The Critical Essay
Success Criteria
In the exam (and prelim) you are required to
write one critical essay.
This critical essay is worth 20% of your total
mark in the exam.
• You have approximately 45 minutes in total.
• Each essay is marked out of 20.
How will my essay be successful?
Your essay will be assessed according to five main
criteria:
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Understanding.
Analysis.
Evaluation.
Relevance.
Structure.
Expression.
Understanding
• Your essay should show that you have a
secure knowledge and understanding of
the text and its themes.
• You must also be able to use detailed and
relevant evidence from the text to
support and develop your arguments.
Analysis
• Your essay must identify and explain in
detail how the author uses different
techniques to convey his/her ideas.
(Using detailed and relevant evidence)
Evaluation
• Your essay must clearly engage with the
text and evaluate the effectiveness of the
techniques used.
(using detailed and relevant evidence)
Relevance (to the task)
Everything in your essay should be relevant to the question
that you are answering.
• Your Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation must be
consistently relevant.
• Your line of thought must be consistently relevant.
• Your choice of evidence must be consistently relevant.
• The way you structure the essay must be consistently
relevant.
You must answer the question or you cannot pass.
Structure
• Accurate and effective use of paragraphs.
• Well-organised.
Expression
You must make sure that you:
• Use a good standard of English and good
vocabulary.
• Use accurate spelling, punctuation and
grammar.
• Use critical terminology.