MERGED: What order should you do the sections in the exam

[shinny]

I would also endorse Shinny's suggestion (as does my school's entire English faculty...): realistically, examiners expect your language analysis to be shorter anyway, and why not save having to reread the article by having it fresh from reading time when you start?  I would also heavily advise against TrueTears' approach, unless you're like him and have the willpower required to start memorising essays very early on... 

Since when do examiners expect the language analysis to be shorter?
We could be given 2 articles and a visual for a comparative analysis - and then it may end up being the longest section on the exam.

Theyve emphasised that more time should be allocated to contexts somewhere in those examiners reports. And since text response cant be too short otherwise all sufficient information cannot be put in then it is assumed language analysis can be shorter. If we are given 2 articles I would still write only around 800-900 words on it

Language analysis is marked more on whether or not you have the ability to analyse. This is a skill which you can prove you have in analysing just a few techniques. In fact, by prioritising and only choosing the most important techniques, your analysis is going to be of a higher quality overall, leading to a better mark. Picking off every little rhetorical question is probably going to even be detrimental to it. Even if you get two articles, you're obviously just going to analyse less on each. On the other hand, context and text response both are marked on the depth of the response, so words will be needed.

So if my analyse was based strongly on a few examples, like lynt.br's guide used a few lines to analyse a short sentence, would I still produce a strong high quality work?

Yeh, quite possibly. I probably only analysed 4 or 5 different things in LA on my exam.

[Greggler]

yeah when it really comes down to it, with your context and text response you are just cutting and pasting appropriate ideas and arguments from past essays you have done.

I've begun doing this with a text response, for my text i've basically narrowed it down to about 5 different types of topics; then planned my arguments and examples for each one. For my context i've basically got a list of about 6 or 7 broad ideas each with examples which can be used in an expository.

But your lang analysis is the one where you have to really analyse and draw your own conclusions, make your own decisions etc. which is why i tend to do it first. get a plan in my head using the 10 minutes and try to grind it out in 40-50 minutes

[98.40_for_sure]

For anyone who has done a 3 hour practice exam, did you find your first essay was good, then 2nd was slightly worse, and 3rd essay was just horrible? Is this a physical thing?

[Slumdawg]

For anyone who has done a 3 hour practice exam, did you find your first essay was good, then 2nd was slightly worse, and 3rd essay was just horrible? Is this a physical thing?

My third one is usually the best :S Cos that's when I really get into the flow of writing I guess. But it depends on the person.

[littlebecc]

For anyone who has done a 3 hour practice exam, did you find your first essay was good, then 2nd was slightly worse, and 3rd essay was just horrible? Is this a physical thing?

I'm like shilay, usually 2nd or 3rd one is the best coz you get into the swing of things

[absurdlittlebird]

I do language analysis, then text response then context. I'd like to spend the most time on my context but I usually spend the most time on text response.

[kakar0t]

I do
1. Language Analysis
2. Context
3. Text Response

[rubiks]

yeah the pieces i memorised got like 10/10 and 9/10 in the exam (context and text respectively), language analysis was my weak part.

I memorised ALOT of essays so the prompt i got was very very similar to one of the ones i memorised, so i just rewrote it. Started memorising at the start of the year and had literally memorised like 50 different topics by the end of the year

Do you have those essays you memorised still saved? They could be helpful for a lot of people (including me lol).

[TrueTears]

i think so... somewhere on my old laptop, i'll have a look later.

[rubiks]

Ok, thanks.

[matt123]

hey guys

Usually I do . Language analysis then text response , then conflict

HBU ?
kus im not really sure what order would be "best"

[akira88]

No particular order is "best". Do the order that you are most comfortable with

[sam.utute]

hey guys

Usually I do . Language analysis then text response , then conflict

HBU ?
kus im not really sure what order would be "best"

My teacher recommends this order as: it makes use of your reading time, and ensures you complete all three pieces. You can abruptly end a context piece, but require a lengthy text response, so it is best you do it in this order.

[kyzoo]

1. Language Analysis because I spend 10 minutes of reading time mentally analysing the article and it's a waste to not follow up on that immediately

2. Whichever piece (Text Response or Context) I find I have more ideas/examples for. I just do the prompt or topic which I feel the best with

3. The topic/prompt that I didn't feel as comfortable with.

[Courante]

1. Language Analysis because I spend 10 minutes of reading time mentally analysing the article and it's a waste to not follow up on that immediately

2. Whichever piece (Text Response or Context) I find I have more ideas/examples for. I just do the prompt or topic which I feel the best with

3. The topic/prompt that I didn't feel as comfortable with.

What he said