version 2.0 copyright © aqa and its licensors. all rights reserved. litb3 summer 2010 feedback

Version 2.0

Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

LITB3

Summer 2010 Feedback

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RUBRIC REQUIREMENTS

• At least 3 texts must be covered in section B.• At least one text must be written between 1300 and

1800.• Answers to section B questions must use the set texts.

But…..

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TEXTS

• All pastoral poetry from 1300 – 1800 counts as one text.

• All pastoral poetry after 1945 counts as one text.

• All stories in The Bloody Chamber count as one text.

• The implications of this need showing to students

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QUESTION FOCUS

• Question focus is absolutely essential.

• In most cases where students have not scored as highly as they expected, it is because they have not answered the question.

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QUESTION CHOICE

• When choosing the question to answer from section B, candidates are advised to begin by reading through all the questions carefully.

• They should then choose the question judiciously to fit the combination of texts which they have studied.

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QUESTIONS

• Candidates should think carefully about their definition of terms used in the questions.

• Examples of such terms in Summer 2010 include “religion” in question 19 and “monstrous” in question 6.

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FOCUS ON QUESTIONS

• Candidates are advised to begin thinking about their responses by “unpicking” the terms of the questions.

• They should ensure that all parts of the question are addressed.

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TASK 1

Taking selected questions from the June paper, discuss in groups the implications of the wording of the questions. Which words in the questions are the key words and how would you expect students to respond to them?

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SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR TASK 1

•Question 7 on Wuthering Heights•Question 9 on The Bloody Chamber•Question 11 on As You Like It•Question 13 on She Stoops to Conquer•Question 20 on the gothic•Question 22 on the pastoral

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APPROACHES TO QUESTIONS

• Candidates should think carefully about what the question is asking them to write about.

• They should not be afraid to approach texts from different angles.

• Think about the different ways of approaching question 20: Consider the view that gothic writing explores the “nightmarish terrors” that lie beneath the orderly surface of the “civilised mind”.

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DISTORTING QUESTIONS

• Candidates should guard against distorting questions to fit what they want to write about rather than what they have been asked to write about.

• Regurgitating previously practised essays rarely provides a satisfactory answer to the question.

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TASK 2

• Taking selected questions from the June paper, discuss in groups how students might respond to the questions.

• Consider what you might expect students to write ( and maybe also consider what they might write in response to the questions which they shouldn’t.)

• Think about how answers might become irrelevant.

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SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR TASK 2

•Question 3 on Dr. Faustus•Question 2 on Macbeth•Question 6 on Frankenstein•Question 12 on Songs of Innocence and Experience•Question 19 on the gothic•Question 23 on the pastoral

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ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

• All four assessment objectives are equally tested in both section A and section B of LITB3.

• Answering the question asked will help candidates to address the assessment objectives.

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AO1

• It is important to structure answers logically and coherently.

• Planning an answer carefully will help students to do this.

• The best answers do not always work chronologically through texts. In these cases students show their skill in extrapolating relevant material.

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MORE ON AO1

• The quality of written communication is important.

• This is often the first indicator to the examiner of the quality of an answer.

• Literary terminology should be used as a tool, integrated into the argument and not superficially imposed just to show off.

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AO2

• AO2 covers much more than just analysis of diction and imagery.

• Candidates should think about applying the skills learnt for LITB1 to their writing on this unit. The specification is intended to be coherent.

• We should like to encourage students to write about form, structure, voice, perspective etc.

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THE CLOSED BOOK PAPER

• Although this is a closed book examination paper, students who perform well know the texts well.

• Good answers still demonstrate the ability to use supportive, accurate quotation and supportive textual analysis to substantiate the argument.

• Assertive generalisations do not impress examiners.

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AO3

• Candidates should show their awareness of different potential readings of the texts.

• If they wish to attain the highest scores they should also aim to evaluate those readings.

• Questions are designed to encourage debate.

• Good answers debate rather than simply illustrate.

• Story-telling should be avoided at all costs.

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AO4

• AO4 requires candidates to address context.

• If candidates answer the question they have been asked, they will automatically be covering generic context.

• Other types of context should be integrated into the argument.

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MORE ON AO4

• Context should always be relevant to the argument.

• Examiners are not impressed by artificially “bolted on” context.

• Sweeping and often inaccurate historical and sociological assertions are to be avoided at all times.

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RECEPTION CONTEXTS

• Awareness of different reception contexts can be useful and can offer opportunities for AO3.

• Over-simplified generalisations and imprecise assumptions should be avoided.

• Generalisations of what people did in that all-encompassing historical period of “back then” are rarely astute.

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INTRODUCTIONS

• Many candidates felt the need to start their answers with potted histories of the development of the genre, particularly in section B.

• Very rarely did they get much credit for irrelevant background information.

• Candidates are advised to engage instantly with the question instead, in their introductions.

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TASK 3

• Now read script A.• You might like to identify some of the following features in the

writing: - relevant opening - embedded quotation - integrated context - debate - question focus - close textual exploration - structured argument - evaluation

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version 2.0 copyright © aqa and its licensors. all rights reserved. litb3 summer 2010 feedback

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