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(20 marks)

At the beginning of your Higher year, your teacher will select an appropriate Scottish text from a list prescribed to them by SQA. Class teachers can choose from:

• six poems by one of the four poets listed OR
• one of the three prescribed plays OR
• a piece of prose fiction (either a novel or set of four short stories) from a selection of five authors

The prescribed Set Text list can be found on the SQA website.

You will study these texts carefully, thinking about features appropriate to genre and the themes or issues presented to you by the writer. In the final exam you will be faced with:

• one of the six poems OR an extract from the play/novel OR an extract from one of the four stories
• a series of understanding, analytical or evaluative questions on the extract (totalling 10 marks)
• a final question, worth 10 marks, asking you to compare an aspect of the extract with another aspect in the same text (novel) OR with another poem (poems) OR with another short story you have studied.

The 10-mark question

A question worth 10 marks might seem daunting at first. However, it might help you to think about how the marks are secured:

• 2 marks will be awarded for commonality (ie. stating clearly what is similar about the texts/aspects of the text you are comparing)
• 2 marks will be available for quoting/referencing the extract and then analysing its significance
• 6 marks will be available from quoting/referencing from elsewhere/another text studied and analysing the significance

It might be helpful to structure your 10-mark answer using the following headings:

Commonality:

1. first point of commonality
2. second point of commonality

From the extract:

• Quotation
• Technique
• Analysis

From elsewhere in the text OR another text:

• Quotation
• Technique
• Analysis
• x3

Whilst at National 5 marks were awarded for reference to the text(s), 0 marks are awarded at Higher for reference/quotation alone.

You will receive:

• 2 marks for detailed and insightful comment that includes reference/quotation to the text
• 1 mark for a more basic comment

It is always best to aim for quality over quantity. However, if you are unable to write insightful or detailed comments, it might be worth providing six more basic points.