A2 LL - 3 WAY COMPARISON FEEDBACK ON CRISPS

Below are a couple of feedback points on the three way comparisons commentaries I marked on crisps.

• It is important to use only short quotations - either one word or a short phrase of about 5 - 7 words - for your analysis. 
• Copying out long quotations that you are not going to comment on in your analysis is a waste of precious time. You cannot afford the time to waste on copying out chunks of the source text especially if you are only going to make one point, or in most cases I've discovered none at all.
• That means you should only quote what you are explicitly going to comment on in detail in your commentary.
• For each quotation you use to support the point you want to make, aim to identify three different features and their intended effect on an audience - listener / reader
• Remember there is a danger that writing long quotations will probably result in writing short comments - identifying one language feature and only one effect. This is the wrong balance. Like the recast commentary you should be concise, detailed and packed with language features - at least 3 - and comment on the intended effects of them.Unlike the recast commentary, you must expand relevantly on the quotation. This means where possible show insight or sensitivity to the writer's or speakers attitudes and assumptions about the topic and / or make comparative points with the other texts. 
• If your quotation is longer than your comment you have the wrong balance.

• This is a real opportunity to show off your knowledge of language features and their effects. Don't skip or ignore features if you know they are there.
• As you read let your mind open up to the different frameworks available to you
• such as: spoken language features, language features and literary features - poetic and prosaic and rhetorical devices

• Before you begin writing it is a good idea to structure your commentary carefully. It won't take more than a couple of minutes and it will produce good results later.
• Choose which of the three texts you will use as the anchor text
• I think you should avoid using the transcript of spontaneous speech as the anchor text. Rule it out now.

• A poorly planned commentary can lead to repeating points - this is a waste of time
• It will make you ignore important points and analysis
• It will make your commentary over complicated and confusing
• Unplanned commentaries increase the chances of feelings of anxiety and panic among students and this will lead to chaotic, inaccurate and poorly expressed writing

• A planned commentary will help you feel calm and in control
• The exam marker will feel confident in you
• A planned commentary will help you organise your thoughts into a coherent and logical order
• It will enable you to concentrate on writing clearly and accurately
• Most importantly it will create a situation whereby you will be able to write full and detailed analytical points
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