Exam Breakdown (Scottish Highers English): Revision Notes
Exam Breakdown
The Higher English course combines internal assessments during the year with external assessments at the end of the course. Understanding how these components work together helps you prepare effectively for each element.
Course Structure
The Higher English course consists of two mandatory units that you must complete:
- Analysis and Evaluation Unit develops your ability to engage with texts critically. This unit focuses on literature, language and media, requiring you to demonstrate understanding of detailed and complex texts. You work with both literary texts (such as novels, plays and poems) and non-literary texts (such as articles, reports and media content). The emphasis is on reading and listening skills, enabling you to analyse how writers create meaning and evaluate their effectiveness.
- Creation and Production Unit develops your skills in producing original work. This unit requires you to create detailed and complex texts in both written and oral forms. You practice talking and writing across different contexts and purposes, learning to adapt your communication style to suit different audiences and situations.
Both units incorporate the four essential language skills: listening, talking, reading and writing. These skills interweave throughout your course work, with each skill reinforcing the others. You can remember these as LTRD - a useful memory aid for the complete skill set you'll develop.
Internal Assessment
Internal assessments take place throughout the course. Your teacher must assess specific skills within each unit, and these assessments can be delivered either unit-by-unit or through combined assessments that address both units simultaneously.
For the Analysis and Evaluation Unit, assessment focuses on:
- Your ability to understand and analyse texts within the contexts of literature, language and media
- Your skills in evaluating detailed and complex texts, both literary and non-literary
For the Creation and Production Unit, assessment focuses on:
- Your talking and writing skills demonstrated across a wide range of contexts
- Your ability to create and produce detailed and complex texts in both written and oral forms
To gain the course award, you must pass all internal unit assessments as well as the external assessment. Failing any unit assessment means you cannot receive the final qualification, even if you perform well in the external exam.
External Assessment Structure
The external assessment determines your final grade and consists of two examination papers plus a submitted portfolio. The total marks available across all components equal 100 marks.
Paper 1: Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation
This paper lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes and is worth 30 marks.
You receive two non-fiction texts to analyse. The questions test your ability to understand the content, analyse how writers use language techniques, and evaluate the effectiveness of their approaches. Questions may ask you to:
- Explain the meaning of specific words or phrases
- Identify and analyse language techniques
- Compare ideas across both texts
- Evaluate how effectively writers communicate their messages
The texts typically present different perspectives on a similar topic, requiring you to demonstrate sophisticated reading skills. This comparative element is a key feature of Paper 1 - you'll need to move between both texts and consider their relationship.
Paper 2: Critical Reading
This paper lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes and is worth 40 marks in total (20 marks for Part 1 and 20 marks for Part 2).
Part 1: Scottish text questions (20 marks)
You answer questions on one Scottish text that you have studied during the course. The text comes from a specified list and can be a drama, prose work, or poetry collection. An extract from your chosen text appears in the exam paper, and questions test your understanding of:
- The extract itself, requiring close textual analysis
- The wider text, requiring you to demonstrate knowledge of the whole work
- How the extract connects to the text's broader themes, characterisation or techniques
Typical Question Structure:
If you're studying a Scottish play, you might encounter questions like:
- "Analyse how the playwright creates tension in this extract" (focusing on the extract)
- "By referring to this extract and elsewhere in the play, discuss how the theme of betrayal is explored" (linking extract to wider text)
This dual focus ensures you've engaged deeply with your chosen Scottish text throughout the course.
Part 2: Critical essay (20 marks)
You write one critical essay on a text of your choice from the following genres: drama, prose, poetry, language or media. This text must be different from your Scottish text choice in Part 1.
The essay demonstrates your ability to:
- Construct a clear argument about a text
- Support your points with relevant quotations and references
- Analyse how writers create meaning through their choices
- Write in a sustained, coherent manner
You select from a range of essay questions, choosing one that suits the text you have studied.
Portfolio Submission
The portfolio is worth 30 marks and consists of two written pieces that demonstrate different writing purposes:
- Discursive writing: This piece presents and explores ideas, arguments or issues. It demonstrates your ability to construct reasoned discussion, consider different perspectives, and develop a clear line of thought. Examples include persuasive essays, argumentative pieces, or reflective writing.
- Creative writing: This piece demonstrates imaginative and creative skills. It shows your ability to create atmosphere, develop characters, structure narrative, or evoke emotion through descriptive language. Examples include short stories, personal essays, dramatic scripts, or creative non-fiction.
Both pieces undergo careful preparation and redrafting during the course before final submission. Your teacher provides guidance, but the final work must be your own. This preparation time is valuable - use it to refine your work to the highest standard possible.
Mark Allocation Summary
Complete Marks Breakdown:
Examination Papers: 70 marks total
- Paper 1 (RUAE): 30 marks
- Paper 2 Section 1 (Scottish text): 20 marks
- Paper 2 Section 2 (Critical essay): 20 marks
Portfolio: 30 marks total
- Discursive writing piece: 15 marks
- Creative writing piece: 15 marks
Overall Total: 100 marks
The examination papers account for 70% of your final grade, while the portfolio accounts for 30%. This balance reflects the importance of both analytical skills (demonstrated in the exam) and creative/productive skills (demonstrated in the portfolio).
Memory Aid: Remember the mark distribution as 30-20-20-30: Paper 1, Scottish text, Critical essay, Portfolio.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- You must pass all internal unit assessments and the external assessment to gain the course award
- The four language skills (listening, talking, reading, writing) integrate throughout both units
- Paper 1 focuses on non-fiction analysis, while Paper 2 tests your knowledge of literary texts
- Your portfolio must include both discursive and creative writing, demonstrating different purposes
- The total marks available are 100: 70 from examination papers and 30 from the portfolio