Evaluating the Writer's Aim Flashcards
All 11 cards in this deck
Where do you find the writer's aim in Paper 2 Question 6?
In the question itself: 'the writer attempts to…' share her memories, demonstrate determination, create strong feelings. Underline it: your whole answer judges how well the text achieves it.
What does it mean to evaluate a non-fiction text?
To judge how successfully the writer achieves their aim, and why, with evidence. It goes beyond explaining what the writer does to weighing how well it works for the reader.
Which words help you express a judgement in Question 6?
Scales of success: highly / very / largely / partly / less successful or effective; convincing, memorable, vivid. Use them with a reason every time, never on their own.
How can personal detail make a memory successful?
Specific sensory details, names and small moments make a memory feel real and shared, so the reader can step into it. A judgement might be: 'The precise detail of the cracked teapot makes the memory vivid and believable.'
How can facts help a writer achieve an aim such as creating strong feelings?
Stark numbers or plain facts can shock the reader and show the scale of an event, while personal stories make it feel human. Judging how well the writer balances the two is strong evaluation.
How can the opening and ending help you judge the writer's success?
The opening shows how the writer draws the reader in; the ending shows what impression they leave. Judging both lets you evaluate the text as a whole, which the top levels reward.
Can you say part of a text is less successful?
Yes, with a reason: 'The middle section is less effective, because the list of dates slows the memory down.' A measured judgement shows a critical overview.
How is an aim like "to demonstrate determination" achieved in non-fiction?
Usually through the structure of the struggle (setbacks then progress), verbs of effort, the person's own words, and moments of choice. Judge how well these make the reader believe in the determination.
Turn this into evaluation: 'The writer remembers her grandmother's kitchen.'
For example: 'The writer shares her memory very successfully: the smells she lists, "cardamom and wet coats", let the reader step into her grandmother's kitchen, so the memory feels warm and real.'
Question 6 says 'the writer attempts to show the excitement of the day'. Which point evaluates? (a) 'The writer uses exclamation marks.' (b) 'The exclamations in the first paragraph capture her excitement convincingly, because they sound like her voice on the day.'
(b). It links the method to the aim and judges how well it works. (a) is feature spotting.
How do you keep a Question 6 answer evaluative from start to finish?
Open with an overall judgement, then make every paragraph answer how successfully? about one part of the text, and finish with a brief verdict on the whole. Don't drift into describing what happens.