Topic Six (0.6): Successful Essay Writing – Style Tip 3: Close Textual Analysis and PQC

Introduction

Close textual analysis skills are absolutely fundamental to good AS and A Level English Literature essays. This is your chance to engage with writers’ methods and to discuss these in a suitably academic way, demonstrating an understanding of relevant literary terminology.

This is the focus of AO2 (Analysis) and it is essential to pack as much detail as you can into your work for the higher grades. You will be working on this skill continually throughout the course, applying it to a wide range of different texts, but this topic introduces you to the key principles of analysis and explains the three-part critical response, PQC. (You may previously have called his PEE or PEA, but it doesn’t matter what you call it, as these all mean the same thing.)

The level of analytical detail expected at AL is higher than at AS, so you should be expanding your critical vocabulary throughout the course and looking at ways to deepen and develop your analytical points. You will read more about literary terminology later in this module.

Task

  • This document explains both the three-part critical response, and how to use it, with examples:

Download PRINT OUT & READ – Style Tip 3: Close Textual Analysis (PQC)

  • You will have seen these tips at AS, but it is very useful to review them again now. Come back to it regularly to help you complete your assignments. Again, if you did not study AS with Wolsey Hall, please make sure you print this out and read it very carefully.