Component 5 Overview (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
Component 5 is the optional component you will do for the CIE IGCSE Literature in English (0475 and 0992) if you are taking the Coursework route, in addition to Paper 1: Poetry and Prose, which is worth 50% of your IGCSE, and Paper 3: Drama (Open Book), which is worth 25% of your IGCSE. The coursework makes up the remaining 25% of your IGCSE.
The coursework is set and assessed internally by your centre and moderated externally by the exam board. The component as a whole is worth 25 marks and is made up of a portfolio of two assignments. Each assignment should be 600–1200 words in length, including quotations but excluding references and a bibliography. Each assignment must be on a different text and based on the study of a complete text. One of the assignments may be on a set text for Papers 1, 2 or 3. If poetry or short stories are used, then you must cover a minimum of two poems or short stories. You can write your assignments electronically or by hand, and you can discuss them in general terms with your teacher, but your teacher is not allowed to proofread, correct or mark your draft assignments.
The title of each assignment must be phrased to allow for the assessment of all four assessment objectives. These are the key skills you are expected to demonstrate in your response to the assignments. To be successful you must explain and analyse how writers have conveyed their meanings through a wide range of different language and structure devices, and you must do this in conjunction with relevant evidence selected from the texts. One of your assignments may be an empathic response to a prose or drama text. This means you can imagine that you are one of the characters in the text and write your response as though you were that character. We will explore this in more detail in the following revision notes.
As a reminder, the assessment objectives are:
Assessment objective | Definition | What this means |
AO1 | Show detailed knowledge of the content of literary texts in the three main forms (drama, poetry and prose) supported by reference to the text | You need to demonstrate your knowledge of the text through reference to details in the text and via the use of accurate, relevant quotations from the text Your use of quotations and indirect references to the text should support your views or arguments The quotations you choose should help you develop explanations of meanings, significance and context in your response If you are doing an empathic task, then you should seamlessly incorporate well-selected textual detail |
AO2 | Understand the meanings of literary texts and their contents and explore texts beyond surface meanings to show deeper awareness of ideas and attitudes | You need to show that you understand the main ideas, settings, events and characters in the text You need to demonstrate that you understand implied or hidden meanings in the text You should also demonstrate that you understand the significance of a part of a text in relation to the text as a whole |
AO3 | Recognise and appreciate ways in which writers use language, structure and form to create and shape meanings and effects | You need to be able to analyse, in detail, the choices the writer has made and how they use language, structure and form to convey impressions and ideas, or to present settings, characters or events, or sustain an entirely convincing voice for the character in an empathic task You therefore need to be familiar with the techniques a writer might use to achieve specific effects for readers or audiences |
AO4 | Communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to literary texts | This refers to how you shape your writing to communicate your engagement with the text Your personal, evaluative response has to be supported with references to the text A personal response begins by demonstrating understanding of the question and the text in the introduction You should be sensitive to imagery and sound, and you should be informed by the words of the texts This Assessment Objective can also be explicitly addressed and reinforced in a well-developed conclusion |
Please note that you may disadvantage yourself if your assignments are significantly over or under the word-count guidance.
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