A Level: Close Reading Cheat Sheet

Close Reading Cheat Sheet: OCR A Level

Primary Focus: AO2 75%, AO1 25%

1. Read the passage

• Highlight all interesting pieces of language/creative techniques/structural points of interest

• Make thematic annotations next to highlighted content

• Note points of analysis in response to thematic annotations

2. Establish an argument

• Look at your thematic annotations

• Does one theme occupy the majority of your annotations?

• Does the passage maintain a particular stance on this theme? (i.e. the passage presents the theme of love as chaotic)

• How does this stance compare to the presentation of the theme within the entire text?

• Ensure that this content is relevant to the proposed question

• Write a (A level) thesis statement, which you can shape your plan around

• ‘Whilst the majority of the text explores love as a restorative force, the proposed passage employs a range of creative devices intended to present the themes of love and romance as chaotic.’

3. Develop your analysis

• As the essay is focused on AO1 and AO2, you need to ensure that your responses to each assessment objective are sophisticated and explorative

• Here is a breakdown of each AO:

AO1

What the examiners say: ‘articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.’

Which means: ‘understand the question, create an original argument, use terminology, be coherent’

AO2

What the examiners say: ‘analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts.’

Which means: ‘understand and close-analyse an extract. Use apt quotations and terminology.’

• How can I develop my analysis?

• As yourself ‘so what?’ until you run of things to say. Close analysis is like squeezing a lemon – make sure you extract all of the juice!

• Consider different interpretations – does the quotation mean something else on surface level?

• Zoom in…

• You have identified an extended metaphor

• Analyse a specific portion of the extended metaphor

• Consider the implications of certain choices of language used within the specific portion of the extended metaphor

• How do your points of analysis link together/contrast/interact with each other?

4. Establish an order

• Rearrange your points of analysis to best convey your argument

• Consider ways in which you can transition from one paragraph to another

• For example, if you have a point which contrasts the majority of your ideas, place it before a paragraph which goes on to combat that point of view

• Have a list of connectives in your head and be ready to employ them

• Number them from 1 to 5 in your plan

5. GO GO GO