1. National 5 Revision Tutorial 2 (May 2015)
Critical Essays
Paper 2: Section 2

2. Revision Tutorial 1 (Prelim)
Key details about the paper (times/marks)
Step-by-step guide to approaching Section 2: Critical Essay
Breakdown of Critical Essay Writing Skills – Tips and exemplification
Guide to what you are assessed on
Hints and Tips – useful vocabulary banks
Revision Suggestions

3. English Blog Last Tutorial can be found on the N5 English post at:
If you Google ‘Moray Glow Blogs’ and select first option there will be a list of blogs – click on ‘Miss King’

4. This Tutorial – More Active
Criteria scale – ‘Satisfactory’ pass to ‘Very Good’ pass
Hints and Tips – adding quality and sophistication
Activities to try
Hints and Tips – Key exam advice

5. Category 3 – 13-10 Demonstrating your: UNDERSTANDING (the WHAT)
- Line of argument = ‘mostly relevant’
- Central Concerns (themes/purpose) = ‘some understanding’
- Knowledge of Text as a whole = ‘sound familiarity’

6. Category 1 – 20-18 Demonstrating your: UNDERSTANDING (the WHAT)
- Line of argument = ‘consistently relevant’
- Central Concerns (themes/purpose) = ‘very good understanding’
- Knowledge of Text as a whole = ‘high degree of familiarity’

7. Key Points to Remember You MUST address/deal with the task to pass
Fuller engagement with the task will be rewarded with higher marks
Present a line of argument – what are you proving about the text
Engagement with the central concerns (and relating this to the task) will also be rewarded

8. Exemplification – Category 3
‘Father and Son’ by Bernard Maclaverty is a short story in which the two central characters are involved in a conflict. The conflict begins before the story and continues to develop throughout. The conflict between the father and son is shown in their lack of communication and through this Maclaverty demonstrates how difficult relationships can be.

9. Exemplification – Category 1
Bernard Maclaverty’s short story, ‘Father and Son’ offers a worrying insight into how dangerous and destructive a lack of communication within a relationship can be. This central concern is primarily expressed through the evident conflict between the two central characters of the father and son. Grief, stemming from the death of the son’s mother, is at the heart of the conflict which Maclaverty further develops and embodies within the story’s narrative, the character’s interactions and the tragic climax, which acts as a stark warning to the reader.

10. Now You Try…
2014 Paper – choose an appropriate task for one of your texts
Pinpoint what the line of argument will be (focus of task + wider themes/purpose)
Write an introduction which fits the Category 1 Criteria

11. Also Be Aware…
Topic Sentences and Sub-conclusions – can be used to refocus on the task and indicate direction of line of argument [see exemplification in first tutorial]
Knowledge of the text will be demonstrated throughout the essay (reference to details & theme/purpose – you must just avoid STORYTELLING
Conclusion – should refocus on task, sum up line of argument and show understanding or text’s themes and writer’s purpose [see exemplification in first tutorial]

12. Category 3 – 13-10 Demonstrating your:
Ability to ANALYSE the Text (the HOW)
- Identification of Techniques = ‘an awareness of techniques’ and ‘some use of critical terminology’
- Analysis of Effect = ‘explanation of stylistic devices’
- Use of Evidence (quotations/ direct reference)= ‘some appropriate reference’

13. Category 1 – 20-18 Demonstrating your:
Ability to ANALYSE the Text (the HOW)
- Identification of Techniques = ‘thorough awareness of techniques’ and ‘confident use of critical terminology’
- Analysis of Effect = ‘very detailed/thoughtful explanation of stylistic devices’
- Use of Evidence (quotations/direct reference)= ‘range of well-chosen references’

14. Key Points to Remember
Analysis = Talking about the writer’s techniques/style – what they are doing and why
Analysis = Identification + Explanation (of the effect and how it is created)
Your analysis must be relevant to the task
Try to link your analysis to the wider themes and message
Vary your expression when explaining the effect of a quotation/technique

15. Exemplification – Category 3
Maclaverty uses imagery to show how bad the conflict has become. The son mentions how his father ‘used to grow vegetables and flowers for half the street’ but then explains how ‘the weeds have taken over’. This suggests that the son feels that the father has given up, not just on the garden but also on their relationship. This makes him angry and lack respect for his father, which causes the conflict to worsen between them.

16. Exemplification – Category 1
Maclaverty effectively illustrates the conflict in the relationship through an extended metaphor, where the son describes his father’s activity in the garden. The son is resentful of the fact that the father seems to have given up on life, and is no longer the sole provider who ‘grow[s] vegetables and flowers for half the street’, but is instead a shadow of his former self. The father has become so wary of life outside his house that he has completely retreated, and it is for this reason that the son despises him. The father fails to put the effort into communicating with the son, whilst the son is filled with too much resentment to communicate with the father. Ultimately this causes conflict which is destroying their relationship.

17. Now You Try… 2014 Paper – go back to the task you chose
Identify one relevant point of analysis you could make
Write the analytical point (with evidence) making sure you explain the effect and how it is created

18. Also Be Aware…
Storytelling is NOT analysis (some context may be needed but main focus should be how effects are created)
Using the writer’s name (surname) and commenting on what they are doing (techniques/style) will make analysis clearer
Quotations are part of analysis – Make sure they are relevant, integrated and commented on (see advice in previous tutorial)
Vary your expression when analysing – not always ‘this shows’ (see advice in previous tutorial)

19. Category 3 – 13-10 Demonstrating your:
Ability to EVALUATE the Text (the HOW WELL)
- Engagement with Text (themes/purpose and individual effects of features) = ‘generally sound commentary of what has been enjoyed/gained’
- Justification = ‘supported by some appropriate reference to features’

20. Category 1 – 20-18 Demonstrating your:
Ability to EVALUATE the Text (the HOW WELL)
- Engagement with Text (themes/purpose and individual effects of features) = ‘very well developed commentary of what has been enjoyed/gained’
- Justification = ‘supported by a range of well-chosen references to relevant features’

21. Key Points to Remember Use evaluative language throughout
Try to vary evaluative language (see previous tutorial for ideas)
Evaluate how effectively the writer creates specific effects
Evaluate how effectively the writer conveys themes and overall purpose/message
Try to integrate genuine personal engagement/evaluation – avoid tagged on evaluation and ‘empty’ phrases like ‘This makes the reader want to read on’ or ‘This creates an impact’

22. Exemplification
Maclaverty effectively compares the son’s gun to a slug which successfully suggests that it is something destructive.
By comparing the son’s gun to a slug, Maclaverty creates a powerful image of something which is a destructive force and cleverly implies that it is one of the barriers in their relationship which is capable of causing devastation.

23. Now You Try…
Come up with as many evaluative words/phrases as you can – keeping the nature of your exam texts in mind

24. Category 3 – 13-10 Demonstrating your: Ability to EXPRESS yourself
(STRUCTURE and ACCURACY)
- Clarity = ‘communicates at first reading’
- Accuracy = ‘mainly accurate’
- Structure = ‘appropriate and mainly accurate’

25. Category 1 – 20-18 Demonstrating your: Ability to EXPRESS yourself
(STRUCTURE and ACCURACY)
- Clarity = ‘communicates very clearly’
- Accuracy = ‘consistently accurate’
- Structure = ‘structured effectively to enhance meaning; is accurate and effective’

26. Key Points to Remember
Take time at the start to engage with the focus of the task and plan out a relevant and sensible line of argument around it.
Use linking words (transitional markers) between paragraphs
Split sentences carefully – avoid comma splice
Ensure you know common spellings/errors – know how to spell writer’s names, texts, key words, apostrophe rule for possession, inverted comma use, capitals etc.

27. Key Messages – Things to Avoid!
Only do ONE Critical Essay Question
Ensure the Genre section matches the genre of your text
Leave sufficient time for essay (at least 45 minutes) – every mark counts!
Write Task Number in margin (don’t write out task)
Go in prepared with more than one text – ones you have studied and been taught in class!
Good practice to do a brief plan – put line through
Be aware of time – if only 5 minutes left = do conclusion
Time management = 5 minutes to check through
MUST, MUST, MUST address the task throughout the response

28. Revision Suggestions/Strategies
Familiarise yourself with the main ideas/themes/message in your class text(s)
Make sure you know key details of text for introduction – (Title, writer, type of text, context, themes/key ideas/message)
Revise Key analytical techniques and points
Rewrite revision notes in another format, condensing/transforming information e.g. Mind-map/table form
Transform notes into 3 columns = WHAT is text doing-HOW is it doing it-WHY is it doing it
Identify and memorise a range of quotations (4-8) which are evidence of key ideas/techniques in each text
Practise introducing, integrating and analysing these quotations
Practise writing example introductions/conclusions
Practise essay planning based around a task (Past/Example Tasks)
Note down all the different types of questions that would suit your text – style/theme aspects you could write about
Review Critical Essay guidance sheet/pointers – rewrite as notes on key hints/tips/points to remember in essay writing (identify the areas you need to focus on from marked essays and concentrate on these)

29. English Blog
This Tutorial can be found on the N5 English post at (along with the old one and critical essay general structural advice):
If you Google ‘Moray Glow Blogs’ and select first option there will be a list of blogs – click on ‘Miss King’