How to Answer Paper 2 Question 7(b) Flashcards
All 10 cards in this deck
What does Paper 2 Question 7(b) ask, and how many marks is it worth?
14 marks, AO3. 'Compare how the writers of Text 1 and Text 2 present ideas and perspectives about…' a topic. Three bullets steer you to the writers' ideas and perspectives, the way each one presents them, and the similarities and differences.
What happens if you write about only one text in detail in Question 7(b)?
The answer can't go above the top of Level 2, which is 5 marks. Unbalanced answers can't reach Level 3, where both writers' ideas and perspectives must be explained alongside a range of comparisons.
What are the five levels for Question 7(b)?
1–2: no real comparison. 3–5: obvious comparisons. 6–8: a range of comparisons. 9–11: a wide range, with references balanced across both texts. 12–14: a varied and comprehensive range, with analysis of how the ideas are presented and discriminating references.
How long should you spend on Question 7(b)?
About 20 minutes: it's the last reading question and worth 14 marks, so make sure you've left time for it.
What counts as 'how they are presented' in Question 7(b)?
The writers' methods: theme, language and structure, plus tone, form and viewpoint. Comment on how each writer conveys their ideas, not just what the ideas are.
What topic should Question 7(b) compare the writers' ideas about?
The one the question names, which is usually broader than 7(a)'s focus (picnics in 7(a), family events in 7(b)). Examiners criticise comparing the texts in general instead of the writers' perspectives on that topic.
Should Question 7(b) include similarities, differences or both?
Both. The bullet says 'how they are similar/different'. A comparison that notices how writers who agree still feel differently is especially strong.
What is a sensible structure for Question 7(b)?
An opening sentence comparing the two perspectives overall, then three or four paragraphs that each compare one idea across both texts, with a method and short quotation from each. A brief final judgement on why the perspectives differ is optional.
How is Question 7(b) different from Paper 2 Question 3?
Question 3 analyses one text. 7(b) is about comparison: every paragraph should move between the two writers, explaining how each presents their view.
Which is a 7(b) comparison? (a) 'Text 1 is a newspaper report and Text 2 is a memoir.' (b) 'Both writers present the storm as destructive, but the report keeps a distance with facts and figures, while the memoir makes the loss personal through one family's story.'
(b). It compares the writers' perspectives on the same topic and how each presents it. (a) only labels the texts.