Unessay Assignment: Language and Power in Health Messaging
Value: 30%
Unessay: “a form of self-expression and a way to demonstrate learning in a hands-on and visual way. It cater[s] to students of different learning styles and expressions.”
As you have learned in this course, health communication is never neutral. The language used to describe health, illness, risk, and care is shaped by—and shapes—structures of power, authority, and resistance.
In this assignment, you will explore how language functions in health communication and create an “unessay” that critically analyzes, and/or personally reflects upon, and/or creatively depicts a real-world example of your choice.[1]
Relationship to Course Learning Objectives
Depending on the topic you choose, at least one of the course objectives below will be assessed:
Evaluate the clarity, tone, and credibility of health communications in varied genres.
Apply SFL to design effective and ethically responsible health messages.
Analyze both trustworthy and misleading health texts using SFL frameworks.
Deconstruct the linguistic strategies used in controversial and false health claims.
Reflect critically on the ideological role of language in shaping public health debates.
Your Task
Choose a health communication topic that interests you, infuriates you, confuses you, worries you or that you anticipate needing to know more about in your future life.
Then, create an unessay that applies course concepts to that topic. Areas that you can examine include:
Analyzing the languageused: What rhetorical strategies are present? What metaphors, tone, or framing devices are used? What is emphasized or omitted?
Exploring power dynamics: Who is speaking, and who is being spoken to? Whose voices are amplified or silenced? What ideologies or institutional interests are embedded in the message?
Reflecting on resistance: Are there counter-narratives or critiques of this message? How might different communities respond or reinterpret it?
Communicating your insights: Use any format that helps you express your analysis meaningfully—visual, audio, narrative, interactive, etc.
Possible Formats
Illustrated zine or comic strip
Podcast episode or video essay
Fictional dialogue or short story
Infographic or visual analysis
Mock social media campaign
Piece of art
Interactive timeline or digital exhibit
Board game
Some examples:
You may be worried about how your aging mother will be treated in the healthcare system in the future and decide to create an illustrated timeline of major life and health events that she can take with her to appointments.
You may be confused about how pharmaceutical ads work on the internet and so you create a podcast episode that helps others understand how the language and imagery in the ads compels people to ask their doctor about different drugs.
You could create a piece that documents or imagines resistance to a false health claim. This could be a fictional story, a visual timeline, a podcast, or a mock campaign that analyzes the misinformation, explores who benefits from it, and highlights voices or movements that push back.
This is a phased assignment:
Prepare a short proposal and submit in Moodle for approval by November 12th. Select a topic (or broader topic area if you haven’t got a focus yet), and a possible format for presenting your learning. (The format for the proposal will be provided to you.) I will provide feedback and approval to proceed by November 13th.
Develop a rubric for assessment of your work and submit by November 19th. This rubric becomes an agreement between us about what result you are aiming for and the grade you will earn for achieving that result. (A template for the rubric will be provided to you.)
Submit your final product (with accompanying documents – see below) between November 6 and December 3.
Include a written rationale (300–500 words) explaining your creative choices and how your work addresses the assignment goals.
Use at least 3 credible sources to support your analysis (e.g., scholarly articles, media studies, health communication research).
Your submission should demonstrate:
Critical language analysis
Engagement with power structures in health communication
Creative and thoughtful presentation
Evaluation Criteria
In creating your assessment rubric, I ask that you include references to each of these criteria:
Language Analysis: Depth and clarity in examining rhetorical and linguistic features
Power & Resistance: Insight into social, institutional, and cultural dynamics
Communication: Effectiveness and creativity of your chosen format
Evidence: Use of credible sources to support your analysis
Reflection: Thoughtfulness in your rationale and creative process
[1] You also have the choice to produce a traditional research-based essay if you prefer.
Rewriting Health Messages (Wellness Centre Group Assignment)
Due Date: November 5, 2025 Value: 20% of final grade (same grade awarded to all group members)
Assignment Overview: Health messages are never neutral—they reflect choices about language, tone, authority, and audience. In this assignment, you will critically analyze a real-world health message, rewrite it for a different audience, and annotate your changes to demonstrate how language can shape understanding, trust, and action.
Learning Objectives:
Analyze how language constructs power and authority in health messaging.
Apply SFL metafunctions and principles of plain language.
Reflect on how linguistic choices affect accessibility, persuasion, and equity.
Demonstrate your ability to adapt messaging for diverse audiences.
Instructions:
Select two Bladder Chatter messages Select one older message and one newer one. They do not need to be on the same topic.
For each message, write a brief (300–400 word) analysis addressing: o Who is the intended audience? o What assumptions does the message make about knowledge, culture, or values? o How does the message use language to establish authority or urgency? o Are there any barriers to understanding or engagement?
Rewrite the Message Choose a specific student audience (e.g., Indigenous youth, newcomers to Canada, 2SLGBTQ+ people, people with low health literacy) and rewrite each message to suit their needs. You may change tone, vocabulary, structure, visuals, or format.
Annotate Your Changes Provide a detailed annotation (400–600 words) for each of your rewritten messages explaining: o Why you chose the new audience o What specific changes you made and why o How your version addresses power dynamics, accessibility, and cultural relevance o Any trade-offs or challenges you encountered
Submission Format:
Your group submission should be made via Moodle uploading the following components (groups will be created in Moodle for this purpose). Note that you need each of these components for each of the two messages. • Original message (image or text) x2 • Analysis of original message (300–400 words) x2 • Rewritten message (text or visual) x2 • Annotation of changes (400–600 words) x2
Analytic Exercise 3: The textual metafunction
I ask that you do this, and all other analytic exercises without the assistance of generative AI except for final editing.
Respond to the following task by creating a Word document that you will upload into Moodle. This task is due on Monday, September 29.
Break down each example into:
Theme
Rheme
Information packaging
Cohesion
Omission and silencing
2. For each example, interpret the textual choices
What kind of relationship is being established between speaker/writer and the audience?
How is agency/responsibility represented?
Where do you see power relationship being exhibited?
3. Reflect Critically: In 200-300 words, reflect on how choices related to the textual metafunction might affect public responsiveness to the health message.
Example A. Government Agency (e.g., Health Canada):To reduce the incidence of preventable chronic illnesses, individuals are encouraged to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. This recommendation aligns with national guidelines designed to promote long-term population health outcomes.
Example B. Community-Based Organization (e.g., Kamloops Wellness Collective):We believe that staying active—even just a brisk walk each day—can make a big difference in how you feel. That’s why we offer free weekly walking groups to help people connect, move, and support each other.
Click here to submit Analytic Exercise 3 (This link takes you to Moodle, you will be prompted to login if you are not already then taken directly to the Assignment dropbox.)
Rubric for Assessment of Analytic Tasks
Score
Description
5 – Excellent
Demonstrates a thorough and accurate breakdown of all components. Offers deep insight into how language constructs meaning, agency, and ideology. Uses SFL terminology precisely and reflects critically on power and representation. Comparison is nuanced and well-supported. Writing is clear, organized, and compelling.
4 – Good
Accurately identifies most components with minor errors or omissions. Interpretation is thoughtful and relevant, though not fully developed. Uses SFL terms appropriately with occasional lapses. Shows awareness of discourse implications. Writing is mostly clear and well-structured.
3 – Satisfactory
Identifies some components but with noticeable gaps or confusion. Interpretation is basic and lacks depth. SFL terminology is used inconsistently or inaccurately. Limited reflection on power or agency. Writing is understandable but may be disjointed or repetitive.
2 – Needs Improvement
Misidentifies or omits key components. Interpretation is superficial or off-topic. SFL terminology is mostly absent or misused. Little to no engagement with critical issues. Writing lacks clarity and organization.
1 – Incomplete
Minimal effort. Few or no components identified. No meaningful interpretation or reflection. Writing is unclear or incoherent. Does not meet assignment expectations.
Analytic Exercise 2: The interpersonal metafunction
I ask that you do this, and all other analytic exercises without the assistance of generative AI except for final editing.
Respond to the following task by creating a Word document that you will upload into Moodle. This task is due on Monday, September 22.
Break down each example into:
Mood
Modality
Appraisal
Pronouns/Formality
2. For each example, interpret the Interpersonal Choices
What kind of relationship is being established between speaker/writer and the audience?
How is agency/responsibility represented?
Where do you see power relationship being exhibited?
3. Reflect Critically: In 200-300 words, reflect on how interpersonal choices might affect public responsiveness to the health message. Consider the following in your reflection
How does each excerpt construct the role of the audience?
What ideologies or assumptions are embedded in the language?
What things did Amna Qazi or your classmates say that connect to either or both of these sentences?
Example A:
Example B:
Click here to submit Analytic Exercise 2 (This link takes you to Moodle, you will be prompted to login if you are not already then taken directly to the Assignment dropbox.)
Analytic Exercise 1: The ideational metafunction
I ask that you do this, and all other analytic exercises ] without the assistance of generative AI except for final editing.
Respond to the following task by creating a Word document that you will upload into Moodle. This task is due on Monday, September 15.
Break down each sentence into:
Agent (Who is doing the action?)
Process (What type of process is used?)
Goal (What is affected or acted upon?)
Circumstances (Where, when, why, how?)
2. For each sentence, interpret the Ideational Choices
What kind of reality is being constructed?
How is Indigenous agency represented?
Are institutional or systemic factors foregrounded or backgrounded?
3. Reflect Critically: In 200-300 words, reflect on how ideational choices might affect public perception or policy support for Indigenous health initiatives. Consider the following in your reflection
How does each excerpt construct the role of Indigenous communities?
What ideologies or assumptions are embedded in the language?
What things did Elder Joanne Brown or your classmates say that connect to either or both of these sentences?
Sentence A:
“The addition of the Virtual Health Hub will make it easier for rural, remote and Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan to access cutting-edge care.”
Sentence B:
“Indigenous health leaders have developed community-based programs to improve access to culturally safe care.”
Click here to submit Analytic Exercise 1 (This link takes you to Moodle, you will be prompted to login if you are not already then taken directly to the Assignment dropbox.)
Introduce Yourself
This is for my eyes only. I have a questionnaire for you to complete to let me know about more about you and your interest in this course. Thanks for taking a bit of time to help me learn about you. There are no grades for this task.
