50 in English, available for queries :)

[Paulrus]

just wanted to say to both lauren and brenden, thank you for all your help this year! regardless of how i may have gone on the exam, i know i would have done a lot worse without your help.
you guys are amazing, thank you so much!

[Yacoubb]

Thank you SO much for this year you have been of great help!

[Rishi97]

Thank you SO much for this year you have been of great help!

Agreed!!!
Lauren you are an angel thank you sooo much for helping us
And guys, regardless of the outcome don't be disappointed we all tried our hardest

[scandin9]

Hi Lauren,
When commenting on the impact upon the reader in an L.A is it necessary to comment on how different readers may react to a particular piece of language? Also, how would you comment on a technique like hypophora; what is the general effect on the reader? btw i am a year 11. Thanks so much for your help throughout the year!

[literally lauren]

Hi Lauren,
When commenting on the impact upon the reader in an L.A is it necessary to comment on how different readers may react to a particular piece of language? Also, how would you comment on a technique like hypophora; what is the general effect on the reader? btw i am a year 11. Thanks so much for your help throughout the year!

Splitting the readership can be helpful, but you're not meant to use a great deal of outside information. Stick to what they give you in the background info. ie. if they mention it's a speech to teachers and students, then it's perfectly fine to split your discussion with sentences like: 'This appeal would be particularly resonant with students given the author's populist attack on homework as a "waste of time" etc. What you don't want to do is over-generalise. For instance, if an author is using statistics, there's not need to discuss how this targets members of the community who are mathematically minded, unless that's been specified in the background info (eg. speech at a science conference or something.)

Commenting on hypophora can be as simple as commenting on a rhetorical question: 'The author hypophorically/rhetorically questions whether...'
The general effect isn't much use I'm afraid. A sentence like 'this rhetorical question encourages readers to question their own beliefs' is probably worth negative marks Try to always make this specific to the situational context, otherwise there's probably no sense using that technique

[IndefatigableLover]

Hey Lauren

What's the best way in getting feedback from someone? I'm going to start trialling writing small pieces of text (so like one paragraph and then get feedback on it and refine it etc.) since I feel the feedback I'm getting from teacher's isn't worthwhile.. so if I continue to do this throughout next year, when would be a good time to stop and start handing in an actual essay for them to correct?

[walkec]

Hey Lauren

What's the best way in getting feedback from someone? I'm going to start trialling writing small pieces of text (so like one paragraph and then get feedback on it and refine it etc.) since I feel the feedback I'm getting from teacher's isn't worthwhile.. so if I continue to do this throughout next year, when would be a good time to stop and start handing in an actual essay for them to correct?

To answer your first question, the best way to get feedback is to hand something in to begin with! I don't think refining what you've already written will be the most productive way to use your time. Rather you would be better to pay attention to the feedback and then apply it to the next paragraph or text that you write.

Can I ask why you think your teacher's feedback isn't worthwhile?

Lauren can vouch for me on this, but never never never never ever hand in full essays until you are ready to write them. This means for text response, having a solid knowledge of the text or for context, when you have many ideas to work with. If you write before this stage, most of what you write will be superficial and not be the best use of your time. I started writing practice essays before SACs, and did the occasional L.A. throughout the year and then really stepped it up about 2/3 through term 3 when I had decided on my texts for the exam.

[literally lauren]

Hey Lauren

What's the best way in getting feedback from someone? I'm going to start trialling writing small pieces of text (so like one paragraph and then get feedback on it and refine it etc.) since I feel the feedback I'm getting from teacher's isn't worthwhile.. so if I continue to do this throughout next year, when would be a good time to stop and start handing in an actual essay for them to correct?

Definitely with walkec on this one, it'd be better to get feedback before you start editing and refining your work. In my experience, refining is most effective when you're written something in time constraints (usually one hour per essay, though most people work up to this goal throughout the year) and then you give yourself the chance to go back over and correct any mistakes. There's no real reason why you should be imposing harsh time limits just yet, the focus at this point (and probably until about halfway through your Year 12) should be fine-tuning your approach and making sure your conceptual understanding is solid. Only then would you start cutting down on timing and working out how long it takes you to write a whole piece.

It's way more important to be able to write properly, even if it takes you five hours, than to be able to write some gibberish in 30 minutes but be able to 'refine' it into something presentable in the remaining 30. The best approach imo is to spend however long you need honing your skills throughout the year and only start worrying about timing in about Term 3.

Essentially it's a lot easier to go from writing something sophisticated in three hours to writing something sophisticated in one hour, than it is to go from writing something simplistic in one hour to something sophisticated in one hour.
^if that makes any sense?

For each task there is some advantage to writing smaller paragraphs, but that's really only a small exercise and not a valid substitute for whole essays. The skills you'd learn from writing one paragraph of language analysis (eg. pattern of analysing, how to select what to analyse, which vocab to use) is only part of what you'd need to do in a whole essay (paragraph structure and focus, overall depth and breadth etc.)

If you find yourself struggling in one particular area then writing bits and pieces might be helpful, but I wouldn't rely on this as a means of getting feedback. You might have a refined paragraph that's worth a 9, but that's not the standard you're at, it's just what one paragraph is capable of. Almost anyone can refine part of their work and turn it into something high scoring, but it's only through a bunch of entire essays that you'd get a valid indication of where you're at.

Basically the paragraphs might be good for checking your skillset or trying something new, but I'd say it's usually better to write a whole piece. Remember, English isn't just about writing; the reading and discussion you do throughout the year can be just as helpful, so don't feel like churning out work is the only way to learn.

Can I ask why you think your teacher's feedback isn't worthwhile?

...and is there any reason why their feedback would be better in smaller doses? (I'm assuming this is your current Year 11 teacher, and you'll have someone different next year?)
But if you still aren't getting the necessary feedback, AN has a wonderful community corrections network

[AllG_]

Hey guys, so I heard about some kind of 'AN English Submission' site where you can submit your English essays for correction - could somebody please provide me with a link?
Thanks in advance

[The Usual Student]

Hey Lauren !
I get penalised in my text response pieces because my paragraphs are too long and I have crammed too many ideas under one major idea that the paragraph is based on. I am very thorough with my text response pieces and I want or include many different examples and  idea under one major one. I was thinking about  splitting up my paragraphs but does that then mean each new paragraph needs to have a central idea? For instance , I wrote a paragraph about the threat of intelligence in 1984 and used more micro idea under that major one. The paragraph went on for ages! So I wanted to split up the paragraph but since all my ideas take the idea of the threat intelligence from different angles, I didn't know how I could formulate another central idea forms too start a new paragraph. .... Am I making sense? It's kinda hard to explain.

[literally lauren]

Hey guys, so I heard about some kind of 'AN English Submission' site where you can submit your English essays for correction - could somebody please provide me with a link?
Thanks in advance

Hey AllG, the Submissions page is accessible from the general English Studies board which branches off into all the different English subjects.
Link is here: English Work Submission and Marking
It's pretty quiet at the moment, but generally the people who give a lot of good feedback get help in return

Hey Lauren !
I get penalised in my text response pieces because my paragraphs are too long and I have crammed too many ideas under one major idea that the paragraph is based on. I am very thorough with my text response pieces and I want or include many different examples and  idea under one major one. I was thinking about  splitting up my paragraphs but does that then mean each new paragraph needs to have a central idea? For instance , I wrote a paragraph about the threat of intelligence in 1984 and used more micro idea under that major one. The paragraph went on for ages! So I wanted to split up the paragraph but since all my ideas take the idea of the threat intelligence from different angles, I didn't know how I could formulate another central idea forms too start a new paragraph. .... Am I making sense? It's kinda hard to explain.

I understand your apprehensions, but I'd say you'll have to start being strict with yourself when it comes to selecting arguments and evidence. In all likelihood what you're doing at the moment is using different evidence to support the same point. This is only effective in moderation, and you don't want to get bogged down in listing a bunch of stuff when two or three lines is enough. Alternatively, you might be using one example and trying to flesh out all of the points within it; this is also flawed since you have to strike a balance between showing your depth and breadth of knowledge.
Being conscious of this will be helpful, and reminding yourself to step back from your essay after you hit ~10 lines (depending on handwriting) can be quiet beneficial.

With the example you've given me (threat of intelligence in 1984) the issue might be that your overall paragraph focus is too broad. Turn this theme into a statement/contention, and it will be easier to stick to. 'The threat of intelligence' is basically the whole book, but something like 'The intelligence of the masses is a threat to the authorities, who - being so afraid - are more likely to respond aggressively and thus perpetuate the problem...' gives you a much stronger, clearer focus. Consequently, it'll be a lot easier to see where your paragraphs are deviating from your initial sub-contention than if you're examining a massive, almost all-encompassing theme or idea.

I'd say planning ahead would also be very helpful at this stage. Write out an extensive plan and limit yourself to a few examples per paragraph. Break things up in a logical fashion so you're not cherry picking random evidence, but make sure you don't ramble on too much.

Always keep the prompt in mind too. Often you'll have brilliant ideas and points to discuss, but if they're not relevant, you won't be getting as much credit as someone who's actually engaging with the topic, so always prioritise relevance over writing what you know. Your task isn't to just showcase your thorough understanding of the text, but to do so in relation to a given prompt. Just keep that criterion in mind and you should be fine

[The Usual Student]

I have learnt more English from Lauren then I have at school.......

[dyii22]

Hey Lauren,

Just wondering if you think extra resources such as text guides from the huge range of companies (TSSM, Insight, etc.) are worthwhile or just a waste of money.

Cheers

[literally lauren]

Hey Lauren,

Just wondering if you think extra resources such as text guides from the huge range of companies (TSSM, Insight, etc.) are worthwhile or just a waste of money.

Cheers

VATE are definitely the best, though I'm not sure if they do text specific guides anymore.
TSSM have good synopses and background info, but Insight has better analyses and in-depth theme/symbol discussion, so I'd probably recommend the latter. The Neap one's I've come across aren't that good. Checkpoints are decent but I haven't had much experience with them.
note: these are just my impressions from having read several guides over the years; often there are different people writing them who can approach the text in better or worse ways.

Honestly, I think they're all a waste of money. I'm not dissing the resources, but with the amount of stuff that's freely available online, forking out $20-$30 seems unnecessary (then again - I'm not rich, so if money is no object to you then go right ahead )

If you're studying one of the first year texts, however, then it might be a good idea. Even with my intense googling skills I couldn't find much available on the new novels. There will be stuff cropping up throughout the year, but the summer holidays is a great opportunity to get ahead in your readings, so a study guide or two might be useful

Ultimately the resale value is pretty good with most guides, and if you feel like you need one for clarity's sake then it'll be a worthwhile investment, but generally speaking they tend to be fairly surface-level.


edit: just checked the VATE page listing their publications (Inside Stories). The ones that are on the current Year 12 lists are
-All About Eve -Brooklyn -Cat's Eye -Cloudstreet -Henry IV Part 1 -I for Isobel -In the Country of Men -Mabo -Medea -No Sugar -Poems by Harwood -Stasiland -The Complete Maus -The Thing Around Your Neck -War Poems -This Boy's Life -Will You Please Be Quiet Please
If you're studying any of these, I'd recommend the Inside Stories guides over any of the other companies.
(they're usually written by the same teachers who write the exam prompts.)

[Burt Macklin]

Hey Lauren,
Did you have any specific system for collating external examples for Context that you think would work best? Like by prompt, aspects of the context etc. And in what format?