What you should be doing in your AQ answer
Requirements (R)
Answer the question:
(i) Assess applicability / relevance of the author’s ideas
(ii) Take a stand – how far you agree with one author
(iii) Assess your society in relation to the author’s ideas
Explanation (Ex)
Refer to the writers’ perspectives and arguments.
Elaborate on your stand
Elaborate on how your examples prove your point.
Evaluation (Ev)
Provide ample, detailed examples to support your stand
Assess your society: its attitudes, its beliefs, its conditions, its challenges…
Assess the author’s arguments, identifying strengths / weaknesses or applicability
Coherence (C)
Provide a concise thesis (focus statement) that delivers a stand and a reason
Provide at least three distinct points in your response
Show clear organisation of paragraphs
Show clear introduction and conclusion
Balance
For single-passage AQs, provide a counter-argument or concession (eg. ‘not applicable’, ‘disagree’)
For double-passsage AQs, provide coverage of both passages: agreeing with one usually means that you will refute the other
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List of Evaluative Phrases for the AQ
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Sample Answers to Contrasting-Passage AQs (2004 and 2008 ‘A’ Level P2)
