E PA R E D B Y M R S . M . R U D D O C K - H I C K M A N

2. • The exposition is the oral component of your portfolio.
It is worth a total of 16 marks.
It requires that you plan, prepare and practise a speech that you
present to be examined.
The speech must have the same theme as the rest of your portfolio.You will have
ten minutes in which to present.
• Discussion of issues - 5 marks
• Evaluation of information - 4 marks
• Organization - 3 marks
• Delivery - 4 marks

3. Note that this is not an expository essay. Rather it is a
discussion that presents:
Øthe issues raised - your research findings;
Øthe challenges experienced while conducting your
research;
Øhow valid and reliable the information you gathered
is, taking into account the effect of source, context
and medium/channel.

4. •Your exposition must be well organized.
It should have an introduction, a body in which your
ideas are developed and a conclusion.
•The organization of your exposition accounts for 3
of the 16 marks.
•You are allowed one cue card measuring 4 by 6
inches.

5. DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES RAISED
•This means that you are to talk, in detail, about the
information that you uncovered during your
research.
•It should include varying points of view and
opposing positions relating to your topic.
•This must be done with examples and evidence.

6. • For example, if your topic is 'The phenomenon of world-stage
police brutality and the spill-over effects on the Caribbean’,
• Some possible issues being raised during your research could
include the view that 'police brutality in foreign countries is
too far removed to have any real impact on the Caribbean' or
that 'the Caribbean has had its own issues with police brutality
and so what is happening on the world stage is inconsequential'
or that 'more economically developed countries set a
precedent for the rest of the world and so the prevalence and
rise in police brutality evident in the Caribbean today is a
direct by-product of what is happening on the world stage'.

7. CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED IN EXPLORING
YOUR TOPIC
•This means that you must outline some of the
problems you faced and had to overcome while
researching and collecting data on your theme.
•The problems may be physical or non-physical.

8. •For example, a physical challenge might have been
constant disruption from outside elements during an
interview and a non-physical challenge might have
been a difficulty finding data relevant to the Caribbean
situation.
•These two requirements, a discussion of the issues
raised and of the challenges experienced together
account for 5 of the 16 marks available.

9. AN EVALUATION OF THE INFORMATION
GATHERED
• Here you are being asked to make a value judgement.
You need to determine whether the information you have
gathered is accurate and true and whether it can be
accepted as .being sound, rational and incontestable.
• You do this by presenting an evaluation of the sources,
contexts and mediums/channels you used to obtain data and
whether they satisfy the criteria for being reliable and valid.
• This evaluation accounts for 4 of the 16 marks available.

10. INTRODUCTION
Suggested time: 2 minutes.
• Begin with an interesting opening - something that will
capture the attention of the examiner.This may be a quote,
a proverb, a line from a song, a joke, etc. Ensure that
whatever you use is relevant to your theme and what you
will be presenting.
• State the topic.
• Define the variables.

11. •Discuss the background to and/or the historical
development of the issues.
•Make mention of differing views on the topic.
•State your interest in the topic (your reasons and
motivations for investigating the topic).
• Give your thesis statement.

12. BODY PARAGRAPH 1
Suggested time: 2 ½ minutes.
• Discuss the issues.
• Identify each source by name and point of view on the issue.
• Give a summary of the information gathered from your sources.
• Present information that both agrees and disagrees with your
thesis statement.
• Discuss the challenges you experienced in exploring the topic.
You need to show that you have an understanding of the impact
of these challenges on the research process and/or the data
collected.

13. BODY PARAGRAPH 2
Suggested time: 2 minutes.
• Evaluate the effect of Source 1.
• Explain how the source was useful in providing information on
the topic.
• Explain why you believe the source is qualified to give relevant
information on the issue, or not.
• Say how you believe the context within which the source
operated might have affected the information it gives.
• Explain how the medium/channel by which the information was
conveyed has affected the credibility of the message.

14. BODY PARAGRAPH 3
Suggested time: 2 minutes.
•Evaluate the effect of Source 2 in the same way as
body paragraph 2.

15. CONCLUSION
Suggested time: I 1/2 minutes.
• Give a brief summary of your main points.
• Give a brief statement of how you have benefited from
the research process.
• Make a final judgement as to whether the information
you collected is valid, credible and reliable.
• Make recommendations where necessary.

16. PRESENTING YOUR EXPOSITION
• You need to speak for a maximum of 10 minutes with only one
4 by 6 inch cue card as a prompt.
• The delivery of your speech accounts for 4 of the 16 marks
available.The examiner will determine your marks based on
your audibility, fluency, eye contact, body language and
paralinguistic features such as timing and pitch.
• To maximize your marks, you need to plan your speech and
practice it. It is important that you know your presentation.
This does not mean that you should write it out and learn it
word for word. It means that you should be so familiar with
the content that you are able to confidently convey your ideas.

17. • Do not rush or speak too quickly.You should already know
how long each section of your speech will take.
• Your presentation should be done confidently and show a
thorough interest and understanding of the topic chosen -
beyond the title of your presentation.
• Keep your voice clear and audible at all times.
• Remember that your body language should enhance your
presentation, not detract from it.
• Refrain from clearing your throat and using interjections such
as 'hmm', 'like' and 'er'.

18. • Exhibit good paralinguistic control - use relevant pauses;
raise or lower your voice as need be for effect.
• Maintain eye contact and remain calm and self-assured
throughout to help convey confidence.
• If you miss something or make a mistake, continue (pause
briefly if you need to but try not to lose composure) and
do not allow yourself to be thrown off.
• Remain pleasant throughout your presentation and end by
thanking the examiner for listening.