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

[Zainbow]

Hey Emily,

What did your study schedule look like between trials and the HSC (across all your subjects)? How often did you complete past papers for each subject in that period?

[eyw00400]

Hi Emily!
 I have my trial exams tomorrow :0  So I was wondering do you  have any advice on how to approach the Mod B question for Hamlet?
My entire class did a practice essay on Hamlet and my teacher said that it was done badly, so I am quite worried for Mod B.
Also do you have any other advice on approaching the questions for Mod A and smashing the reading section for paper 1?
Thanks so much!

[_QueenEm]

hey Emily! First off, just wanted to thank you spending your time with us on this forum on a Sunday afternoon

What are your predictions for this years paper one 15 Marker question?

[edumax]

Hey Emily!!
I'm in serious urgency in terms of creative writing. I'm almost unbearably giving up. I've tried so hard to find prompts and adopt a general idea to work with but I'm just not getting anything and it' s so frustrating. Do you have any tips or advice in formulating a unique and intriguing story?

[bowiemily]

Hey Emily,
Just want to say a huge thanks for your English lecture in the holidays-it definitely helped me heaps!
With your module C did you do Art of Travel, if so, I知 finding it really hard to get into the text. As we致e never analysed a philosophical text before I知 finding it a bit difficult and really boring. Do you have any tips on how to analyse module C texts and any ways that I could find the text more interesting? How did you memorise quotes for each module? How did you memorise enough good quotes especially for module B (I知 doing Hamlet)?
Did you have a structure for each essay (especially the modules)?
I always get really stuck trying to come up with good creative writing ideas, especially ones that aren't cliche or overused. Do you have any tips on how to come up with good ideas that can fit with multiple stimulus? And, just general ideas to improve my creatives?
Also, do you have any general tips on how to improve in English and further appreciate the texts? English is my worst subject and also the one I dislike the most so I find it harder to study then some of my other subjects.
Also, what did you need to do for the Queens Scout? I知 currently doing Queens Award for Girls Brigade (which is also a national award). I need to do voluntary service (Girls Brigade, church and community-which I知 doing next year), two initiative tasks, a speech, a major work (music based-not as huge as the HSC but still big), and a few other things. It痴 heaps of fun but a lot of work.
Thank you so much-your help is really appreciated! Sorry that I have a huge amount of questions.

Hey there,

Don't think of Art of Travel as a philosophical text, otherwise it will overcomplicate your essay. Literally every quote I had for that book had a reference to landscape and what it meant - not anything in relation to the actual philosophy de Botton was trying to explain. So I would use this as a check list for Mod C:
-Does this text actually have a link to landscape
-What does it suggest about the relationship between people and landscape
-Can I explain it in three sentences or less

I memorised quotes by re doing my notes in different formats (ie from typed > handwritten -> palm cards -> speech form ) and writing lots of practice papers

Always write about your own experiences! If they're boring, maybe you haven't explored them enough yourself. Spend some time writing about them. If by half an hour you can't find anything within it to continue writing about, then move on to the next.

That sounds similar to the QS, however I also had to do self guided expeditions, and I was a journalist at the Jamboree! Best of luck with your award!

[Luke799]

Apart from techniques, what is the most important features in a Module B essay. Context? Purpose?

Thanks

[mohadeseh]

Hi Emily, I was wandering what sort of structure you used for your study notes and preparation for HSC. Also, would you recommend going in with pre-prepared essays or memorized quotes? Thanks

[faiirydaiiry]

Hi Emily! What are your tips on developing a sophisticated thesis under exam conditions? Also what are some tips on thinking exemplar topic sentences under the pressure of time? 

Thanks! 

[Tara Martin]

Hey Emily,
thanks so much for doing this 
just wondering if u could give me some tips on how to analyse my techniques/quotes in more depth...
advanced AOS exam tomorrow and im kinda freaking out cos my practice essays have been pretty bad 

[bowiemily]

Hi Emily! As a student failing spectacularly at English, I see you in a holy light . Can you give some tips on the separate modules of English? I know you have to improvise your essay on the spot so that's what I've been doing but I've been getting low marks for it. Is it better to pre - prepare my response in my case? And can you also give me some tips on how to structure the thesis of each module? Thanks  

Hey there!

Hahahaha, I am v v flattered. Perhaps if you are stuggling to improve your marks, it would be best to prepare the paragraphs for your essays, and then just make the thesis up on the spot. This way theres still room to adapt in terms of the question, yet you can still reach the level of analysis expected of a 'sophisticated' response. As for thesis structure, I would:

Sentence 1: Answer Question (this is your "thesis")
S2: Expand or better define question
Introduce texts
Introduce the themes of the paragraphs
Link back to sentence one

[bonniebate]

Hi Emily!
I was just wondering how you approached topic sentences and thesis statements in your essays. Any tips on how use them most accurately?

[Potatohater]

Hey, I've been getting my trial results back (had trials last term) and noticed I got 17/20 in all my essays (geo and drama), but in English I got 11/15 for AOS and 14 for both modules. How should I go about bringing my English essays up to the same standard as those of geo and drama? And then how do I push all 3 subjects into higher marks yet again? I really don't know where to start.
Also what does an arts degree at Sydney Uni entail, and how are you finding it? I'm considering doing arts majoring in geography there but don't really know too much about it.
Sorry for so many questions at once, I'm just trying to get them in before work. Thanks!

[bowiemily]

Did you memorise an essay for discovery? Or just remember key values and quotes?

Nope! Never memorised essays. Just remembered the themes of my paragraphs, and quotes that could work for such themes (or key values, whatever you'd like to call them )

[dancing phalanges]

Hi Emily,
Just a couple of questions in regards to Extension.
Firstly, I want to memorise my creative, however, it is set on a boat, which limits things a bit in terms of if the stimulus tells you to use a particular setting... do you think it is worth just trying to look at as many possible setting stimulus' as possible in order to prepare or do you have any other advice?
Secondly, just generally, do you have any tips for Extension Romanticism and particularly in reference to philosophy in order to reflect ways of thinking.
And finally, I found it very interesting that you used your Ext creative for discovery too... I was wondering what your idea for extension creative was if you don't mind just so i can see if not for the trials (since i have already written and memorised my creative) but moreso for the hsc whether i could use mine.
thanks

[sailorgirl]

Hi Emily, I have just completed my Queen's Guide Award.  I am struggling with The Tempest and how to structure my essay. Should it be Tempest, related text, Tempest etc and how many points should I make as I'm quite a slow writer. Also is it worth having two related texts? And what order should I do the paper in. Also how do you write a good thesis statement. Thanks