English Advanced Question Thread

[loz0829]

Hi...
Critic quotes are not essential in mod b, but definitely add strength and depth to your arguments. Sometimes an essay question may even ask you include critics - in this case, you will definitely need to include some quotes to maximise your marks.   

Here are some that I have used for Atwood to get you started:
-  Messing with Atwood: Power, Reception and Writing Politics (accessible online)
-  A review by Australian author, Dorothy Johnston
-  A newspaper review of the collection that Spotty-Handed Villainesses is from: Curious Pursuits.

For the other speeches, a quick google search should help you find some online articles and literary reviews about each of them. Feel free to ask back if there are some in particular you having trouble finding quotes for, as I have do have a few for each of the speeches. But it is always best to pick quotes that you can easily work with: whether it be agree with, or challenge, in your essays. 

Thank you!

[jamonwindeyer]

For Donne and W;t, do I need to make sure I know all the poems (ie can they ask about specific ones) or can I get away with knowing most of them?

You do unfortunately need to know all the poems at least a little, because they can ask about specific ones!! Module B is the only module where they tend to do that. because it is the critical study you do need to have that additional layer of textual knowledge.

My recommendation would be to know all the poems just a little bit, like, enough to get a paragraph on them or so. Then just learn your favourites in depth. If they ask on a specific one, you have something to use and can just fill it out with your others

[zanibalh]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering for anyone doing speeches for module B; is it necessary to mention ethos, pathos, logos, kairos literally.

My teacher says that they're vital components of the syllabus and they should relate somehow to each quote incorporated in the essay for analysis, but then when I was telling others who have sat the exams previously; they were disagreeing & saying that they're just greek words and don't really add much because essentially anyone of high reasoning would have all the mentioned elements for them to communicate their speeches effectively to their audience?

I don't know what to take from this - still so torn between them. Would love to know what you guys think!

Thanks so much!

[jamonwindeyer]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering for anyone doing speeches for module B; is it necessary to mention ethos, pathos, logos, kairos literally.

My teacher says that they're vital components of the syllabus and they should relate somehow to each quote incorporated in the essay for analysis, but then when I was telling others who have sat the exams previously; they were disagreeing & saying that they're just greek words and don't really add much because essentially anyone of high reasoning would have all the mentioned elements for them to communicate their speeches effectively to their audience?

I don't know what to take from this - still so torn between them. Would love to know what you guys think!

Thanks so much!

Hey there!! This is a new one for me, I'd love opinions/other experiences of this!!

All I'll say is I probably used those words once or twice in my speeches essay, and I did fine (my Trials speeches essay got 20/20 from a HSC marker), so I wouldn't imagine it is essential

[kauac]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering for anyone doing speeches for module B; is it necessary to mention ethos, pathos, logos, kairos literally.

My teacher says that they're vital components of the syllabus and they should relate somehow to each quote incorporated in the essay for analysis, but then when I was telling others who have sat the exams previously; they were disagreeing & saying that they're just greek words and don't really add much because essentially anyone of high reasoning would have all the mentioned elements for them to communicate their speeches effectively to their audience?

I don't know what to take from this - still so torn between them. Would love to know what you guys think!

Thanks so much!

Hi...
I normally attach a rhetoric device to each of my quotes, because I generally incorporate the concept of rhetoric into my thesis. My teachers have never made any comments about it being helpful/unnecessary to do so.

If you don't usually use rhetoric, I think it would definitely helpful to practice how to include it in your essays, especially since the essay question has specifically been on the topic of rhetoric in the past. 

[jazcstuart]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering for anyone doing speeches for module B; is it necessary to mention ethos, pathos, logos, kairos literally.

My teacher says that they're vital components of the syllabus and they should relate somehow to each quote incorporated in the essay for analysis, but then when I was telling others who have sat the exams previously; they were disagreeing & saying that they're just greek words and don't really add much because essentially anyone of high reasoning would have all the mentioned elements for them to communicate their speeches effectively to their audience?

I don't know what to take from this - still so torn between them. Would love to know what you guys think!

Thanks so much!

I would say that using them for every quote seems unecessary. For my essays, my teacher would pick me up on it if I didn't include those techniques at least once per paragraph (she is also a HSC marker). This is just one opinion, although looking at Jamon's answer I guess it is not necessary to do well. However I would say you should mention them at least a couple of times in your essay to be safe.

As Kauac said, I have a friend who incorporates especially ethos and pathos in her thesis and topic sentences, so that can work as well.

It's so hard when there are different things said by different people, this is one reason why I am not a fan of english . Hopefully we haven't confused you more! Good luck

[zanibalh]

I would say that using them for every quote seems unecessary. For my essays, my teacher would pick me up on it if I didn't include those techniques at least once per paragraph (she is also a HSC marker). This is just one opinion, although looking at Jamon's answer I guess it is not necessary to do well. However I would say you should mention them at least a couple of times in your essay to be safe.

As Kauac said, I have a friend who incorporates especially ethos and pathos in her thesis and topic sentences, so that can work as well.

It's so hard when there are different things said by different people, this is one reason why I am not a fan of english . Hopefully we haven't confused you more! Good luck

Thanks so much to everyone!!

[zanibalh]

Hey guys,

When given a stimulus for a creative during the HSC - does the whole story have to be based off of that stumulus; as in, does it have to be the central idea? or can it be referred to once or twice throughout the story?

Does it affect the way in which the paper is marked?

Thanks!

[kauac]

On a similar note, do we have to indicate which stimulus we use (if there is more than one) at the top of the first page?

[Mada438]

Hey guys,

When given a stimulus for a creative during the HSC - does the whole story have to be based off of that stumulus; as in, does it have to be the central idea? or can it be referred to once or twice throughout the story?

Does it affect the way in which the paper is marked?

Thanks!

Don't quote me on this, but i don't think it has to be a central idea. Just find a way to incorporate it in. Remember that you don't have to take the stimulus literally, you can always work it in metaphorically

On a similar note, do we have to indicate which stimulus we use (if there is more than one) at the top of the first page?

Again, don't quote me but i don't think you do


Good luck guys! 

[zanibalh]

On a similar note, do we have to indicate which stimulus we use (if there is more than one) at the top of the first page?

In my school, we're told we have to.
But I don't think you do necessarily - it makes the HSC markers "wonder" apparently & that's a good thing.

But personally, I'd specify.

[owidjaja]

On a similar note, do we have to indicate which stimulus we use (if there is more than one) at the top of the first page?

Hey there,
I personally think that it's a bit jarring since the whole point of the markers is to assess whether you've effectively and clearly integrated the stimulus in your creative.

Hey guys,

When given a stimulus for a creative during the HSC - does the whole story have to be based off of that stumulus; as in, does it have to be the central idea? or can it be referred to once or twice throughout the story?

Does it affect the way in which the paper is marked?

Thanks!

Hey there,
When it comes to images, I would say include it literally and metaphorically. If it's concepts, like the 2017 stimulus, my teacher said to use the concept and try to adapt your creative to the concept but use words in the stimulus to try and make it clear that you're referring to the question.

As for whether it impacts the way the creative it marks, yeah. The whole point of the creative, or even the HSC in general, is to see how well you perform under pressure. This is why it's important for you to address the creative 'question'/stimulus because your markers are seeing how well you can adapt and think on the spot.

Hope this helps!

[Blissisignorance]

Hi guys,
In one of the hsc feedbacks, teacher have mentioned, "some less successful candidates relied upon a narrow focus on critical readings which
prevented them from engaging with their text and the question....Many of the weaker responses relied upon or provided a list of critical
views and/or theories where the candidates had not engaged personally in an evaluation of these responses."
Any ideas on how we can demonstrate that we are personally engaging with the critical view?

[jamonwindeyer]

Welcome to the forums Bliss!

I think the key to that comment is that they don't want to see a response littered with a tonne of critic quotes. They can be over-used, and what this does is prevents you from presenting a personal viewpoint/critique. What they want is places where you present a concept, or an idea, or an evaluation, that doesn't rely on a critic quote. It's okay to say, "the critic ________ evaluates the significance of this technique in this way," but sometimes (perhaps more often) you need to just come up with your own 'critic quotes,' so to speak

[owidjaja]

Hi guys,
In one of the hsc feedbacks, teacher have mentioned, "some less successful candidates relied upon a narrow focus on critical readings which
prevented them from engaging with their text and the question....Many of the weaker responses relied upon or provided a list of critical
views and/or theories where the candidates had not engaged personally in an evaluation of these responses."
Any ideas on how we can demonstrate that we are personally engaging with the critical view?

Hey there,
I'm not sure if this is 'personally engaging' but the way I integrate a critic in my Mod B responses if my analysis is closely linked to what the critic says. So, say I'm analysing Yeats' poem 'Easter 1916' and I just talked about certainty vs uncertainty and I had a critic that also explores this idea, after analysing all three quotes I say something along the lines of "My analysis is supported by critic ____ in the work ______ as s/he states *insert quote*" so I can show that I've had time to gather my opinions on the poems but at the same time link my ideas to a critic to reinforce my opinion... if that makes sense.

Hope this helps!