doing option different from the class (1 Viewer)

[underthesun]

is that possible? is that allowed? is it advised against?

Since this holiday i'm working my ass of for physics and the likes, i get to study ahead of my class. Now the problem is, that in week 3 next term, we'll have trial, and option topic will be included. We only have 3 weeks to cover the option topic, and I think it's not enough.

The trial paper, my school is taking one from outside. That means there will be all the available options to do..

should I be an elitist asshole and do "age of silicons?"

edit (kini mini): different "than" offended my sense of propriety

 

[Huy]

yes, it is possible.

e.g. a good 90% of my form does astrophysics.
the exceptions are 1 or 2 doing medical physics,
a handful doing from quanta to quarks,
and i think 1 student doing the age of silicon.

it's possible, it's allowed, but in our case, it isn't advised against if you have the resources/books.

e.g. we were urged to pick astrophysics or quanta/quarks,
since we had knowledge of space and the cosmic engine (prelim).

though some students decided to do medical phys (out of interest) or the age of silicon -- because they wanted to.

i know one student doing the age of silicon, so i dont know if you want to do it or not, but choose one quickly and stick with it - trials are coming up real fast so learn all the content if you can on the age of silicon

 

[underthesun]

oic.. great thanks then

but looking at the syllabus book, it seems that they have a class practical involving a practical, that is assessed, on the option topic. I'm just hoping that my teacher won't be too pissed about having me doing some experiments on quanta to quarks when others do another..

and do you think teachers will have problem marking different options, especially ones they don't specialise in?

 

[Huy]

well, im not sure how the trials will go as far as marking,
because the majority of physics papers (in terms of the option) will be astrophysics for my school,

but i dont think teachers should have any trouble marking something else, e.g. medical, quanta/quarks, silicon, etc.

if they dont know anything about the option, i guess that might create some discrepancy, but then again, they should know 'all' the options (they should, shouldn't they? as physics teachers teaching the hsc).

my suggestion is to complete all the 2nd and 3rd column dot points including pracs (somehow!) -- or at least know the results of the experiments, and then learn all of the theory. once you're in the exam, complete "your" option and they shouldn't mark your paper any different to another students paper. (that's how it should be anyway),

all the best

 

[kini mini]

Re: doing option different than the class

Originally posted by underthesun
is that possible? is that allowed? is it advised against?

Maybe, no, yes.

In the HSC, of course it's possible. There is no guarantee that your school won't simply remove that option from the papers before they're given to you though. My teachers advised us strongly against it because historically people who do that don't do well. I suppose it's because there is some benefit in being taught it and formally assessed with proper feedback before the HSC. If you think you can do it go ahead...but the options aren't that different in difficulty. With the other risks like your teachers simply refusing to mark your paper (depending on the exact rules at your school), I don't think it's worth it!

 

[Minai]

Yes, some schools, such as my old school, just had only the option studied in class in the trial paper, so u had no choice. But in the HSC, theres no stopping u...

 

[underthesun]

too bad.. wanted to learn how to make atomic bombs in quanta to quarks..

stick with medical physics i guess, its' not that bad is it?

 

[Akira_Tikira]

Its properly something you shouldn't do until you are absolutely sure that the elective you chose will suit you.

Some school scale their electives based on how well they go in the core. If that happens at your school, absoultely, go and do a different elective... If they don't do that, don't do it. The teacher can make a really hard papers and you can't complain...

You lack the support of the teacher and the motiviation...

And, NEVER do one elective in class and do another in the HSC....that will stuff you up....

Alot of people chose medical physics evene when they have not studied it....They think....ohhh....I know ultrasound..my mum had an ultrasound the other day....The doppler effect....yes I know that....
And most of them didn't get the marks....

 

[pigs_can_fly]

haha, medical physics is one of the shorter topics, q to q and astro are really quite long...but if ur interested, it might not seem as big

 

[underthesun]

too late for choosing now, i just crammed the whole medical physics syllabus to my head


because medical physics is shorter does it get nerfed in marking or whatsoever? the successone specimen papers makes it look pretty easy, im just curious..

What did the top physics students do as option topic last year? Is there any way to know?

 

[inasero]

neraly everyone in mah school is doing q2q

 

[pigs_can_fly]

rather, as in everyone except those who choose to do a different one from class...dunno how of those there are