ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: Timtasticle on October 28, 2007, 01:33:09 pm

Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Timtasticle on October 28, 2007, 01:33:09 pm
VCE English is definitely not my thing.

Anyone got any advice for what I should do for preparation over the next few days?
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: melanie.dee on October 28, 2007, 01:40:02 pm
hahah oh join the club. and english is supposed to actually be my thing, but im currently doomed.

i duno. write lots of detailed plans for a variety of topics. do all the past vcaa exam language analyses and point of view. read/watch your texts another time. get some good quotes and make sure you know how to analyse them and flesh out the ideas.

practice doing everything to time. absorb yourself in the texts. im thinking discussing my texts with other people would be nice atm, i need to absorb myself into the ideas, as silly as that sounds.
Title: Re: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: BA22 on October 28, 2007, 01:40:53 pm
Quote from: Timtasticle
VCE English is definitely not my thing.

Anyone got any advice for what I should do for preparation over the next few days?


What particularly is dooming you?
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Timtasticle on October 28, 2007, 01:49:52 pm
Thanks for the advice melanie.dee!

The main thing that's 'dooming me' is the time frame. I'm told I'm a good writer, but I can't write a decent text response in 50 minutes.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: BA22 on October 28, 2007, 01:53:42 pm
yeh, the only solution to that is to practice really

you could get at least 3 practice exams done between now and your exam. Don't do one on thursday though
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: choc_bananas on October 28, 2007, 01:54:14 pm
Quote from: "Timtasticle"


The main thing that's 'dooming me' is the time frame. I'm told I'm a good writer, but I can't write a decent text response in 50 minutes.


Practice!!
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: choc_bananas on October 28, 2007, 01:56:44 pm
Quote from: "BA22"

you could get at least 3 practice exams done between now and your exam. Don't do one on thursday though


why not one on Thursday?
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Ahmad on October 28, 2007, 01:59:49 pm
Quote from: "choc_bananas"
Quote from: "BA22"

you could get at least 3 practice exams done between now and your exam. Don't do one on thursday though


why not one on Thursday?


English exams happen to be straining on the hand.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: choc_bananas on October 28, 2007, 02:05:01 pm
Quote from: "Ahmad"


English exams happen to be straining on the hand.


true true.

However i will be doing one at 9am Thursday morning to make sure im comfortable with the time and to build my confidence to get through Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. :-)
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: azhtey on October 28, 2007, 02:51:41 pm
Quote from: BA22
yeh, the only solution to that is to practice really

you could get at least 3 practice exams done between now and your exam. Don't do one on thursday though


u r nuts. How could anyone do 3 english exams in the time left. Thats like doing 3 practice gats just before a gat.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: BA22 on October 28, 2007, 02:53:28 pm
if they were committed they would. They just simply would.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: choc_bananas on October 28, 2007, 02:55:25 pm
Quote from: "azhtey"
Quote from: "BA22"
yeh, the only solution to that is to practice really

you could get at least 3 practice exams done between now and your exam. Don't do one on thursday though


u r nuts. How could anyone do 3 english exams in the time left. Thats like doing 3 practice gats just before a gat.


im doing four... but yes, i am nuts.  :lol:
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: pepsi on October 28, 2007, 04:04:00 pm
uhh what about all your other subjects lol?

i find myself neglecting all my other subjects due to this damn English exam. Not to mention i have 2 exams in one day
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Ahmad on October 28, 2007, 04:08:02 pm
Quote from: "pepsi"


i find myself neglecting all my other subjects due to this damn English exam.


This is exactly my position. I have studied for no other subject.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: melanie.dee on October 28, 2007, 04:08:31 pm
im not doing any other subjects until after english! iv got either 6 or 7 days between all my exams (disregarding the 2 methods exams in there that i wont be studying at all for because iv written it off), so i should be right. obviously i have already done some study for them early, (well a bit) but i mean no studying for anything besides english from now until exam.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: choc_bananas on October 28, 2007, 04:09:50 pm
Quote from: "pepsi"
uhh what about all your other subjects lol?

i find myself neglecting all my other subjects due to this damn English exam. Not to mention i have 2 exams in one day


im comfortable with my other subjects. plus my timetable is perfectly spread out:

2nd English
9th Australian History
15th National Politics
21st International Studies.



i have plenty of time before each exam to focus on one subject. :D
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: melanie.dee on October 30, 2007, 11:53:07 pm
gar i felt to need to post in the "im doomed" thread considering the fact that im sitting here trying to write a stupid text essay and i dont know what to say :( hmph this is horrible
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: joechan521 on October 31, 2007, 09:27:50 am
last year they had specialist the same day with english, that would be doom.
........and everybody, 1 and half more days left!!!!
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Odette on October 31, 2007, 10:11:58 am
Quote from: "joechan521"
last year they had specialist the same day with english, that would be doom.
........and everybody, 1 and half more days left!!!!


Lol thanks for reminding us...
I just want to get it over and done with, I'm sick of english lol
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Ahmad on October 31, 2007, 10:24:55 am
I agree with Odette, finished finished finished.. imagine how it'll feel =D
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Odette on October 31, 2007, 10:30:39 am
Quote from: "Ahmad"
I agree with Odette, finished finished finished.. imagine how it'll feel =D


It'll feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders lol ...
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Markos on October 31, 2007, 11:18:23 am
I'm finding it IMPOSSIBLE to complete a well written essay at the moment. Today I've been writing on Hard Times and after an hour of writing (which is how much time I'm setting for a text response in the exam) I havent come close to the second paragraph in the body of my essay. I cannot believe how hard I'm finding it
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Ahmad on October 31, 2007, 11:23:09 am
Well, don't do that in the exam. Finishing it is more important than whether the language is very good or excellent, for example. Maybe you should just let yourself write, without judging yourself too harshly.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: ninwa on October 31, 2007, 11:28:53 am
Yeah, just write write write, you'll find yourself improving as time goes on. Also sometimes I find it extremely hard to get started but once I get into the essay it just starts flowing by itself.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Markos on October 31, 2007, 11:37:52 am
Basically that's what I've done for each english SAC, just written without worrying too much about what words I use etc. Reading over what I wrote in the SACs this is pretty obvious. I didnt get to sit a trial exam for english this year because I had my Indo oral at the same time so I'm not entirely sure how it feels to write for 3 hours under exam conditions, even though I tried best to replicate that today (didnt exactly go too well).
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Odette on October 31, 2007, 11:40:40 am
Quote from: "childofbodom"
I'm finding it IMPOSSIBLE to complete a well written essay at the moment. Today I've been writing on Hard Times and after an hour of writing (which is how much time I'm setting for a text response in the exam) I havent come close to the second paragraph in the body of my essay. I cannot believe how hard I'm finding it


I have that problem as well... what i do is i write a little plan and brainstorm some ideas before writing the essay [look at what the topic is asking, find the main contention, look at which characters/themes you need to discuss,construct and argument according to whether you agree or disagree with the contention, clarify your argument using evidence], and i write the body of the essay first, then the introduction and conclusion, it works for me lol..

Hope that helps :)
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Timtasticle on October 31, 2007, 11:44:37 am
Speaking of planning... The only method I've ever been taught is the 'interrogation method'... Anyone use anything different/better??
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: melanie.dee on October 31, 2007, 11:47:44 am
interrogation method? what on earth is that

iv decided what works best for me seems to be planning my ideas, wrting my intro, writing my topic sentences and then trying to fill it in.

i used to be one of those people who didnt plan and jsut wrote and wrote and wrote and that used to work incredibly well for me, but seeing as i seem to have lost all natural knack for english, im having to change methods. hmm

so wait you've never done a 3 hour exam before? did you do one in year 11? oh and what about the gat although its not really the same thing

iv done 2 eng prac exams at school, but i didnt really do anything in them cos i couldnt motivate myself to work eek
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Markos on October 31, 2007, 11:55:19 am
I think Odette's planning is what I'd be looking at for getting the clear points I'd be writing about.. But just like Melanie, I barely ever plan my essays. I realise thats probably why I can't write.

Intro's always take a really long time for me, I try to well as possible because that's usually the first thing the assessors would read.

But then would adding in a plan actually help your intro? I guess it'd clearly say what your intentions are, probably more clearly than how my intro sounds
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: dxb on October 31, 2007, 11:57:01 am
Im also struggling to write an essay. I have been reading over all my notes and what not n studying fairly well but I just cant bring myself to writing one atm. I had a practice 3 hour exam on monday and a couple of weeks ago and I wrote a couple of essays 2 weeks ago. Anyone recon this is enough? lol
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Markos on October 31, 2007, 11:59:35 am
HA, I've barely finished an essay since my last SAC mid-last term
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Odette on October 31, 2007, 12:03:39 pm
Quote from: "childofbodom"
HA, I've barely finished an essay since my last SAC mid-last term


:o! well i guess the best thing to do now would be writing sample plans on various essay topics
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Timtasticle on October 31, 2007, 12:03:42 pm
Hmmm I can't bring myself to write at the moment either.

Blah.

I'm going to go sit outside, get some fresh air and read some study guides on my texts.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Markos on October 31, 2007, 12:10:02 pm
Quote from: "Odette"
Quote from: "childofbodom"
HA, I've barely finished an essay since my last SAC mid-last term


:o! well i guess the best thing to do now would be writing sample plans on various essay topics


Ahh! good idea. I've got plenty for the quiet american, not as many for hard times though. I'm pretty sure its the first year it has been on the text list..
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Odette on October 31, 2007, 12:11:02 pm
Quote from: "dxb"
Im also struggling to write an essay. I have been reading over all my notes and what not n studying fairly well but I just cant bring myself to writing one atm. I had a practice 3 hour exam on monday and a couple of weeks ago and I wrote a couple of essays 2 weeks ago. Anyone recon this is enough? lol


Well as to whether that's enough or not, I can't really say, as it depends on you... ive done about 7 text responses and 10 writing tasks now... and i think thats enough for me lol ... i need the practice believe me

All i'm doing now is writing plans, and remembering quotes :)
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: dxb on October 31, 2007, 12:33:46 pm
Hummm shit.

OK, time to get serious...I'll do some analysis and mabey a POV.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Odette on October 31, 2007, 12:35:34 pm
Quote from: "dxb"
Hummm shit.

OK, time to get serious...I'll do some analysis and mabey a POV.


Good luck :) dont stress too much, it wont help :)
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: dxb on October 31, 2007, 12:42:08 pm
Quote from: "Odette"
Quote from: "dxb"
Hummm shit.

OK, time to get serious...I'll do some analysis and mabey a POV.


Good luck :) dont stress too much, it wont help :)


Lol, im far from stressing, which is actualy what im worried about.

Edit: Actually, now i am stressin.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Markos on October 31, 2007, 12:53:29 pm
Quote from: "dxb"
Quote from: "Odette"
Quote from: "dxb"
Hummm shit.

OK, time to get serious...I'll do some analysis and mabey a POV.


Good luck :) dont stress too much, it wont help :)


Lol, im far from stressing, which is actualy what im worried about.

Edit: Actually, now i am stressin.


I was exactly like that yesterday lol.
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Odette on October 31, 2007, 01:01:16 pm
Well you should stress, just dont over stress :) i'm worried im not stressed enough :P
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Collin Li on October 31, 2007, 05:43:10 pm
I'm stressed out because I'm unsure whether I'm not stressed out enough about being too stressed out for exams.

I don't even know what I mean :D
Title: Okay, So I'm pretty much doomed.
Post by: Odette on October 31, 2007, 05:48:42 pm
Quote from: "coblin"
I'm stressed out because I'm unsure whether I'm not stressed out enough about being too stressed out for exams.

I don't even know what I mean :D


Haha i can actually understand that... makes sense to me, because thats kinda how i feel