20 Tips for your Poetry Analysis Test Strategies to Help You Improve and Achieve your Best Results on the Test

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #1 Answer all of the assigned questions. Do not leave any question blank or unanswered! There will be THREE short answer questions on the test!

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #2 Make sure that you understand the definition of tone and theme, and that you review the definitions for the various figurative language forms that we have studied in class. You must also review the characteristics of each type of poetry (narrative, dramatic, lyric). If you are confused, ask questions!

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #3 Read the poem carefully, and more than once, before you begin answering the test questions. Make sure that you understand what the poem is about before you start to write.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #4 Upon your first and second reading of the poem, underline/highlight words and lines that you think are important. Write directly on the test paper. This will help you when you are referring back to the poem for quotations.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #5 Make sure that you are answering what the question is asking. Do not get off-topic. You only have 37 minutes to write the test. Use part of the question to begin your response in order to help you focus on what information you should be including in your answer.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #6 Ensure that your answers are detailed, thoughtful, and that you support all of your points with direct evidence from the poem (quotations). Do not simply refer to the line – You must include a quotation in quotation marks to prove your points for each question.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #7 Each question is worth 5 marks (1 mark for your point that clearly identifies what the question is asking [tone/theme/figurative language device], 1 mark for a direct proof from the poem that supports your point, and 3 marks for your analysis/critical comments regarding the importance of your point and proof).

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #8 When deciding how much time you should spend on each question, consider that you will likely need approximately 10 minutes to read, re-read, and then think about the poem, so you should spend approximately 8-9 minutes on each of the three questions.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #9 Do not use personal pronouns in your responses. This is not a time for personal reflection. This is a time to be analytical! Be objective in your word choice and demonstrate your ability to be a keen critical thinker.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #10 You do not need to cite your quotations on the test. For a typed evaluation like a formal paragraph or a literary essay, this is required, but on a test with distinct time constraints, citations are not required.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #11 Bring a dictionary with you in case you struggle with some of the vocabulary in the poem. You are allowed to use this during the test, but you are not allowed to use your class notes. However, dictionaries will not be provided for you.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #12 Be sure to choose the best possible tone descriptor to indicate how the speaker of the poem feels about his/her subject matter and/or the reader. Do not make up words. Make sure that you can support your chosen tone descriptor with a quotation from the poem.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #13 Remember to refer to the theme of the poem in more than one word. If you think that the poem is about love, consider what kind of love is being discussed, and what key message the speaker is attempting to convey to the reader about love.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #14 It is not enough to simply identify an example of figurative language without explaining how and why it is used in the poem. Remember to analyze the purpose and effect of each figurative language device that you examine on the test.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #15 Double-space your responses on the foolscap paper (long, lined paper) provided in class. Do not forget to do this on the test, because it enables me to write you more legible feedback.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #16 Answer all questions on the foolscap paper provided, number your pages, put your name on all of the paper you use, and put your pages in the correct order upon submission.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #17 Place the poem’s title in quotation marks, according to proper formatting. For example, Judy Smith’s poem, “Joy”…

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #18 Lead into your quotations thoughtfully! Do not just plunk them in your answers because you know that you need to use quotations. Provide context – i.e. This is proven in the poem when the speaker says, “…” (transition carefully)

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #19 If you have any time remaining in the test after you have finished the questions, proofread your writing for errors prior to submission. Look for spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, missing words, etc.

Poetry Analysis Test Tip #20 Stay calm and do your best. You have had a lot of practice analyzing poetry over the course of this unit. You can do this!

SAMPLE QUESTIONS Identify and explain the tone of this poem. Include a direct quotation from the poem to support your observations. (5 marks) Identify and explain the theme of this poem. Include a direct quotation from the poem to support your observations. (5 marks) Identify and explain the purpose and effect of ONE literary or poetic device used in this poem. Include a direct quotation from the poem to support your observations. (5 marks)

SAMPLE QUESTIONS 4. What is this poem about? Include a direct quotation from the poem to support your observations. (5 marks) 5. What type of poem is this (narrative, lyric or dramatic)? Mention the characteristics of this type of poetry to explain your choice, and be sure to include a direct quotation from the poem to support your observations. (5 marks) 6. Comment on the importance of a structural or stylistic decision made by the poet to enhance the meaning of the overall poem (i.e. word choice, enjambment, repetition, a focus on a certain line are all potential options) – this question will be more specific on the test! (5 marks)