higher english critical essay examples sqa

Miss Innes' Revision Resources

Higher critical essay-a view from the bridge.

Your critical essay is worth 20% of your overall grade at Higher, and is part of your hr and a half long critical reading paper, alongside the textual analysis.

Try to dedicate more time to writing your essay than your textual analysis-if you have revised properly, the textual analysis should not take you more than 40 mins.

Critical Essay Tips

• Go to DRAMA section of Qs-if you answer on the wrong genre, you won’t pass!
• Read the Q carefully and choose wisely based on what you have revised and practised in class before-if you don’t understand the Q, answer on a different one!
• Use the structures recommended for introduction (TASTE), main paragraphs (PCQEL) and conclusion (SERVE)-notes provided in Essay Writing 101 materials

I have included a variety of resources to help you study for this part of the exam, including:

• Essay Writing 101 materials
• N5 Prose Qs
• model essays
• essay planning sheets

Essay Writing

Essay Writing 101

Higher Drama Qs

Essay Plans

Conflict Essay Plan

Essay Topics-Key Quotations

Conflict Model Essay

Model Essays

Key Scene Model Essay

Main PowerPoint

AVFTB Unitxxx

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Revision Materials and Homework for Pupils

• Past Papers
• National Qualifications  >  Subjects  >  English  >  Higher  > Higher English

Higher English

Updates and announcements, consultation on the scottish set text list (07/03/24).

As part of our ongoing review and maintenance of National Courses, we’re running an eight-week consultation to gather feedback from teachers, lecturers and learners on the current Scottish set text list for National 5 and Higher English courses.

We plan to update the list for use in session 2025-26 onwards, so that it more fully reflects life in Scotland. There are two surveys – one for practitioners and one for learners.

Complete our practitioner survey .

Complete our learner survey .

This is the first time we’ve asked learners for their views on the content of the Scottish set text list. We’re seeking views from learners across a range of age groups – including learners in S1 to S3, those in the senior phase (S4 to S6), recent school leavers attending college and university, and those in the workplace.

Both surveys will remain open until Monday 6 May 2024 . We’ll then organise focus groups with teachers, lecturers and learners in August/September to explore the survey feedback in more detail.

We’ll publish the revised Scottish set text list in November 2024, for implementing in session 2025-26. The 2026 exams will be the first to feature content from the revised list.

View our news release on the Scottish set text consultation 

Communication and Literature units (24/08/23)

Qualification verification summary report (qvsr).

• Qualification Verification Summary Report 2022  (186 KB)

SCQF level 5

Guidance for the Communication and Introduction to Literature units (SCQF level 5) (142 KB)

• Communication - SCQF level 5
• Introduction to Literature - SCQF level 5

SCQF level 6

The following guidance details how to deliver and assess these units.

Assessment guidance valid from 2023-24 (112 KB)

Guidance for the Communication NC and Literature 1 units (SCQF level 6) (152 KB)

• Communication (NC) - SCQF level 6
• Literature 1 - SCQF level 6

Alternative certification model

The alternative certification model is how National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses will be resulted this year, following the cancellation of the 2021 exams. It involves five different stages.

View the alternative certification model and see what will happen at each stage.

Essential Information

Course specification ( 13/09/2023 ).

Explains the structure of the course, including its purpose and aims and information on the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be developed.

• Higher English course specification September 2023

Past Papers and Marking Instructions

Access all past papers by subject/level

Additional question papers resources

Illustrates the standard, structure and requirements of the question papers candidates will sit (includes marking instructions).

• Higher English Critical Reading Specimen Question Paper August 2023

There were no exams in 2021. The 2020-21 question paper resources are, for most subjects, modified papers which reflect the modifications put in place for session 2020-21

• Higher English Critical Reading question paper
• Higher English Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation question paper
• Higher English Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation text
• Higher English Critical Reading marking instructions
• Higher English Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation marking instructions

Coursework ( 18/1/24 )

This section provides information on marking instructions and/or the coursework assessment task(s). It includes information that centres need to administer coursework and must be read in conjunction with the course specification.

Instructions

• Instructions for the submission of National 5 and Higher English coursework January 2024
• English Coursework Template - Microsoft Word
• English Coursework Template - Google Docs
• Coursework assessment task for Higher English
• Guidance on conditions of assessment

Information on the production and submission of SQA-assessed coursework for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher.

• Coursework for External Assessment (261 KB)

Understanding Standards ( 24/01/2024 )

• Examples of candidate evidence with commentaries

Course assessment overview

• Higher Critical Reading- Essays 2023-2024 - Audio Presentation (16 minutes)   (26.26 MB)
• Higher Critical Reading- Scottish Text 2023-2024 - Audio Presentation (16 minutes)  (27.51 MB)

English webinar (changes to course assessment academic session 2018-19 onwards)

• Download webinar (72.21 MB)
• Higher English performance - spoken language Understanding Standards materials

Login required Please speak to your SQA co-ordinator to access these materials.

Changes to understanding standards materials

• Changes to published Understanding Standards materials

Please note: Understanding Standards materials are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain up to date.

Additional Resources session 2020-22

Please note: Additional resources published during sessions 2020-2022 are currently under review. Further information can be found on the Understanding Standards Website.

Course reports ( 14/09/2023 )

Provides information on the performance of candidates - which is useful to teachers, lecturers and assessors in their preparation of candidates for future assessment.

Course Reports

• 2023 Higher English Course Report September 2023
• 2022 Higher English Course Report September 2022
• 2019 Higher English Course Report   September 2019
• 2018 Higher English Course Report   August 2018
• 2017 Higher English Course Report October 2017

Verification Reports

In 2019, a single qualification verification summary report replaced the verification key messages.

• English Verification Key Messages Round 1 March 2017
• English: Quality Assurance - external verification

Scottish Texts in English Courses

Scottish text list for National 5 and Higher English courses (valid from session 2018-19).

• Scottish set text list 2018-19

Ushare open learning resources

Where can you take this course?

Centre Finder

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Higher English Model Essay: The Crucible (16/20) - Conflict with Surroundings

Subject: English

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

25 January 2021

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This is a Higher English A-grade critical essay which examines Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible in relation to the following question:

*Choose a play in which the main character is in conflict with his or her surroundings. Briefly explain the nature of this conflict and discuss how the dramatist’s presentation of this feature helps you enhance your understanding of the play as a whole. *

The essay has been colour coded to show the different types of sections to an essay. A non-colour coded version is also attached beneath.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 21%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

The Crucible Essay and Quote Booklet Bundle: NAT 5/Higher

This bundle contains 5 example Higher English critical essays and 1 example National 5 critical essay. It also contains a booklet of the most significant and useful quotes necessary for studying Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' with accompanying analysis. This bundle is useful for teaching by example, reference for both students and teacher, and for general information of the play and playwright.

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Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

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• National 3 and 4
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• Presentations
• Course Reports
• Additional resources for sessions 2020-22

Advanced Higher English - project-dissertation

Project-dissertation 2023  (all links open as pdf files), an analysis of the narrative techniques employed by laurie lee and lorna sage to explore the theme of childhood in their novels "cider with rosie" and "bad blood" respectively..

• Candidate Evidence 2023
• Commentary 2023

Project-dissertation 2022  (All links open as PDF files)

An exploration of narcissism in the secret history by donna tartt..

• Candidate Evidence 2022
• Commentary 2022

Project-dissertation 2021  (All links open as PDF files except where indicated otherwise)

• 2021 Advanced Higher Dissertation, guidance on marking (webinar recording)   (48:41, mp4) (External link to SQA website)
• 2021 Advanced Higher Dissertation, guidance on marking presentation   (Accompanies webinar) (pptx)

How does Catholicism influence relationships in Brideshead Revisited?

• Candidate 1 Evidence

Comparative analysis of psychological impacts resulting from life under totalitarian rule in ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

• Candidate 2 Evidence

A critical comparison of Poe’s exploration of madness in ‘The Tell-tale Heart’, ‘The Black Cat’ and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’

• Candidate 3 Evidence

An exploration of how Thomas Hardy uses characterisation, symbolism and key events in ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ and ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ to convey his condemnation of the treatment of women in the Victorian era

• Candidate 4 Evidence
• Candidates 1 to 4 Commentary

Project-dissertation 2019  (All links open as PDF files)

How does the color purple reveal the themes of oppression and empowerment, rejecting the single story: a literary examination of how chimimanda ngozi adichie develops the characters of ugwu and olanna throught their experiences of the biafran war in her novel half of a yellow sun, a study of margaret atwood's exploration of identity in the edible woman (1969).

• Candidates 1 to 3 Commentaries

Project-dissertation 2016  (All links open as PDF files)

From session 2019/20 onwards, the word count for the Advanced Higher English project: dissertation will increase to a maximum of 3,500 words (was previously 3,000 words). None of these examples reflect the revised word count however, they all remain valid and continue to exemplify national standards. Please also note that the marking instructions for the project dissertation have not changed. You should view these materials in conjunction with the revised Advanced Higher English course specification. https://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/AHCourseSpecEnglish.pdf 

Candidate 1 - Comparative analysis of vengeance in Euripides and Sophocles

• Candidate 1 Commentary

Candidate 2 - Eliot and existentialism in The Four Quartets

• Candidate 2 Commentary

Candidate 3 - A critical analysis of the theme of seeing clearly in Jane Austen

• Candidate 3 Commentary

Candidate 4 - The Byronic hero in Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights

• Candidate 4 Commentary

Candidate 5 - Free will and choice in Trainspotting and A Clockwork Orange

• Candidate 5 Evidence
• Candidate 5 Commentary

Candidate 6 - The varying moods of Sylvia Plath in her poetry

• Candidate 6 Evidence
• Candidate 6 Commentary

Candidate 7 - Female emancipation in The Color Purple and Beloved

• Candidate 7 Evidence
• Candidate 7 Commentary

Candidate 8 - The theme of growing up in The Cement Garden and Atonement

• Candidate 8 Evidence
• Candidate 8 Commentary

Candidate 9 - Religion, belief and worship in Small Gods and American Gods

• Candidate 9 Evidence
• Candidate 9 Commentary

Candidate 10 - Orwell's portrayal of social injustices in fiction and non-fiction

• Candidate 10 Evidence
• Candidate 10 Commentary

Candidate 11 has been repackaged and is now Candidate 1 in the 2021 section with new candidate commentary

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