How to tackle Paper 1?

[Mada438]

Hey everyone!
So with paper 1 tommorrow, i'm curious as to how i should approach it. Especially what i should do first.
People who have completed the hsc, lend me your thoughts!
Should i do the creative, SA or Essay and why??

And as a follow on question, which section should i then complete second and third?

Thanks!
Wish me luck!

[owidjaja]

Hey there,
I would highly recommend doing short answer first because your 10 minutes of reading (I would assume) would be you reading the unseen texts. If you jump to an essay or creative, you just wasted 10 minutes of your reading time. And you would also have to go back to the unseen texts to jog your memory (another waste of time).

After that, I don't think it matters if you do creative or essay first. I tend to do the paper in order (creative, essay) because I just think a creative is a lot more to memorise than quotes so I might as well get creative out of the way first.

Hope this helps!

[jazcstuart]

I agree with owidjaja, I do the paper in order. I use reading time to read the unseen texts so then it is easier to launch straight into the short answers when time starts. I then try and smash out my creative and save a few minutes for my essay if I can, because I often run out of time.
You could do the essay first if you are worried about remebering all your quotes, I think either way works.
Good luck!

[angewina_naguen]

I know most people do the paper in order and it's perfectly reasonable why  Both owidjaja and jazcstuart are right in terms of the practicality of doing the paper in order. I can offer an alternative if you wanted to attempt the paper differently.

I think I'm the only person who doesn't have a set order going into a paper. I read the unseen texts first, look at the questions and decide the order on the spot. I usually go with the easiest section first and hardest last so I have more time. Sometimes, the unseen texts need more time for me because I have trouble identifying techniques quickly on the spot (or they just end up being really basic ones that don't have depth behind them). At other times, I might get a really bad essay question  that needs planning or creative stimuli that are more challenging for my story. I let the paper itself determine what order I do.

In the case of wasting time for the unseen, if you choose not to attempt it first, spend a few seconds just highlighting quotes you want to use for the short answers and that way, you can return to it with the reference material all there. It won't take up too much of your time and you can start on something that will make you feel more confident for the rest of the paper 

Good luck for all your exams 

Angelina