ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => Victorian Education Discussion => Topic started by: boysenberry on May 30, 2011, 06:22:18 pm

Title: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: boysenberry on May 30, 2011, 06:22:18 pm
In VCE English, does your neat handwriting make a big difference between receiving a high mark and receiving a low mark?
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: taiga on May 30, 2011, 06:31:29 pm
yeah that's fine but unnecessary commas are not
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: Charmz on May 30, 2011, 06:41:06 pm
As long as it's legible it's okay, I suppose. If you can make it neat, it makes the assessor happier and a happier assessor is what you want. :) My handwriting is atrocious.
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: Souljette_93 on May 30, 2011, 06:42:10 pm
Yeah it should be readable for them
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: pi on May 30, 2011, 06:53:41 pm
I'd say its distracting, but definitely won't bring a mark down. VCAA also have special hand-writing 'decoding' machines for severely messy handwriting, so its rarely an issue.
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: Menang on May 30, 2011, 06:55:07 pm
As long as it's legible.
Write a random paragraph (maybe copy something from wikipedia) that you probably won't remember in your normal exam handwriting.

Come back to it a few minutes/hours later and try to read it (you shouldn't be able to remember the words - the examiners will also be reading your essay for the first time).

If you can read it you're all good. :D
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: boysenberry on May 30, 2011, 07:01:18 pm
Also, how quickly do you guys write?

Is it possible to drastically improve handwriting speed?
How do some people manage to write so quickly? Is it through practice or is handwriting speed/style genetically predetermined?
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: pi on May 30, 2011, 07:06:29 pm
Also, how quickly do you guys write?

Is it possible to drastically improve handwriting speed?
How do some people manage to write so quickly? Is it through practice or is handwriting speed/style genetically predetermined?

I find I can only write fast if I have good ideas, if not, then :(


Usually I'm pretty quick though, mainly got that way through practice.
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: boysenberry on May 30, 2011, 07:10:11 pm
Also, how quickly do you guys write?

Is it possible to drastically improve handwriting speed?
How do some people manage to write so quickly? Is it through practice or is handwriting speed/style genetically predetermined?

I find I can only write fast if I have good ideas, if not, then :(


Usually I'm pretty quick though, mainly got that way through practice.

What methodology did you use to help increase your writing speed?

Did it take much time/effort to considerably increase it from what it was originally?

Moderator action: removed real name, sorry for the inconvenience
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: luken93 on May 30, 2011, 08:15:32 pm
Yeah, agree with pi. In a pre-planned essay, I can write ~1300words/hr.

My methodology was doing BM in Year 11 haha, heaps of writing in that and it pushes you to the very last minute.
I knew it had to be good for something.

Moderator action: removed real name, sorry for the inconvenience
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: burbs on May 30, 2011, 08:24:06 pm
I've quoted him before for this exact question here, but I'll do it again :P
As one of my teachers said 'No, you cannot get marked down for bad handwriting BUT if you were a marker awake at 2am on your 5th coffee and had just yelled at your significant other to go away - what would you rather see? A neat exam book or chicken scrawl where you have to search for answers.'

so: Don't make it something that needs the Rosetta stone to decipher, keep it legible~

As for writing fast - do a humanities/commerce subject and you will learn how to finish a page of questions whilst everyone else is filling in their VCE number.
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: luken93 on May 30, 2011, 08:52:48 pm
As for writing fast - do a humanities/commerce subject and you will learn how to finish a page of questions whilst everyone else is filling in their VCE number.
BM Represent!
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: nacho on May 30, 2011, 08:55:58 pm
I've quoted him before for this exact question here, but I'll do it again :P
As one of my teachers said 'No, you cannot get marked down for bad handwriting BUT if you were a marker awake at 2am on your 5th coffee and had just yelled at your significant other to go away - what would you rather see? A neat exam book or chicken scrawl where you have to search for answers.'

so: Don't make it something that needs the Rosetta stone to decipher, keep it legible~

As for writing fast - do a humanities/commerce subject and you will learn how to finish a page of questions whilst everyone else is filling in their VCE number.
I thought they went to a place designated by the VCAA to mark, as opposing to taking their papers home? (or as has been pointed out, scanned documents)
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: jane1234 on May 30, 2011, 09:16:54 pm
I worry more about SACs... the teachers at my school don't have decoding machines for my horrible handwriting :(
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: Ghost! on May 30, 2011, 09:27:01 pm
Also, how quickly do you guys write?

Is it possible to drastically improve handwriting speed?
How do some people manage to write so quickly? Is it through practice or is handwriting speed/style genetically predetermined?

I find I can only write fast if I have good ideas, if not, then :(


Usually I'm pretty quick though, mainly got that way through practice.

What methodology did you use to help increase your writing speed?

Did it take much time/effort to considerably increase it from what it was originally?

The easiest way to improve your handwriting is to continually practice. Put on a movie for two hours and practice writing out words and letters, making sure you get the actions right. Trying slow down how quickly you right, if you have a good plan for your essay then losing your train of thought shouldn't be a problem and will easily be regained.

Moderator action: removed real name, sorry for the inconvenience
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: luken93 on May 30, 2011, 09:32:41 pm
I've quoted him before for this exact question here, but I'll do it again :P
As one of my teachers said 'No, you cannot get marked down for bad handwriting BUT if you were a marker awake at 2am on your 5th coffee and had just yelled at your significant other to go away - what would you rather see? A neat exam book or chicken scrawl where you have to search for answers.'

so: Don't make it something that needs the Rosetta stone to decipher, keep it legible~

As for writing fast - do a humanities/commerce subject and you will learn how to finish a page of questions whilst everyone else is filling in their VCE number.
I thought they went to a place designated by the VCAA to mark, as opposing to taking their papers home? (or as has been pointed out, scanned documents)
Nah, I'm pretty sure they take them home (for BM anyway).
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: lexitu on May 30, 2011, 09:35:36 pm
I've quoted him before for this exact question here, but I'll do it again :P
As one of my teachers said 'No, you cannot get marked down for bad handwriting BUT if you were a marker awake at 2am on your 5th coffee and had just yelled at your significant other to go away - what would you rather see? A neat exam book or chicken scrawl where you have to search for answers.'

so: Don't make it something that needs the Rosetta stone to decipher, keep it legible~

As for writing fast - do a humanities/commerce subject and you will learn how to finish a page of questions whilst everyone else is filling in their VCE number.
I thought they went to a place designated by the VCAA to mark, as opposing to taking their papers home? (or as has been pointed out, scanned documents)
Nah, I'm pretty sure they take them home (for BM anyway).

For most exams they are taken home. I know that English is marked at a venue, though, as my teacher was an assessor and told us all about it.
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: luken93 on May 30, 2011, 09:51:51 pm
I've quoted him before for this exact question here, but I'll do it again :P
As one of my teachers said 'No, you cannot get marked down for bad handwriting BUT if you were a marker awake at 2am on your 5th coffee and had just yelled at your significant other to go away - what would you rather see? A neat exam book or chicken scrawl where you have to search for answers.'

so: Don't make it something that needs the Rosetta stone to decipher, keep it legible~

As for writing fast - do a humanities/commerce subject and you will learn how to finish a page of questions whilst everyone else is filling in their VCE number.
I thought they went to a place designated by the VCAA to mark, as opposing to taking their papers home? (or as has been pointed out, scanned documents)
Nah, I'm pretty sure they take them home (for BM anyway).

For most exams they are taken home. I know that English is marked at a venue, though, as my teacher was an assessor and told us all about it.
What an errmmmm, exciting thing to do?
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: nacho on May 31, 2011, 11:46:04 am
I've quoted him before for this exact question here, but I'll do it again :P
As one of my teachers said 'No, you cannot get marked down for bad handwriting BUT if you were a marker awake at 2am on your 5th coffee and had just yelled at your significant other to go away - what would you rather see? A neat exam book or chicken scrawl where you have to search for answers.'

so: Don't make it something that needs the Rosetta stone to decipher, keep it legible~

As for writing fast - do a humanities/commerce subject and you will learn how to finish a page of questions whilst everyone else is filling in their VCE number.
I thought they went to a place designated by the VCAA to mark, as opposing to taking their papers home? (or as has been pointed out, scanned documents)
Nah, I'm pretty sure they take them home (for BM anyway).

For most exams they are taken home. I know that English is marked at a venue, though, as my teacher was an assessor and told us all about it.
accounting and methods must be taken at a venue too then?
Im fairly sure everyone uses pencil for both of them
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: monokekie on May 31, 2011, 05:25:07 pm
i think its okay, as long as its legible.

you don't get 100% just because of having a neat handwriting.
Title: Re: Is messy handwriting, okay?
Post by: MJRomeo81 on June 01, 2011, 04:51:26 pm
Examiners are paid by the hour. They allocate a certain amount of time to mark each paper. If they are having problems trying to decipher your answer, you won't lose marks but you will surely piss the examiner off. From there you just have to hope a good soul is marking the paper.