Step by Step Planning: Lit Poetry

You should aim to spend a good 10-15 minutes planning. If you plan carefully it should make the writing much easier.

Step One: Read the question and underline key words

This may seem obvious but it’s important you get into good habits and reduce the risk of misreading the question.

Compare how women are presented in four of the poems you have studied.

To do this compare, compare ‘Mother, any distance greater than a single span’ by Simon Armitage and three other poems, one by Carol Ann Duffy and two from the  Pre-1914 Poetry Bank.

Compare:

• the women in the poems
• how they are presented

Step Two: Jot down initial ideas

In this question you are being asked to compare the presentation of women. Begin by jotting down how the woman is presented in ‘Mother, any distance’. You could do this by listing words that spring to mind about her or you could create a spider diagram with one branch for the named poem. Individual words will do for this stage e.g. (she is presented as) ‘an achor’, clingy, supportive… etc.

Step Three: Select your other 3 poems

This is where you really need to think carefully. Don’t just pick the poems you know/like best – they may not be appropriate for the question and you’ll struggle to write your essay if you go down this route.

Use the words that you’ve put down for the named poem. Is there a Duffy poem where you have a strong similarity e.g. a woman who is clingy/supportive/an anchor. Do the same before and jot down words to describe how the woman is presented in that poem and your two pre-1914 poems.

By the end of this step you’ll have words to describe how women are presented in each of the four poems and you should start to see similarities and differences emerging. You can start adding ideas about devices used in the presentation of the women as, for example, ‘clingy’.

You may see things like 2-3 poems presenting women as clingy but using different devices to do so. That’s ok – remember that you are looking for similarities and differences.

Step Four: Plan your structure

Plan out the structure of your essay. You can do this in two different ways:

1. The structure we tend to follow: I L L S P. An introductory paragraph covering what the poems are about in relation to the question (Interpretation). Two main paragraphs focused on a linguistic device used in the poems (Language). One paragraph on the use of structural devices in the presentation of women (Structure). A concluding paragraph in which you explicitly expressing an opinion e.g. one of the most striking ways in which women are presented in the fours poems is…. I think the most effective way women are presented is…. (Personal Response).

2. Using your words in planning as a focus for each of the paragraphs. For example, you have one paragraph in which you look at the ways in which women are presented as clingy in the four poems. Perhaps they’ll all be presented as clingy but the poets will use different devices.

REVISION TIPS:

You don’t just have to write full essays as part of your revision and preparation for the exam. You could take past questions and plan. This will help you to make links between poems and will increase your planning speed. You might then like to write an individual paragraph for me to have a look at.

Paper 2 Section A: Introductions

Here is a great example of an introduction for a Different Cultures and Traditions essay courtesy of Danii and Lauren.

Compare the methods the poets use to get their point across in ‘Half-caste’ and in one other poem.

Both poems ‘Half-caste’ and ‘Unrelated Incidents’ use non standard English to get their point across. The poems are similar as the characters from both poems feel as though they are being discriminated against. The poem Half-Caste is about a mixed race man trying to prove the point that he is no less of a person just because he belongs to two cultures. Unrelated Incidents however, explores how a man is being discriminated against because he does not have the ‘BBC accent’. Leonard is trying to prove the point that although he has a different accent it does not mean he cannot do the job.

Miss Knowles’ formula for writing an introduction (Paper 2 Section A):

• Begin with ‘Both…’ and make a link between the poems in relation to the question. This shows the examiner that you are comparing from the word go and also shows why you’ve picked the poems to answer the question.
• Quickly say what both poems are about in relation to the question (interpretation) and make a link bewteen them.
• Keep your introduction brief and ensure you use key words throughout to maintain a tight focus on the question.

Section B: The importance of planning

For Paper 1 you will have 45 minutes for Section B and for Paper 2 only 30 minutes. However, that does not mean you should rush straight into writing without planning. The best writing will always be a result of careful planning – you should therefore aim to spend between 5 and 10 minutes planning your writing.

• Spend a few minutes planning ideas for what you are going to write/what you are going to include. Often, for Paper 1, the non-fiction/media texts will give you some inspiration.
• Now start thinking about how you are going to structure your writing. What are you going to say first? What will you leave the reader with at the end of your writing? If you are aiming for an A*, they will be looking for ‘concious crafting’. You can’t possibly achieve this without planning the whole structure of your writing before diving in.
• Quickly jot down your own ‘tick list’ of things to remember. For example, if you’re often forgetting to use paragraphs put that in your tick list. This might include things like: using more than just full stops and commas; using a short/one word sentence for effect; using a sentence as a paragraph on it’s own for effect; using hyperbole/rhetorical questions/shock tactics (for writing to persuade); using metaphors/personification/sensory detail (for writing to describe); using a semi-colon etc etc. Identify the kinds of things you need to do for your target grade and make sure you remind yourself to do them.

Remember: your examiner will have hundreds of scripts to read/mark. How are you going to make their day? How are you going to grab their attention/delight them with what you’re writing? Be original.

Writing to Persuade – Some Persuasive Devices

I would always advise that for Paper 1 Section B you select the task that asks you to write to persuade. You can really show off with a range of linguistic devices which is far more tricky with writing to advise or argue. One thing you must remember: NEVER select the combination question.

Why not try and find an example for each of the devices? Then get practising!

Rhetorical Questions – Questions that don’t require an answer

Chatty Style – Speaking to the reader in a friendly way

Contrasts – Demonstrating differences in viewpoint

Criticise the opposite opinion – Destroy the point of view of the opposing argument

Personal Pronouns – Using works like ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ to make the writing more appealing / create a relationship with the reader

Shock Tactics – Making the reader surprised or horrified

Hyperbole (exaggeration) – Being over-the-top to get a point across

Play on the reader’s guilt – Make the reader feel bad about something

Short sentences/Paragraphs – This helps to make points easy to follow

Quote a reliable source – Support a point(s) with the views of a professional

Emotive words – Words that arouse emotion

Statistics – Numbers which provide convincing information

Clusters of Three – Three phrases or describing words used to emphasise a point

Forceful phrases – Using words like ‘I urge’ or ‘I demand’

Imagery – Creating an image in the reader’s mind

Repetition – Saying the same word or phrase more than once for emphasis

Play on the reader’s sympathy – Make the reader feel sorry for something or someone

Figures of speech – Similes and metaphors adding colour to the writing

Cathcy words or phrases – Words that stick in your mind

Anecdotes – Little stories to illustrate a point

Assessment Objectives for Paper 1/2 Section B

If you missed last lesson, try to translate these into your own words – make a tick list of what the examiners are looking for.

In Section B of Paper 1 and Paper 2 – the Writing section – you are being assessed on your ability to:

AO3 (i) communicate clearly and imaginatively, using and adapting forms for different readers and purposes

AO3 (ii) organise ideas into sentences, paragraphs and whole texts using a variety of linguistic and structural features

AO3 (iii) use a range of sentence structures effectively with accurate punctuation and spelling

How to develop your skills/revise for ‘fact and opinion’ questions

You will be assessed on your ability to distinguish between fact and opinion. You’ll also be expected to comment on how facts and opinions have been used. For example, facts might be use to persuade; to convince; to make a writer’s argument seem more believable; to make an article seem more reliable/trustworthy; to add weight to opinions given and to support points.

To help improve your skills of identifying fact and opinion, get hold of a non-fiction text (e.g. from the BBC news website). Highlight the facts and opinions used and discuss with somebody else why you think these have been used. You might want to write the facts up and give them to another student (out of context) and see if they agree that they are facts – ask them to explain why.

How to develop your skills/revise for ‘following an argument’ questions

Below are a couple of ideas for developing your skills/revising for ‘following an argument’ questions (Paper 1 Section A). It’s a tricky skill to master but at least you’ll know that when you’ve mastered it you will be able to show off – you will be tested on it. You will become better at this if you practice.

1. Cut out a newspaper article, magazine article or print off an article from the web. Work with a partner and label yourselves A and B. A should read the article, out loud, to student B. Student B should tell student A , in their own words, what key/main points are made in the article. Whilst Student B is doing this, student A should jot down the main points. Together you can look over the key points you’ve found and see if you can add any more. You could then have a go at writing this up and peer-assessing each other’s answers but revision doesn’t always have to be about writing – practicing, through talk, identifying key points is a good way to develop your skills of ‘following an argument’.

2. As Rory suggested today, you could go to the BBC news website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/), print off an article and answer the following question: Explain the key points made in the item (6 marks). As it’s worth 6 marks, spend 12 minutes on your answer. You could then use the general mark scheme below to either assess your own work or you could get a friend to peer-assess it. Alternatively, hand it in to me to have a look at.

General Mark Scheme

0 mark   nothing relevant written

1 mark   ‘some simple comment’

• some simple supported comment
• mainly narrative description
• refers to some appropriate detail
• some references to key points

2 marks   ‘some awareness’

• some extended supported comments
• unstructured response and tends to paraphrase
• some identification of main features
• some awareness of key points

3-4 marks   ‘clear attempt to select’

• clear attempt to engage with the task
• structure response
• selects and comments
• a range of key points, 3 at least   * to get a C, you should aim to select 3 or more key points *

5-6   ‘detailed/shaped & absorbed’

• a full understanding of what is being asked
• material fully absorbed and shaped for purpose
• references integrated into argument
• a detailed and conceptualised response

Full Mark Answer for ‘Following an Argument’

Below is Joe’s fantastic answer from today’s lesson. Use the mark scheme in your book to pick out why Joe got full marks for this – it’s a good example of ‘fully absorbing’ and ‘shaping for purpose’.

Paper 1 Section A from the 2007 series

1. Read item 1 the web page from BBC News online.

a) Explain the key points made in this item.

The article from the BBC explicitly states that smoking in your teens increases the chances of smoking in your later life and consequently death. So it is little wonder that the reporter believes the revolution of mobile phones could be the deterrant to smoking.

The fact that fewer teenagers are smoking and that the ownership of mobile phones is rising confirms the point made in this article stating that mobiles are replacing cigarettes as a form of rebellion.

The reporter feels that owning a mobile may serve as a stopper in another way – they believe that it’s unlikely for the teenagers to be able to fund both this addiction to cigarettes and modern technology.

However, the reporter does understand that not all teenage smokers will stop smoking merely due to new symbol of defiance and so makes a point of warning the public about the dangers of smoking and cancer.

How are the AOs targeted in Paper 1 Section A?

From now on, each question in Paper 1 Section A will assess a particular assessment objective. This is how the assessment objectives will be targeted:

The following AOs will be assessed in all questions in Section A rather than in specific questions:

• read, with insight and engagement, making appropriate references to texts (i)
• select material appropriate to their purpose ( iv)

Question 1 (a) tests the ability to follow an argument (iii)

Question 1 (b) tests the ability to distinguish between fact and opinion (ii)

Question 2 (a) and 2 (b) will test the ability to understand and evaluate how writers use linguistic, structural and presenational devices to achieve their effects (v)

Either Question 2(a) or 2(b) will test the ability to make cross references (iv)

Assessment Objectives for Paper 1 Section A

Below are the Assessment Objectives tested in Paper 1 Section A. Beneath each objective is the more ‘student friendly’ version we came up with in today’s lesson.

(i) read, with insight and engagement, making appropriate references to texts and developing and sustaining interpretations of them

(ii) distinguish between fact and opinion and evaluate how information is presented

(iii) follow an argument, identifying implications and recognising inconsistencies

(iv) select material appropriate to their purpose, collate material from different sources, and make cross-references

(v) understand and evaluate how writers use linguistic, structural and presentational devices to achieve their effects, and comment on ways language varies and changes.