In this unit of independent research, students have a free choice of texts to study from a range of writers in English. They will focus on the presentation of the human experience — both as it is represented both personally and universally in literary and nonfiction texts and through spoken and written forms.
Reading will include the study of one text from any genre. Students will apply literary and linguistic methodologies and concepts to examine how writers and speakers present human experience. Students will research and comment on varied representations in order to produce their own literary and non-fiction responses for
a defined purpose and audience. The folder should be made up of no more than 2500-3000 words supported by a single analytical evaluative commentary of no more than 1000 words.
Students will build upon their earlier studies to demonstrate their understanding of the connections between texts.
As with Unit 3, this unit contains elements of synopticity, which require students to demonstrate that they can research independently and write with the appropriate regard for audiences, purpose and format.
Coursework folder: 2500-3000 words maximum own writing; 1000 words maximum commentary
80 marks
A chosen area of human experience and texts related to this choice will form the basis of the coursework folder. Students will produce a coursework folder of three pieces of writing:
1 one piece of literary writing — eg section of writing which presents a factual event through narration
2 one piece of non-fiction writing — eg an analytical comment article for a broadsheet newspaper
3 an analytical evaluative commentary.
There should be a balance of the word count across the two pieces of student work.
The texts chosen in the topic area should be of sufficient challenge to represent the synoptic nature of this unit and the need for the students to achieve across the full range of marks.
A period of reading and reflection on how writers present their subject and the contrasts there are between the genres will be needed. It is suggested that students should practise the writing conventions to be found in a range of genres.
There are three pieces of writing to be created.
The literary and non-fiction writing tasks should represent sufficient
challenge to reflect the synoptic nature of these activities and the
need for the students to achieve across the full range of marks.
