WHAT ARE THE EXAMINERS LOOKING FOR IN YOUR REVIEWS?

WHAT ARE THE EXAMINERS LOOKING FOR?

What the text is about - its subject matter You need to show you have understood the text's subject matter and content. You will also need to be able to locate details and discuss aspects of these (this requires an understanding of the text's big picture).

Who the text has been written for - its audience This is very important: you need to consider audience with care as it will help you recognise features of style that you can discuss in your answers. Writing about audience means recognising and showing how a text has been created to suit a particular kind of reader. When a writer is asked to write a text, one of the key questions asked is who the text is aimed at. With knowledge of the text's audience, only then will the writer be able to consider the most suitable style of writing to choose - its content, its vocabulary choices and its tone.

Why the text was written - its writer's purpose This means recognising the messages contained within the text, both on the surface and - although this is not so important compared to literary texts - if there are different layers of meaning.

How the text has been made to 'work' for its particular audience and purpose - the writer's methods and their effects You need to be able to identify the methods a writer has used to create the important elements within the text. This includes considering aspects of the text's genre, style, language and structure. You will also need to be able to discuss the effects of these methods on the audience - and, of course, the purpose behind these effects. It most especially means looking closely at the language and layout used in the text. How is language being used - what effects are being created and for what purpose? How is the layout helping the text achieve its purpose for its audience?