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A2 Edexcel English Literature 17th June 2016

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Original post by mandrasisbad
does anyone use critics in their essays???


yes. I was under the impression that alternative readers means critics
Reply 21
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AEHD23
10
Original post by Squamber
Hi! :smile: I'm studying 'Rapture', 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles'. Content-wise, I feel fairly confident with Section B of the exam. I have notes and important quotes annotated, as well as some practice essays that I've done (I need to do some more though!). However, even though I have a rough idea of what I'm going to write in the exam, whatever question comes up, I always struggle with the structuring of my essays. Like the other day, I was writing a practice essay and one minute I was waffling about one quote for half a page, and the next I was struggling to fit all of my analysis and comparisons into one section/paragraph. It's so frustrating!!! I haven't been able to get past a B grade so far with all of my essays, but I want that A :colonhash:

Does anyone have any A/A* tips for this exam??? Or has anyone done a practice essay/past exam paper and got an A grade for it? If so, what were your techniques / how did you approach the question and essay?


Hey, I'm doing exactly the same texts as you! What I find is that because timing is always an issue on section B, I only plan two points (3 paragraphs for each so 6 in total + introduction and conclusion). I use about 3 quotes for Tess, 1 or 2 poems for Rapture and about 2 quotes for Gatsby in each point, in addition to critics and context. My problem before was that I was putting way too much in my plan and so I wasn't able to finish my essay on time, so maybe try reducing the amount of stuff you put in your plan so you won't be tempted to write too much. Try to pick out only the relevant aspects of a quote then relate it to a critic or to context, then move on to your next one. Also, if you don't do this already, try not to write out the whole quote, or repeat it in your analysis.
Not sure if that made much sense but hope it helps x
Original post by Saffron_Mae
Hey, dont worry theres still time to do something! (I'm sort of in the same boat) Its too close to the real exam to do loads of mocks because it will be too stressful but what i would say is look on the edexcel website at examiners reports at example answers and comments. Look at AO's for each section of the exam.

here is the web address:

[url="http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/english-literature-2008.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials&filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK:Document-Type%2FQuestion-paper&filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK[excludedFace]biggrin[/excludedFace]ocument-Type%2FMark-scheme&filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK[excludedFace]biggrin[/excludedFace]ocument-Type%2FExaminer-report&filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK[excludedFace]u[/excludedFace]nit%2FUnit-3"]http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/english-literature-2008.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials&filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK:biggrin:ocument-Type%2FQuestion-paper&filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK:biggrin:ocument-Type%2FMark-scheme&filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK:biggrin:ocument-Type%2FExaminer-report&filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK:u:nit%2FUnit-3


Read or skim through the poems and texts and make sure you know the context of them and their general themes look at the key chapters: The Kite Runner (1,6,7,10,16,17 onwards especially 21 and 22). Spies I'd just skim through it, chapter 1&2 is good and 10&11 in terms of War as a theme.

This may seem obvious but get a good nights sleep and eat enough in the morning. Its good to just take it as it comes, read through the questions a few times, spend some time to plan. if you don't know what question to do, go for the one that allows more techniques! (for section B compare in every paragraph and remember context)
I really really hope this helps you! You can do this :smile: Good luck!

Aww that great!!! Thank you so much ! :smile: :smile:
and yes youve helped a lot! Thank you and good luck for yours too!
I study both The Ghost Road and Spies. I have a question regarding the Rurbric question (60 marker). Is it advisable to not go into to much detail for one point for say... spies, in favor of having enough time to make a comparison to The Ghost Road; and to do this throughout the essay
Reply 24
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Siahu
Guys I need help. So for AS I got a high B and was just 2 ums off an A. Do you think its still possible to get an A*? :frown:
Original post by Siahu
Guys I need help. So for AS I got a high B and was just 2 ums off an A. Do you think its still possible to get an A*? :frown:


you need 90% in A2 modules and 80% overall
e.g if you got like 72/80 in coursework and 108/120 in exam then you will have
180 out of 200 (90%) in A2 modules and get an A*

or 75/80 in course work and 105 in exam etc. etc.

because you have high b in AS, you only need to worry about tomorrow's exam.

Good luck
Anyone know how to answer the 60 marker? Structure wise. I always end up just doing intro huge paragraph huge paragraph conc.
Original post by Zakriah
Anyone know how to answer the 60 marker? Structure wise. I always end up just doing intro huge paragraph huge paragraph conc.


Just do a brief intro answering the question and then I don't usually do this but my teacher advised we should do it like this...

-Intro
- Answering the question according to Tess (with links to Gatsby and Rapture)
-Answering according to Gatsby (links again)
- Rapture (link again)
- conclusion: just summarise all the arguments you have made, and if you have considered both sides of an argument, try to reach one argument
Hi Im doing Gatsby, Duffy and metaphysicals, does anyone have any good critics, notes or essay plans??
Reply 29
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XiuXiu
10
Hi guys, I'm doing war poems + Kite Runner + Ghost Road

I've learned like two poems and done like one essay all year because I'm horribly lazy, but I got a good mark for it, so I'm just going to use those two poems for whatever question comes up if possible and do a very similar essay. The two poems are More Light More Light, and Dulce Et Declorum Est. What do you think of this horrendously lazy tactic? I'm going for a/a*.

A version of said essay I plan to recycle is my answer to this past question https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YYiCYuSs6LLnBXF829kIG4nAdCQSeCDpAXljH4Xnen8/edit?usp=sharing. I would love it if somebody would ask questions and give brutally harsh critique, I should at least know my one area of study well and I'd love to help if anybody else is doing these poems. I feel that I could mould a similar answer to a past question in every year.

Will add Kite Runner stuff in, that's an essay from pretty early on in the year. Think I'd be able to shoehorn that bit in Kite Runner about when Amir returns to Afghanistan in easily, as a description of location, and an example of some poetic bs like ~~~war stays the same throughout the ages~~~

Also does anybody have any ideas of what particular things to look out for in the unseen? I've just done them spontaneously in the past but I should probably figure a sort of plan out. I still have trouble understanding the difference between form/structure lol

Thanks guys, and good luck for tomorrow! Hope we get a nice question which allows us to spread our glorious creative wings
(edited 7 years ago)
My teacher always suggests 1 hour for the unseen including 10 minutes planning and then the rest for the essay, allowing 10/15 minutes for planning, but I guess you know how long you need for each part! Anyone else doing Great Expectations with Behind the Scenes at the Museum?
Does anyone have any predictions for what might come up tomorrow?
Original post by MelissaaC
Does anyone have any predictions for what might come up tomorrow?


My teacher thinks it might be on on unequal love, loss or ending, or deterioration or decay :smile:)
How many critics/quotes for a03 have people memorized?
Reply 34
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Siahu
Original post by alanaemaltby
My teacher always suggests 1 hour for the unseen including 10 minutes planning and then the rest for the essay, allowing 10/15 minutes for planning, but I guess you know how long you need for each part! Anyone else doing Great Expectations with Behind the Scenes at the Museum?


MEEEEE and also Wife of Bath
Original post by jessica7777
My teacher thinks it might be on on unequal love, loss or ending, or deterioration or decay :smile:)


Thank you!!!
Reply 36
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seth97
Is anyone doing Macbeth, Dr Faustus, and Frankenstein, if so does anyone have any predictions?
Original post by jessica7777
My teacher thinks it might be on on unequal love, loss or ending, or deterioration or decay :smile:)


Thats great! Thanks, I couldnt think of what might come up :smile: I might think of what I could do for those topics incase.
Original post by HarryJamesD
How many critics/quotes for a03 have people memorized?


I have around 10 that I kind of know, but usually I only end up using the same 5 critical quotes. Most of those are for 'Rapture' though, so I need to learn a couple for 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' and one more for 'The Great Gatsby' :smile:
I really hope they don't come out with a random question for the last year of the specification. Something simple would be nice. :crossedf:

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