PAPER 1 REVIEW

English A Language and Literature

General Tips for Writing

Underline Book Titles, Magazine Titles, etc Put Poem Titles, Song titles, Article titles,

etc in quotation marks Pay close attention to these commonly

confused words Effect vs. affect It’s vs. its Spell these words correctly:

audiEnce articLE

Language

Use appropriate terms Audience Viewer Reader Consumer Stylistic features / Literary Devices

Use formal language style Avoid abbreviations Avoid contractions Avoid YOU (try to avoid addressing the reader)

Introduction Paragraph

Identify the texts Use the author’s name Write the title of the article/texts

Thesis sentence Develop your argument or direction for the

essay. Try to narrow the focus and refer to both

texts in one sentence Located as last sentence of introductory

paragraph

Essay Structure

Develop paragraphs on the following: Context Structure Language Usage

Demonstrate how the author uses these to shape meaning.

SHOW examples, don’t just tell about them HL Only

Provide comparison of texts Best if done on a point by point format rather than

text by text

Context

Analyze / Compare the text / two texts in the area of context What text type? Who is the intended audience? What is the intended message? What is the intended purpose?

Show examples from the text/s How does the context shape meaning? (HL Only) How are the two texts similar or

different in meaning?

Structure

Analyze / Compare the text / two texts in the area of structure Visual organization Verbal organization on the page / font / color Headline placement Paragraph size / format Specific stylistic features within text Typical Genre Conventions of the text type

Is this a typical or atypical example of text type? Show examples from the text/s.

How does the structure help to shape the reader’s perception/understanding?

Why does the author structure the text in this way? (HL Only) How are these two texts similar or different?

Language Usage

Analyze / Compare the text / two texts in the area of language usage Emotional language Logical language / Informing Persuasive Language Humor Advertising Appeals (Emotional Appeal, Sex Appeal, Appeal to fear,

appeal to sense of reason) Propaganda Techniques (Fancy figures, Glittering Generalities, etc) Use of authority Show examples from the text to support your points.

How does the language help to shape the reader’s perception/understanding?

Why does the author this language? For what effect/purpose? (HL Only) How are these two texts similar or different?

Specific use of Examples

When using examples, refer to line numbers and text E.g. …in text 1 line 12 or (Text 1, 12)