Advice on choosing a topic for Language A - Category 1

Category 1 is a literature-based Language A EE based on one or more texts originally written in the language in which the essay is presented (English or Spanish).

• Checkpoint #1: have I chosen a text or texts that were originally written in the same language as my Language A choice?

• Checkpoint #2: have I ensured that there are no overlaps with texts I will or might study in English or Spanish? You are allowed to use another text by an author you may have studied already or will study on your course.

• Checkpoint #3: is/are my chosen text(s) of sufficient literary merit/value to sustain in-depth analysis that is required for this type of extended study?

• Checkpoint #4: have I developed an idea that will avoid drifting away from literary analysis and towards other subject areas such as History, Psychology, Global Politics, Art and Film? If so, would it be a better, more interesting study in another subject?

• Checkpoint #5: have I avoided an obvious or overused topic or idea for the text(s) I have chosen?

• Checkpoint #6: am I prepared to read my text(s) multiple times? Am I prepared to research literary criticism and articles about and around the topic area(s) I have chosen?

Advice on choosing a topic for Language A - Category 2

Category 2 is a literature-based Language A EE based on a comparison between a text originally written in the language in which the essay is presented (English or Spanish) and one or more texts originally written in another language.

• Checkpoint #1: have I checked that I have met the criteria above for a Category 2 style essay?

• Checkpoint #2: have I ensured that there are no overlaps with texts I will or might study in English or Spanish? You are allowed to use another text by an author you may have studied already or will study on your course.

• Checkpoint #3: are my chosen texts of sufficient literary merit/value to sustain in-depth analysis that is required for this type of extended study?

• Checkpoint #4: have I developed an idea that will avoid drifting away from literary analysis and towards other subject areas such as History, Psychology, Global Politics, Art and Film? If so, would it be a better, more interesting study in another subject?

• Checkpoint #5: have I avoided an obvious or overused topic or idea for the text(s) I have chosen?

• Checkpoint #6: am I prepared to read my text(s) multiple times? Am I prepared to research literary criticism and articles about and around the topic area(s) I have chosen?

Advice on choosing a topic for Language A - Category 3

Category 3 is a language-based Language A EE based on one or more texts originally published in the language in which the essay is presented (English or Spanish).

• Checkpoint #1: have I chosen a text or texts that were originally written in the same language as my Language A choice?

• Checkpoint #2: Have I ensured there is no ambiguity or confusion about the text types I have chosen and what I intend to use them for (for example, graphic novels or song lyrics could be studied as a Category 1, 2 or 3 depending on the type of study you want to undertake and the topic/RQ you create from this).

• Checkpoint #3: have I ensured that there are no overlaps with texts I will or might study in English or Spanish?

• Checkpoint #4: are my chosen texts of sufficient literary merit/value to sustain in-depth analysis that is required for this type of extended study? This is especially important for Category 3 texts as you need to ensure that the texts you choose are appropriate for this type of linguistic study and clearly linked to your topic and RQ.

• Checkpoint #5: have I developed an idea that will avoid drifting away from linguistic and contextual analysis and towards other subject areas such as History, Psychology, Global Politics, Art and Film? If so, would it be a better, more interesting study in another subject?

• Checkpoint #6: have I avoided an obvious or overused topic or idea for the text(s) I have chosen?

• Checkpoint #7: am I prepared to do extra research about issues and contextual factors influencing my text(s)?

Advice for research in Language A

Most importantly you should read the texts you are interested in! Don't rely on Wikipedia, Sparknotes, Enotes or the many other revision websites on the internet - they are not your main sources of information. Use academic resources available in school such as Jstor, Questia or Google Scholar to research general resources about the text, author, genre, literary movement or other interesting contextual factors that might relate to your text. Keep in mind that when you have a specific topic and RQ, this process will become much easier!

Advice for write-up in Language A

Category 1 and 2 EEs should always consider how the text(s) work as literature - this means dealing with aspects such as the effects they achieve, the devices they use and the way they are written. If you are referring to a wider issue then the major focus of the EE should be on how this works within a literary context; it should not drift towards a discussion that is more appropriate in another subject (eg too much historical context or discussion of how it relates to other versions of the text in other mediums such as film). You will be using similar skills to what you use in the Literature section of your Language A course.

Category 3 EEs have to show an awareness of conflicting viewpoints within a text, their wider meaning in a wider social context and how they are produced and understood by audiences. You will be using similar skills to what you use in the Language section of your Language and Literature course.

General advice for Language A essays:

• keep a record of texts you read so you can manage your bibliography more effectively;

• use clear references throughout;

• throughout your essay you should never make assumptions, be vague or overly descriptive. You must be analytical, evaluative and consistently refer to close references and quotations. 'Zoom in' in specific examples.

The two main issues which bring down the grades in English EE's

1. The English students don't approach it as a research process. They seem to ignore the process and just think it is writing an essay. They ignore the fact it specifically states 'research question' as opposed to essay question.

2. Critical Thinking - showing some personal thinking and evaluation/judgements. Most don't, simply aim to meet the word count (quickly) rather than think, ponder and evaluate.