AS English Literature

S
tudent Guide

2008-2009

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Specification details

AQA English Literature Specification B (for 2008 onwards)

Module 1 (60% of AS marks)

2 hr exam - open book

Section A
This section of the exam contains a two-part question for every set text. Candidates
choose one question to answer.

Part a) analysis of a specific extract from a set text (a chapter from a novel or a poem),
discussing how meaning is conveyed using language, form and structure.

Part b) relating the extract to the whole of the set text (i.e. whole novel or whole
selection of poems), and discussing interpretations and contexts

Section B
This section of the exam contains two questions. Candidates choose one question to
answer. Both questions require discussion of an aspect of narrative in any three of the
set texts (not including the one discussed in Section A). Candidates must explore how
language, form and structure shape meanings, and discuss interpretations in all three
texts.

Module 2 (40% of AS marks)

Coursework
Total word count: 1200-1500 words x 2

Folder must contain:

• Essay on a Shakespeare tragedy, focussing on an aspect of tragedy as a genre
• Essay on another tragedy, focussing on an aspect of tragedy as a genre

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Set texts
You will be supplied with the AQA Anthology, which contains the poetry for the AS
course. For the remaining texts, any edition is acceptable to AQA. We will be selling
editions for use, and providing clean copies of all texts for the exam.

• Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

• Andrea Levy, Small Island

• William Shakespeare, Othello

• Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman or Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named

Desire (please check with your teacher)

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Key dates and deadlines

Coursework

Draft deadlines
These are set by your teachers, and may vary slightly from class to class. There is one
draft before the final draft, and this is an important stage in the development of your
coursework. If you miss a deadline, you will miss an opportunity for feedback and
advice to improve your mark. You will still need to show your teachers that work is
progressing, although your work may not be marked if it is late.

Final internal deadline

Each of the coursework essays has a final deadline:
• The first coursework essay is due in the week beginning 5th January 2009
• The second coursework essay is due on Monday 23 February 2009. This and
completed AQA coversheets (details and signatures) must be handed in during
lesson time or, if there is no lesson, to the English work room (F23) by the end
of lunchtime.

Final deadlines are non-negotiable - work will not be accepted after these dates
except in special circumstances.

Plagiarism
You will be given detailed advice on this issue during lessons and in consultations
with your teacher, and you will be required to sign a declaration to the examination
board to state that your coursework folder is entirely your own work.

Cases of plagiarism will be dealt with very severely. If it is detected by the exam
board, you may be disqualified from this module, your whole AS or A level, or all of
your A levels. The key points to remember are:

□ Do not copy, cut-and-paste or closely paraphrase the work of other

students or critics, without clearly acknowledging your source
□ Do not accept help from anyone else, if they are offering to write sentences
or paragraphs for you
□ Do not allow others to use your work in this way
□ If in any doubt, ask for advice from your teacher

Exam

Mock exam: you will be given a mock exam by the end of Term 2 by both of your
teachers, who will inform you of the date in due course.

External exam: Wednesday 20th May 2009 a.m.

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 Assessment
You will be assessed by means of an exam and coursework folder. The assessment
objectives (AOs) are given in bold print here.

Exam (Section A and Section B): Total of 84 marks (60% of AS)

Section A
AO2 Demonstrate detailed critical understanding in analysing the ways in
which structure, form and language shape meanings in literary texts

Section A 21 marks
Part a

AO1 Articulate creative, AO3 Explore connections AO4 Demonstrate understanding

informed and relevant responses and comparisons between of the significance and influence of
to literary texts, using different literary texts, the contexts in which literary
appropriate terminology and informed by interpretations of texts are written and received
concepts, and coherent, accurate other readers
written expression
Section A 21 marks for these AOs together
Part b

Section B
AO1 Articulate creative, informed
and relevant responses to literary
texts, using appropriate
terminology and concepts, and
coherent, accurate written
expression
AO2 Demonstrate AO3 Explore connections and
detailed critical comparisons between different
understanding in literary texts, informed by
analysing the ways in interpretations of other readers
which structure, form
and language shape
meanings in literary texts

Section B 42 marks for these AOs considered together

Coursework: Total of 30 marks (40% of AS)

AO1 Articulate AO2 Demonstrate AO3 Explore AO4 Demonstrate Total

creative, informed and detailed critical connections and understanding of the
relevant responses to understanding in comparisons between significance and
literary texts, using analysing the ways in different literary influence of the
appropriate which structure, form texts, informed by contexts in which
terminology and and language shape interpretations of literary texts are
concepts, and coherent, meanings in literary texts other readers written and received
accurate written
expression
Each 30 marks for these AOs considered together (equally weighted) 30
essay

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Reading lists and resources for students

GENERAL - covering all texts

• Emagazine
http://www.emagazine.org.uk
The password and login for this year are displayed in sixth form classrooms.
This contains essays and advice by teachers and students on all aspects of A Level
English Lang and English Lit - excellent for independent wider reading.

JANE AUSTEN
• The Victorian Web
http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/austen/austenov.html
A useful selection of mini-essays concerning aspects of Jane Austen, under the
heading 'pre-Victorian'.
• Janet Todd, The Cambridge Introduction to Jane Austen (Cambridge
University Press,
• ed. Edward Copeland, The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen (Cambridge
University Press, 1997)

ANDREA LEVY
Very little published work is available on this author, as her work is so recent; some
articles are on the internet, from broadsheet reviews, but little else.

ROBERT BROWNING
• The Victorian Web
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/rb
A collection of essays and notes concerning aspects of Browning.
• Poetry Archive
http://www.poetryarchive.org
Follow the links for Historic Recordings to hear Browning's voice (the first person
to have his voice heard after his death, recorded by Thomas Edison in 1889)!

ALFRED LORD TENNYSON

• The Victorian Web
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/tennyson
A collection of essays and notes concerning aspects of Tennyson.
• BBC Arts and Culture - Poetry Out Loud
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/poetry/outloud
Tennyson was also recorded by Edison, in 1890, and the recording is here.

SHAKESPEARE, OTHELLO
• Rex Gibson, Shakespearean and Jacobean Tragedy (Cambridge University
Press, 2001)

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 • A. C. Bradley, Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King
Lear, Macbeth (2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 1905) - complete e-text is
available at http://www.clicknotes.com/bradley/ (and other sites)
MILLER, DEATH OF A SALESMAN
• Jennifer Wallace, The Cambridge Introduction to Tragedy (Cambridge
University Press, 2007) - chapter on American tragedy (also Shakespeare)
• http://www.novelguide.com/deathofasalesman - a very basic overview of
the whole text, with brief notes on key topics

WILLIAMS, STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

• Sparknotes
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/streetcar/
Useful for introduction to the text
• Jennifer Wallace, The Cambridge Introduction to Tragedy (Cambridge
University Press, 2007) - chapter on American tragedy (also Shakespeare)
makes reference to Streetcar (p. 85) but no detailed analysis - useful for
context of tragedy

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Guidance for each module

Module 1 'Aspects of Narrative' (Exam)

You will have to do a great deal of reading as homework. Key chapters or extracts
will be analysed in detail, in class time, but we will not be spending lessons reading
together. You might also be doing small-scale research projects, for class presentations
and you will be practising essay writing skills.

For the exam, you'll need to be very well prepared:

Section A Part a
You need to learn:
• Skills to analyse the ways that writers use form, structure and language to
convey meanings (accurate terminology is also required)

Section A Part b
You need to learn:
• The content of your set texts, in detail, so that any extract can be related to the
whole and so that you can select appropriate evidence for your views
• A range of interpretations for your set texts
• The skills to evaluate any interpretation presented
• The contexts of your set texts, and how the texts relate to these contexts

Section B
You need to learn:
• How 'aspects of narrative' are used in your set texts
• How to write about three texts within a time limit of 1 hour

What are 'aspects of narrative'?

• use of narrator(s)
• use of characters (roles)
• use of setting / places
• use of chronology
• devices such as letters, emails
• openings of texts
• closings of texts
• [plus other aspects covered in lessons]

How do you write about three texts?

- not necessarily in equal depth
- not necessary to compare / contrast
- The exam board have said: 'the three texts do not have to be treated equally but there
should be significant detail from all three texts. For poetry, some reference should

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ideally be made to two poems per 'text' where the selection includes a number of short
poems, but use commonsense on what can be covered in an hour'

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Module 2 'Dramatic Genres' (Coursework)

You need to learn:

• To analyse texts in detail, considering writers' techniques (form, structure and
language)
• To consider a variety of interpretations and evaluate these, using evidence
from the texts
• To relate texts to their contexts
• To write in an academic style, using the correct terminology
• To write within minimum and maximum word limits (1200-1500 for each
essay)
• To use source material without plagiarising
• To reference your work and use a bibliography
• To develop your writing using peer and teacher advice, redrafting at least once

You will be studying the whole text, focussing on literary methods, interpretations and
contexts, and then your teachers will introduce a selection of possible coursework
questions, giving you advice on the best choice of question and how to develop your
essay at every stage.

Your essays should be typed, using a standard font, size 12, with sufficient spacing
and margins to allow for teacher annotations.

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