ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: dekoyl on April 20, 2009, 07:19:39 pm
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What's the fastest way to improve language analysis skills?
I have a SAC in two days and I'm not ready. I don't have any model pieces I've wrote to look at.
Would memorising good essays, memorising the structure etc., be the best way to boost up marks? (Consider no teacher assistance)
Yes, it's my fault for neglecting English and not wisely using these holidays. :(
Thanks.
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My favorite way is to memorise heaps of essays , then memorise a lot of good phrases which are general for most articles. Say if an article utlises emotive/evocative imagery, then I'd memorise a phrase which corresponds to that technique and just do a bit of modifying to suit the article which is given. Same goes for other techniques.
Some people may not like memorising, but I guess different people have different methods :)
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Note: my own advice does not apply to everyone or Dekoyl himself but it would be what I would do for myself.
I wouldn't suggest memorising entire essays as this may be time consuming and possibly a waste of time. But I would rather memorise specific sentences regarding to tone for example or a way to start a contention. Also, it would be beneficial to memorise a generic conclusion and introduction as they are most important. Furthermore, use key words to link sentences together and to next paragraphs[ which you probably already know; =] ]. Also, be confident when identifying persuasive techniques, it does not have to be very precise, but make sure you get the important ones. When you have done many language analysis pieces, you will notice that there are always the same persuasive techniques used ie. appealing to 'something' (family values etc)
hope that helps!
=]
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Start writing practice essays. Now.
Costargh uploaded that Language Analysis pack. If you need help with structure, by all accounts the pack is brilliant and should be a good tool for you.
I wouldn't recommend actually memorising essays either - perhaps getting a "template" for introductions and/or conclusions would work. I've always been iffy about using other people's phrases - I find something you write on your own is generally sufficient provided you're confident, but if you have to, do it. What I would recommend is after writing your own phrases, read over them, see if they're good or not and compare them with others'; this way, you're not sacrificing the individuality or originality of your writing.
But seriously, the best way to revise is to write lots and lots of essays. Not only does it get you some good practice, it improves your writing speed, makes you better at writing in such conditions and is ultimately the best way to actually put into place any phrases or whatever you may be using. It won't go to waste either, since the end of year exam will have Language Analysis. It is perhaps the most painful, but it is the most useful, and probably the most time-efficient (I really can't imagine just memorising would do much good...).
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Language analysis is the worst and the most terrible thing on earth and I still hate it till this day. That said, last-minute studying for English is probably what I succeeded most at...
Polky's day-before-language-analysis-SAC studying "regime":
Read more newspaper articles and do analysis in your head. Remember to focus on the effect the technique has on the reader and how it achieves this (most people skim over this, this is the actual "meat" of your essay). Think about ways you can structure a good essay that covers the whole article evenly and not just focusing on certain techniques. Determine the structure of your essay. Remember that language analysis is not required to be like a real "essay" - I think you can have many little paragraphs each dedicated to a technique (as opposed to the intro + 3-main-points + conclusion structure of text response) and you don't have to have a conclusion! (gasp)
Read a few model language analysis essays and pick up on good ways of phrasing things and how they made the piece flow.
If possible, do a few sample paragraphs and make sure it is fluid, coherent, your handwriting is nice and legible.
Other than that... nothing much you can do. (I used to feel highly fatalistic about language analysises. Sorry xD)
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Maybe remember some useful sentence fragments, like:
- [Example] is aggressive and reflects the bias of the writer
- By condemning the [author's name] confronts the issue of ...
- ... attempts to undermine the position of [subject's name/another creator's name] by repeated references to '...'
- ... invites his/her readers to share his/her sense of outrage at...
- The tone of the [form] is established from the start with [technique]...
- [Example] typifies the graphic imagery used by [creator's name] and demostrates her/his fervent passion about the issue.
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hey polky,
did you use a 'generic'/formulated sentence/s to write your language analysis in the exam?
my teacher said that the high achievers used non-sophisticated vocab but more linking words etc that flow, but isnt that what everyone uses that are above average?
there is only such a limit to writing a language analysis IMO,[unless i havnt discovered the opposite]