Essay Reproduction (1 Viewer)

taeyang

Member
Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
335
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Is it a good idea to simply remember an Essay for English Extension, and/or, English Advanced? It is possible as I have done it, I just didn't give it enough time. I know most of you will say "herp derp you need to shape it to the question"... yes yes I know I know, but it is possible to shape a remembered word for word essay to the question within the test. Basically, is it good idea?
 

Aykay

Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
114
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2018
It is, as long as you don't make it too hard to shape it to a question.
I find it better to remember phrases than whole essays, but to each is his own.
 
Joined
Apr 3, 2010
Messages
777
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
i have pre written essays and technique tables. first choice is the essay, but if the question is something absurd, then ill think of it on the spot using the technique tables/ phrases from pre written essay as guidance.
 

aphorae

Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
534
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
Uni Grad
2017
Is it a good idea to simply remember an Essay for English Extension, and/or, English Advanced? It is possible as I have done it, I just didn't give it enough time. I know most of you will say "herp derp you need to shape it to the question"... yes yes I know I know, but it is possible to shape a remembered word for word essay to the question within the test. Basically, is it good idea?
Well that obviously depends on the question. For my Hamlet exam I got something like, how Hamlet has endured over time because it explores what it is to be human. The one essay/thesis I fully prepared/memorised (+ reading other notes in case it was something else) was to do with the 'human condition', so basically I got lucky and pretty much copied it word for word.

English extension 1 was the most generic quote ever. The four (rubric'd) Romantic paradigms are idealism, imagination, nature, individualism. The quote given asked "to what extent does this support your study..etc." or some general shit, and had three of those ideas, so all I had to say was HOWEVER, +also explores some other idea etc. since I had prepared an essay exploring all four concepts.

But no it is not a good idea to simply remember an Essay. I think it would be a good idea to remember one or two generic essays for modules/topics with a limited scope (e.g. Romanticism) and then go through other ideas etc. + ideas in the essay into further detail.
 
Joined
Apr 28, 2010
Messages
67
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
To be quite honest, I memorised all my essays/creatives (first time everr so I felt horrible) and I went out with really good marks.

Just keep in mind that you NEED to be flexible with what you've memorised (be prepared to do some major overhauling very quickly) and make ANY link to the question you can (I memorised my Hamlet exam essay which was also incidentally about 'what it means to be human' and I got full marks by making constant if tenuous links to the question). And what I did in Ext 1 exam (which was also incidentally a quote) was that I started with the quote and weaved the critic's name and quote all through my topic sentences. And it's preferable that you don't memorise an introduction and conclusion. Bam 25/25 for that essay...

Coincidentally, aphorae - what school do you go to?

What I'm planning to do is to not only memorise the essay, but also brainstorm other thesis statements, other techniques - my teacher uses this analogy where we are the 'computer hardrive' (while she is the best teacher, she does NOT know technology) and we 'download' the relevant information upon exam. Just try and know everything vaguely, and a few ideas well :)
 

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,904
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
To be quite honest, I memorised all my essays/creatives (first time everr so I felt horrible) and I went out with really good marks.

Just keep in mind that you NEED to be flexible with what you've memorised (be prepared to do some major overhauling very quickly) and make ANY link to the question you can (I memorised my Hamlet exam essay which was also incidentally about 'what it means to be human' and I got full marks by making constant if tenuous links to the question). And what I did in Ext 1 exam (which was also incidentally a quote) was that I started with the quote and weaved the critic's name and quote all through my topic sentences. And it's preferable that you don't memorise an introduction and conclusion. Bam 25/25 for that essay...

Coincidentally, aphorae - what school do you go to?

What I'm planning to do is to not only memorise the essay, but also brainstorm other thesis statements, other techniques - my teacher uses this analogy where we are the 'computer hardrive' (while she is the best teacher, she does NOT know technology) and we 'download' the relevant information upon exam. Just try and know everything vaguely, and a few ideas well :)
This. You will find that quite a few people who get 90+ in English memorise their essays/creatives.
 

Vidhya

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2010
Messages
165
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
To be quite honest, I memorised all my essays/creatives (first time everr so I felt horrible) and I went out with really good marks.

Just keep in mind that you NEED to be flexible with what you've memorised (be prepared to do some major overhauling very quickly) and make ANY link to the question you can (I memorised my Hamlet exam essay which was also incidentally about 'what it means to be human' and I got full marks by making constant if tenuous links to the question). And what I did in Ext 1 exam (which was also incidentally a quote) was that I started with the quote and weaved the critic's name and quote all through my topic sentences. And it's preferable that you don't memorise an introduction and conclusion. Bam 25/25 for that essay...

Coincidentally, aphorae - what school do you go to?

What I'm planning to do is to not only memorise the essay, but also brainstorm other thesis statements, other techniques - my teacher uses this analogy where we are the 'computer hardrive' (while she is the best teacher, she does NOT know technology) and we 'download' the relevant information upon exam. Just try and know everything vaguely, and a few ideas well :)
+1
 

zhiying

Active Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Messages
444
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
From my experience, which is English Advanced only, despite how many times my teacher has told me if you memorise you will not get above 12/15, I have proven her wrong 5/5 times :D. TBH, I BARELY changed my essay at all, which could be pure luck that all 5 questions matched my essay. However, I don't recommend it if your aiming for an epic band 6 mark since I'm just hoping for a low band 6, and I really can't be bothered lols. Try practising a few questions and just making sure you know how to adapt if required. And pray HSC isn't a bitch
 

themanman

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
327
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Thats not true at all..

Ive read some papers where students havent memorised their essays and wrote one on the spot coming out with an english mark of 96

When reading there answer on the spot, it doesn't sound fancy and there are some phrasing errors yet you can still tell theyve answered the question on the spot

Markers look for this and by remembering an essay you definitely limit yourself as you try to mould the q to fit ur answer rather than moulding the answer
and the problem is, you are limited to moulding your answer as it already takes on a perspective

if you remember essays, just pray its the question you practiced for
 

Lumix

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Messages
57
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2011
Thats not true at all..

Ive read some papers where students havent memorised their essays and wrote one on the spot coming out with an english mark of 96

When reading there answer on the spot, it doesn't sound fancy and there are some phrasing errors yet you can still tell theyve answered the question on the spot

Markers look for this and by remembering an essay you definitely limit yourself as you try to mould the q to fit ur answer rather than moulding the answer
and the problem is, you are limited to moulding your answer as it already takes on a perspective

if you remember essays, just pray its the question you practiced for

Basically both method works. If you are memorising an essay you should be prepared to have it changed during the exam.
 

Galladrim

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2011
Messages
231
Location
On the Wings of Eagles
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Its harder to memorize for Extension than Advanced.

Word for Word? Hell no.

But if you have a general body of evidence and paragraphs in your head that stand on their own two feet, then yes. Its called Synthesis :)
 
Joined
Apr 3, 2010
Messages
777
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Its harder to memorize for Extension than Advanced.

Word for Word? Hell no.

But if you have a general body of evidence and paragraphs in your head that stand on their own two feet, then yes. Its called Synthesis :)
this.

i hope romanticism is as easy this year as it was last year!
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top