Download Past Paper On Public Relations For Revision
Public Relations (PR) is the strategic management of relationships between an organization and its diverse publics. Unlike advertising, which is “paid media,” PR focuses on “earned media”—building trust, credibility, and mutual understanding. To excel in this exam, you must demonstrate how to craft a narrative, manage a brand’s reputation during a crisis, and measure the impact of communication in a digital-first world.
Below is the exam past paper download link
Above is the exam past paper download link
To help you manage your academic reputation, we have synthesized the most frequent “strategic-communication” questions found in recent PR past papers.
Public Relations: Key Revision Q&A
Q1: What is the “RACE” Process in PR Planning? A: Developed by John Marston, the RACE acronym outlines the four key steps of any effective PR campaign:
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Research: What is the problem or situation? (Situational analysis).
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Action: Program planning. What is going to be done about it?
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Communication: Execution. How will the public be told?
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Evaluation: Was the audience reached and what was the effect?
Q2: Explain the “Four Models of PR” by Grunig and Hunt. A: This framework describes the historical and functional evolution of PR:
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Press Agentry/Publicity: One-way communication focused on hype and “any news is good news.”
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Public Information: One-way communication focused on the dissemination of truthful facts (e.g., government updates).
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Two-Way Asymmetrical: Uses research to persuade publics to accept the organization’s point of view.
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Two-Way Symmetrical: Focused on mutual understanding and conflict resolution between the organization and its publics.
Q3: How do you manage a “PR Crisis”? A: Crisis communication is the “firefighting” of the PR world. Key steps include:
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Speed: Responding within the “golden hour” before misinformation spreads.
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Transparency: Being honest about what happened.
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Accountability: Taking responsibility and outlining steps for correction.
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Consistency: Ensuring all spokespeople deliver the same message.
Q4: What is the difference between “Internal” and “External” PR? A: * Internal PR: Focuses on employees (the most important brand ambassadors). Tools include newsletters, town halls, and intranets.
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External PR: Focuses on outside stakeholders like the media, investors, government, and the general public. Tools include press releases, events, and social media campaigns.
Q5: What are “Media Relations” and the “Press Release”? A: Media relations involve building long-term relationships with journalists to secure positive coverage. The Press Release is the primary tool used—a pseudo-news story written in “Inverted Pyramid” style (most important info first) to entice an editor to cover the story.
Why Practice with Public Relations Past Papers?
PR exams are heavily Scenario-Based. You might be given a brief—such as “A local food chain is accused of using expired ingredients”—and asked to “Draft a 250-word Press Statement” or “Design a Stakeholder Map for the recovery campaign.”
By practicing with our past papers, you will:
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Master the Writing: Practice writing in a professional, persuasive, and neutral tone.
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Refine Strategic Thinking: Learn to identify Target Publics and select the right Communication Channels (Owned, Earned, or Shared media).
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Analyze Ethics: Practice applying the PRSA Code of Ethics to dilemmas involving conflict of interest or transparency.
Access the Full Revision Archive
Ready to shape public opinion? We have organized a comprehensive PDF library containing five years of Public Relations past papers, complete with sample Press Releases, Crisis Communication templates, and marking schemes for campaign planning.
