English
Higher
Mathematics
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View topicsHigher English is required or preferred for a wide range of Scottish university courses, including many that are not obviously literary. It is assessed by two exam papers, a coursework portfolio worth 30%, and an internally assessed spoken language component.
Paper 1 is Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation on demanding non-fiction, including a comparison question between two passages that many candidates find the hardest part of the exam. Paper 2 covers a Scottish set text and a critical essay on a separate studied text.
The two portfolio pieces are drafted over months rather than written once, and the marks available there are the most controllable in the whole course, which is why sustained tutor feedback on drafting is so effective at Higher.
Important Topics
- Reading for UAEAnalysis of demanding non-fiction, including the comparison of two passages.
- Scottish Set TextDetailed study of a set text, with extract questions and a whole-text response.
- Critical EssayA sustained, evaluative argument about a studied text under timed conditions.
- Portfolio: Creative WritingPersonal reflective or imaginative writing developed through several drafts.
- Portfolio: Discursive WritingA researched, referenced argument with a controlled line of thought.
- Language AnalysisWord choice, imagery, sentence structure, tone and structure at Higher demand.
- Spoken LanguageSolo presentation and group discussion assessed internally.
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