The Dissertation: SQA Advanced Higher English independent literary study quiz quiz

15 marks

20 marks

30 marks

40 marks

1,000 to 1,500 words

2,000 to 2,500 words

2,500 to 3,500 words

4,000 to 5,000 words

It must be handwritten

It must be on literature, not a non-literary topic

It must use exactly one text

It must be about a Scottish writer

Any text written before 1900

The primary texts you write about in the Literary Study paper

Any poetry

Any text not on a set text list

They are the same thing

A topic is an area; a thesis is a specific, arguable claim within it

A thesis is broader than a topic

A topic is the conclusion of the dissertation

They are by the same author

Enough common ground to compare and enough difference to make the comparison interesting

They are exactly the same length

They share no themes at all

All of text A, then all of text B

By idea, with each section comparing both texts on one facet of the thesis

In the order the texts were written

By the length of the quotations

Introduce a third text

Reach an independent judgement that answers the thesis

Summarise the plots

List the bibliography

The views of critics

Close analysis of the primary texts

The historical background

The bibliography

To fill space, to add length, to impress

To confirm, to extend, or to be challenged from the evidence

To replace the candidate's reading entirely

To open every paragraph

Whether you quote at least five critics

Whether your argument would still stand if the critics were removed

Whether the critics agree with each other

Whether the critics are famous

Use no references at all

Apply the centre's chosen style consistently throughout

Use a different style for each source

Reference only the primary texts

To make the dissertation longer

Because unacknowledged use of another's ideas is plagiarism

Because paraphrase is not allowed

Because it improves the word count

Because it is marked first

Because it rewards sustained reading and redrafting that a rushed draft cannot show

Because the word count is small

Because it does not need criticism