SEC

Everything sensible that you will say in Higher English (or, come to think of it, life) will, more or less, use the SEC (Statement – Evidence – Comment) method in some form or other.

You make a statement

Back it up with evidence

Then, and this is the crucial part, link the two by commenting on both.

For example;

Make a statement

I think that Sparklehorse have re-invented country music for a new generation

Back it up with evidence

For example, they will often use banjos and sampling in the same song

Comment on how the evidence helps to support your statement

The use of traditional instruments like banjos shows that they are indebted to the country music heritage. Yet, they re-vitalise a very traditional genre of music by their incorporation of samples: a technique that is associated with cutting-edge music.

Now just put all the bits together:

I think that Sparklehorse have re-invented country music for a new generation. For example, they will often use banjos and sampling in the same song. The use of traditional instruments like banjos shows that they are indebted to the country music heritage. Yet, they re-vitalise a very traditional genre of music by their incorporation of samples: technique that is associated with cutting-edge music.

The paragraph above looks like the type of paragraph that you would expect to see in a Critical Essay paper.

Your Critical Essays should follow the SEC method throughout. In fact, all persuasive and argumentative essays will also be built around statements, evidence and comments.

In Close Reading analysis and evaluation questions the “Statement” part is often provided by the question itself – all you need to do is provide evidence and comment (remember don’t skimp on comment; that’s usually where the marks are hiding).

As I have said, the statement-evidence-comment method is not just something that you should learn and then quickly forget for Higher English. All academic essays will require you to use this method in some form or other. As you progress in your education you will find that what changes (or should) is the level of sophistication and subtlety of your statements, evidence and comments.

Indeed, SEC is something that we do at every level of “argument”.

Take the scenario of a mother reading her favourite story from her childhood to her child, again:

Young child: This is boring! (Statement)

Mother Why do you say that?

Young child Because we’ve read it lots of time before. (Evidence)

Mother And?

Young child And I’m bored of reading the same thing over and over again. You like it, but I don’t. (Comment – neatly linking statement and evidence)

Once you look, you start to see SEC everywhere.

A final point. You may have noticed that the comment bit is the most challenging. It is quite easy for us to make statements. Think about people you know who react to a new film, a book, or a band with the comment "that's crap". When you ask them why they say that (ie. you want them to provide evidence and comment) they will often struggle and, eventually, merely provide you with the rather juvenile and completely unsatisfactory answer "because it just is". Then they'll possibly provide you with another range of negative statements (ie. "it's really crap; "I hate it", etc.). What they are struggling to do is to analyse and evaluate through evidence and comment. If they could provide evidence and convincing comment for their statement ("that's crap"), then we'd start to take their opinion seriously.

These are the skills that are at the centre of almost everything you do in Higher English.

Enough of that. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy some ............ Sparklehorse