Writing About Gender

English Language: AQA A Level, topic 3.1.1

When Do I Write About Gender?

Your knowledge of gender can be assessed in a couple of ways:

Question type: Evaluate the idea that…
This question is asking you for a discussion of your knowledge of gendered language.
It is worth 30 marks – 10 are for your argument and terminology, 20 are for your knowledge of theories and concepts.
You should write formally and in an academic style.

Question type: Write a/an…
This question is worth 30 marks and assesses your ability to write creatively (10 marks) and your knowledge of theories and concepts (20 marks).
It will ask you to write an opinion-based piece based on two articles you will have analysed in the previous question.
You MUST bring in your knowledge of genderlect, and it must be relevant to the topic the articles are about.
You should also try to bring in these articles to your piece.

In Paper 1, Section A, Questions 1,2 and 3, you may get texts which are about/feature women. You should NOT bring your theories into these questions at all.
In Paper 2, Section B, Question 3, the texts may be about genderlect – you MUST NOT bring theory into this question.

There are four main schools of thought for gendered language. You will often hear them referred to as the 'four Ds':
Dominance.
Deficit.
Difference.
Diversity.

Which questions should you NOT bring theories about gender into?
How many marks is Paper 2, Section A, Question 1 (Evaluate the idea that...) worth?
How many marks is Paper 2, Section B, Question 4 (Write a/an…) worth?
Which exam questions should you bring in your knowledge of genderlect and gendered language?
What style of writing should you adopt when answering Paper 2, Section A, Question 1 (Evaluate the idea that…)?