GCE EXAMINERS' REPORTS
ENGLISH LITERATURE
(Including AS Legacy Units)
SUMMER 2016
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Unit
Page
LT1
1
LT2
8
LT3
13
LT4
18
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ENGLISH LITERATURE
General Certificate of Education
Summer 2016
Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced
LT1: POETRY AND DRAMA
As this year’s LT1 exam is a re-sit opportunity only, this report will summarise some of the
key ways in which candidates responded to the exam to aid preparation for the new
specifications, where the same skills will be assessed albeit under new components. As in
previous years, examiners have been impressed by the quality of many of the responses.
The strongest answers were those which balanced all of the AOs effectively, according to
the weightings within each section. The comments in the first part of the report are therefore
focused on each assessment objective in turn.
Section A
AO1
Effective planning is essential if candidates are to write focused and clearly structured
essays. Often there is minimal evidence of planning, which may not be especially useful for
the candidate. Suggested approaches for effective planning are available on WJEC’s secure
website. The strongest answers gave a brief overview of each poem (core and partner)
before analysing and evaluating the poets’ effects in detail. The strongest answers kept
focus on the question throughout the essay, in particular leading with a purposeful topic
sentence at the beginning and a summative sentence at the end of each paragraph, relating
specifically to the key question words.
AO2
As in previous years, a significant minority of candidates continue to embed quotations
without discussing how meaning is created. These candidates often scored highly on AO1
(concepts) but did less well on AO2 (analysis). It is essential that candidates discuss how
meaning is created by focusing on the specific effects of techniques. It can be useful to think
why a writer has chosen a specific word or technique and to consider the layers of
connotations and the attitudes displayed. As has been stated in many previous reports,
comments on structure are often assertive. It is essential that comments on structure are
valid and purposeful rather than sweeping generalisations.
AO3i
As noted in last year’s report, the most effective approach is to select a specific technique
used by both poets (e.g. moon imagery) and to discuss the effect through textual support,
before evaluating how the link answers the question. A significant minority of candidates
made broad links through technique: for example, ‘both poets use enjambment to show
family’ or ‘both poets use alliteration to show setting’. This is not a useful approach as the
links are too general. In addition, this sort of approach can affect AO1 (as it often means the
essay has a disjointed structure) and AO2, as the focus is not on how meaning is created. In
some cases candidates are spending too much time on the partner text rather than on the
links between the core and partner. In addition, it is important that the partner text is not
discussed in isolation from the core text.
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AO3ii
As in previous years, a significant minority of candidates included general quotations from
critics that were not particularly helpful. A more successful approach is to ensure that they
engage with relevant quotations, which help to develop their line of argument. Candidates
should avoid ‘tagging on’ critical quotations at the end of their essay. There are still some
cases where candidates do not include any readings at all or even any tentative language
(such as ‘perhaps’). As has been stated previously, these candidates can only be awarded
zero marks for this AO.
Notes on questions
T.S. Eliot: Selected Poems (Core text)
(Prufrock and Other Observations, The Waste Land, The Hollow Men, Ariel Poems)
W.B. Yeats: Selected Poems (Partner text)
1.
What connections have you found between the ways in which Eliot and Yeats
write about isolation in their poems? In your response you must include
detailed critical discussion of at least two of Eliot’s poems.
There were a number of interesting and perceptive responses to this question, where
isolation was linked to a fragmented sense of self, citing ‘Prufrock’ as an effective
approach. Isolation of the individual was also linked to ageing and being cut off from
others. Some candidates successfully chose to explore isolation within society within
‘The Waste Land.’
2.
‘Eliot tends to present the world as a bleak and fragmented place.’ In the light
of this quotation, compare ways in which Eliot and Yeats present their views of
the world in their poems. In your response you must include detailed critical
discussion of at least two of Eliot’s poems.
This question was slightly more popular than Question 1 and again there were some
confident responses where candidates had engaged successfully with the quotation
in the question. Poems that worked well included ‘Rhapsody on a Windy Night’, ‘The
Hollow Men’ and ‘The Waste Land’.
Philip Larkin: The Whitsun Weddings (Core text)
Dannie Abse: Welsh Retrospective (Partner text)
3.
‘In Larkin’s poems, love and desire are always linked with disappointment’. In
the light of this quotation, compare the ways in which Larkin and Abse write
about love and/or desire. In your response you must include detailed critical
discussion of at least two of Larkin’s poems.
This was the more popular question and most candidates tended to agree with the
quotation, exploring desire for women and marriage, linked to disappointment, and
often arguing that Abse was more positive in his presentation. For example, exploring
links between ‘Talking in Bed’, ‘Wild Oats’ and ‘An Arundel Tomb’ with ‘A Scene from
Married Life’ and ‘Postcard to his Wife’. Some candidates linked parental love to
disappointment too, considering ‘Love Songs in Age’ and ‘Down the M4’.
4.
What connections have you found between the ways in which Larkin and Abse
write about illusion and reality in their poems? In your response you must
include detailed critical discussion of at least two of Larkin’s poems.
Successful approaches here included an exploration of illusion and reality within
consumerism (‘Sunny Prestatyn’, ‘Essential Beauty’); the ‘reality’ for the working
classes; and the illusion of memories as a coping mechanism for grim reality (‘Return
to Cardiff’).
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Sylvia Plath: Poems Selected by Ted Hughes (Core text)
Ted Hughes: Poems Selected by Simon Armitage (Partner text)
5.
Compare the ways in which Plath and Hughes write about settings in their
poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion of at
least two of Plath’s poems.
There were a number of effective discussions in response to this question.
Candidates drew on a wide range of poems, from ‘Tulips’, ‘In the Manor Garden’ and
‘The Moon and the Yew Tree’ to ‘Full Fathom Five’, and ‘Poppies in July’. The most
successful answers kept an explicit focus on setting; weaker answers tended to drift
from the question into a general discussion of the poems. Many candidates
effectively contrasted the way Plath tends to use setting to explore her inner thoughts
and feelings: however, the best responses avoided generalisations about the two
poets’ approaches to setting.
6.
What connections have you found between the ways in which Plath and
Hughes use the imagery of violence in their poems? In your response you
must include detailed reference to at least two of Plath’s poems.
There were some detailed responses to this question and, as with Question 1,
candidates used a wide range of poems. ‘Daddy’ and ‘Cut’ were particularly popular,
and candidates effectively explored violence as shocking and controversial, but also
how Plath and Hughes used violence to explore identity; loss; relationships; and
nature.
Carol Ann Duffy: Selected Poems (Core text)
(Standing Female Nude, The Other Country, The World’s Wife)
Sheenagh Pugh: Selected Poems (Partner text)
7.
What connections have you found between the ways in which Duffy and Pugh
write about suffering and sorrow in their poems? In your response you must
include detailed critical discussion of at least two of Duffy’s poems.
There were a number of effective responses and successful poems included
‘Shooting Stars’, ‘Lizzie, 6’, ‘Girl Talking’ and ‘The Dolphins’. Many candidates wrote
specifically about female suffering, while other approaches looked at the suffering of
those marginalised and ignored, or suffering and sorrow linked to childhood.
8.
Compare the ways in which Duffy and Pugh write about relationships in their
poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion of at
least two of Duffy’s poems.
There were some interesting responses to this question and candidates drew on a
wide range of poems. Candidates explored a wide range of valid relationships
including lesbian relationships; relationships between men and women; parent/child
relationships; and how relationships can be liberating in providing a voice for the
abused.
Seamus Heaney: New Selected Poems (Core text)
(Death of a Naturalist, Door into the Dark, The Haw Lantern)
Owen Sheers: Skirrid Hill (Partner text)
9.
Compare the ways in which Heaney and Sheers write about the countryside in
their poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion of
at least two of Heaney’s poems.
Successful Heaney poems included ‘Death of a Naturalist’, ‘Mid-Term Break’ and
‘Follower’ with many candidates discussing the link between grief and loss to a sense
of place. The countryside was sometimes used to highlight political issues such as in
‘Requiem for the Croppies’ and ‘Mametz Wood’.
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10.
What connections have you found between the ways in which Heaney and
Sheers write about family in their poems? In your response you must include
detailed reference to at least two of Heaney’s poems.
This was the more popular question among candidates who approached the theme
of family in a number of valid ways, for example exploring Heaney’s and Sheers’
presentation of family love and of childhood and growing up. Popular poem choices
included ‘Digging’, ‘Follower’ and the ‘Clearances’ sonnet sequence, linked to
Sheers’ ‘Inheritance’ and ‘Late Spring’.
Eavan Boland: Selected Poems (Core text)
(New Territory, The War Horse, The Journey)
Clare Pollard: Look, Clare! Look! (Partner text)
11.
What connections have you found between the ways in which Boland and
Pollard write about powerful emotions in their poems? In your response you
must include detailed critical discussion of at least two of Boland’s poems.
Very few responses were seen.
12.
Compare the ways in which Boland and Pollard write about female identity in
their poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion of
at least two of Boland’s poems.
Very few responses were seen.
Section B
NB: it is important to note that AO3ii (other readings) is not assessed here. A significant
number of candidates are still using AO3ii phrases in this Section in a way that suggests
they are unaware that they are not rewarded for this in Section B. In some cases, candidates
focused on other readings to the detriment of the AOs they are being assessed on.
AO1
Candidates need to ensure that they spend a reasonable amount of time analysing the given
extract. As has been stated in previous reports, a good rule of thumb is to write
approximately 50% of the essay on the given extract. It is essential that candidates do not
make a few cursory comments on the extract before going on to write most of their essay on
other parts of the play.
Candidates are not expected to work their way through the whole extract, or to work through
it chronologically; a more useful approach is to pick out key quotations/techniques. For
example, it can be useful to look at the very beginning and very end of the extract.
As in Section A, planning is essential and will help candidates keep explicit focus on the
question.
AO2
Most candidates are engaging well with the requirement to discuss dramatic techniques,
which is good to see. However, in a significant minority of cases, candidates are embedding
quotations rather than analysing how meaning is created (necessary to address AO2).
As has been mentioned in previous reports, some candidates discuss characters as real
people rather than as fictional constructs. The advice from previous reports stands, in that it
can be useful to encourage candidates to use the word ‘presents’ when discussing
characters, and also to think of the function of the character within the play (e.g. Kate in
Dancing at Lughnasa as a representation of the attitudes of the Catholic church etc.).
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AO4
Candidates are reminded that they need to address two aspects of context: (a) contextual
influences on the play (e.g. literary, socio-historical etc.) and (b) the play as context for the
extract. In a significant number of cases, candidates effectively addressed either (a) or (b),
but not both and this affected the marks that could be awarded. It is essential that
candidates keep both aspects of context in mind.
(a)
Candidates need to ensure that all references to wider context are (i) relevant
to the question and (ii) linked directly to the text. If candidates wish to refer to
context in their introduction this should be brief and relevant – references to
context are most effective when threaded throughout the essay.
(b)
Candidates are welcome to make reference to one other extract from the
play, or a number of different extracts. When discussing the given extract it
can be useful to make links to other parts of the play (for example, discussing
foreshadowing; juxtaposing the end with the beginning of the play etc.) –
however, candidates must ensure that these links are relevant to the question
and that they do not drift into discussion of the rest of the play at the expense
of detailed analysis of the given extract.
Notes on questions
David Hare: Murmuring Judges
13.
Re-read Act 1 Scene 4 (page 12 to page 16). Discuss how Hare presents
authority figures in this extract and at least one other point in the play.
The strongest answers discussed the prison system: Beckett’s character; the prison
setting; and his treatment of Gerard. Candidates developed responses by exploring
other authority figures such as lawyers, the police and the Home secretary and how
these characters are used by Hare to criticise aspects of the legal system.
Discussion of Irina and Sandra was also included to highlight the prejudice of
authority figures.
14.
Re-read Act 2 Scene 8 (page 105 to the end of the play). Explore how Hare
presents ideas about justice and injustice in this extract and at least one other
point in the play.
Effective answers discussed a number of different aspects including: the legal
system as a game; the juxtaposition of key characters; staging techniques such as
the use of music and the simultaneous staging as well as Irina’s and Sandra’s desire
for justice.
David Mamet: Oleanna
15.
Re-read Act 1 from page 23 to page 26. Examine how Mamet presents authority
in this extract and at least one other point in the play.
There were some strong answers which explored John’s presentation as an authority
figure, where candidates analysed his mannerisms and language. Candidates also
commented on Carol’s response to John as an authority figure and the shift in
authority and power throughout the play.
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16.
Re-read Act 2 from the beginning on page 43 to page 48. Discuss how Mamet
uses the character of John to present issues in American society in this extract
and at least one other point in the play.
While there were some strong answers to this question, showing confident and
perceptive understanding of Mamet’s ideas and his use of dialogue and staging, in
some cases candidates did not keep enough explicit focus on the question. Some
started out writing about American issues, but instead wrote an essay on
characterisation. Better responses included criticism of the American education
system; exploration of the American Dream; discussion of political correctness; and
issues of conflict.
Brian Friel: Dancing at Lughnasa
17.
Re-read Act 2 from the top of page 63 to page 66. Discuss how Friel presents
social and political issues in 1930s society in this extract and at least one other
point in the play.
There were some superb responses to this question: the strongest confidently
handled all assessment objectives and ensured that all links to context were
grounded in the text and linked explicitly to the question. The majority of candidates
were confident in discussing the isolation of the sisters and how Friel’s use of props
developed their understanding of key issues within a restrictive Catholic Ireland
setting.
18.
Re-read Act 2 from page 56 to the bottom of page 59. Examine how Friel
presents female identity in this extract and at least one other point in the play.
Here, the strongest responses focused on Friel’s presentation of the sisters to
explore domestic roles within 1930s Ireland. Some candidates successfully explored
the sisters’ characters and functions separately, for example Maggie’s yearning for
freedom; Kate’s focus on reputation; attitudes to disability and sexuality through the
presentation of Rose; and Agnes and Rose’s desire to escape juxtaposed to the
male characters who can choose to leave.
Tom Stoppard: Arcadia
19.
Re-read Act 1 Scene 2 from page 33/page 36 in new edition to page 37/page 40
in new edition. Examine how Stoppard makes use of gardens and landscapes
in this extract and at least one other point in the play.
Many answers showed a sophisticated understanding of Stoppard’s ideas, with
candidates making effective links between gardens and landscapes and the
movement from order to disorder. Many candidates were also aware of the effect of
humour in the scene. In addition, some candidates discussed how attitudes to
gardens revealed details about characters; and how gardens were linked to
academic research reflecting the movement from the Age of Reason/Neoclassicism
to the Romantic/gothic/picturesque style.
20.
Re-read Act 1 Scene 4 from page 58/page 61 in new edition to page 63/page 65
in new edition. Discuss how Stoppard makes use of mathematical and/or
scientific ideas in this extract and at least one other point in the play.
Again, there were confident and perceptive responses. There were a number of valid
approaches to this question. Many candidates successfully explored the way science
and maths are used to highlight Thomasina’s genius; the link between maths and
nature; and Valentine’s function in the play to explain difficult concepts. The question
prompted an often sound discussion of wider contextual references.
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Arthur Miller: Broken Glass
21.
Re-read Scene 5 from page 32/page 40 in new edition to page 36/page 44 in
new edition. Examine how Miller presents sexual attraction and desire in this
extract and at least one other point in the play.
There were some confident and interesting responses to this question. The strongest
answers discussed the setting and staging of Sylvia and Hyman, and how Hyman’s
professional role and reputation are compromised by his attraction to Sylvia. This
theme was explored elsewhere in the play, often through juxtaposing Hyman and
Margaret to Gellburg and Sylvia.
22.
Re-read Scene 11 from page 66/page 77 in new edition to page 69/page 80 in
new edition. Discuss Miller’s presentation of Jewish identity in this extract and
at least one other point in the play.
The strongest answers made clear reference to Gellburg’s Jewish identity and
Case’s prejudice against Jewish people. Elsewhere candidates referred to Sylvia’s
Jewish identify and her fears for German Jews.
Diane Samuels: Kindertransport
23.
Re-read Act 2 Scene 1 from page 64 in both editions to page 67/66 in the new
edition. Examine the ways in which Samuels presents prejudice and
stereotyping in this extract and at least one other point in the play.
A number of candidates wrote powerfully about this topic, with the strongest making
effective links to staging and wider context. The presentation of the Guard and Eva’s
consequent fear was explored in detail, as was the prejudice and stereotyping
exhibited by other male characters including the Nazi Border Official and the
Postman.
24.
Re-read Act 1 Scene 2 from page 24/page 25 in new edition to page 27/page 28
in new edition. Discuss how Samuels uses the character of Eva to present the
theme of identity in this extract and at least one other point in the play.
The strongest answers kept focus on the use of Eva’s as a character to present the
theme of identity, always returning to the key words within the question (identity)
rather than creating a less specific character portrait. Many candidates wrote well
about Eva’s transition and separation. Props such as Eva’s jewels and the watch
hidden in her shoe were also explored in detail as was the impact of the past on the
present through the juxtaposition of Eva and Faith’s characters.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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ENGLISH LITERATURE
General Certificate of Education
Summer 2016
Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced
LT2: PROSE STUDY AND CREATIVE WRITING
General Comments
This was the final opportunity to sit this legacy unit and it was therefore inevitable that most
samples should comprise small numbers of candidates who were tackling LT2 for the
second time. Many of these candidates had made productive use of the increased maturity
and understanding brought about by an extra year’s study and much of the work submitted
was a pleasure to read.
Although there was less Band 5 work this year, it was good to see how effective teaching
had aided many of those candidates re-sitting in achieving their potential at the second
attempt. It is worth reiterating the point made over a number of years that paying close
attention to the previous year’s report brought rewards for many centres. Moderators again
commented on how encouraging it was to see good advice adopted successfully, especially
for those who had used new texts or had changed their tasks completely when attempting
this unit for the second time. Sadly, there were still many centres where candidates could
have benefited had the centre made use of advice from previous years’ reports.
In terms of administration, it was also pleasing to see the degree of professionalism from
many centres in assessing work and compiling samples; some centres were models of
efficiency and their samples were a pleasure to moderate. Such centres were less common
this year, however, and there were far more instances of LT2 samples seemingly having
been compiled in rather last-minute fashion.
Prose Study
Text combinations
Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby continues to be by far the most popular choice in this unit and
is frequently paired with the same author’s short stories, his Tender is the Night or another
text from the same era. Although this matching of eras can be helpful in creating a task,
these combinations can be reductive, in that they encourage candidates to read the texts
only as evidence for events in the society of the time: the hollowness of materialism,
superficiality or the failure of the American Dream, perhaps. As suggested in previous
reports, some contrasts between settings and literary periods often provide the necessary
grit to produce the pearls in the candidate’s response, and it was good to see examples of
centres having taken on board this advice from last year’s report, particularly those who
continued to study The Great Gatsby but paired it with a text from a different literary period
or setting.
A small number of candidates chose to use a selection of short stories as their core text.
While short stories might have worked well as partner texts, when using these as core texts
candidates generally struggled to establish a clear line of argument and a coherent overview
of what were effectively multiple texts, leading to disjointed responses. Notwithstanding
earlier comments about the benefits of contrasts, occasional extremely disparate text
combinations did not provide the candidates with much to work with and often directly
hindered their performance.
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Task-setting
Effective task-setting is crucial to candidates’ success and will continue to be an important
consideration within the new internally-assessed component. Whatever the candidate’s
ability or the quality of the texts used, for a successful response the wording of the task must
direct the candidate towards addressing the assessment objectives effectively, ensuring an
appropriate balance between the discussion of core and partner texts. Again, many centres
had adopted advice from previous reports and from CPD materials very successfully and
should be congratulated on their receptiveness to moderators’ comments.
Some of the following problems continued to hinder candidates’ performance, however:
 using the phrase ‘compare and contrast’, which directs the candidate towards equal
treatment of the texts;
 using tasks which encouraged a context-led approach, for example ‘the treatment of
women in the _________ era’;
 using tasks with too broad a focus for the restrictions of the 1,650-word limit, for
example, ‘the presentation of money/women/evil’. The use of a qualifying adjective or
critical statement is often effective in narrowing the focus of a task;
 tasks lacking a critical viewpoint, which encouraged a listing approach rather than the
development of a line of argument, such as the still popular ‘explore colour symbolism in
The Great Gatsby.
As always, the best tasks provided a suitably narrow focus for the restrictions of the word
limit and set up an argument to which the candidate could respond, perhaps with the use of
a critical statement. The WJEC’s online guidance on task-setting provides clear examples of
what does and does not work well.
Key points relating to individual AOs
AO1:
There was often a tendency from centres to be selective about the elements of AO1 being
rewarded, with some candidates being rewarded generously because they produced an
informed discussion, despite a great many lapses in expression, while in other cases fluency
and technical accuracy seemed to be the only criteria for a high mark, even when the
candidate’s argument was not coherent. With ten marks for this AO, there is room for
flexibility in the awarding of marks within a band and a best-fit approach across all elements
of the AO should be adopted. Candidates should also be reminded of the JCQ
requirement to include all material from other sources within quotation marks;
material from online study sites is still frequently finding its way unacknowledged into
their responses.
AO2:
Although all AOs are weighted equally for LT2, this is the AO that should drive any literary
response; discussion of critical views and context should always arise from close analysis of
the texts as literature. Too often, commentary of meaning or even simple embedding of
textual detail was being rewarded highly for AO2, however, and centres may wish to revisit
CPD materials on the WJEC website to remind themselves of the different levels of
commentary and analysis in preparation for the new coursework unit. Many candidates
continued to regard characters as real people and lost sight of the role of the author; again,
careful wording of tasks can help to steer candidates away from such pitfalls. Grand claims
were often made for relatively minor techniques and less successful candidates often relied
on identification of techniques – frequently those gleaned from GCE English Language study
– without real analysis of the meaning of the text.
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Although there was much high-quality work to be found on The Great Gatsby, more often
candidates struggled to move beyond description of the glamorous world being portrayed
into real analysis of the writing, and their AO2 performance suffered. In contrast, moderators
found much success in addressing AO2 from candidates studying texts such as ‘Ethan
Frome’, Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights; for some candidates, it might be that the rather
bleaker worlds portrayed in these texts encouraged more focus on language and style.
AO3i:
The best responses were able to make connections or contrasts based on the writers’
techniques, rather than merely on setting or content – an example of where texts with fewer
obvious similarities could sometimes be more productive. Candidates often laboured
similarities between the texts and overlooked the potential of contrasts in developing their
arguments.
AO3ii:
Many candidates had been prepared very effectively for this AO and had clearly undertaken
independent reading, too, often showing real engagement with a range of critical views. As
with AOs 3i and 4, quality rather than quantity is key here. Those who included a few, wellchosen views and integrated them into their arguments scored more highly on this AO than
candidates who included numerous critical quotations without discussing these views. This
marks the difference between acknowledging, rather than making use of critical material, but
candidates were often rewarded highly for including copious quotations without discussion.
The use of tentative language is a valid approach to AO3ii, though candidates should avoid
using this as an opportunity to make sweeping and unconvincing statements about
sometimes implausible views that ‘many critics’ hold. Using phrases such as ‘this could be
seen as…’ or ‘a possible interpretation is that…’ works better.
AO4:
As with the integration of AO3ii, the best responses showed candidates weaving the
contextual references into discussion of the texts and using them to enhance their
understanding, and it was always good to see candidates with a clear sense of literary as
well as social context. Some candidates had spent more time researching the context of
their texts than looking at the texts themselves; masses of contextual detail will not achieve a
mark in the higher bands unless used to develop understanding of the texts. Being specific
with contextual detail was also important; too often candidates made assertive and rather
sweeping statements about the treatment of women in the Victorian era or life in the America
of the 1920s. Biographical detail should be treated with caution: although it clearly provides
valid material with which to examine the production of the text, some candidates began to
treat the text as evidence for the biographical context, rather than using context to shed light
on the text.
Creative
This can be the most rewarding but also frustrating element for moderators, with real
pleasure to be had from reading fine pieces of work, but also far too much work that has not
been proofread and often lacks coherence. Again, the best responses here showed
candidates being inspired by an aspect of their stimulus text and taking it in a new and
imaginative direction. It was often impressive to see how candidates managed to engage the
reader in a fully-realised emotional landscape within so few words. The potential problems of
dystopian, science-fiction or fantasy writing were still in evidence, however, with many
candidates using much of their word allowance to establish their fictional world, leaving little
space to do anything with that world. The best approach in any genre was that of a
‘snapshot’, giving the reader a glimpse of a character or situation, or placing the reader in
medias res.
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Some candidates were still producing work that was much too close in style, setting and plot
to the stimulus text, with others even writing extra chapters for existing texts or using existing
fictional characters in their pieces. None of these approaches can constitute a ‘personal
creative response’ and this re-creative work has been repeatedly discouraged. There were a
few examples of rubric infringements this year, with candidates using Section A partner texts
as stimulus texts in Section B, which is not allowed.
There was something of a return this year to sparsely annotated Section B work, and too
many centres were still overlooking basic errors in spelling, punctuation and use of tenses.
Markers often allowed other positive features of the work to outweigh these errors in
importance, leading to generous assessment. As with AO1 in the Prose Study, assessment
must balance the different elements of the AO.
Commentaries
Performance in this element has improved greatly as centres have refined their teaching of
this task. It was good to see many candidates again this year showing very sophisticated
understanding of both their own and their chosen author’s methods. As outlined in previous
advice, the creative piece and the commentary should work in harmony and the most
successful candidates had a clear understanding of how Section B should work as a whole.
Those candidates who did not perform as well tended to lack confidence in analysing their
own work and focused more on the stimulus text, while there were still some who referred to
‘emulating’ or ‘imitating’ their stimulus texts, which is not the intention of the creative reading
piece. Many in the lower bands had lapsed into a ‘feature-spotting’ approach, but the most
effective commentaries were those which had a sense of overview and a clear indication of
an idea being explored in the candidate’s own writing.
Annotation of Sections A and B
Much of the work seen this year was from candidates attempting this unit for the second time
and it may have been that some of these submitted work for assessment very close to the
deadline. Although many centres took a careful and detailed approach to the assessment of
candidates’ work, there were very many others for whom the assessment seemed to have
been a rushed affair, with consequent lack of annotation. It should be remembered that
the role of the moderator is not to mark the work, but to assess the accuracy of the
centre’s marking; the centre’s marks must therefore be clearly indicated and justified
by supporting comments. There were many examples this year of work in both
sections A and B not being annotated at all, or sometimes only marked with a two- or
three-word summative comment. Marks in such cases were often highly inaccurate
and such an approach is difficult to justify when it is considered that this is a unit of
assessment contributing towards a final AS grade. Cover sheets are documents of
record, bearing the marker’s signature, and should therefore always be completed in
full.
Work should be annotated with both AO markers and comments linked to the relevant band
within the assessment grid; frequently, the language of the comments indicated achievement
in a lower band than that which was awarded in the final marks and therefore the comments
did not justify the marks awarded. There were more examples this year of work exceeding
the maximum word count but being marked to its conclusion. The regulations state that
marking should cease at the point where the maximum word count is reached and the work
should be assessed accordingly, as overlong work provides candidates with an unfair
advantage over others. In a small number of cases, candidates ‘borrowed’ words between
Section B pieces, although this is not permitted.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Internal moderation
Some excellent examples of thorough assessment dialogues were seen on candidates’ work
and, in some centres, dual marking was used very effectively across the sample. Such an
approach may not be possible nor practical at all centres, but where effective and rigorous
internal moderation procedures were seen assessment tended to be more consistent and
secure. Changes as a result of moderation should be noted clearly on the work and
accompanied by comments and markers’ initials to clarify where and why the alterations
have been made. Clerical errors were most often seen where dialogue over candidates’
marks had taken place after the completion of the cover sheets. Undertaking such internal
moderation before cover sheets are filled out ensures that the marks recorded are clear to
all parties and that clerical errors are less likely to occur.
General administration
Although many centres submit very carefully prepared samples, there are some issues that
persist from year to year and which in many cases will be relevant to the new specification.
Addressing the following issues would make the moderator’s task easier and would
demonstrate clearly that centres have adhered to WJEC regulations:
 Fastening candidates’ work securely with staples, treasury tags or paper clips avoids
confusion within the sample;
 Pages of candidates’ work should be fastened in the correct order;
 Cover sheets must be completed in full, including numbers, signatures, tasks, word
counts, marks and comments;
 The separate marks for the two strands of AO3 should be shown on the cover sheet;
 Centres should check final marks very thoroughly and inform the board immediately of
any clerical errors;
 Candidates should include cumulative word counts (i.e. a running total) on each page of
their responses;
 Candidates must attach bibliographies listing both print and online sources;
 Marking of work should cease at the point where the maximum tolerance is reached;
 Centres should include a paper copy of the sample list - useful when checking that the
correct candidates have been included.
Although these problems were much more widespread throughout this year’s entry, over the
life of the specification it has been impressive to see the excellent administrative procedures
in many samples. With a new coursework unit being assessed for the first time next year,
centres may wish to consider using a similar list to the above, adapted to the new
specification, as part of an extra administrative check to ensure all aspects of the sample are
in order before posting.
At the end of this specification, it should be reiterated that much of the good practice
inherent in the delivery of LT2 will continue to be an essential part of the success of the
future Prose Study element. Thanks go to those centres that have made effective use of
previous reports to refine their teaching, task-setting and assessment. Across all levels of
achievement, candidates have responded with enthusiasm and imagination to the various
elements of LT2, and it is to be hoped that the course has instilled in them an appreciation of
literature that will continue to provide them with pleasure in the future.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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ENGLISH LITERATURE
General Certificate of Education
Summer 2016
Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced
LT3: PERIOD AND GENRE STUDY
As this is the last full year of this specification, and LT3 is drawing to a close, there seems
little point in detailing the good practice and problem areas moderators have reported on in
this series, especially as all have featured prominently in previous PM’s reports, some many,
many times. It would surely be more useful to focus on those areas which will be helpful
to centres preparing candidates for the new Prose Study, as many of the potential
pitfalls and the useful ideas will be equally applicable to the new coursework module.
Core Poetry
However, as there is no place for poetry in the new coursework unit, it would be remiss to
make no mention of the candidates’ responses to one of their core texts, especially as some
of the advice will be relevant to the poetry sections of AS and A Level exam modules.

The most popular, and often most successful poetry choices, have included Hardy,
Keats, Rossetti, all texts appearing in the new A Level syllabus, along with Dickinson,
Browning and Shakespeare. These writers’ profound themes and subtle poetic technique
clearly gave candidates of all abilities the chance to engage fully with mature concepts
and to develop skills of analysis. The best responses were those in which the
candidates had resisted the temptation to view the poems solely through
biographical context which can be so reductive. Such a narrow focus on the writers’
lives tends to blinker candidates to the poems’ wider themes, although biographical
knowledge can obviously be very worthwhile when linked to AO3ii as a possible
alternative reading. There is, after all, a lot more to consider in Shakespeare’s sonnets
than clues to his sexuality!

It was noticeable, in fact, that quite a lot of candidates tackling Shakespeare’s sonnets
demonstrated rather a shaky understanding of the poems’ meaning, while those writing
about Browning’s dramatic monologues often seemed to forget to consider them as
poetry, becoming so focused on the “characters” and events that they might have been
writing about a novel or drama. This awareness of generic features and the
determination to appreciate poetry as poetry was often a key discriminator between
candidates working on the Band 4/5 borderline.

It was yet again refreshing and encouraging to see centres embracing the freedom
offered by the unit and introducing candidates (and moderators) to works by less familiar
poets such as Charlotte Mew, Anne Sexton and Imtiaz Dharker, for instance, which
produced some really interesting and original responses.

Sadly, however, there was still a tendency in far too many candidates’ responses to
side-line the poetry in favour of the core prose or even the partner text,
exacerbated in some cases by poorly worded tasks which actually identified the role of
the poetry text as “illuminating” the core novel. (It is hard to believe after six years that
some centres still resist advice to make absolutely clear in titles the crucial role between
core and partner text, especially when this can have such an adverse effect on the
candidate’s performance in all the AOs).
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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
As repeatedly mentioned in these reports, poetry anthologies do not generally work
well in this unit. Left to their own devices, candidates often choose poems based on a
superficial understanding of their meaning and themes. They can be dealing with a wide
range of poets, perhaps dipping into a love poetry anthology stretching from the Bible
through Drayton and Emily Bronte to Wendy Cope. This can mean they lack the support
or foundation of a basic understanding of the poet’s main themes and approaches, which
can be so helpful when focusing on a single writer. Tackling contextual influences and
meaningful critical views also becomes problematic when dealing with such a range of
writers and these are often simply ignored by candidates, affecting marks for AOs 1, 3ii
and 4.

This is especially the case with war anthologies, as many of the poems have been
included in the volume more for their contextual value than sufficient literary merit. Some
centres seem to have forgotten that the core poetry should be of equal literary
challenge and weight to the texts studied in exam units, such as Donne, Milton,
Yeats, Eliot, Hughes, Larkin, etc. Poetry by minor writers such as Jessie Pope hardly
seems up to the mark in comparison. Even three poems from more respected poets like
Sassoon or Owen make it difficult for candidates to demonstrate the sophisticated,
conceptual grasp and perceptive analysis needed for Band 5, especially when
“illuminated” by Journey’s End. There is surely a reason why GCSE students study
poems such as “Disabled”, “Dulce et decorum est”, “Base Details” or “The Hero”. Some
candidates did tackle more complex poems by Owen, which gave them further scope to
demonstrate sophisticated analysis. There was also some consideration of the verse of
Keith Douglas and Edward Thomas, although those candidates trying to link these
writers’ works to such poorly worded tasks as the “soldiers’ physical and psychological
suffering” or “the horrors of war” often struggled to do justice to the poems’ subtleties.

In positively the last word on war poetry as an option for LT3, I must confess to being
mystified as to its popularity, especially given the frequent and emphatic reservations
raised in feedback about the relative value of what is, in effect, protest poetry:
‒
it often poses difficulties in structuring a sophisticated conceptual argument for
AO1;
‒
candidates often overlook AO3ii altogether as their wider reading tends to be
contextual rather than the consideration of alternative critical views of the texts;
‒
even more importantly, it is harder for candidates to focus on critical analysis of
the works as literary texts when the pull to use them as evidence of generalised
context is so strong.
There are exceptions in centres where a solidly literary approach is sustained but a
significant number of the centres whose marks were adjusted over the length of this unit had
over-rewarded responses to WWI texts. Many moderators won’t be sorry that the new
specification has no place for war poetry and I would strongly recommend that any centre
considering a war focus for the new Prose Study revisits the advice and concerns that have
been highlighted so many times in past Principal’s reports.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Task setting
The importance of giving candidates well worded tasks cannot be overstated and it is
the teacher’s responsibility. We want the candidates to choose their own topics, so that
they write about a topic which genuinely interests them, but it is not fair to expect them, as
learners, to write their own titles; we would not dream of asking A Level students to write
their own exam questions, except perhaps as a learning exercise underlining the importance
of careful reading. Concern has been raised by Ofqual about the uneven playing field faced
by coursework candidates; while all students sitting an exam with common questions
scrutinised by a panel of experienced examiners will have the same opportunity to show
their knowledge and understanding, some candidates can be seriously hampered by
inadequate coursework tasks. Sadly, all moderators report on cases in which candidates
across the ability range have underachieved because their tasks were poorly worded.
The following advice, gleaned from moderators’ reflections on literally thousands of tasks
over the years, has been given in previous reports but stands repeating – it will be equally if
not more important to teachers setting tasks for candidates entered for the new Prose
Study. I therefore make no apology for repeating it in the hope that it will reach as many
centres as possible and encourage valuable discussion within departments and between
teachers and candidates. Teasing out the best possible wording for tasks is a valuable way
to reinforce to candidates what exactly they will be writing about and the direction they will
be taking.
The most successful tasks are those which:
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place firm emphasis on a literary response and a critical appreciation of the texts,
reminding the candidates to concentrate on the ways the writers present their ideas by
analysing their use of language, form and structure;
have a clearly defined focus which is not too vague or wide-ranging, so as to help the
candidates shape their material and structure a tighter argument: for instance, rather
than the very broad “women”, the more precise “presentation of the infantilised heroine”;
make clear the crucial relationship between the texts. For the new Prose Study, it will
be important to reinforce the equal weighting of the two works, especially if the pre-2000
text is one candidates have already studied in some detail and may naturally tend to
favour;
include a steer to make connections between the texts in order to address AO3i/4*.
As there are no longer partner texts receiving a lighter touch and being used to illuminate
the cores, it will be appropriate to remind candidates to “compare and contrast” or
“explore connections between the writers’ presentation of…”;
ensure that the titles tackled by candidates aiming at Bands 4 and 5 allow them to
demonstrate sophisticated grasp of concepts and make an argument. Using a
critical opinion can be a good starting point for AOs 1 and 3ii/5* but it should be a
literary view rather than a contextual one; for instance, an opinion about warfare
expressed by General Eisenhower will not help the candidate’s critical appreciation of
the texts as literature. Views can be tweaked to make them as contentious or accessible
as required and it might be best to avoid those focusing on only one work as this could
lead to an imbalance between the two texts;
avoid encouraging candidates to let AO4/3* context rather than AO2 critical analysis
drive the response. They are students of English Literature, not of history, sociology
or psychology. Context cannot be rewarded in its own right but must be used to support
and enhance a literary interpretation of the text: TASK – TEXT – CONTEXT;
give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate some independence in their
responses. It is very important to offer a range of tasks so that the whole class is not
basically writing the same essay, repeating the same material. In some centres the
candidates had effectively been taught to answer on only one aspect and had therefore
had a very narrow, reductive experience of their A Level texts.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Poor Tasks
To reinforce the importance of good task setting, it might be worthwhile considering why
the following tasks did not help the candidates who tackled them and how they could
be amended or even tweaked to make them better tasks:
 To what extent did the war subvert Victorian male stereotypes in Regeneration, Up the
Line to Death WWI poetry anthology and Birdsong?
 How does Regeneration reflect how individual expression is oppressed in WWI?
 How do societal limitations lead to the isolation of the individual in Emily Dickinson’s
poetry and The Bell Jar with wider reference to Catcher in the Rye.
 How far do you agree that Barker presents soldiers’ reactions to the effect of authority
from WWI in Regeneration as typical of the time, with reference to Journey’s End and
war poetry?
 How do the writers evoke a sense of place in Great Expectations and Hardy’s poems
with wider reference to the poetry of John Betjeman?
 How does the identity of the writer influence themes and characters in Duffy’s The
World’s Wife and The Picture of Dorian Gray with wider reference to Atonement?
 A comparative study of the presentation of the expectations placed upon young men in
war and the way they deal with them in different genres and their effects on readers with
an exploration of how readers may find different emphases in different scenarios.
Help with task setting
There is specific advice on task setting for the new Prose Study on the open and secure
WJEC/EDUQAS websites. Centres can contact the Subject Officer if they are unsure how to
access this advice.
It might be a useful exercise for teachers and candidates to analyse the ways in which the
carefully worded exam questions target all the relevant AOs, both in the legacy and new
specifications, and to use these as a model when wording their own coursework tasks.
Finally, there is some excellent advice on approaching prose studies in the LT2
Principal Moderator’s report on Section A and I would strongly recommend teachers
delivering the new Prose Study make time to read this very concise and focused guidance.
Accurate Assessment
The majority of centres mark their candidates’ work fairly and make reasonably clear to the
moderators how they have arrived at their decisions about the candidates’ achievements.
But every year, moderators report on a significant number of centres who have not done
enough to justify the marks awarded. Admittedly, these are relatively long responses, some
centres have very large entries and all English departments are under increasing and varied
pressures. However, as professionals we would surely want to do our best to make as
strong a case as possible for our assessment of our candidates’ performance?
As centres are charged with the internal assessment of a brand new coursework unit, it’s
surely worthwhile sharing best practice from centres where the marking is spot-on
because they:
 reread the WJEC exemplar material just before marking their own candidates’ work to
refresh their knowledge of the agreed standards;
 mark each essay with close reference to the assessment criteria, highlighting when
candidates have addressed a particular AO;
 include detailed annotation, going beyond solely using AO markers (or even simply
ticks) which are not enough in themselves to justify marks. There is also little point in
adding words which just repeat the skill addressed, such as “AO2 analysis”, “AO3i
connections” or “AO4 context”, as no value judgements have been made here. The best
markers include a key word from the descriptors such as “AO2 sound” or “AO3i clear
+ appropriate” or even the band number: “AO2(4)” or AO3i(3)” as this at least shows
which band the marker felt the candidate had reached at that point;
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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
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highlight errors or weaknesses as well as strengths so as to demonstrate really
reflective and careful assessment;
include brief summative comments giving concise, individual reflections on the
candidate’s overall strengths and weaknesses;
show clear evidence of internal moderation to prove the centre’s marks have been
standardised. In many centres where assessment is really secure, this often means that
all of the folders, or at least a reasonable sample, have been dual marked and brief
comments from the secondary marker are included to explain any amendments to the
primary marker’s original decisions. This is much more helpful to the moderator, and
simply much better practice, than another teacher’s initials next to the first mark awarded
and no other indication of any dialogue.
ensure that marks are correctly totalled and that the final score on the official
coversheet is the one submitted to WJEC online.
Surely the best teachers would see all of the above as essential parts of their role and
would take a professional pride in making sure it was done as well as possible?
Finally.
Having read more than nine million words submitted by LT3 students since the start of this
specification, I feel qualified to attest to the success of this challenging but very stimulating
unit. Candidates have juggled three texts of different genres as well as five assessment
objectives with varied weighting, all within a strict upper limit of 3,300 words. At times, the
work produced has been simply outstanding. Even for those at the lower end of the marks
range, working independently to complete this extended response has been a real
achievement, testament to the candidates’ hard work and their teachers’ excellent guidance
and professionalism. It was always going to be a demanding test but candidates and
teachers have risen to that challenge with admirable commitment and creativity. I’m sure all
moderators would agree that it’s been a genuine privilege to read the candidates’ responses
and to see evidence of such good teaching.
While on the subject of good practice, it seems the right time to thank all the dedicated
teachers at the centres who have embraced this unit with enthusiasm and
demonstrated such consistent professionalism over the years. These are the teachers
who have taken a pride in presenting the folders correctly:
 arranging them in rank order;
 making sure all the coversheets are signed by both candidate and teacher;
 reminding candidates to include a cumulative word count on each page and to attach the
required bibliography;
 posting the sample in good time to meet the deadline.
These teachers have read their moderator’s report carefully every year and have been
open to constructive advice, taking it in the spirit intended. They’ve shown willingness to
reconsider text choice and/or task setting, recognising that it might not be best practice to
offer exactly the same selection of texts and titles to every new cohort for seven years.
They’ve reviewed their internal assessment procedures in light of any guidance in the
annual report to ensure that their candidates’ work has been marked fairly.
These teachers have certainly made the moderator’s task much easier but, much more
importantly, they’ve done their level best for their students. You know who you are and we
commend you.
*indicates new specification AOs
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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ENGLISH LITERSTURE
General Certificate of Education
Summer 2016
Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced
LT4: POETRY AND DRAMA 2
Introduction
Over the last seven years, examiners on this paper have seen some impressive and
inspiring work from candidates whose knowledge and expertise have been genuinely
astonishing at times. This remains true in the last year of LT4 and it is hoped that colleagues’
experience of teaching the texts and skills required by this paper will not only have been
enjoyable but also constructive in preparing for the demands of the new A levels in English
Literature which will be examined from 2017 onwards.
Section A
Chaucer, Donne and Milton remain popular choices for centres and there will be
opportunities to continue the study of these poets on the new specifications. However, the
much less popular Lyrical Ballads will be replaced by Keats and Rossetti.
Candidates seemed to find the choices of unseen poems equally attractive and there were
some creative and skilful readings of all five. However, the plain style of Westering Home
proved challenging for some who had perhaps felt that this was one of the most accessible
poems but then found that it did not offer up a list of obvious poetic features. A common
mistake was to take the twentieth century as the context for Cathedral Builders rather than
the indistinct medieval period in which it is set. When preparing for unseen poetry in the
future on the new specifications (Eduqas Component 3 and WJEC Unit 3 Section B) it would
be sensible to make sure that candidates experience a wide range of styles and periods.
It was reassuring to see that the mean marks for responses to all five questions were very
similar and that the facility factors (FF) were within a reasonable range. The question about
change proved very popular and gave candidates opportunities for some creative and
inventive approaches. Question 4 on moral values was also popular but sometimes
responses were limited to listing what was considered to be moral or immoral in the poets’
choices of subject matter. The question asked for a more conceptual approach and it was
hoped that candidates would take the opportunity to be more creative in their approaches to
context as they considered whether or not readers’ moral values (from different times) would
or would not be confirmed by poets’ writing. There were some very pleasing responses to
question 5 on beauty and truth where candidates’ interpretation of what could be beautiful
was impressively wide and thoughtful. Truth, however, was more narrowly treated as what
was verifiable about social and historical data from the past. Least popular was the question
about plain and figurative language (which goes to the heart of the study and appreciation of
poetry) but candidates might not have seen opportunities here to make use of the contextual
material they had leaned.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Section B
Those who have enjoyed their work on the great tragedies, Hamlet and King Lear, will be
able to continue the study of these plays but with new approaches to questions in 2017.
The Tempest too will continue to feature (as will several of the current partner texts which
have proved so popular) but there will be new and fresh challenges provided by Antony and
Cleopatra and Henry IV Part I.
Once again, it was reassuring to note that the mean marks for questions within each pair
and indeed across all texts were very similar. Facility factors were also closely comparable
with the exception of questions on Richard II and Edward II which, because of the very small
take-up, must be considered outliers.
King Lear and Oedipus Rex
Candidates showed a strong preference for question 7 on selfishness and there were some
very interesting analyses of Oedipus in the light of the critical quotation. Many found the
contrast between the two kings to be particularly illuminating when it came to discussion of
Lear’s care for his Kingdom and people. Those who answered question 6 on victims and
villains seemed to enjoy the challenge of mounting a defence of Lear’s daughters and
Edmund - there were some very humane and intelligent interpretations of Shakespeare’s
presentation of these characters.
Hamlet and The Revenger’s Tragedy
There was a reasonably even choice between questions here and some very intelligent
analysis of Hamlet’s delay. Royalty and court life tended to produce more assertive writing
about contexts which often led essays away from the dramas themselves as they became
bogged-down in Elizabethan/Jacobean politics.
Measure for Measure and The Duchess of Malfi
Most preferred to write about the distasteful nature of the plays and many unpicked the idea
of distaste in some interesting and wide-ranging ways while those who restricted themselves
to ideas of sexual advantage-taking and implicit incest tended to run out of steam early. Selfknowledge was well handled by some but too many produced a readymade essay on the
abuse of power with only token nods towards the actual task. Accurate knowledge and
understanding of religious faith and duty were often lacking in responses to both questions.
The Tempest and Doctor Faustus
Most favoured the question on control which was often very well handled – some
sophisticated responses looked at the unities as well as the layered qualities of this theme
and Prospero’s attempt to control the audience after he has controlled everything else! Most
understood that Faustus was an excellent foil for Prospero because he doesn’t control very
much at all. Some responses to question 12 tended to overdo negative feelings for Prospero
seeing him as an abuser of females; a foul tyrant and a frustrated revenger who, like
Faustus, deserves our contempt. This lack of balance and skewed contextual understanding
might be a good example of the ways classroom debate designed to stimulate critical
thought might backfire under exam pressure.
Richard II and Edward II
Of the very few who attempted these questions, most preferred to write about our pity for
Richard despite our dislike for him. References to Edward were used effectively to show how
candidates’ pity and dislike for Richard were contextualised by their stronger feelings of
outrage and contempt for Marlowe’s character. However, there were some interesting
treatments of the demise of both kings and how audience responses were affected by the
bravery of one and the terrible suffering of the other.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Summary of Key Issues
In the same ways that the most successful features of this and other examinations within the
current specifications will be carried forward into the new examinations for 2017 and beyond,
it is hoped that colleagues will benefit from the following observations which will continue to
be of the highest importance.
 Essay writing skills need greater emphasis and candidates should pay close attention to:
economic expression, relevance, legibility and coherence. Planning is crucial in order to
avoid overlong, rambling responses which lose direction and purpose.
 As part of general skills work, candidates need plenty of practice at distinguishing
between descriptive and narrative writing; assertive commentary and supported analysis.
Only the last of these approaches will produce high quality work at A level. Candidates
must be clear that by inserting “could”; “arguably” or “perhaps” into their sentences they
do not disguise any unsupported or unlikely assertion which might follow.
 It is noticeable – especially in some large centres where a lecturing approach might be a
necessity – that candidates are producing over-prepared, drilled responses where some
of the strategies listed above are used (mostly unsuccessfully) to pull the writing into
relevance. This produces an assertive, template driven, “decoding” approach (to poems
in particular) which compromises creative engagement and genuinely purposeful writing.
 Establishing connections so as to show how the reading of one text has influenced the
understanding and appreciation of another must amount to more than noting similarities
and differences. Just as importantly, distorted interpretations of one text so as to make a
connection with another will produce an unconvincing response.
 We have been very clear about reference to other readings and said that candidates can
address this in a number of acceptable ways such as by direct quotation of a relevant
remark from a named critic; acknowledgement that readings might differ (with support) or
by offering alternative interpretations in the course of discussion. Candidates must be
advised to be sensible about this aspect of their writing and to avoid unlikely claims for
what anonymous critics have said when in fact candidates are asserting a broad view
and attributing it to others.
 Contextual reference must be used to show insight into the ways texts are written and
read at different times and under different cultural conditions. The contextual discussion
must arise out of the literary texts themselves and should not be used as either an
introduction or a separate section within the essay because in most cases this amounts
to no more than an acknowledgement of wider contexts and consequently low rewards.
In order to write purposefully and analytically about context, candidates must have a
constant eye upon the ways in which their chosen data links to the text under discussion.
WJEC GCE English Literature (Legacy) Report Summer 2016
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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