Tips for Macrob

[Genny.Bot]

Check your PMs   

[Phoenix11]

I did but i didn't get anything.
Maybe try again?
 

Check your PM.
 

Moderator action: Double post merged

[nights]

What school are you guys trying out for?
 

1) Nossal High
2) Melbourne High

[Phoenix11]

Oh okay.
How did you guys think you went with writing?
 

[Genny.Bot]

Oh okay.
How did you guys think you went with writing?
 

I think I went pretty well with my creative piece cause that's my forte and I somehow to managed to write something that seemed deep/dark. Persuasive was okay, I couldn't find three arguments for either side so i went with yeah they got paid too much and wrote a rebuttal. Overall I think I did okay for the writing portion 

You?

[Phoenix11]

Yeah, i think i did alright with writing.
I reckon i did better in Creative than Analytical but i finished them both in time so that was a relief.
For Analytical, i wrote about how they were getting paid too much and then so i wrote two body paragraphs which were the arguments, rebuttal and then conclusion.
 

[nights]

How did you guys think you went with writing?

For persuasive, I wrote two paragraphs 'for' the topic and one rebuttal. Two of my arguments were just based on what I read from the short text provided... I hope they don't deduct marks for unoriginal arguments
Also, I forgot to state my contention clearly in my introduction, and define key words, etc... I was going for a more un-basic style of writing, so I hope both the examiners aren't specifically looking for those persuasive features -_-''

Creative was fine, I just needed to write one or two more sentences to really polish/finish off my essay. I didn't really have a plot, it was more of a descriptive piece... I ended at a point where the protagonist gets bathed by the contents of the box, and the surroundings fade away, etc, so I hope the examiners don't consider it as an unfinished essay ;_; I've heard that unfinished essays get put in one of the lowest categories, without much consideration.
Also, the prompt was really similar to one I got in Hendersons (you approach a book that says 'do not open')! So I didn't really have trouble coming up with ideas.

Generally, I don't think this year's prompts were as difficult as to the ones from previous years. Writing's usually my strongest area, but I'm still a little concerned about my essays since they lacked a few essential writing features/elements...

[Genny.Bot]

You'll be fine 

For persuasive I did almost the exact same as you two paragraphs for it and a rebuttal, I did the classic persuasive features though (definitions, clearly state. it was very template-like).

For creative, my person was trapped in the room and they were in a 'facility' and the box was a 'test'. Though I don't think it was bad, I think I could of added a few more sentences to really finish it off nicely.

I heard one of the prompts a few years ago was 'Imagine a world without sunlight' and I thought it would be something like that which would have been more enjoyable to write but I guess not.

[nights]

I did the classic persuasive features though (definitions, clearly state. it was very template-like).

Now that I think about it, I think we had to include those to get a reasonable score

I heard one of the prompts a few years ago was 'Imagine a world without sunlight' and I thought it would be something like that which would have been more enjoyable to write but I guess not.

I think last years (?) was 'imagine if you could read minds'. I agree, this year's prompt was not that interesting...

[Genny.Bot]

I had a bit of trouble coming up with ideas as well, cause they specified that it was a small box, and I was scared that i would lose marks if I did something big

I'm not actually sure how they mark it which is why I was a bit iffy about writing a rebuttal in the first place. Meh it was okay all in all but I think it could have been better.

[nights]

they specified that it was a small box

Really? I didn't pick up on that, but I'm pretty sure I mentioned that the box was pretty small.

I'm not actually sure how they mark it which is why I was a bit iffy about writing a rebuttal in the first place.

At my tuition, they said including a rebuttal was fine.
I think they mark your essay out of X or something, and you get a mark for showing good structure, vocab, etc...? Meeting a certain criteria will gain a point, if that makes sense. That's how they marked our essays at my tuition, anyway.
Eg;
Good paragraphing?: 1
Consistency of tense?: 1
Powerful language used?: -
...
Final mark: 12/20
It's not an unfamiliar method of marking essays, but don't take my word for it, I think this is their method.
They said 3 people were gonna be marking all 3,000 of our essays! I think it's to make our final mark more fair.

Meh it was okay all in all but I think it could have been better.

That sums up how I feel rn

[Genny.Bot]

3 People?! My lord!!

Though I feel like the worry for the exam will drift away soon, it will probably linger in the back of mind for the weeks to come...
Heh and the few days before the results come out, that'll be hell.

[Phoenix11]

Yeah the lady said 3 people.
Do you think they mark one piece together or separately?

[Genny.Bot]

I actually have no idea how they mark the exams.. Like I was almost unaware until after the exam had been completed ;-;

[Phoenix11]

Oh okay.
However it's going to take a really long time to mark the writing pieces that is both analytical and creative.