What is Involved in RUAE? (Scottish Highers English): Revision Notes
What is Involved in RUAE?
Understanding the exam structure
The Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation paper is worth 30 marks out of a total of 70 marks in your final Higher English exam. This represents a substantial portion of your overall grade. You will have 90 minutes to complete this paper.
The exam presents two texts on a similar topic. You must answer questions on the first text, then complete a final question that compares both texts in a way specified by the examiner.
Understanding the exam structure and time allocation from the start will help you approach the paper strategically. With nearly half your marks coming from RUAE, this paper deserves significant preparation and attention.
The texts you will read
The passages are examples of detailed and complex non-fiction writing. They come from sources such as serious journalism, travel writing and biography. These texts explore interesting topics but can be challenging due to their rich expression and thought-provoking ideas.
Familiarising yourself with this type of writing before the exam is essential. The vocabulary and structures of high-quality non-fiction writing will become more manageable through regular exposure. Reading quality newspapers and magazines throughout your course will prepare you for the language you will encounter in the exam room.
How to read effectively in the exam
Time is limited in the exam, but careful reading will improve the quality of your answers. An intelligent reading strategy involves two stages.
The first read
Begin by checking the rubric at the top of the passage. This introductory information may reveal the writer's attitude to the topic, which can help you answer later questions about tone.
Read the first sentence of each paragraph to understand how the passage flows. This gives you a sense of where the text is heading, which helps you grasp the writer's overall intentions. Ask yourself: does the writer set out a question at the start and then answer it systematically in the following paragraphs? Is there a chronological structure? Does the writer present a balanced argument, changing direction midway through?
Watch for Signalling Words
Pay attention to signalling words and phrases such as however, but, nevertheless, whereas, in spite of and similarly. These words indicate shifts in the writer's stance and help you follow the development of the argument.
The first sentence of each paragraph provides a strategic overview of the writer's approach and direction. These seemingly small words signal important changes in the text's direction.
The second read
Once you have an informed sense of the writer's overall intentions, you can focus on the passage's detail. Some students prefer to read through the entire passage again, marking key points before tackling the questions. Others work on individual paragraphs, analysing each section and then answering its related questions.
A thorough second reading helps you appreciate the complexity of ideas and richness of language features in the passage. This alertness is necessary to achieve top marks. Keep track of time during this stage, but do not rush.
Question types you will encounter
You must be able to answer questions that test three distinct skills: understanding, analysing and evaluating. The number of marks allocated to each question will be clearly shown. Use this information to manage your time appropriately.
Questions testing understanding skills
Understanding questions in Higher English take various forms. Some probe your factual understanding of key points or expressions. Others ask you to summarise certain key points. Some ask you to explain what the writer is implying but not stating directly at certain points.
In all understanding questions, you must articulate your response using your own words wherever possible.
Never Lift Directly from the Text
You must avoid 'lifting' vocabulary or expressions directly from the passage. Copying from the text will not earn marks. The examiner wants to see that you have genuinely understood the content by expressing it in a different way.
Questions testing analysis skills
Analysis questions present a different challenge. You must examine how a writer makes language work to achieve a certain effect. Writers use various techniques to create meaning and impact.
Your task is to identify which specific techniques the writer has used. Consider word choice, sentence structure and figurative language. Point to specific examples from the passage, identify how they work in the writer's hands, and explain what effect they have on the reader.
The Three-Step Analysis Approach
For every technique you identify, you must explain three things:
Step 1: What is happening in the text
Identify the specific technique and quote the relevant words or phrases.
Step 2: How the technique creates meaning
Explain the mechanics of how this technique works.
Step 3: Why this matters
Discuss the effect on the reader and how it serves the writer's purpose.
Questions testing evaluation skills
Evaluation questions ask for your opinion of how well something has been said. You must find examples from the passage to support your evaluation.
You might comment on a particularly effective simile, a balanced sentence that expresses an idea memorably, or a striking contrast in word choice. These examples form the basis of your evaluation.
You may have already discussed these features in an analysis question, but now you must go further. Give your personal response to them. How well did these features help convey the writer's overall intentions, in your opinion? Interrogate your own response and explain what you think.
Preparing for success
Regular reading of quality newspapers will improve your performance in RUAE. It will also strengthen your discursive portfolio work. Many quality publications are available online, making it easy to access a range of non-fiction writing.
Focus on opinion and comment pieces, which deal with current issues. These articles form the basis of many exam passages. The more familiar you become with the style and vocabulary of serious journalism, the more confident you will feel when reading unseen texts in the exam.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- RUAE is worth 30 out of 70 marks in your final exam
- You will read two non-fiction texts on a similar topic and have 90 minutes to complete the paper
- Use a two-stage reading approach: first read for structure and direction, second read for detail and language
- Understanding questions require you to use your own words, never lift directly from the text
- Analysis questions ask you to identify techniques, explain how they work, and discuss their effect on the reader
- Evaluation questions require your personal opinion supported by textual evidence
- Check the mark allocation for each question to manage your time effectively
- Regular reading of quality journalism throughout your course will build confidence and familiarity with non-fiction writing