The NEA: Requirements and Regulations

The Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) is the coursework component of AQA A-Level English Literature, worth 20% of the total qualification. It requires you to write a 2,500-word comparative essay on two texts of your choice. The NEA tests your ability to work independently, select appropriate texts, develop a focused comparative task, and sustain an argument over an extended piece of writing.

Understanding the regulations is essential. Failure to follow them can result in disqualification or capped marks. This lesson sets out everything you need to know.

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Overview

Feature	Detail
Component	Non-Examined Assessment (NEA)
Weighting	20% of total A-Level
Total marks	50 marks
Word count	2,500 words (excluding bibliography and quotations embedded in the text)
Format	Comparative critical study of two texts
Assessment	Internally assessed by your teacher, externally moderated by AQA
Assessment objectives	AO1 (communication), AO2 (methods), AO3 (context), AO4 (connections), AO5 (critical debate) — all five are assessed

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Text Selection Rules

The rules governing text selection are strict and non-negotiable. Ensure your choices comply with all of the following:

1. Two Texts by Different Authors

You must study two texts written by two different authors. You cannot compare two works by the same author.

2. At Least One Must Be Published Before 1900

At least one of your two texts must have been first published (or first performed, in the case of drama) before 1900. This ensures that your comparison engages with texts from different historical periods.

3. Neither Text May Be a Set Text

Your NEA texts must not be the same as any text you are studying for Paper 1 or Paper 2. If you are studying Othello for Paper 1, you cannot use Othello for the NEA. You may, however, use another Shakespeare play.

4. At Least One Must Be a Prose Text

At least one of your two texts must be a work of prose — either a novel, a novella, or a collection of short stories. The other text may be prose, poetry, or drama.

5. The Texts Must Be of Sufficient Length and Quality

AQA expects both texts to be "of literary merit" and of sufficient length to sustain a 2,500-word comparison. A single short poem would not be appropriate, though a substantial collection or sequence of poems is acceptable.

Summary of Text Selection Rules

Rule	Requirement
Number of texts	Exactly two
Authorship	Different authors
Historical period	At least one pre-1900
Set texts	Neither text may be a set text studied for Papers 1 or 2
Genre	At least one must be prose
Quality and length	Both must be of literary merit and sufficient substance

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Independent Working

The NEA is designed to be your own work. AQA's regulations about teacher involvement are precise:

What Your Teacher Can Do

• Help you choose appropriate texts (but the final selection must be yours)
• Help you develop a task title (but the final wording must be yours)
• Give you one set of written feedback on a draft (this is the only formal feedback permitted)
• Discuss your work with you in general terms
• Point you towards secondary sources
• Confirm that your task title meets AQA's requirements

What Your Teacher Cannot Do

• Write or rewrite any part of your essay
• Give you detailed, line-by-line corrections
• Provide multiple sets of written feedback on successive drafts
• Tell you exactly what to change
• Write your bibliography for you

What This Means in Practice

You will typically go through this process:

1. Explore potential texts with your teacher's guidance
2. Select your two texts and read them independently
3. Develop a task title in discussion with your teacher
4. Research secondary sources independently
5. Write a first draft independently
6. Submit the draft to your teacher for the single set of written feedback
7. Revise and redraft based on that feedback
8. Submit the final version