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Advice/tips for AS English Literature?

I took the English Literature (reformed) AS this year already but failed yet I'm willing to do my AS year again. Of course, I want to do way better than I previously did and I would like to know any tips from anyone who gained a high grade in their English Literature AS.

With my exam, since it was reformed and on a new exam board (Eduqas, from WJEC?), it was a closed book exam (unlike the previous years) meaning I had to memorise content & quotes.

How do I study through books, plays and poems efficiently or how can I study/remember themes, concepts and context +background or author history too? Even critics quotes, which apparently gets you marks? I really want to do well this year. English sites are welcome too.

Thanks to anyone that answers!
Reply 1
Original post by vsions
I took the English Literature (reformed) AS this year already but failed yet I'm willing to do my AS year again. Of course, I want to do way better than I previously did and I would like to know any tips from anyone who gained a high grade in their English Literature AS.

With my exam, since it was reformed and on a new exam board (Eduqas, from WJEC?), it was a closed book exam (unlike the previous years) meaning I had to memorise content & quotes.

How do I study through books, plays and poems efficiently or how can I study/remember themes, concepts and context +background or author history too? Even critics quotes, which apparently gets you marks? I really want to do well this year. English sites are welcome too.

Thanks to anyone that answers!


I am not entirely sure about your specific examboard since I did AQA English Lit B both at AS and A2 hopefully I might be of some help.

Are you aware of the Assessment objectives for each exam you have to do? Knowing what they mark on may help you see what you need to know.

Also since you mentioned that it is closed book I would suggest you read through each chapter/section/act and begin looking at points you could make about specific quotes. You want to memorise quotes that you can talk about in enough depth to get your point across. I would suggest looking at a couple quotes that you can make good points out of. It is no use using long quotes, you want quotes that not only will you remember but also ones that you can embed into your paragraphs. The more you familiarise with the texts that you are studying the better you will be at remembering content.

In terms of themes, concepts, background and authorial history you want to learn content that you can directly relate to a point/quote you think of. By categorising themes and concepts by say mindmaps and finding links to the texts will allow you to be more efficient in your studying.

Oh also familiarise with you exam paper but doing past papers, especially in timed conditions!

Atm I can't think of anything else to say since I'm not familiar with your exam board but if you need any other specific advice please message me
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by Ninaaaah
I am not entirely sure about your specific examboard since I did AQA English Lit B both at AS and A2 hopefully I might be of some help.

Are you aware of the Assessment objectives for each exam you have to do? Knowing what they mark on may help you see what you need to know.

Also since you mentioned that it is closed book I would suggest you read through each chapter/section/act and begin looking at points you could make about specific quotes. You want to memorise quotes that you can talk about in enough depth to get your point across. I would suggest looking at a couple quotes that you can make good points out of. It is no use using long quotes, you want quotes that not only will you remember but also ones that you can embed into your paragraphs. The more you familiarise with the texts that you are studying the better you will be at remembering content.

In terms of themes, concepts, background and authorial history you want to learn content that you can directly relate to a point/quote you think of. By categorising themes and concepts by say mindmaps and finding links to the texts will allow you to be more efficient in your studying.

Oh also familiarise with you exam paper but doing past papers, especially in timed conditions!

Atm I can't think of anything else to say since I'm not familiar with your exam board but if you need any other specific advice please message me


Thanks! This was in depth and helpful. How did you find AQA for both years? Also this may be a dumb question but is there actually a difference between the 'A' and 'B' qualifications they offer? I'm assuming you did the old spec but even for the new spec they offer that and I have a choice to choose an exam board and A or B as a private candidate. Would you have chosen any other exam board? I apologise for so many questions :redface:
Reply 3
Original post by vsions
Thanks! This was in depth and helpful. How did you find AQA for both years? Also this may be a dumb question but is there actually a difference between the 'A' and 'B' qualifications they offer? I'm assuming you did the old spec but even for the new spec they offer that and I have a choice to choose an exam board and A or B as a private candidate. Would you have chosen any other exam board? I apologise for so many questions :redface:


No not a problem at all!

Well here is the new spec for English Lit B for your first AS year
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/specifications/AQA-7716-7717-SP-2015-V1-0.PDF

The difference in terms of the old and new spec is that instead of a piece of coursework, which they have removed, but as far as I am aware this spec deals with one open book and one closed book exam where you pick whether you do Aspects of Tragedy or Aspects of Comedy. For this specific AS you'll have to study One Shakespeare play, one further drama text (I am guessing that means another play) , One poetry text from the poets: Thomas Hardy, John Keats or one poem found in the Anthology, one prose (The Great Gatsby, Tess D'urbervilles etc). The rest is explained in the link I attached to your response. The texts that you choose from are not much different from the old spec, although very limited in comparison to what it was previously in the old one.

The A2 element of this spec does include a piece of coursework (which I think makes such a difference to your grade!) where you do two essays (this is not much different in comparison to the old spec one), this was my favourite part of A2 to be entirely honest.

As for the new spec for English Lit A I am not entirely sure how it is for obvious reasons but I would definitely look at each specification to see where you would best work, independently since you are resitting AS.
Here is the link for the specification:
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/specifications/AQA-7711-7712-SP-2015-V1-0.PDF

After looking at them both myself I think that Lit B offers a bit more flexibility in terms of what genre to study whereas Lit A offers just one genre, Love through the ages.

By any chance as a private candidate are you aware of whether the centre you have chosen do the old specification examinations? As some students have the options to retake A2 year and AQA will definitely will be running the exam series of the old specs one last time see if they have given you the option to pick between the two. Although I would advise against doing AS and A2 as you need a bit of space to develop your writing (which without a doubt you will do so). I would go for Lit B as I am more familiar and I think there is a lot more options, to see where you fit in terms of what you were previously taught at AS.

Hopefully I have been of some help, I would definitely check them out and see where you fit.
If you have the chance, ask the centre their opinion regarding these two specifications, maybe they might be of help.

Best of wishes for everything! If you have any more questions do let me know!

Oh I almost forgot, you could check out some of the forums regarding both specs on tsr, I am sure they will be helpful, especially for the new specifications
Reply 4
Original post by Ninaaaah
No not a problem at all!

Well here is the new spec for English Lit B for your first AS year
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/specifications/AQA-7716-7717-SP-2015-V1-0.PDF

The difference in terms of the old and new spec is that instead of a piece of coursework, which they have removed, but as far as I am aware this spec deals with one open book and one closed book exam where you pick whether you do Aspects of Tragedy or Aspects of Comedy. For this specific AS you'll have to study One Shakespeare play, one further drama text (I am guessing that means another play) , One poetry text from the poets: Thomas Hardy, John Keats or one poem found in the Anthology, one prose (The Great Gatsby, Tess D'urbervilles etc). The rest is explained in the link I attached to your response. The texts that you choose from are not much different from the old spec, although very limited in comparison to what it was previously in the old one.

The A2 element of this spec does include a piece of coursework (which I think makes such a difference to your grade!) where you do two essays (this is not much different in comparison to the old spec one), this was my favourite part of A2 to be entirely honest.

As for the new spec for English Lit A I am not entirely sure how it is for obvious reasons but I would definitely look at each specification to see where you would best work, independently since you are resitting AS.
Here is the link for the specification:
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/english/specifications/AQA-7711-7712-SP-2015-V1-0.PDF

After looking at them both myself I think that Lit B offers a bit more flexibility in terms of what genre to study whereas Lit A offers just one genre, Love through the ages.

By any chance as a private candidate are you aware of whether the centre you have chosen do the old specification examinations? As some students have the options to retake A2 year and AQA will definitely will be running the exam series of the old specs one last time see if they have given you the option to pick between the two. Although I would advise against doing AS and A2 as you need a bit of space to develop your writing (which without a doubt you will do so). I would go for Lit B as I am more familiar and I think there is a lot more options, to see where you fit in terms of what you were previously taught at AS.

Hopefully I have been of some help, I would definitely check them out and see where you fit.
If you have the chance, ask the centre their opinion regarding these two specifications, maybe they might be of help.

Best of wishes for everything! If you have any more questions do let me know!

Oh I almost forgot, you could check out some of the forums regarding both specs on tsr, I am sure they will be helpful, especially for the new specifications


Thanks a lot, this was super helpful and expanded my knowledge from the research I did do regarding the exam board and spec. Since I only did AS and on the new spec, I heard you can't do retakes on new spec but I'll have to check that out. I decided to re do the year overall so I may move to AQA English Lit B, seems the best. Thanks again!! I'll msg if I need further help.
Reply 5
Original post by vsions
Thanks a lot, this was super helpful and expanded my knowledge from the research I did do regarding the exam board and spec. Since I only did AS and on the new spec, I heard you can't do retakes on new spec but I'll have to check that out. I decided to re do the year overall so I may move to AQA English Lit B, seems the best. Thanks again!! I'll msg if I need further help.


No problem at all, glad I could be of some help!

Yes indeed with all the changes I definitely agree with you.

Best of wishes for your AS year, a year wiser and hopefully better! Let me know how you get on and of course if you need anything message me.

Ninaaaah
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