A Guide for Students Writing Diploma Exams
Completion requirements
These are past submissions that received a score of excellence.
Suggestions for Writing the Critical / Analytical Response to Literary Texts Assignment
Be sure that your selection and treatment of the literary text reflect and develop the assigned topic in enough detail to sustain a thorough discussion of both the topic and the text at the English Language Arts 30–1 level. You must be able to provide sufficient significant and relevant supporting evidence from your chosen text to illustrate your ideas logically and
persuasively. Your discussion must demonstrate the depth of your understanding of the literature as well as your response to it. (See Appendix A of this guide for a short list of texts that students often refer to on diploma examinations.)
Consider carefully why you are including a reference to a second text before you make it part of your response. If you choose to support your ideas with more than one text, make sure that each text purposefully supports and develops the unifying or controlling idea in your response. As well, stating clearly your reasons for using more than one text on the Initial Planning page and/or in your response itself is an appropriate strategy. A general guideline is to provide equal treatment of each text that you use; however, it may be effective to include brief references to ideas expressed in other texts, depending on your purpose.
On the Initial Planning page, identify the text that you will discuss in your response. (Remember, markers do not read compositions written on literary texts they do not know well.)
Use the Personal Reflection on Choice of Literary Text(s) section of the Initial Planning page to clarify your reasons for choosing the literature you have identified. Markers will consider the ideas presented in the Personal Reflection on Choice of Literary Text(s) when considering the effectiveness of your supporting evidence.
The Personal Reflection on Choice of Literary Text(s) is intended to help you to clarify the ways in which the topic is addressed by the text you select. As you reflect, you may become more confident or you may decide your initial choice restricts your ability to discuss the topic or does not provide sufficient supporting evidence for an effective discussion. Use your time efficiently
to allow for time both to plan and to write a prose composition using supporting evidence from a literary text that addresses the topic and demonstrates your detailed understanding.
When planning, carefully consider your controlling idea or how you will create a strong unifying effect in your response. Develop your ideas in a manner that will effectively communicate your literary interpretation and understanding to the reader. Your supporting evidence must relate clearly to the topic and support your literary interpretation. Use only those events,
circumstances, or details that will support or enhance your discussion. Your work will then illustrate your ability to shape your composition and enhance the unifying effect.
Carefully integrated supporting evidence such as quotations or paraphrases will show the reader that you appreciated the significance of the text you have chosen. However, supporting evidence—while it is a significant requirement of the assignment—does not speak for itself. The function of evidence is to illustrate an idea that you have expressed in your own words.
Do not merely retell the sequence of events in the text. Show that you have deliberately chosen support to reinforce your ideas. Make sure that paraphrases and quotations accurately represent the source.
Generally, it is best not to quote a text unless (1) the quotation lends greater authority to an idea than a paraphrase would or (2) the quotation is so significant or emphatically stated that a paraphrase would not capture the eloquence of the text. Paraphrase whenever the exact words are not as important as the details they present. Practise the skillful integration of supporting evidence, and refer to your English Language Arts handbooks for guidance regarding embedding quotations and avoiding plagiarism when you summarize or paraphrase.
You should be cautious about embedding lengthy quotations, footnotes, or references into firstdraft writing because they often impede the unifying effect and the creation of an authentic voice. Providing bibliographic information or page references for your supporting evidence is not required in your composition, may be inappropriate, and may consume time you might use better in other aspects of your preparation for and writing of the examination.
persuasively. Your discussion must demonstrate the depth of your understanding of the literature as well as your response to it. (See Appendix A of this guide for a short list of texts that students often refer to on diploma examinations.)
Consider carefully why you are including a reference to a second text before you make it part of your response. If you choose to support your ideas with more than one text, make sure that each text purposefully supports and develops the unifying or controlling idea in your response. As well, stating clearly your reasons for using more than one text on the Initial Planning page and/or in your response itself is an appropriate strategy. A general guideline is to provide equal treatment of each text that you use; however, it may be effective to include brief references to ideas expressed in other texts, depending on your purpose.
On the Initial Planning page, identify the text that you will discuss in your response. (Remember, markers do not read compositions written on literary texts they do not know well.)
Use the Personal Reflection on Choice of Literary Text(s) section of the Initial Planning page to clarify your reasons for choosing the literature you have identified. Markers will consider the ideas presented in the Personal Reflection on Choice of Literary Text(s) when considering the effectiveness of your supporting evidence.
The Personal Reflection on Choice of Literary Text(s) is intended to help you to clarify the ways in which the topic is addressed by the text you select. As you reflect, you may become more confident or you may decide your initial choice restricts your ability to discuss the topic or does not provide sufficient supporting evidence for an effective discussion. Use your time efficiently
to allow for time both to plan and to write a prose composition using supporting evidence from a literary text that addresses the topic and demonstrates your detailed understanding.
When planning, carefully consider your controlling idea or how you will create a strong unifying effect in your response. Develop your ideas in a manner that will effectively communicate your literary interpretation and understanding to the reader. Your supporting evidence must relate clearly to the topic and support your literary interpretation. Use only those events,
circumstances, or details that will support or enhance your discussion. Your work will then illustrate your ability to shape your composition and enhance the unifying effect.
Carefully integrated supporting evidence such as quotations or paraphrases will show the reader that you appreciated the significance of the text you have chosen. However, supporting evidence—while it is a significant requirement of the assignment—does not speak for itself. The function of evidence is to illustrate an idea that you have expressed in your own words.
Do not merely retell the sequence of events in the text. Show that you have deliberately chosen support to reinforce your ideas. Make sure that paraphrases and quotations accurately represent the source.
Generally, it is best not to quote a text unless (1) the quotation lends greater authority to an idea than a paraphrase would or (2) the quotation is so significant or emphatically stated that a paraphrase would not capture the eloquence of the text. Paraphrase whenever the exact words are not as important as the details they present. Practise the skillful integration of supporting evidence, and refer to your English Language Arts handbooks for guidance regarding embedding quotations and avoiding plagiarism when you summarize or paraphrase.
You should be cautious about embedding lengthy quotations, footnotes, or references into firstdraft writing because they often impede the unifying effect and the creation of an authentic voice. Providing bibliographic information or page references for your supporting evidence is not required in your composition, may be inappropriate, and may consume time you might use better in other aspects of your preparation for and writing of the examination.