Explain two evaluative techniques (4 marks)

Question: Explain two different techniques a candidate can use to demonstrate critical evaluation rather than mere description.

Mark scheme (4 marks — 2 marks per technique: 1 for naming, 1 for development):

• Hedged judgement (1) — using qualifiers such as 'largely', 'partially', 'arguably' to signal nuanced critical thinking rather than absolute praise (1).
• Embedded quotation (1) — weaving a short textual fragment into the candidate's own grammatical structure to show command of the text (1).
• Synoptic conclusion (1) — a final sentence weighing overall success of the writer against their evident purpose (1).
• Audience-specific evaluation (1) — judging effectiveness for a named reader (e.g. 1940s wartime audience) rather than a 'universal' reader (1).
• Counter-claim (1) — conceding where a device is less successful, e.g. 'though the rhetorical pitch becomes self-defeating' (1).

Max 4 marks. Two techniques must be clearly distinct.