This book is a superb all-in-one guide to success GCSE English Language and English Literature - GCSE English 2003

Revision Summary
Section Six — Arguing and Analysing

Arguing skills and analysing skills are really important — you'll end up using the same techniques for lots of different essays in the exam and in your coursework. In a way they're quite an easy sort of essay to get to grips with — factual, clinical and (mostly) detached. A bit like Science really. Anyway, make sure you can do all these questions. If not, you need to go back over the section again.

Arguing and Analysing

1) What is an 'arguing and analysing' essay trying to achieve?

2) Why is it important to be logical in your thinking?

3) Write a brief essay plan in response to the following question — "Should you try to get good grades in your GCSEs?" (use p.54 as a guide if you don't remember properly).

4) Explain why structuring your essay is important.

5) What's an analogy and why are analogies effective?

6) Why is it important to support your argument with facts?

7) Explain why it's better to use simple facts rather than complicated statistics.

8) Which of these quotes would be appropriate in an essay on getting good grades, and why?

a) "All teachers are fascists" (source: unknown)

b) "Most University Admissions staff look at how well students did in their GCSEs" (Prof. J. Morgan: University of Leeds, 2002)

9) Why are real-life examples more effective than fictional ones?

10) Explain why you need to keep your writing style polite and non-aggressive.

11) Why do you want your reader to feel as if you're on the same side as them?

12) What is a rhetorical question and why are rhetorical questions effective?

13) Do you need to try to put yourself in the reader's shoes when writing your essay? Why?

14) Why should you address any concerns you think your reader might have about your argument?

Analyse, Review, Comment

15) Why should an 'analyse, review and comment' essay be more clinical than an arguing essay?

16) Should your writing be a) clear, b) logical, c) precise or d) all of these?

17) Why should you try to cover all the different sides of an argument in your essay?

18) Explain why using the first person ("I") is not appropriate for this type of essay.

19) Read this question, then answer parts a) and b) — "Analyse the state of the current top 40".

a) Write an essay plan where you discuss the good and bad points separately (as on p.60).

b) Write an essay plan where you discuss the good and bad points simultaneously (also on p.60).

20) Is either one of the two suggested essay plans from Q.19, better than the other?

21) Explain why your essay needs a conclusion.

22) Which things should you check for at the end of the exam?

a) clarity of argument

b) proper use of English

c) use of details and facts