Critical Essays Learning Intention: To understand how to give the marker what they’re looking for.

What the marker is looking for: The relevance of your essay to the question, and the extent to which you sustain an appropriate line of argument Your knowledge and understanding of key elements, central concerns and significant details of the chosen texts, supported by detailed and relevant evidence Your understanding of how relevant aspects of language contribute to the meaning/effect/impact of the chosen texts, supported by detailed and relevant evidence Your evaluation, as appropriate to the questions chosen, of the effectiveness of the chosen texts, supported by detailed and relevant evidence The technical accuracy of your writing

Writing the Essay Content refers to what the text is about. Style refers to how the writer conveys the content to the reader. While it is important that your essay discusses both content and style, the best answers will manage to see the connections between these, rather than dealing with them separately

Writing the Essay A weaker candidate may write most of his or her essay on plot or characters in a text A better candidate will identify some of the techniques used by the writer but will simply state that the technique is used The strongest candidate will demonstrate how the techniques help the reader understand the character, plot, etc.

Writing the Essay For example: rather than making statements like: "In this poem the poet uses imagery...", you should link content and style by commenting on the effect achieved: "The poet uses imagery to create a sinister atmosphere...“ This is what the examiners mean when they say they are assessing "your understanding of how relevant aspects of structure/style/language contribute to the meaning/effect/impact of the chosen texts."

Structure Introduction: Identify the title and author (or director if responding to a film). Statement of intent (what the essay will cover, using the language of the question). Brief summary to provide context. Identify the techniques you intend to look at.

Structure Main Body: The main body of your essay consists of four or five paragraphs, linked together to follow a line of argument towards your conclusion. Point - Identify the topic, why it is significant   Evidence – Back up your statement through quotation from the text (or detailed explanation of a particular scene or incident if cinematic techniques if responding to a film) Explanation – Analysis of specific words, phrases and techniques from your evidence, explaining the impact on the reader Relate your analysis back to the question.

Structure Conclusion Summarise your argument, referring to the question. Personal response – how the text made you feel, what you thought about while reading, what you learned about life. *You should use evaluative language throughout your essay to show engagement with the text.*

Task Look at the sample essay, highlight and label the following: The different elements of the introduction The different elements of each main body paragraph The different elements of the conclusion Any aspects of evaluative language