Emily - Ask a State Ranker! (Q+A Closed)

[bowiemily]

Hello Emily,
Top work on your results!!!!!! 
Just wondering what tips you have on the english paper 2 exam??? How do you remember 3 essays?

Also, i noticed you did legal studies.....any tips for this exam???

Thanks ingrid

Thanks Ingrid,

I didn't wrote learn essays. Instead, I knew themes and quotes that linked up with those themes. This made my essays very adaptable in the exam room.
As for legal, my sneaky trick was to complete all of the multiple choice in the reading time (in your head, of course). This way, you can spend much, much more time on your essays

[bowiemily]

Hi Emily,

With Trials coming up tomorrow, I was wondering what would be the most effective way to write an analysis for an essay paragraph after writing down the theme/idea, example and technique?

Thanks.

I would do a train of though (that is, if you didn't want to write the paragraph in its entirety). That might look something like this:

Quote --> Technique --> immediate idea expressed --> why that is important to context of the time --> why that is important to us today

[bowiemily]

Hey Emily!
Bit late for trials...but with hsc in mind, what do you recommend for studying for English advanced paper 2? I have real trouble with writing essays in 40 mins....how do you practice for these, and do you memorize? And just any other helpful tips would be much appreciated!  Thanks 

I didn't memorise my essays. I thought memorising essays would ultimately produce the opposite of what the markers want to see - a limited understanding of the text. The whole point of them asking an unseen question is to make sure you understand a text in its entirety, or at least, are accepting on other perspectives and understandings of a text. I’m sure people have done very, very well with memorised essays. But I reiterate, I did not aim to come first in the state. Rather, as a student who has always loved learning, I wanted my HSC to represent what I had worked towards for the past six years. And that definitely was not a rote learned, stagnant and stubborn, singular essay. In choosing that though, I knew that I had to get better at responding on the spot. That meant lots and lots of practice papers, reading the ideas of others and arguing my opinion with other students (fyi, thats what the forums on ATARNotes are for! You’ll have the required post count for an essay mark in no time if you think of it this way ). I had around 5 themes for each text, each with quotes, that I knew could form paragraphs if I needed them to. I would then pick themes/paragraphs to suit the question asked. However, these weren’t ever paragraphs that I had written up on Word or marked by a teacher. They were fluid, and changed from essay to essay. This meant that whenever I was answering an essay question, my response was geared entirely towards the question.

[bowiemily]

Hi Emily!

How many words do you recommend (minimum/maximum) for discovery creative writing?

Thanks!

Min: 800 Any less, and your plot of characterization would probably be too vague for the reader to understand  Max: 1200. Any more, and you're eating into the time you need to spend on the other sections of the paper

[bowiemily]

Hi !, I'm forgetting what the techniques were called for the phrases “have a lovely time in your...tent" (being used in a condescending manner) and "i can see you now" (what a character says when he notices a transformation-discovery in another character)
THANKYOU SO MUCH:)

Looks like ellipses and high modality are working in those quotes, respectively

[bowiemily]

Hey Emily, thank you so much for doing this Q&A.

- For Module B, do we need to include critical views of our text?
- Would 2 theme paragraphs be enough for a module B essay?
- I always struggle with the unseen texts in paper 1, especially the final question. Do you have any tips on how to analyse these texts, as well as how to write a response for the mini essay question?
- I always write extremely long body paragraphs, which force me to split my ORT and related paragraphs into two separate paragraphs. What's the best way to reduce the size of my paragraphs?
- How often should we discuss context in a module A essay? Should we discuss it after every quote?

Thanks again for doing this Q&A!

1. No. You can still get a band six without critical perspectives. I suspect, however, a high band six will always have at least one academic within their piece.
2. Two is fine, as long as they're integrated
3. For the mini essay (5 marker), I would follow this structure:
- Begin with a statement about the question. Tell us what two texts you're going to use.
- Start your first paragraph which links to the theme. Use a quote from each text.
 - Start your second paragraph which links to the theme. Use a quote from each text.
- End your answer with a statement that links to the very first sentence you wrote.
4. Make sure you're only spending 3 sentences max explaining each quote. This can be achieved through strong vocab, and practicing writing out your ideas before an exam.
5. Don't discuss context, but integrate it as part of your analysis. Remember, you're writing about how a text reflects its context. So it should look something like:
"   'quote' uses *technique* to ~ reflect this idea from its context~. This is important because...   "

[bowiemily]

Hi Emily, I was just wondering for the creative writing does it have to be in a story format? Or can it be the character's thoughts like a diary entry?

My own creative was in the form of a diary entry! So you could definitely use this format if it suits your style of writing

[bowiemily]

Hi, Emily! Actually I am a international student so I learn ESL. I am wondering that like in the rubric it says 'Discovery can lead us to new world'. Do I write how the discovery lead me to new world or how the discovery leads the protagonist to new world. I know it is a stupid question but coz I don't think my teacher state clearly enough to me. Thanks.

Hi Wendy! You should first talk about how the protagonist is lead to a new world. Then, you can write that this enables the reader themselves to discover a new world because of how well the text is constructed. It is safe to always say how discovery relates to the protagonist first, and then you as the reader.

[bowiemily]

Hi Emily
I was hoping you could give me some direction in preparing for English exams. What did you find the most effective strategy was in adapting to different questions for essays? (Particularly with the modules)
Thanks very much 

Hey Elise! This is how I studied for English:

 I thought memorising essays would ultimately produce the opposite of what the markers want to see - a limited understanding of the text. The whole point of them asking an unseen question is to make sure you understand a text in its entirety, or at least, are accepting on other perspectives and understandings of a text. I’m sure people have done very, very well with memorised essays. But I reiterate, I did not aim to come first in the state. Rather, as a student who has always loved learning, I wanted my HSC to represent what I had worked towards for the past six years. And that definitely was not a rote learned, stagnant and stubborn, singular essay. In choosing that though, I knew that I had to get better at responding on the spot. That meant lots and lots of practice papers, reading the ideas of others and arguing my opinion with other students (fyi, thats what the forums on ATARNotes are for! You’ll have the required post count for an essay mark in no time if you think of it this way ). I had around 5 themes for each text, each with quotes, that I knew could form paragraphs if I needed them to. I would then pick themes/paragraphs to suit the question asked. However, these weren’t ever paragraphs that I had written up on Word or marked by a teacher. They were fluid, and changed from essay to essay. This meant that whenever I was answering an essay question, my response was geared entirely towards the question.

[bowiemily]

Hi Emily! What's the main difference between an integrated essay and an essay with the typical four body paragraphs? I don't understand how it's different besides pressing the 'enter' key in between the two texts of an integrated paragraph. Surely there's something I'm missing.

Hi there,

The difference is that you don't have to spend as much time repeating yourself. If you do non intergrated essays, you have to write four paragraphs that talk about how two texts explore two different ideas. If you do integrated paragraphs, you can explore three ideas - potentially covering more ground and earning more marks

[bowiemily]

Hey,
I've been a total creeper on the forum for a bit now, and wanted to ask, would you recommend writing your quotes for the AOS essay in the booklet then going back to the short answer?

And for creative, which I suck majorly at, would you write a plan for it in the booklet, or just go gungho at it? And do you have any tips or tricks for writing it?

I've got my quotes and analysis and links on flashcards and am feeling a tad stressed cause I got everything down but creative 

Thank you!

Hey TheMC

If that would help to calm your nerves in the exam room, then totally. Its all about what works best for you. However, I would be cautious regarding how much time you're taking up to write these quotes down. It may mean that you have 35 mins for a section rather than the regular 40.

Sometimes a plan can actually help the markers understand whats going on in your creative (if you have a feeling its going to be all over the place). Remember, anything you write in the booklet can earn you marks. So, if you outline (very quickly) the plot in some sort of plan at the beginning of your creative, it may actually save you some marks if you think the story may fall apart a little by the end!

You'll be fine! I totally was NOT ready for trials, I had assessment tasks due the week before! Remember, you have plenty of time post trials to polish everything up for the HSC.

[bowiemily]

Hi Emily,
Just a couple of questions for Advanced English:
1. For AOS my prescribed text is The Motorcycle Diaries. Is it ok to use The Help (film, not novel) as my related text?
2. Can Dr Seuss books be used for related texts i.e. The Lorax for Mod C - People and Landscapes -  with the prescribed text poetry of judith wright?
3. What is the best way to prepare for trials the day before the exam?
4. Is it okay if my themes in my essays interrelate?
5. How would I analyse a picture book that has no colour and instead is illustrated with braille? It is called The Black Book of Colours by Menina Cottin. I wanted to use it for Mod C but I wasn't sure how to analyse it so I turned to the Lorax, but im not sure if that's a good idea or not.
6. Any tips on preparing for the exams (trials and HSC)

Thanks in advance

Charbella

1. I don't see why not ^_^
2. I do see why not. Dr Seuss wouldn't really be considered a sophisticated text for Advanced English. Why not try 'Personal Helicon' by Seamus Heaney, that's what I used
3. Sleeeeeep!! Well I mean, first make sure you know your quotes, and then sleeeeeeeep.
4. Sure is! That will make your essay flow coherently
5. Wow. I have no clue. Its probably a good thing that you've decided to change your texts, because that sounds far too difficult for HSC level English ( I haven't even come across it at university!)

[bowiemily]

Hey Emily!!
Thanks for doing this!
QQ...how many words was ur creative writing generally?
And also, would you always plan your essays before you began writing, during the actual exam?

It was 1000 - 1200. I would plan my essays in the exam for extension, but not for advanced I didn't think there was enough time allowed in advanced to do so

[bowiemily]

Hi Emily,
    Although I am doing English as a second language can I still ask you a general question about English? I am considering after I finish my introduction in essay then I jump to the conclusion on a new booklet and them fill all the bodies in. (If I don't completely finish my third or fourth body I can still have a conclusion) Do you think this is ok? Thanks.

Hi there!
This sounds like a good idea if you think having a tight structure for your essay is going to earn you marks. However, if your teacher pays more attention to the ideas you come up with in your essays, it might be better to write your essay in the normal order

[bowiemily]

Hey Emily,

Just another question.

Did you study any of the following texts?
AOS: The Motorcycle Diaries
Mod A: Metropolis / 1984
Mod B: Hamlet
Mod C: Poetry of Judith Wright

If so, do you have any tips or key themes or ideas I should focus on?

And also, could you give me some advice on how to make sure I'm addressing the rubric requirements in my essays for each module?

Thanks, again.

Charbella

Hey again! I didn't study any of those texts. Make sure you're addressing:

A: How your text reflects its context and why
B: Why your text has textual integrity
C: What ideas does your text present about people and landscapes