How did AN help you achieve your study score/ATAR?
How did you utilise AN to your benefit? I'm wondering if using the resources on AN is sufficient enough so you don't have to dig up your own stuff on the Internet since most of the stuff on AN have already been found.
I found that immersing yourself in a subject is so important in order to achieve high results. In order to do this, you need to study both actively, and passively. What I mean by this, is that you should be actively writing essays, participating in class discussions and writing notes, but you should ALSO be reading, thinking and talking about the subject in your "off-time". In year 12 I would come on ATAR Notes most nights and browse through the forums, reading through advice sections and looking at other student's work (usually while watching TV and listening to music, let's be honest). While this isn't active study, I was still being productive!
Here are a couple of tips for using ATAR Notes as a study tool that you may not have thought of, but can be hugely beneficial:
- Correct other people's work: when someone posts an essay (e.g. in the Essay submission section), read through it thoroughly and mark it as though you are the assessor. This forces you to think critically and like an exam assessor. Eventually you will be able to identify elements of writing that are strong, or a common pitfalls for students. You can pick up new ideas, expand your vocabulary, and if you give feedback to the person who submitted it- everyone wins!
- Keep a small notebook for tips and tricks: students will often give small, specific pieces of advice about writing which would usually go in one ear and out the other. However, it's these small tips which can really elevate your work. I got into the habit of keeping a small diary with simple, easy-to-use techniques that enhance all essays. For example: "Vary sentence length to create an interesting rhythm and keep the reader engaged." Small changes make the biggest difference!
I honestly think that the resources on this website are enough, as long as they are being used in addition to class resources and your teacher, not as the primary source of knowledge. However, be careful of relying too much on other people's ideas and examples, especially for text response. Examiners look for unique essays, and you will be rewarded for ingenuity, rather than using the same stock-standard quotes and examples as everyone else. I 100% recommend searching your texts thoroughly for unique, complex and unusual quotes to use (as long as they are still relevant). As for notes on structure, themes, vocab etc., AN is a great port of call.
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