Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation
As the title of the paper suggests, there are three core skills being tested in the Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation exam:
- your ability to read and understand an unfamiliar piece of non-fiction prose
- your ability to analyse a range of Any method an author uses to add meaning or interest to a text, such as metaphors, similes or alliteration. used by a writer to create a particular effect
- your ability to evaluate the success of the writer in employing these techniques
You will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the RUAE exam. The paper is marked out of 30 and is therefore worth 30% of your overall grade.
The RUAE passage
At Higher you will be faced with two passages in the exam. These passages should be linked by the same topic, although the writers might take very different approaches or attitudes to the topic.
The majority of questions will deal with passage one; the final question deals with both passages. In this final question you will be asked to look at the main areas of agreement and/or disagreement between the two writers.
Often, reading and understanding the passages is the trickiest bit for candidates. Passages at Higher will be full of demanding vocabulary and complicated lines of thought.
There is no way to guess which passages have been selected for the RUAE exam; but chances are the examination team have drawn this article from a piece of journalism in a quality broadsheet newspaper. Therefore, a good habit to get into would be to read one piece of quality journalism every week:
- select an article relevant to your interests (a review of a football match, concert or film perhaps)
- highlight any difficult words you encounter
- use the context of the paragraph to help you work out meaning or use a dictionary
Some examples of reputable news outlets include:
- quality UK newspapers eg The Guardian or The Times
- quality Scottish newspapers eg The Herald or The Scotsman
The questions
It is perhaps helpful to think about the three question areas in this paper in the following way:
- Understanding - what is the writer saying?
- Analysis - how is the writer saying it?
- Evaluation - how well did the writer say it?
Working out whether a question is a U or an A or an E can be tricky. But looking for certain trigger words in each question will help:
| Understanding questions | Analysis questions | Evaluative questions |
| What are the key points... | With reference to the features of language used by the writer show how… | How effective is… |
| In your own words… | Analyse how techniques used by the writer… | How well… |
| Summarise | How does the word choice/imagery used by the writer… | |
| Explain what… | How is tone created… |
| Understanding questions | What are the key points... |
|---|---|
| Analysis questions | With reference to the features of language used by the writer show how… |
| Evaluative questions | How effective is… |
| Understanding questions | In your own words… |
|---|---|
| Analysis questions | Analyse how techniques used by the writer… |
| Evaluative questions | How well… |
| Understanding questions | Summarise |
|---|---|
| Analysis questions | How does the word choice/imagery used by the writer… |
| Evaluative questions |
| Understanding questions | Explain what… |
|---|---|
| Analysis questions | How is tone created… |
| Evaluative questions |
Once you have figured out what type of question you are dealing with, you should then look at the mark allocation. For example:
- a 4-mark analysis question, for example, will require you to structure your answer like this: 2 x Quotation/Technique/Analysis (with link to question)
- an answer to a 5-mark understanding question, for example, might be best bullet pointed for clarity.
Language features
It is important that you know how to analyse a range of language features. Typically, the following language features crop up in Higher RUAE papers:
- How a sentence is built up or constructed. (short/minor sentences, parenthesis, lists, punctuation etc.)
- When the writer paints a picture in words in order to help the reader visualise the subject being described. A comparison is involved, such as a simile or metaphor. (metaphors, similes, personification)
- How the speaker chooses particular words for a particular effect i.e. to make the reader feel an emotion
- The overall mood or 'feel' of the text or part of the text. This can be created by the writer's choice of words, pace, rhythm or imagery. (sarcastic, humorous, ironic, argumentative, bitter, frustrated etc.)
- A sentence which links two different sentences or paragraphs together. These are used to provide continuity of thought throughout a text.
- A decisive moment at which a change occurs. in argument
Your teacher might suggest a particular answer formula or structure for each language feature. Try not to analyse out of context.
The final question
The first thing to do is read that question carefully:
- what is it asking you to look at?
- what are the areas of agreement? Disagreement? Both?
Next, look at the mark allocation: in the most recent exam papers this question has been worth 5 marks.
Familiarise yourself with the Qualifications Scotland marking guidelines for this question.
To secure all five marks you must
- identify three key areas of agreement and/or disagreement
- provide supporting quotations from/references to the texts
- comment in detail/insightfully on each piece of evidence
Failure to identify any key areas of agreement and/or disagreement or a clear misunderstanding of the task will result in you securing 0 marks.
Come up with a sensible way to structure your answer. You could use:
- a table
- bullet points
- headings
- provide a series of linked statements