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Assessment Objective 5 (AO5) requires you to "explore literary texts informed by different interpretations." In the NEA, this means engaging with secondary sources — the academic criticism, critical theories, and scholarly debates that surround your chosen texts. Using secondary sources well demonstrates intellectual curiosity and critical sophistication. Using them badly — or not at all — costs you up to 10 marks.
| Type | Examples | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Academic monographs | Books by literary scholars published by university presses | High — peer-reviewed and authoritative |
| Journal articles | Essays in academic journals (e.g., Essays in Criticism, Modern Fiction Studies) | High — peer-reviewed |
| Essay collections | Edited volumes of critical essays on a text, author, or theme | High — usually peer-reviewed |
| Introductions to editions | Critical introductions in scholarly editions (e.g., Oxford World's Classics, Penguin Classics) | High — written by experts |
| Textbooks and study guides | York Notes, SparkNotes, Cambridge Companions | Medium — useful overviews but may lack original analysis |
| Online resources | British Library articles, university lecture notes, literary blogs | Variable — check authorship and credentials |
| Wikipedia | General encyclopedia entries | Low — do not cite Wikipedia in your NEA |
| AI-generated text | ChatGPT, Bard, Claude outputs | Not acceptable — cannot be cited; AQA treats this as malpractice |
| Resource | How to access it | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| JSTOR | Via school/college library subscription or free limited access | Academic journal articles — the single best source for literary criticism |
| Google Scholar | Free at scholar.google.com | Searches academic publications; links to PDFs where available |
| British Library | bl.uk — many resources free online | Articles, digitised manuscripts, contextual resources |
| University library catalogues | COPAC (copac.jisc.ac.uk) searches UK university libraries | Identifies monographs and edited collections |
| Your school/college library | Ask your librarian | May have critical editions, essay collections, and literary companions |
| Cambridge Companions | Available in most libraries | Authoritative essay collections on major authors and periods |
| Oxford Handbooks | Available in most libraries | Comprehensive reference works on literary topics |
When searching for criticism, use specific terms:
Exam Tip: Start with the introduction to a scholarly edition of your text (e.g., the Oxford World's Classics or Penguin Classics edition). These introductions are written by leading scholars and provide an excellent overview of the critical landscape.
Not all sources are equally useful or reliable. Evaluate every source you find:
| Criterion | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Authority | Who wrote this? Are they an academic? Do they have expertise in this area? |
| Publication | Where was this published? Is it a peer-reviewed journal or a university press? |
| Date | When was this written? Is it still relevant, or has the critical conversation moved on? |
| Argument | What claim does the critic make? Is it well-evidenced? Do other critics agree or disagree? |
| Relevance | Does this source address the specific aspect of the text that your NEA focuses on? |
| Originality | Does this critic offer an original argument, or are they summarising others? |
Be cautious of sources that:
The key to AO5 is not merely quoting critics — it is engaging with them. This means using critical perspectives to deepen your own argument, not replacing your analysis with theirs.
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