What the exam asks
In Paper 1 (20 marks per analysis), you may be given a print or online news report, a feature article from a magazine, or an opinion column (sometimes called an op-ed). Each comes with one guiding question on a technical or formal aspect, such as:
- How does the writer combine personal anecdote and factual reporting to persuade the reader?
- In what ways do the layout, photographs and written text work together to frame this issue?
To reach the top band in Criterion A (understanding and interpretation) and Criterion B (analysis and evaluation), you must distinguish objective reporting from subjective opinion, read between the lines to spot subtle framing or bias, and evaluate how the visual and verbal choices work together for the target audience.
Core ideas
1. Three journalistic text types
Before you write, check the provenance (author, publication, date and section label) to tell which sub-type you are reading.
| Text type | Primary purpose | Structural conventions | Voice and register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard news report | Inform quickly and appear objective | Headline, standfirst (the summary line below the headline), lead (opening paragraph with the 5 Ws: who, what, where, when, why) and inverted pyramid (most crucial facts first, minor details last) | Impersonal third-person, neutral tone, short single-sentence paragraphs |
| Feature / magazine article | Inform, entertain and explore in depth | Delayed lead (often opens with a vivid human-interest scene or anecdote), nut graph (the paragraph that explains why the story matters now), thematic subheadings, circular ending | Semi-formal to literary; descriptive imagery mixed with interviews and data |
| Opinion column / editorial | Persuade and provoke reaction | Hook linked to current news, clear thesis, paragraphs building an argument, concession and refutation (acknowledging the opposing view to knock it down), call to action | Strong personal persona (the character the writer presents to readers), using first-person I or inclusive we, in a signed column; institutional voice in an unsigned editorial |
2. Framing, selection and sourcing
Even a news report that avoids the word I shapes how you think. Watch for five hidden authorial choices (decisions the writer makes):
- Selection and omission: Which facts are placed in the headline and lead, and which are buried in the final paragraph or left out entirely?
- Framing: The angle from which the issue is presented (for example, framing a public transport strike as an economic crisis for commuters rather than a safety dispute for workers).
- Sourcing and attribution: Who gets quoted directly, who is only paraphrased, and whose credentials are emphasized?
- Reporting verbs: Neutral attribution (said, stated) versus loaded verbs that guide our judgement (claimed, admitted, insisted, warned, boasted).
- Sensationalism: Tabloid or clickbait choices—hyperbolic adjectives, puns, alliteration and catastrophe metaphors (flood, chaos, meltdown)—that heighten emotion over nuance.