Higher English

1. Higher English 7/1/2013

2. Welcome back. • 17 days until the prelim. • Let’s nail it.

3. Holiday Revision • What have you been doing? • What do you want to do between now and the prelim?

4. Close Reading Paper • Higher • Prelim – Thursday 31 January 0900 - 1045 • 1 hour 45 minutes, two passages on a related theme. • One question comparing similarities, differences or both between the two passages. • Out of 50.

5. Codes • As well as an indication of the number of marks allocated, there is a code letter to tell you which skill is being tested in each question. These codes are: for Understanding, for Analysis, for Evaluation. Sometimes these are combined to indicate that there is a focus on more than one skill - for example, indicates that you are being asked to show an understanding of the writer's ideas and to make an evaluation of them. • Remember to look at the code letter(s) for the question and focus your answer appropriately.

6. Introduction to the passages • There is usually a brief introduction (printed in italics) just before each passage begins. This can be very important. If the examiners have thought it necessary to provide an introduction, it will be because they think it will help you to understand the passages more easily.

7. Timing • It is important to use your time wisely so that you answer all the questions and are not rushing to finish the last two or three questions. You might consider allocating amounts of time to groups of questions. For example, if you try to 'earn' about 7 marks every 15 minutes or about 5 marks every 10 minutes, this will ensure an equal allocation of time to all questions.

8. Allocation of marks/ length of answers • The number of marks allocated to a question will give you a clear idea of the length of answer required. A question for 1 mark can probably be answered in very few words, while a 4 mark question (especially if it is coded or will require a detailed answer making a number of points. • A common mistake is to spend too much time on the early questions. Remember that the questions at the end are often quite 'high value' ones - so it's important to give them enough time. Also, don’t waste time writing unnecessarily long answers with pointless introductions which simply repeat the question - get to the point quickly. • While answers on some Evaluation questions will need to be written as 'mini-essays', most answers do not need to be in sentences.

9. Timing • It is important to use your time wisely so that you answer all the questions and are not rushing to finish the last two or three questions. You might consider allocating amounts of time to groups of questions. For example, if you try to 'earn' about 7 marks every 15 minutes or about 5 marks every 10 minutes, this will ensure an equal allocation of time to all questions.

10. How to prepare • The general importance of reading • The best preparation for this part of the examination is extensive reading of the types of English from which the passages are usually selected. This should be done over a long period of time - you cannot expect to become familiar with this type of complicated writing by looking at a couple of past papers. The more comfortable you become with the type of writing, the less daunting the passages in the exam will seem. You may even begin to guess the types of questions the examiners will ask. • Quality newspapers, quality magazines/periodicals, types of non-fiction book • The simplest way to find appropriate writing is to read regularly one or more of the 'quality' UK newspapers (often referred to as 'broadsheet', although some of these are now printed in 'tabloid' - or 'compact' - form). The 'opinion' or 'comment' sections are the most valuable, but extended news coverage is also useful. Magazines and periodicals which deal with serious topics such as current affairs, politics, media issues, history, science, religious/ethical issues are also appropriate places to find suitable writing. Similarly, a non-fiction book (or collection of essays) dealing with any of these topics would be helpful. Your teacher/lecturer or school/college librarian may be able to suggest some titles. • Material which is purely, or largely, factual is not helpful. You need to be reading about ideas, in writing where the writer is developing a line of thought. • Past exam papers/SQA's website • Looking at previous exam papers is the most obvious way of making yourself familiar with the layout of the paper and the style of questioning within it. Recent past papers in Higher English are available on SQA's website or from your teacher..

11. Questions on understanding • Answer these 'in your own words'. Even though the individual questions do not state this, there is a clear instruction on the front cover of the exam paper, and this is repeated at the beginning of the questions. It means that you have to demonstrate that you understand the more complex words and phrases used in the passage. If you simply quote or use the words already in the passage, the marker won't know whether you understand what they mean - and will assume that you don't. • The number of marks allocated to an Understanding question will clearly indicate the number of points you are expected to make. • Try to make your answers to these questions fairly brief; using bullet points is perfectly acceptable here.

12. The linking question • This is a common question, although it's not asked every year. • Note that this is an 'Understanding' question. You must demonstrate an understanding of each of the two paragraphs (or sections) being linked. In addition you must identify the word or words in the link sentence which connect with the preceding paragraph and the word or words in the link sentence which connect with what follows. • So there are four elements in a successful answer: • a quotation (from the link sentence) which refers to the idea(s) of the preceding paragraph; • an understanding of the idea(s) of the preceding paragraph; • a quotation (from the link sentence) which refers to the idea(s) of the coming paragraph; • an understanding of the idea(s) of the coming paragraph.

13. Summary Questions • If you are asked to 'summarise' or to 'identify the main points' or to give the 'key reasons', your answer should be fairly brief. You should focus on each main idea the writer is putting across. Don’t include any of the supporting evidence or examples the writer uses - these will weaken a 'summary' (and waste valuable time). • Examples of this type of question can be found in question 11(a) in the 2001 paper, question 5 in the 2002 paper and question 6(b) in the 2006 paper. In the 2006 question, examiners found many candidates writing extremely long-winded answers which repeated everything the writer said. Not only is that very time-consuming, it is the opposite of what a summary should be doing. The question (which was worth 6 marks) could have been answered in three fairly concise sentences.

14. Analysis Questions • You must pay attention to why you are analysing: the question nearly always gives a clear focus for you about what the writer's use of a feature is trying to achieve, and you should concentrate on this - don't analyse 'in a vacuum'.

15. Questions on imagery and word choice • These are questions most Higher English candidates find especially difficult. It's not easy to 'learn' how to do them, since your ability here depends on your sensitivity to language, and this is something that has been growing gradually since you started learning to read. The following bits of advice, however, might help: • You never get any marks simply for quoting a word or identifying an image - the marks are always for the 'quality of comment'. • The comment must be specific to the word or image being asked about - vague remarks which could apply to any word or image will get no marks, and you get no marks for repeating the question. • When answering on word choice, try to go beyond what a word means, and explore what it suggests (in technical terms: connotation rather than denotation). • When answering on imagery, try to show how the literal root or origin of the image is being used by the writer to express an idea in a metaphorical way.

16. Questions on sentence structure • Candidates find these questions difficult too. As with questions on imagery and word choice, it's not easy to 'learn' how to answer them. You have to be able to recognise relevant features of sentence structure (eg brevity, length, use of listing, climax, anti-climax, repetition, use of questions, balance, period), but the marks are given for the quality of your comments on their effect in context.

17. Questions on tone • 'Tone' is possibly the most difficult area of all. Not only will you have to identify the writer's tone at a particular point in the passage (eg anger, contempt, regret, nostalgia, irony, humour), you'll also have to explain how the writer establishes the tone. The 'how' part is often done best by exploring other aspects of language such as sentence structure, imagery, and word choice (see the sections above) since these are often used to convey tone. Also, features such as sound, exaggeration and anti-climax are often used to establish tone.

18. Questions on ‘the writers use of language’ • Sometimes a question simply asks you to show how 'the writer's use of language' does something or other. This means you're not being guided towards a specific technique such as sentence structure or tone. For these questions you must find the most appropriate technique(s) and then deal with it/them in the way suggested above. Remember, however, there will still be no marks for simply identifying a feature or quoting a word or image.

19. The comparison question • There will always be at least one question at the end of the Close Reading paper requiring some comparison of the two passages. From 2011/12 it will ask you to compare the similarities and /or differences in the key ideas in both passages. You will always have to make reference to both passages but you don’t have to give them both the same amount of attention. You can answer the question either by writing an answer or by giving a series of developed ‘bullet points’. • These are worth a lot of marks so make sure you do them, remember that you do get points for identifying whether the passages are similar and/or different! • For further details, look at the Revision of Comparison Question information on the Higher English Announcements page, where an example based on the 2011 Question paper is provided with accompanying Marking Instructions. • The Specimen paper has also been modified to demonstrate the change. Have a look at the comparison question(s) before you start so that while you are working your way through the other questions and becoming more familiar with the ideas in the passages, you will be able to give some thought to what you might say in the comparison question(s).

20. Critical Essay • The Critical Essay exam paper lasts for ninety minutes. • (Exam, date and time for 2013: Monday 20 May, 11.05 - 12.35 pm.)

21. Content • The exam paper will have a range of essay questions on different genres of literature, on Film and TV Drama, and some questions on the study of language. The questions will be arranged in five sections and you must answer any two questions taken from different sections. • The questions will test your ability to select from your knowledge of a text (and the literary or media techniques used in its construction) in order to write a relevant response to the chosen question.

22. Marks • Each essay is marked out of 25, making the total for the paper 50. • In the prelim you will be writing on; “The Cone Gatherers” by Robin Jenkins and “Medusa” by Carol Ann Duffy

23. Timing • It is important to allocate your time sensibly. Spend approximately 45 minutes on each essay. If you spend a lot longer on one essay, you may gain an extra mark couple of marks, but a very short second essay is likely to score very few marks.

24. The structure of the question • If you look at the specimen question paper, you will see that all the questions are structured in a very similar way. • There are two sentences: • The first sentence provides the initial focus or 'gateway'. If the text you want to write about does not meet the restriction in this part, then you are not going to be able to write a relevant essay and you will not pass. If the text does fit, then you might be able to go on to write a suitable essay. However, this is not guaranteed, because you must be able to deal with the requirements in the next sentence. • The second sentence is the one that provides the key instruction for what you have to do, and your essay will be judged on how successfully you handle this part. You must not think that anything you write will automatically be relevant just because the text fits the definition in the first sentence. You must do exactly what is asked for in the question. Notice that the question may contain more than one instruction and that you must address the whole question.

25. Relevance • Above all else, strive to write a relevant essay. This means you are unlikely to be able to write everything you might want to say, but it's much better to write an essay of modest length which is clearly relevant than a long essay which says everything you know and ignores the question. The former is likely to pass; the latter will definitely fail. • Answer the question!

26. Preparation • Obviously you must be prepared to write about at least two texts. It's advisable to have at least one 'back up' in case the questions do not suit your texts. However, depth of preparation is every bit as important as the number of texts prepared. For example: if you prepare a suitable novel and are able to write confidently about such areas as theme, characterisation (of one or two main characters and of two minor characters), setting (in time and place), key incidents (including the opening and the conclusion), narrative technique, structure, symbolism, then it is highly unlikely that you will be stuck for a question; whereas if you prepare the same novel but are able to write about, for example, only one character, then you are very likely to struggle.

27. How to prepare • The text is what matters • Return again and again to reading and studying the text. Make notes; add to your existing notes. Learn from your successes and failures in previous essays, but never, under any circumstances, learn a previous essay by heart, no matter how good a mark it was given - it was answering one particular question; the question in the exam will be different. The secret is to have plenty to say and then to select from that in order to construct a relevant essay. • Past exam papers/SQA's website