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January 30, 2026, 08:46:13 pm
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Halil

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #15 on: February 06, 2011, 09:04:27 pm »
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That sounds better.
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brightsky

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #16 on: February 06, 2011, 09:06:07 pm »
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Quote from: werdna on February 06, 2011, 09:02:55 pm
Imagine the amount of students who will read the guides and copy and paste the ideas into their essay. Instead of doing this, why not unlock your own potential and use your own interpretations, which only you have access to?

This. Although that is not to say that you shouldn't read any study guides, or that *all* the ideas you put into your essay must be novel and outstanding.
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Water

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #17 on: February 06, 2011, 09:08:29 pm »
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Quote from: werdna on February 06, 2011, 09:02:55 pm
Imagine the amount of students who will read the guides and copy and paste the ideas into their essay. Instead of doing this, why not unlock your own potential and use your own interpretations, which only you have access to?



Once reading the study guide, you have a firm idea of the themes in the text. After that, you can chop what you want in the idea, reinterpret it the way you view it. So long as you don't regurgitate the idea without understanding it, it should be perfectly fine getting a 40 with it? Right?



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About Philosophy

When I see a youth thus engaged,—the study appears to me to be in character, and becoming a man of liberal education, and him who neglects philosophy I regard as an inferior man, who will never aspire to anything great or noble. But if I see him continuing the study in later life, and not leaving off, I should like to beat him - Callicle

werdna

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #18 on: February 06, 2011, 09:10:39 pm »
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Yes, but IMO, it's better to delve into the texts yourself first, THEN read through the guides to fill in the gaps. Safeguards you from slacking off.
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Andiio

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #19 on: February 06, 2011, 09:46:23 pm »
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You should cite examples from unique sources such as Pokemon in your context essays. = 10/10
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werdna

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #20 on: February 06, 2011, 10:07:49 pm »
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Quote from: Andiio on February 06, 2011, 09:46:23 pm
You should cite examples from unique sources such as Pokemon in your context essays. = 10/10

LOL I hope you're joking..
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Water

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #21 on: February 06, 2011, 10:08:52 pm »
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Quote from: Andiio on February 06, 2011, 09:46:23 pm
You should cite examples from unique sources such as Pokemon in your context essays. = 10/10


You have inspired me to attempt that, in my practise essays for school, just to see whats the teacher's opinion, before I pwn myself.
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About Philosophy

When I see a youth thus engaged,—the study appears to me to be in character, and becoming a man of liberal education, and him who neglects philosophy I regard as an inferior man, who will never aspire to anything great or noble. But if I see him continuing the study in later life, and not leaving off, I should like to beat him - Callicle

Ghost!

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #22 on: February 06, 2011, 10:34:19 pm »
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Quote from: werdna on February 06, 2011, 10:07:49 pm
Quote from: Andiio on February 06, 2011, 09:46:23 pm
You should cite examples from unique sources such as Pokemon in your context essays. = 10/10

LOL I hope you're joking..

No way, nothing but the truth. 10/10 responses are always filled with unique sources, Pokemon being a fine example.
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schmalex

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #23 on: February 07, 2011, 12:02:58 am »
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Quote from: werdna on February 06, 2011, 08:36:42 pm
I think you're going wayyyy too overboard with the vocabulary. Just let new vocabulary come to you naturally, not forced upon you. In saying this, complex vocabulary is NOT favoured over complex ideas. I think you're too concerned about your essays sounding good, but not actually being good.

Before you tackle any essay, make sure you plan it out. Underline the key words, find synonyms of these words, ask questions of the question, come up with 3 or 4 key ideas, write out the topic sentences and trust me, you'll feel far more confident writing the essay.

Your essays are lacking depth because you haven't studied your texts deeply enough. Delve deeply into your texts and use abstract evidence as well. Make sure you develop your own unique interpretations of your texts.

Then again, I don't know what your writing is like. I suggest you do what Rohitpi said, and join the essay forum!

Vocabulary isn't the most important thing, but I think what you're doing is actually a really good idea because it's a simple and easy way to improve. If you say your vocabulary is REALLY bad, improving it will help you to understand what you're reading a lot better, as well as improving your writing. For a really good English student, I wouldn't worry about vocabulary too much, but if you feel you're weak, this could really help.

As for sparknotes, it's a good resource, and even most english teachers recommend using it, just make sure you're not relying on sparknotes for everything, and make sure you question everything written there, and don't take it as being a definite interpretation.
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LOVEPHYSICS

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #24 on: February 07, 2011, 12:40:56 am »
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Sparknotes saved me for my Year 10 Macbeth exam. I reckon it's awesome. :)

No, seriously, sparknotes is pretty good. And a 40 (8, 8, 7) isn't really that tough. Ok, put it this way, if you can write/analyse like Sparknotes in the exam, I really do believe that you can get more than a 40. IMO anyways.

For vocab, forget about those 8-10 letter words. In most cases, the simpler the better. Instead, you should try to learn to use terms such as decry, intrude, denounce, justify, detach, galvanise, espouse, disparage, encapsulate...words used to express the author's intentions. Try to be more familiar with metalanguage as a whole and you will be fine. Vocab is only a small part in the exam, sometimes I like to think of it as a hidden criteria, given that you can  get 45 or above just as easily, if the ideas are good. GL.

If enough people ask for it, I can also get some essays from  my English friends (low 40s to the mid-high 40s) and post it here in VN for everyone to have a gauge at.
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Ghost!

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #25 on: February 07, 2011, 01:11:55 am »
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Quote from: LOVEPHYSICS on February 07, 2011, 12:40:56 am
Sparknotes saved me for my Year 10 Macbeth exam. I reckon it's awesome. :)

No, seriously, sparknotes is pretty good. And a 40 (8, 8, 7) isn't really that tough. Ok, put it this way, if you can write/analyse like Sparknotes in the exam, I really do believe that you can get more than a 40. IMO anyways.

For vocab, forget about those 8-10 letter words. In most cases, the simpler the better. Instead, you should try to learn to use terms such as decry, intrude, denounce, justify, detach, galvanise, espouse, disparage, encapsulate...words used to express the author's intentions. Try to be more familiar with metalanguage as a whole and you will be fine. Vocab is only a small part in the exam, sometimes I like to think of it as a hidden criteria, given that you can  get 45 or above just as easily, if the ideas are good. GL.

If enough people ask for it, I can also get some essays from  my English friends (low 40s to the mid-high 40s) and post it here in VN for everyone to have a gauge at.

OH DO IT PHYSICS.

The more awesome writing I can read the better, plus we need to extend the high scoring responses archive.
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“We are all alone, born alone, die alone, we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely -- at least, not all the time -- but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don't see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.”
― Hunter S. Thompson

Zafaraaaa

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #26 on: February 07, 2011, 01:17:21 am »
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Quote from: LOVEPHYSICS on February 07, 2011, 12:40:56 am
Sparknotes saved me for my Year 10 Macbeth exam. I reckon it's awesome. :)

No, seriously, sparknotes is pretty good. And a 40 (8, 8, 7) isn't really that tough. Ok, put it this way, if you can write/analyse like Sparknotes in the exam, I really do believe that you can get more than a 40. IMO anyways.

For vocab, forget about those 8-10 letter words. In most cases, the simpler the better. Instead, you should try to learn to use terms such as decry, intrude, denounce, justify, detach, galvanise, espouse, disparage, encapsulate...words used to express the author's intentions. Try to be more familiar with metalanguage as a whole and you will be fine. Vocab is only a small part in the exam, sometimes I like to think of it as a hidden criteria, given that you can  get 45 or above just as easily, if the ideas are good. GL.

If enough people ask for it, I can also get some essays from  my English friends (low 40s to the mid-high 40s) and post it here in VN for everyone to have a gauge at.

YES PLEASSEEEE :) :)
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LOVEPHYSICS

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #27 on: February 07, 2011, 01:38:36 am »
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Do you guys mind if some of the essays (mainly text), is now not part of the study design?
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Ghost!

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Re: Advice?
« Reply #28 on: February 07, 2011, 01:45:40 am »
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Quote from: LOVEPHYSICS on February 07, 2011, 01:38:36 am
Do you guys mind if some of the essays (mainly text), is now not part of the study design?

No problem at all, great writing is great writing :3
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“We are all alone, born alone, die alone, we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely -- at least, not all the time -- but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don't see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.”
― Hunter S. Thompson
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