QCAA English & Literature Extension study plan
QCAA English & Literature Extension · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Unit 3
Map the Unit 3 syllabus objectives into a one-page checklist of assessable skills
Annotate one prescribed literary text for genre conventions, textual features, and possible interpretations
Draft three analytical thesis statements on that text and rank them by arguable strength
Define the key metalanguage terms you will need for close analysis and write a working definition for each
Your checkpoint
A one-page Unit 3 skills checklist plus an annotated text and three ranked thesis statements
Unit 3
Write two full analytical paragraphs that integrate short quotations with commentary on effect
Practise embedding evidence so quotation never exceeds one clause per paragraph
Revise both paragraphs after self-marking against a criteria-based rubric
Build a quotation bank of 15 short, versatile excerpts from the current text
Your checkpoint
Two revised analytical paragraphs with tracked changes and a 15-entry quotation bank
Unit 3
Compare two texts or two readings of one text and articulate the interpretive difference
Construct an argument that acknowledges and rebuts a counter-interpretation
Time yourself writing one extended response under exam conditions
Identify three recurring weaknesses in your timed response and log them
Your checkpoint
One timed extended response plus a written weakness log with three specific fixes
Unit 3
Consolidate Unit 3 metalanguage by self-testing definitions and applications
Rewrite your weakest timed paragraph to distinction standard
Summarise the assessment conditions and criteria in your own words
Review all logged weaknesses and confirm each has been addressed at least once
Your checkpoint
A corrected Unit 3 practice response scoring against the criteria, with a completed weakness log
Unit 4
Map the Unit 4 syllabus objectives and identify how they extend Unit 3 skills
Select and annotate a new text for the Unit 4 focus area
Draft a comparative or theoretical framing that situates the text in a wider context
Compile 15 new quotations with brief notes on interpretive significance
Your checkpoint
A Unit 4 skills map, an annotated new text, and a 15-entry annotated quotation bank
Unit 4
Write a sustained analytical response that develops a single coherent argument across multiple paragraphs
Integrate secondary or theoretical perspectives only where they sharpen your own claim
Edit the response for cohesion, signposting, and precise metalanguage
Self-mark against the criteria and record a numeric score with justification
Your checkpoint
One sustained Unit 4 analytical response with a self-assessed score and justification
Unit 4
Complete two timed practice responses under full exam conditions
Apply the fixes from your weakness log and verify improvement
Rehearse planning a response in under five minutes
Refine your quotation banks down to the most versatile entries
Your checkpoint
Two timed responses with a comparison showing measurable improvement against Week 4
Unit 3 & Unit 4
Run a full mock exam covering both units within the allotted time
Mark the mock against the criteria and identify the two highest-impact remaining gaps
Revise those two gaps with targeted practice
Finalise a one-page exam-day plan covering timing, planning, and checking
Your checkpoint
A completed full mock exam with marked feedback and a one-page exam-day plan
Milestones
Week 4: You can produce a timed Unit 3 extended response that meets the criteria for analysis and interpretation, and your weakness log shows each logged issue addressed at least once.
Week 6: You can write a sustained Unit 4 response with a coherent central argument, integrated evidence, and a self-assessed score that matches the rubric.
Week 8: You complete a full mock exam within time and can name your two highest-impact remaining gaps with a concrete plan to close them.