insight, checkpoints or neap for english?

[upandgo]

which one would be the best? 

[Orson]

which one would be the best? 

Just write essays. You can find like heaps essay prompts online, and if you can't just ask the good folk here. I had the Checkpoints, and I didn't find it very helpful. I'm not sure about the other two. However, the ATARNotes english book (Now called ExamPro) was very helpful. Just writing essays is what will help the most. Again, I'm not the greatest person to be answering this.

[vor0005]

Personally, I used neither.... and if you're chasing a high mark in English then these study guides won't really help you.

As Orson pointed out above, writing essays is the best method of improvement for English. But more importantly, you must have a motivated teacher/tutor who will help you with your writing and point you in the write direction (merely writing essays without feedback can be a waste of time...)

[tashhhaaa]

Honestly... none.

I never owned any English study guides and I don't regret it either. In English, you really need to stand out and form your own unique and meaningful interpretation. That won't be achieved by looking at study guides that everyone else in the state has access to.

What I did was read my texts thoroughly -- I don't mean several times though -- and I tried to question the motives of the characters, what was happening/why, etc etc. As soon as I had a thought I would write it in the margins of my text (if you have a film just write notes). By the end of the year I had my own study guide that no one else had, full of ideas that I could use to tackle any prompt.

Also, I loved discussing my texts with teachers, AN'ers, friends, anyone who wanted to listen because their interpretation is definitely valid and can really give you some quality material to work with. If I picked up anything from someone else I'd add it to my crazy annotations and give it my own spin for later use.

[upandgo]

thanks guys! upon reading this i've been making my own 'study guides' and it's definitely helped me alot!

once again, thankyou 

[ST0123]

Hi upandgo,

Instead of using study guides I would recommend using academic papers or reading the introductions that precede a text as the ideas are often more sophisticated and nuanced than VCE level pitched resources.

ST0123