Searching for related material (1 Viewer)

[kpq_sniper017]

i'm in yr11 right now, but i want to get started reading some extra material so that i don't have to spend ages searching for related texts next year.

my question is though: how do u find related films/novels/poetry etc? u'd have to have watched stacks of films, read stacks of books and read lots of poetry before u could come across something related....and it's hard to find "original" texts as well....so how can i start searching for related material now, whilst also reading something that few other people might also use?

btw. next year in ext 1 i'll be doing crime fiction. for adv: BNW/BR, A&C, Speeches (not sure about AOS though).

 

[McLake]

It is hard to find an orginal text. So more importantly you need to find something orignal to say about a text. I am trying to compile extensive lists of Extension English texts so that there is a large enough selection so that everyone dosn't pick the same text, but so that you at least have some idea as to what to choose.
In terms of Crime Fiction it is hard to go wrong. Just find the CF section of a book store and choose. Films and TV are also quite obvoius for CF, it's the other types of text (like poetry) that are going to be hard to come by.

 

[kpq_sniper017]

since the focus of the "crime fiction" module is the genre and the conventions of crime fiction, would the related texts generally also have to be of the crime fiction genre? e.g. arthur conan doyle, pd james etc? or could they be sci-fi/fantasy/comedy etc. but dealing with similar themes?

i'm guessing the advanced course is slightly different in that you're not investigating a specific genre. so you're not restrained to choosing material of the same genre as your prescribed text.....am i correct in saying this?

 

[McLake]

As you do the course you will be introduced to the idea that Genre is broad and that it is hard to define some texts as a particular Genre. So yes, you are encouraged not only to find "traditional" crime fiction, but also sci-fi/comedy etc that mixes crime with otehr genres. The "Dirk Gently" series is a good example of this.

And as for Advanced, your exactly right. Your constraints won't be on Genre, they will be on other things (mostly on themes).

 

[kpq_sniper017]

do markers generally look down upon contemporary films and texts? for instance, if u were investigating a theme of "appearance vs reality", would it be unwise to use "shallow hal" as a related text? it is related, but it's kind of a comedic and flippant film...

and on that note...for crime fiction, would something like "law and order" or "csi" be inappropriate as a piece of related material? i.e. do markers like students to use more traditional texts?

 

[McLake]

It depends on the question. The CF question for my year talked about "continuing popularity", so obvoiusly recent texts are essential. Make sure you have a spectrum of new and old texts in case the question is more suited to one typw rather than the other.

 

[Belle]

It also depends on how well you can write on it. Some people I know used the simpsons as a related text (can't remember what for now) and did well. You have to be able to write a fair bit of good stuff on whatever you pick, no matter what it is.

I found the Internet helpful, do a bit of googling and find some texts relating to your subject, then go find them at a library or something. I did that for several of mine. You can also never have enough help from your teacher!

 

[kpq_sniper017]

so as long as u can relate the text well to your prescribed text, u can do well, no matter what the related text is? i.e. u could use popular, contemporary american dramas (such as csi) or comedies and still do well?
would "traditional" teachers/markers have a "grudge" against those sort of texts and therefore, subconsciously mark u down?

 

[McLake]

Subconciously maybe. But they shouldn't. And as I said, the question may REQUIRE contemporary texts to achieve good results. Don't go for all moern texts, but have a few in your mind. Breaking out into new mediums (like TV) is always a good idea in responses.

 

[kpq_sniper017]

at the beginning of the year, our class was discussing related material. one guy asked if we could "make up" a piece of related material on the spot if was necessary, and our teacher said u could. if u were very desperate (not a good situation), could u get away with quoting an imaginary newspaper article - u could actually morph it to suit your own needs too.

 

[Fido]

In terms of using films like shallow hal, it's probably better to avoid it. you still can use them, but our teacher is constantly telling us we need "meaty" related. especially in ext, you need texts with complexity to show your understanding.
for actually *finding* them, ULTIMATE piece of advice is *talk to your librarian*. they may be card carrying nerds, but describe what you're looking for and a good librarian will have five fantastic options for you in two minutes, and it saves you whileing your life away trawling through useless books and movies... ahh it is SUCH a waste of time!

 

[AsyLum]

BNW/BR - i,robot or any asimov novels are excellent.

 

[kpq_sniper017]

i've read "the positronic man", which was the basis of "the bicentennial man". would u recommend something like the matrix...? i haven't seen i,robot yet though

 

[kpq_sniper017]

In terms of using films like shallow hal, it's probably better to avoid it. you still can use them, but our teacher is constantly telling us we need "meaty" related. especially in ext, you need texts with complexity to show your understanding.
for actually *finding* them, ULTIMATE piece of advice is *talk to your librarian*. they may be card carrying nerds, but describe what you're looking for and a good librarian will have five fantastic options for you in two minutes, and it saves you whileing your life away trawling through useless books and movies... ahh it is SUCH a waste of time!

sometimes librarians don't know a hell of a lot. but i guess i could always try. some of them are only kids just out of school, which might make it difficult unless they did the same modules as u.

 

[AsyLum]

no the matrix is a trainwreck of concepts.

i,robot is a good one to watch though, and bicentenniel man too.

 

[ameh]

sometimes librarians don't know a hell of a lot. but i guess i could always try. some of them are only kids just out of school, which might make it difficult unless they did the same modules as u.

Depends what library, go through the catalogues...
The university library may be helpful, some of the reference sections are just orgasm inducing

 

[kpq_sniper017]

Depends what library, go through the catalogues...
The university library may be helpful, some of the reference sections are just orgasm inducing

can u actually borrow books from uni libraries and the state library?
coz i heard u need to be a member of another library and pay for an inter-library loan.

 

[ameh]

No it depends, do you have a uni friend who's willing to lend you the card? Membership is apparently $50 IF you get accepted

 

[kpq_sniper017]

so that's for people outside the uni?
and being accepted....are u automatically accepted if u go to the uni (i don't, but it'd be poor if u went to unsw or usyd and couldn't access their library)

 

[ameh]

Yeah thats for people in the''others'' category methinks, yeah its free if you go to USYD obviously!