I tend to disagree here. And I'm only addressing it in relation to your comment Rui because a lot of people espouse the same perspective as you - so I'm just going to do some myth busting 
BOSTES has no motive for lying to students on their FAQ when saying that you will not be penalised for selecting a prescribed text as an ORT. It isn't really seen as a lazy way out - because the only way it could be perceived as "lazy" is because you looked at a list, carefully went through the texts to find one you like, and then used that. The only difference between using a text from the prescribed text list and a random text from the world outside of HSC, is that you aren't starting with a written list from BOSTES, but are instead just as easily accessing a text you've already known or have found on google.
The resources available for some prescribed texts are rich, whereas other prescribed text have like, zero resources available (I know this because my Module C text was the latter unfortunately). So it isn't as though all prescribed texts come with an abundance of study help. In saying this, there are definitely texts that aren't on the prescribed text list that have an adundance of resources, because they are studied all around the world for various reasons beyond the HSC. So the argument of resource-help is nullified.
Furthermore, I used an ORT that was not on the prescribed text list (Distant Lands - Tim Winton) and many, many, many teachers have studied this work before because it is a well known text from an Australian author. This didn't set the bar any higher for me because a teacher was familiar with the text. A teacher will not judge your knowledge against their own, that would just be cruel to compare 30+ years of living and studying, to 2 years of intensive HSC. English is cool because everyone can look at the same text and espouse various different interpretations. Furthermore, different modules require you to view a text in a different lens anyway! So, if you choose a Module A prescribed text for your Module C ORT - your analysis of the text will not be compared to the analysis of the Module A student - for the initial reason that the same marker will not mark both modules, but also because what is required of your analysis is entirely different.
Hopefully this clears the air a bit about ORTs from the prescribed text list - and thanks for letting me use your comment, Rui, to bounce off!
Haha that's fine. I won't 'dispute' anything
The thing is, since English is all about your way of thought I find that the more obscure and difficult texts will impress the examiner more. However provided that they are analysed well enough, of course.
That statement I just said isn't absolute, because if they went for the hardest text in the world and messed up their analysis they obviously walked into the trap. However between two essays that are equally well written in content, I would favour the more challenging text.
(There is actually some HSC maths question that has a graph of how I view choice of texts.)
Nonetheless, of course if the essay was actually so beautifully written (despite having used two or more of the prescribed texts) I know that I would still give it high marks. I just feel a need to impress the marker in not just the manner of essay skills though. But yeah I see your point
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Topic: English Advanced Question Thread (Read 1495568 times)