A Level English Language and Literature Eduqas

Composing a analytical commentary evaluating their original work

Understanding the Task

• Analytical Commentary calls for a thoughtful, in-depth analysis of your original work or creative transformation piece.
• The purpose of this task is to critically assess and evaluate your work, considering elements such as choice of language, stylistic features, and thematic concerns.
• It is crucial to understand the connection between your primary text, secondary sources, and your original writing to provide meaningful commentary.

Preparation

• Re-read your original work, acquainting yourself with all the key details including narrative, characters, themes, and style.
• Identify aspects of the work that you found challenging, interesting or which involved making significant decisions at the design stage, as these could form useful points for your analytical commentary.
• Get familiar with the critical vocabulary used in literary and linguistic analysis. Understanding terms such as diction, syntax, tone, and mood, will help to provide a comprehensive analysis.

Structure

• Start by providing an introduction that summarises the purpose of your original work and the primary/secondary texts it is based on.
• Structure your commentary around themes or elements in your work rather than summarising it chronologically. It would help to group common points together for a more cohesive commentary.
• It's important to have a strong conclusion. This should recap the main points of your analysis and reaffirm the overall achievement and contribution of your work.

In-depth Analysis

• Analyse the choice of language, considering elements such as lexical choice and semantic fields. Examine how these contribute to the overall meaning and effect of your work.
• Discuss stylistic features including narrative structure, point of view, characterisation, and how these mimic, adapt or critique features from your original text.
• Evaluate the context and its impact. Talk about how the historical, cultural or literary context has influenced your work.

Reflection

• Reflect on the writing process, discussing how your ideas developed from the planning stage to the finished product.
• Discuss any problems or obstacles you faced during the creation of your work and how you overcame them.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of your original writing. Consider its strengths and weaknesses, how well it met your initial objectives, and how it could be improved.

Referencing

• Use relevant references to your primary and secondary sources to substantiate your claims or observations.
• Make sure to apply correct referencing conventions. This aids in giving credibility to your commentary and shows strong engagement with the original text.
• Remember, the commentary is not a simple re-telling of your original work but an examination of your literary decisions and their effect. It requires critical thinking, clear writing, and a deep understanding of both your own work and the texts that inspired it.