English Advanced Question Thread

[Justina Shehata]

hey! i just wanted to ask how i can be able to weave my essay into the exam question. i cant write on the spot and i feel it would be a bit of risk to not memorize.
Thank you!

[ssarahj]

hey! i just wanted to ask how i can be able to weave my essay into the exam question. i cant write on the spot and i feel it would be a bit of risk to not memorize.
Thank you!

Hey Justina,
If you're leaning towards memorising your essay then check out this article by Elyse (pro memoriser), http://atarnotes.com/memorising-english-essays/
Others might have some better tips for adapting to the essay question but generally its best to expose yourself to as many questions you can get your hands on.

To practise different questions I just write an introduction + topic sentences + any little dot points or extra phrases that I would include that relate specifically to the question. (this saves having to write a whole essay every single time)
If you're finding it especially hard to adapt your essay its possible that your ideas are a bit too specific and it might be worth broadening them slightly to suit more questions.

Sarah 

[cmbarnes]

hey! i just wanted to ask how i can be able to weave my essay into the exam question. i cant write on the spot and i feel it would be a bit of risk to not memorize.
Thank you!

I'm all about memorising essays for exams! I have to agree with ssarahj about reading Elyse's article. But in general, when I memorise essays, I focus in particular on the introduction. I find it really hard to write a solid intro under timed conditions, so I have one prepared that is concise, and can be adapted to most questions through different thesis statements. As for the remainder of the essay, I find quotes from both prescribed and related texts that are flexible, and are relevant to multiple points from the syllabus, and so can be easily adapted. It also helps if you can remember the syllabus points so that you're able to efficiently write a thesis based on the question you're given.

I would say that you should just try and expose yourself to as many questions as possible, and have a general essay plan/format that you can use to shape your response under timed conditions. The more you practice, the easier you'll find it, and the more you'll remember. Good luck!

[jamonwindeyer]

What would be a good approach to strcture the paragraphs? Would a intro be required?
I also wanted to ask I am kind of confused on what perspectives there can be and how to identify them?
Perspective is a key aspect of this question therefore, I wanted to understand it before trying to approach the question

Hey! Yep, absolutely, introduction and conclusion would definitely be necessary here, same as any extended response  You would likely structure your paragraphs around different perspectives, so let's delve into that term.

A perspective is essentially just any point of view or idea, an attitude towards something, etc. Authors construct their texts to present THEIR perspectives on certain issues/themes/ideas. Often, these issues relate to their context, either historical or personal.

So, your response wants you to pick a perspective (or group of similar perspectives) that the composer presents in your text, and discuss HOW (through techniques) the composer presents the idea to an audience, and how effective that is.

Does that help? 

[jamonwindeyer]

For Module C (if your prescribed text was brave new world) would the following be good related texts; Animal farm, 1984 (I believe this is a prescribed text so I don't know whether or not it is a great related text to use) or V for vendetta. I would like to do a related text which has a lot of analysis on the internet (i.e. it is on sparknotes)

You can't use a Prescribed Text as a Related Text, it isn't allowed. So, that's eliminated. I personally used V for Vendetta for Module C, and I highly recommend it by itself, but I also know it works wonders with Brave New World, lots of room for discussion. Not sure about Animal Farm, but it could be good too!!

I'd swing for V for Vendetta in my opinion 

[jamonwindeyer]

Heyy ALL

I was wandering if anyone was able to help me out with an essay for Module C on Poems please kinda struggling a bit with this

Hey there! Would be super keen to help, we offer free essay marking (or did you just need help with structure and more general stuff?)!  if so just ask away!

To get an essay marked on our essay marking thread you'll need to have 5 ATAR Notes posts for every essay you'd like marked! Check out the link in my signature below for more info 

[conic curve]

You can't use a Prescribed Text as a Related Text, it isn't allowed. So, that's eliminated. I personally used V for Vendetta for Module C, and I highly recommend it by itself, but I also know it works wonders with Brave New World, lots of room for discussion. Not sure about Animal Farm, but it could be good too!!

I'd swing for V for Vendetta in my opinion 

Here is a brief summary of animal farm: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm

I heard that Animal farm is a good related text as well. Personally I'd rather use a novel of some sort as a related text and not so much film, because tbh I find films harder to analyse because they've got way more techniques than a book has (i.e. close up shot, medium shot, music, symbolism, quotations from characters, etc)

So yeah, for me, I think novels are better as a related text because I find that they are easier to analyse. If I were to choose a novel, (other than Animal farm) which related text could I choose?

For module C and Animal farm this is what I found on the internet:

For themes such as totalitarism (I got this off another site btw):  you could talk about the way Napoleon manipulates fear to gain autonomy i.e. turning the animals against Snowball, using the dogs as enforcers, punishing the hens for complaining.

For consumerism you could The way Napoleon forces everyone to work really hard could be likened as socialism if you wanted to compare political ideologies, as well as his suppression of everyone else's political ideals.

And for political ideologies you could assume that the whole novel is an allegory for Stalin and the Soviet Union so you could reference that if you think it's relevant to your discussion.

I got this off another site, not my own referencing since I didn't study this text

Also I want to do a related text with lots of material on the internet which would hence make my life easier (to analyse the text as a whole)

Thanks 

Thanks

[jamonwindeyer]

hello I am doing citizen kane for module B right now and i am struggling to write an essay for the practice question,

"Welles’s Citizen Kane has been described as ‘a confronting portrayal of vanity and loss in a changing world.’ To what extent does this perspective align with your understanding of Citizen Kane?
In your response, make detailed reference to your prescribed text.

I dont know how to structure my paragraphs. Like should I talk about one theme e.g. materialism, greed, corruption etc.  Also, for the 'confronting portrayal of vanity and loss in a changing world' part, what values or ideas should i talk about? any help will be great because im really stuck. Thanks!

Hey there Kimmie!!

That is definitely the way I would go about it. Come up with three themes/values/ideas that you can relate to the question and discuss each in its own paragraph. That will create a conceptual structure, which is fantastic.

As for the sorts of themes to cover, it really depends on your knowledge of the text (I don't know much about this one). The question links the film to vanity and loss, so your themes would revolve around losses of different types, feelings of worthlessness, effects of loss, effects of vanity, etc etc. I can't give any more detailed suggestions without knowing your text unfortunately!! Hopefully this gets you started or maybe someone else who knows Citizen Kane can help out? 

[jamonwindeyer]

Hey,
I am having trouble with beginning a module C essay on the following question:
How do composers use form an language to explore the way political ideologies impact on an individual lives and broader society? Refer to Two poems you have studied and one related text.
We are doing W. H. Auden's Poems and my ORT is The Rabbits
i am completely unsure of how to structure the introduction and how to order the body paragraphs and what these body paragraphs should include?
like should i do 6 body paragraphs (one for poem 1, then poem 2, then ORT and repeat)
also do we have to compare the ORT with the prescribed poems?

Sorry or all the questions
and Thank You!

Hey there!! Definitely don't be sorry for the questions, happy to help! 

So for starters, there is a cool essay scaffold you can download from the notes section that goes through the basic essay structure I used in the HSC. It might help you with your overall structure!!

For the intro specifically, you should probably do things in this order:

- Present your Main Idea (Thesis)
- Relate it to the Question
- Link it to your Texts
- List the Ideas you will Discuss
- State the conclusion you will draw

The ordering of your body paragraphs is fairly inconsequential, you can put them in any order you like. You can do one of three things:

- Text by text, so one on Text A, one on Text B, one on Text C, then back to Text A, etc. This would have to be 6 paragraphs!
- Text at a Time, so everything on Text A first, then everything on Text B, etc. I don't recommend this 
- Integrated, three paragraphs (usually) where each paragraph discusses the three texts (well, two poems from your prescribed and the ORT) simultaneously. These paragraphs would be structured around 3 main concepts or ideas (in your case, political ideologies) and how each text represents them in a similar/different way. This is what I used 

And yes, you do need to compare the poems with your ORT  the body paragraphs should contain the usual things: A main concept/idea, then analysis with techniques, quotes, explanations and impacts on audience, as to how that concept/idea has been represented by the composer of the text(s). It's a lot to cover, so being succinct is essential 

I hope this helps!

[elysepopplewell]

For Module C (if your prescribed text was brave new world) would the following be good related texts; Animal farm, 1984 (I believe this is a prescribed text so I don't know whether or not it is a great related text to use) or V for vendetta. I would like to do a related text which has a lot of analysis on the internet (i.e. it is on sparknotes)

This is from the BOSTES FAQ:

What are related texts?
Some modules in Stage 6 English courses require students to study texts of their own choosing, in addition to their prescribed texts. The study of these ‘related’ texts provides students with the opportunity to explore a wider variety of texts related to the particular module. Students draw their chosen texts from a variety of sources, in a range of genres and media.

How should related texts be selected?
In Stage 6 English courses, it is expected that students will take responsibility for the selection and study of related texts. While teachers may provide advice and guidance, student skills in independent analysis and investigation and their growing independence as learners will be strengthened through their own selection and study of related texts.

Can a text from the HSC Prescribed Texts list be used as a related text?
Students will not be disadvantaged by using a text from the Prescribed Texts list, provided it is relevant to the module/elective concerned.

This last one here is most important! 1984 is great, there is so much analysis online about it. I'd pursue that!

[elysepopplewell]

If you're leaning towards memorising your essay then check out this article by Elyse (pro memoriser), http://atarnotes.com/memorising-english-essays/

Hahahaha! Pro-memoriser! 

[conic curve]

This is from the BOSTES FAQ:

What are related texts?
Some modules in Stage 6 English courses require students to study texts of their own choosing, in addition to their prescribed texts. The study of these ‘related’ texts provides students with the opportunity to explore a wider variety of texts related to the particular module. Students draw their chosen texts from a variety of sources, in a range of genres and media.

How should related texts be selected?
In Stage 6 English courses, it is expected that students will take responsibility for the selection and study of related texts. While teachers may provide advice and guidance, student skills in independent analysis and investigation and their growing independence as learners will be strengthened through their own selection and study of related texts.

Can a text from the HSC Prescribed Texts list be used as a related text?
Students will not be disadvantaged by using a text from the Prescribed Texts list, provided it is relevant to the module/elective concerned.

This last one here is most important! 1984 is great, there is so much analysis online about it. I'd pursue that!

Um, Jamon said you can't

Re: English Advanced Question Thread

[RuiAce]

Pretty sure you can but I for one massively advise against it. The marker will feel like you took the lazy way out. So unless you're actually that good at writing an essay, it's risky.

I don't think BOSTES is serious in saying how students will not be disadvantaged.

[conic curve]

Pretty sure you can but I for one massively advise against it. The marker will feel like you took the lazy way out. So unless you're actually that good at writing an essay, it's risky.

I don't think BOSTES is serious in saying how students will not be disadvantaged.

So if I chose a related text with lots of analysis on the internet like Animal Farm, I will need to compose it very skillfully in order to get a band 6?

If I chose another related text with not much material on the internet for analysis, I can still make up stuff on the spot and get good marks (compared to a classical novel with lots of analysis on the internet)?

[jamonwindeyer]

Um, Jamon said you can't

Re: English Advanced Question Thread

I fully retract my statement in saying you can't, I was mistaken, Elyse is 100% correct (and always take her point over mine in English matters anyway) 

That said:

Pretty sure you can but I for one massively advise against it. The marker will feel like you took the lazy way out. So unless you're actually that good at writing an essay, it's risky.

Using a prescribed text is a bit risky in my opinion as well, because implicitly you are being compared against students who have analysed that text in depth. Some limited prejudice, albeit unintentional, may occur, purely because the text will be known and so the expected standard may be raised. Just my two cents, but nothing is stopping you (I was gravely mislead somewhere apparently aha)