Unleashing the Power of the Iceberg: A Guide to Analyzing Texts and Answering Questions in Paper 1 and Paper 2

Read the texts thoroughly

Before embarking on any analysis, it is essential to read the taught texts thoroughly for Paper 2. Take your time and immerse yourself in your reading. For Paper 1, try to study articles, blogs, memoirs, and infographics from your body of work. Once you have your texts in place, make a schedule and be deliberate in coming up with a reading plan that makes sense for you. For example, it might be that Saturday afternoon is a good time, or perhaps it is daily reading with deliberate outcomes, like three chapters a day. It doesn’t really matter what schedule it is, as long as it works for you and is achievable. All of this will help you get to know the characters, familiarize yourself with the setting, theme, and so on. Or it could be more focused on one element of the text, like feminism in a Carol Ann Duffy poem or whether Offred is a reliable narrator.  Most importantly, you must know the text well.

Use of effective notetaking

As you read, make sure to take notes. Highlight important quotes or literary devices that catch your attention. These notes will serve as a valuable resource when organizing your thoughts and revising for examinations. I highly recommend that you get a hard copy of the literature texts because one of the most effective note-taking strategies is to stick small post-its in your book. You can even color-code them according to theme, motif, and/or important quotes. Most importantly, the trick is to have a system that makes sense to you. It is crucial that you try to make a connection to the text early on. If you want to be more digital, you can use an iPad (or similar device) and make notes in one of the many apps available. Personally, I am old school (because I am old) and like to have physical notes in the texts. However, this is a personal choice, so use the system that works best for you.

As a creative idea, perhaps during this process, you can also make a character sketch, draw a cartoon, or film a YouTube vlog about a theme or character in your text. Any creative way that helps secure your understanding is super beneficial. A starting point for your creation could be with an inquiry-based question like: What is my impression of a particular character? Do I like them? Why or why not? Are they believable or trustworthy? Questions like these help you get to know the text and gives you a deeper understanding.

Use textual evidence

To support your arguments and demonstrate your understanding of the text, it is essential to use evidence. Draw upon quotes, examples, and other textual evidence to back up your analysis. This not only adds credibility to your arguments but also showcases your ability to engage with the text critically. Select notes that are relevant to the question and to help unpack meaning. Try to avoid selecting long textual examples, as this slows down your writing and are largely ineffectual.  Remember to be economic with your time in the examinations. Long quotes with irrelevant content can counter-productive because it becomes more of a burden than a benefit.

Once you have completed your reading, taken your notes, and curated your textual evidence, you are ready to move on to utilizing the iceberg framework. This framework will help you alleviate any writing anxiety. Instead of worrying, you can focus on the actual analysis using the framework to help guide you. So be deliberate and disciplined in using the iceberg framework, and once you have mastered it, you can experiment with other complementary writing styles.

Step 1: Key Terminology Matters

Be deliberate in becoming comfortable with 15 or more key terms when writing your topic sentences and/or arguments. In your writing practice, use a variety of these key terms like “evokes,” “juxtaposes,” and “persuades.” These terms can be used, reused, and recycled in your practice papers. Although some are more appropriate for Paper 2, you should continuously recycle them until they become second nature. Ideally, when you are writing either Paper 1 or Paper 2, you won’t be thinking, “Which key term should I use?” or “Does that mean this or that?” It should all be mapped out so there are clear waters ahead. This is the tip of the iceberg, and everyone can see it, so make sure your start stands out above the rest.

Step 2: Selecting the Right Textual Example

Select a textual example that is directly linked to the question and one that you are comfortable writing about.  Try to avoid selecting long quotations and/or textual examples for Paper 1 and Paper 2. This is a waste of your time and has little value. Be very selective and surgical in the selection of your quotations and/or textual examples.

• Specifically for Paper 1: Ensure that your quote and/or textual example is directly linked to the question. Focus on the key terms in the question and link them to your textual example.
• Specifically for Paper 2: It is very helpful to have 5-10 quotes for all your literature texts in mind going into the examination. I suggest you create a contrast and compare quote table for reference.

Step 3: Understanding Authorial Intent

In this step, you are primarily answering the question, “Why did the author write or create this?” Ask yourself, what impact did it have on you? This will help unravel the textual quotation/example in your analysis and open more possibilities when you comment on authorial choices. Additionally, asking yourself this question helps you dive deeper below the iceberg, giving depth to your analysis. Focus on the implications that the quote has on the reader or viewer. This is really where the analysis starts, so be ready to plunge deeper!

Step 4: Providing an Alternative Reading

In this step, you should give an additional or alternate reading of the text. For example, perhaps you feel that the infographic persuades its viewers to take action to save sea turtles from plastics in the Indian Ocean, but it doesn’t give a clear solution. This step allows you to provide an alternative reading and/or authorial purpose from the textual example. This will strengthen your argument and add flair to your analysis. Examiners value this ability highly, so it could place you in the upper grades.  Criterion B states, “Insightful and convincing analysis of textual features and an evaluation on how they shape meaning.” This step allows you to be unique by offering an alternative interpretation. This is insightful, convincing, and evaluates how it shapes meaning. So, if you are aiming for the top bands, don’t miss this step.

Step 5: Giving Your Own Opinion

This is now the perfect place to give your own opinion, comment on the authorial choice, style, or whatever you think is pertinent. Make deeper connections by considering the reason the author wrote or presented the text this way. This is the part where you can really impress the examiner and have a direct impact on Criterion A and B for both papers. Make those deeper connections to what the author’s intentions are and/or the effect it has on the reader. You can be creative here and state what you really think. Don’t be shy to offer your own opinion; in fact, examiners encourage you to do so.

See an example below of one of my student’s paragraphs.  They are coloured coded so it is easy to visualize where each step is, how long it is, and if you have covered all of them.  This is a very effective tool when you are first starting to use the iceberg framework.