This element is completed independently, throughout the school year, with support from the class teacher. This writing piece is assessed externally and should be 1,300 words. It may be one of the following:

Broadly Creative - for example: a personal or reflective essay, a piece of prose fuction, a poem or set of thematically linked poems, or a dramatic script.

Broadly Discursive - for example: an argumentative or persuasive essay, a report or a piece of transactional or informative writing.

This element of the course is completed in a 1hr 45min exam and consists of two sections:

Section 1 - Scottish Set Text (20%)

Section 2 - Critical Essay (20%)

Texts commonly studied for this section are:

• Othello by William Shakespeare (Drama)
• The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (Prose Fiction)
• Widows by Margaret Atwood (Prose Fiction)
• The Night of the Hunter directed by Charles Laughton (Film)
• The Shining directed by Stanley Kubrik (Film)
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola (Film)

	How to write a critical essay
	A YouTube video with general advice on essay writing
	Othello Overview
	A YouTube video with a general overview of the play
	Othello Themes
	A YouTube video exploring the key themes of the play
	The Yellow Wallpaper - Summary & Analysis
	A YouTube video with a summary and analysis of the short story
	Widows - A Reading
	A YouTube video with a reading of the story
	Widows - Short Story
	A link to the short story
	The Night of the Hunter
	A YouTube video with analysis of the film
	The Night of the Hunter - Discussion
	A YouTube video with a director discussing the film
	The Shining - Analysis
	A YouTube video with analysis of the film
	The Godfather
	A YouTube video on understanding the main characters of the film

Pupils must deliver a performance of spoken language, either individually or as part of a group presentation or discussion. This will be assessed by the class teacher.

	The Trick to Public Speaking
	A YouTube video with general advice on public speaking