Good luck for the English Exam tomorrow people :)

[DJA]

Just wanted to drop in and say good luck for the English exam tomorrow 2k15 peeps!

I still remember the nerves and feels I was having before this exam - it will be over soon

Try and enjoy it if you can.

Also I'm making an effort to be online from now till tomorrow - so if you have any last minute questions or just need to rant feel free to drop me an inbox or comment here. I'll try and provide moral support and/or answer anything.



&^This WILL be you after tomorrow - promised.

[dankfrank420]

Good luck everyone.

[imaware]

Any last minute advice/tips for text response? its the section i'm most worried about.
How did you approach it?

[DJA]

Any last minute advice/tips for text response? its the section i'm most worried about.
How did you approach it?

I wrote text response second in the exam.

Conquer language analysis first and approach text response next. My advice would be to glance over at the topics for the text response before you start the language analysis as soon as they begin the exam. You'll have one of two outcomes:
1) You look at the two topics and one topic stands out as the one which works for you really well (ie. you remember quotes for it, its a topic you have planned before, even better its a topic you have written on). If that's the case, quickly take 2-3 minutes sketching a plan for it next to the topic so you won't forget when you come back to do it. This is the preferable option
2) You look at the two topics and you're not sure which one is best for you - you feel as if you could write reasonably well on either but you're not sure which one you can approach best. If that's the case don't worry too much - I'd suggest get back to language analysis and smash it out, and let the topics simmer in your brain - with any luck (and this WILL happen) more information and ideas and quotes and all the good stuff will start to form in your brain as you language analyse to death and when you move on to text response it will be clearer.

When you read the topics please make sure to highlight and/or underline the key words in the topic. It's really easy in the pressure of the exam to miss an important point in the topic and lose marks that way. Don't lose those easy marks. Make sure your essay is really addressing the prompt. Ask yourself WHY and HOW.

Also make sure you ARE addressing the topic all the way through the essay - don't start meandering off into the trails of english analysis (if you're so inclined). A really good thing to do is to have the topic in front of you all the time. I did this by placing my exam next to the paper I was currently writing on and glancing back every now and then to check to make sure I wasn't losing track.

Don't be afraid to take 5 minutes to write an outline/structure for your essay - it helps heaps and ensures that you are logically building your argument. I would advise against writing blind and letting whatever comes out of your head just on to the paper.

Another tiny tip which can add real zing to your conclusion is to save a powerful short quote that sums up your argument for your conclusion and adding it in to tie your whole essay together. I did that with Henry IV and it worked pretty well

Good luck!

[PB]

Thanks for the tips DJA! XD

[sparkyblossom]

Hi DJA,

I'm a little concerned about the length of the essay. I know that the rule of thumb is quality over quantity, but at the same time quantity cannot be neglected.

How many pages do you recommend writing/how many pages did you write in the exam?

Thanks

[Serieux]

I wrote text response second in the exam.

Conquer language analysis first and approach text response next. My advice would be to glance over at the topics for the text response before you start the language analysis as soon as they begin the exam. You'll have one of two outcomes:
1) You look at the two topics and one topic stands out as the one which works for you really well (ie. you remember quotes for it, its a topic you have planned before, even better its a topic you have written on). If that's the case, quickly take 2-3 minutes sketching a plan for it next to the topic so you won't forget when you come back to do it. This is the preferable option
2) You look at the two topics and you're not sure which one is best for you - you feel as if you could write reasonably well on either but you're not sure which one you can approach best. If that's the case don't worry too much - I'd suggest get back to language analysis and smash it out, and let the topics simmer in your brain - with any luck (and this WILL happen) more information and ideas and quotes and all the good stuff will start to form in your brain as you language analyse to death and when you move on to text response it will be clearer.

When you read the topics please make sure to highlight and/or underline the key words in the topic. It's really easy in the pressure of the exam to miss an important point in the topic and lose marks that way. Don't lose those easy marks. Make sure your essay is really addressing the prompt. Ask yourself WHY and HOW.

Also make sure you ARE addressing the topic all the way through the essay - don't start meandering off into the trails of english analysis (if you're so inclined). A really good thing to do is to have the topic in front of you all the time. I did this by placing my exam next to the paper I was currently writing on and glancing back every now and then to check to make sure I wasn't losing track.

Don't be afraid to take 5 minutes to write an outline/structure for your essay - it helps heaps and ensures that you are logically building your argument. I would advise against writing blind and letting whatever comes out of your head just on to the paper.

Another tiny tip which can add real zing to your conclusion is to save a powerful short quote that sums up your argument for your conclusion and adding it in to tie your whole essay together. I did that with Henry IV and it worked pretty well

Good luck!

got any good quotes to end a henry essay on? <3 thanks

[DJA]

g

Thanks for the tips DJA! XD

get out of here dude! hahahaha

[DJA]

Hi DJA,

I'm a little concerned about the length of the essay. I know that the rule of thumb is quality over quantity, but at the same time quantity cannot be neglected.

How many pages do you recommend writing/how many pages did you write in the exam?

Thanks

Pretty sure I read Lauren's reply on this - trawl the English Q & A xD

My advice will always be quality over quantity but aim for like 3 and a half to 4 pages depending on your writing speed/writing size! It varies mate - dont get stressed over it. Around 800-850 words is minimum if you're aiming for those top marks.

got any good quotes to end a henry essay on? <3 thanks

Here are some samples of stuff which can work (note this is heavily biased by my interpretation of Hal hahaha - my advice is don't let my interpretation screw you over right now - stay strong in what you think to be true.)

1) For as the play closes with the Prince’s declaration to “Go to the Douglas and deliver him up ransomless and free” bestowing this honour on his brother John, we are encouraged to view Hal in a positive light – as a merciful individual who is best able to lead Plantagenet society into a much needed era of stability and peace.
Use to prove Hal is a bloke who wants the best for the country as a whole.

2) “Banish plump Jack and banish all the world"

Use to encapsulate the CHALLENGES of leadership

3) In 1 Henry IV, Shakespeare demonstrates that that it is theft that is most condemnable as performance is shown to be necessary in order to survive the politicking of this world “given to lying”.
Use to prove that the Plantagenet court is filled with disingenuous and shrewd and cunning politicking.

Hopefully of some use peeeps

[Mc47]

How would you end the essay on a quote exactly?

I have found the perfect quote to use, and I could pretty much use it as a standalone sentence if I wanted to. Would you integrate it as part of another sentence, and then explain it etc? Or start off the conclusion with that quote?

[hollidaisies]

How would you end the essay on a quote exactly?

I have found the perfect quote to use, and I could pretty much use it as a standalone sentence if I wanted to. Would you integrate it as part of another sentence, and then explain it etc? Or start off the conclusion with that quote?

I've done this on some SAC pieces throughout the year, and have received positive feedback from integrating quotes, usually as the last sentence.
One thing to note is that it's probably not ideal to introduce a new idea in your conclusion, so I would suggest only choosing a quote that strongly relates to what you've discussed in your essay. If you're doing this, it's probably not necessary to analyse/explain it, as it will follow the thread of your contention.
Hope this helps, and good luck tomorrow

[DJA]

How would you end the essay on a quote exactly?

I have found the perfect quote to use, and I could pretty much use it as a standalone sentence if I wanted to. Would you integrate it as part of another sentence, and then explain it etc? Or start off the conclusion with that quote?

You can just end on it - you don't have to fully analyse it dude Or it's up to you - feel free to draw some meaning out of it.

Example of a conclusion:

While the majority of the characters of this history play seem single-mindedly concerned with the attaining of greater authority – or solidifying their position – what we see is the inherent difficulty of positions of power as they often render us vulnerable to the scrutiny of others. Furthermore, the greatest challenge to leadership is perhaps encapsulated within Falstaff’s reminder to Hal, “Banish plump Jack and banish all the world” as it implies the unyielding formality of the royal court as unable to co-exist with the delights of freedom in a public sphere of satisfaction and friendship.  Yet Shakespeare suggests that this internal challenge to attaining true leadership can be overcome as the onus is on us to change as an individual. While the challenges to governance are myriad, ultimately, to make the choice to follow a certain path is an individual journey. Hence in Hal’s apparent transformation from wayward son to responsible leader, Shakespeare illuminates a sense of humanistic hope in our autonomy regardless of the difficulties plaguing the path of leadership.

For the record my conclusions were always pretty analytical don't know how I got away with it.

Don't worry about it - go to sleep!

[babushka818]

Its ever so slightly late and I hope there isn't actually anyone up at this hour but good luck to everyone sitting this exam in a few hours' time! It's been a long year and you're all prepped and ready to go, now stay calm and smash it! Have great faith in all of you, come back afterwards and let us know how fabulous you all were, and even if you weren't we're here to support you! Best of luck again everyone 

[appleandbee]

Hey,
Just wondering, with lang analysis, should I use definitive language to describe readers' reactions and writer's intentions eg. 'The writer does' instead of 'the writer attempts'? The teachers at my school doesn't like definitive language but other schools don't mind.

I can't sleep lol, just oscillating between reading my context essays and watching Breaking Bad.

[spectroscopy]

Hey,
Just wondering, with lang analysis, should I use definitive language to describe readers' reactions and writer's intentions eg. 'The writer does' instead of 'the writer attempts'? The teachers at my school doesn't like definitive language but other schools don't mind.

I can't sleep lol, just oscillating between reading my context essays and watching Breaking Bad.

i was always taught to say attempt instead of does, because you dont KNOW if the writers words have x effect on the reader. eg "through this, the writer attempts to elicit x response in the reader" instead of "through this, the writer elicits x response in the reader"