My Personal Study

What do I have to do?

Write an essay on a text of your own choice in an hour on an agreed task

you select what you want to write about (your teacher must approve your choice)

you must set your own task (what you want to examine and discuss in your chosen text)

you will receive guidance from your teacher when you are preparing but will write your review without help

you will be given one hour to do your personal study essay

How do I go about choosing a text?

avoid anything you have studied in class You can use the list of recommended books from the library website

sometimes you will be allowed to choose short stories, biographies/ autobiographies or travel literature as well as novels - but not this time!

think about what sort of reading you enjoy

remember that the text needs to have enough ‘meatiness’ for you to write a good essay on it

make use of the school library, public library, bookstores

How do I prepare for my Personal Review? Preparation How do I prepare for my Personal Review?

quotations from the text Make notes which can include quotations from the text the writer’s techniques significant happenings your personal reactions

What can I make notes on? (The answers refer to novels and short stories.)

Characters their personalities Who are the main ones? You should make notes on: their personalities their relationships

Setting where does the story take place? when does the story take place? what is the significance of the setting?

Narration who tells the story? is the narrator involved in the events or an observer? is the narrator the same person throughout or is the story told by a different characters? from whose point of view is the story told and how does this affect your feelings?

Plot what happens? how does the writer grab your attention and then keep you involved? what do you think of the ending - are there loose ends or has the writer left you thinking about issues?