Skip to main content
OKState.edu
Quicklinks
/
Search
 Apply
Close
Search
DirectoryA-Z Site Index
Quicklinks
Logins
myOKSTATEEmailO-Key AccountCanvas
Academic Schedule
Academic CalendarCatalogClass ScheduleRegistrar
Places & Departments
BookstoreBursarIT HelpdeskLibraryParking & TransitStudent Union
Trending Now
OSU CalendarCampus Map
Go back to top of page

Ferguson College of Agriculture

Open Main MenuClose Main Menu
about the college departments & programs ag research extension
Info for
about the college departments & programs ag research extension
Info for
Search
DirectoryA-Z Site Index
Quicklinks
Logins
myOKSTATEEmailO-Key AccountCanvas
Academic Schedule
Academic CalendarCatalogClass ScheduleRegistrar
Places & Departments
BookstoreBursarIT HelpdeskLibraryParking & TransitStudent Union
Trending Now
OSU CalendarCampus Map
Go back to top of page

Agricultural Communications

Purpose

The purpose of the agricultural communications career development event is to showcase agricultural communications careers to as many FFA members as possible. Public communications about agricultural products, practices and policies are essential to the future of agriculture. Students have a bright future in the job market when equipped with strong communication skills, teamwork skills, and the ability to analyze a variety of media to help the public understand issues related to the industry of agriculture. 

 

Objectives

  1. Identify agricultural communications best practices, standards and ethics. 
  2. Apply selected Associated Press style guidelines. 
  3. Analyze and evaluate visual and written media. 
  4. Demonstrate ability to write clearly and concisely. 

 

Guidelines for the Preliminary Competition

 

Preliminary Event Rules

  1.  All participants MUST be in official FFA dress or they will be disqualified.  
  2. Participants will NOT be able to use any reference materials during this contest. A No. 2 pencil will be provided  for the participant to record his/her answers on the Scansheet for JudgingCard.com. 
  3. Up to four FFA members may participate in the preliminary portion of the competition. The three highest individual scores on a team will constitute a team score (low individual score on a team will be dropped).

 

Preliminary Event Team Make-up 

  1. Each chapter may one team consisting of no more than four FFA members in the preliminary competition to earn a place in the finals of the Oklahoma FFA Career Development Event in Agricultural Communications. If a chapter does not have enough members for a 3- or 4-member team, up to two individuals can compete.

 

Preliminary Event Equipment

  1. Participants will use a Scansheet for use with JudgingCard.com to record their responses.
  2. Each participant will receive a No. 2 pencil. 

 

Preliminary Event Schedule

Preliminary event shall take place on Saturday, April 26, beginning at 8 a.m, location TBD. Each contestant shall complete the event in the time allotted:

  1. AP Style Exam (30 minutes) 
  2. Communications Component 1: Photography (15 minutes) 
  3. Communications Component 2: Graphics Class of Business Cards (15 minutes)

 

AP Style Exam (100 Points)

  1. Each participant will complete a 50-question, multiple-choice exam that includes questions regarding AP Style, grammar, punctuation and spelling.
  2. Students specifically should review the 2024-2026 AP Style Manual items listed on the AP Stylebook Study Sheet for 2025 and 2026 provided in extra materials.

 

Communications Component I: Photography (50 Points)

  1. Each participant will rank four photos based on the use of appropriate photography techniques and principles (use of light, focus, composition, angle, news value, etc.).

 

Communications Component II: Advertisements (50 Points)

  1. Each participant will rank four business cards for the same individual. Ranking should be based on the use of design principles: focus point, flow, consistency, balance, appropriateness and grammatical correctness

 

Preliminary Event Scoring

AP Style Exam Score - 100
Photography Class Score - 50
Graphics Class Score - 50

 

Total Points
Individual - 200
Team - 600

 

Preliminary Event Tiebreakers

Team tie breakers will be settled in the following order: 

  1. AP Style Exam Score 
  2. Graphics Class Score 
  3. Photography Class Score

Ties for individual awards shall be broken by substituting the word “individual” wherever the word “team” appears above.   

Guidelines for the Finals

 

Finals Rules

  1. All participants MUST be in official FFA dress or they will be disqualified.  
  2. Participants will NOT be able to use any reference materials during this contest. A No. 2 pencil will be provided for the participant to record his/her answers on the Scansheet for JudgingCard.com.
  3. The top seven teams (as determined by each team’s highest three individual scores) will advance to the finals. However, all team members’ scores from the preliminary competition will follow them to the finals.
  4. Overall team and individual awards will be given. The top team will be eligible to
    represent Oklahoma in the 2025 National FFA Agricultural Communications
    CDE.

 

Finals Team Make-Up

  1. The top seven teams of up to four members will be eligible to participate in the
    finals of the Oklahoma FFA Career Development Event in Agricultural
    Communications. 
  2. In addition, any participant who is ranked in the top 10 individuals in the
    preliminaries may compete in the finals even if his/her team does not qualify for
    the finals.

 

Equipment

  1. OSU AGCM will provide all necessary materials. 

 

Event Schedule

Each contestant will complete the event in the time allotted:

  1. Communications Component 1: Photography (30 minutes) 
  2. Communications Component 2: Graphics of Business Cards (30 minutes) 
  3. News Release Writing Critique (30 minutes) 

 

Communications Component I: Photography (Rank: 50 Points; Reasons 50 Points)

  1. Each participant will rank four photos based on the use of appropriate photography techniques and principles (use of light, focus, composition, angle, news value, etc.).
  2. After ranking the class of photos, each participant will type reasons for the ranking using Microsoft Word.
  3. Participants will be scored on the content of their reasons and on their ability to communicate their thoughts in writing.
  4. The reasons may be no more than one typed page (double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman text, 1-inch margins). 

 

Communications Component II: Graphics Class of Business Cards (Rank: 50 Points; Reasons 50 Points)

  1. Each participant will rank four business cards for the same individual.
  2. Ranking should be based on the use of design principles: focus point, flow, consistency, balance, appropriateness and grammatical correctness.
  3. After ranking the class each participant will type reasons for the ranking using Microsoft Word. Participants will be scored on the content of their reasons and on their ability to communicate their thoughts in writing.
  4. The reasons may be no more than one typed page (double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman text, 1-inch margins).

 

News Release Writing Critique (50 Points)

  1. Each participant will read and evaluate a news release and will write a critique of the release based on news writing principles.
  2. Participants should NOT rewrite the news release; rather, they will evaluate the release.
  3. Participants will be scored on the content of their critiques and on their ability to communicate their thoughts in writing.
  4. The critique can be no more than one typed page (double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman text, 1-inch margins). 

 

Scoring

AP Style Exam from Preliminaries - 100
Photography Class from Preliminaries - 50
Graphics Class from Preliminaries - 50 
Photography Placing Class - 50
Photography Reasons - 50
Graphics Placing Class - 50
Graphics Reasons - 50
News Release Critique - 50

 

Total Points
Individual -  450
Team - 1,350

 

Tiebreakers

Team tie breakers will be settled in the following order:

  1. News Release Critique Score 
  2. Graphics Reasons Score 
  3. Photography Reasons Score
  4. Graphics Class Score
  5. Photography Class Score

Ties for individual awards will be broken by substituting the word “individual” wherever the word “team” appears above.

 

Awards

The top five teams and top 10 individuals will be determined and recognized. Awards will be given to the top three teams and individuals during the Oklahoma FFA Convention. 

 

References

2024-2026 Associated Press Stylebook

 

Supplemental Materials and Forms

Contact Dr. Shelly Legg for study materials. Scantron

MENUCLOSE