Memorizing Essays......... (2 Viewers)

[Marcus Aurelius]

I reckon if it wasn't for memorising essays i wouldn't be ranked 1st in Advanced English.

Same here (except I'm coming second cause i screwed up one assessment ) but I came first in the half yearlies and my memorized essays in the trials were even better so hopefully I'll also get a good mark for that. Last year i didnt memorize and i came like tenth in the year, so it helps if you do it right.

And someone said Borderline cheating?? hahaha just because I memorize my points in an essay form instead of drawing little pretty mind maps doesnt mean squat. Its obvious i do know my material otherwise i would be lost at trying to adapt it to suit the question.
But i do still see your point. However, this is only hsc english and memorizing is the way to go for me.

 

[nwatts]

You're still cheating the course.

Memorise points? Good luck with that. Sounds like you have a crappy marker.

 

[silvermoon]

it's not cheating the course as such: if anthing it's cheating yourself because you're setting yourself up for problems

 

[AreYouAlright?]

Cheating the course?!?! Having a memorised essay and on the spot adapting it with your own knowledge to suit the question and give an integrated response shows equally if not more skill than writing something off the top of your head... although in the process of memorising you will have plenty of quotes, critics, etc. in your mind to help you on that pathway... if you go about only mind mapping what if you didn't memorise quotes that suit your argument...? You'd be stuffed. Memorising a 'universal' essay is basically the same as memorising the course... how is that cheating? I thought you were meant to answers questions with what you have learnt.. if you make up stuff on the spot you might as well not have done advanced english and walked into your hsc.

 

[pLuvia]

memorising is one point you need to do and the other you have to be able to integrate it with the question, theres no point memorising something that doesnt relate to the question~

 

[nwatts]

Having a memorised essay and on the spot adapting it with your own knowledge to suit the question and give an integrated response shows equally if not more skill than writing something off the top of your head...

I'm sorry, but no. "Memorising an essay to adapt it to your own knowledge" makes no sense. Why are you memorising in the first place if your own knowledge is going to shape it when you get into the exam room?

And it takes more skill to memorise and adapt an essay than writing off the top of your head? You have got to be kidding me?

Memorising a 'universal' essay is basically the same as memorising the course... how is that cheating?

No it is not. A good essay will have a strong thread/thesis. If you've memorised an "universal" essay, it will still have a thread that could very likely conflict with that of the question you have been given.

I thought you were meant to answers questions with what you have learnt.. if you make up stuff on the spot you might as well not have done advanced english and walked into your hsc.

Learning the course and memorising an essay are two completely different things.

 

[silvermoon]

Cheating the course?!?! Having a memorised essay and on the spot adapting it with your own knowledge to suit the question and give an integrated response shows equally if not more skill than writing something off the top of your head... although in the process of memorising you will have plenty of quotes, critics, etc. in your mind to help you on that pathway... if you go about only mind mapping what if you didn't memorise quotes that suit your argument...? You'd be stuffed. Memorising a 'universal' essay is basically the same as memorising the course... how is that cheating? I thought you were meant to answers questions with what you have learnt.. if you make up stuff on the spot you might as well not have done advanced english and walked into your hsc.

doll, no1 said you shouldn't know your stuff, that'd be pure idiocy. theres a big difference between knowing quotes and critics and learning your texts and memorising an essay. anyway, mostly we were pointing out, with having done the hsc ourselves, that it is more hinderance than help to memorise a response

 

[Rafy]

Memorise a generic dot point essay OUTLINE......If you know your stuff (which you should) You'll remember each point in the exam and be able to expand on it....

Memorising an essay word for word = trouble.

 

[AreYouAlright?]

Fair enough, but for those of us who cannot write perfect english off the top of our heads, writing a pre-prepared essay ensures that there is some standard of quality in our responses along with reference to our prescribed texts. I'm not saying you should memorise a complete essay and write it word for word but when i say memorise a universal essay i mean take points that you know can be adapted universally and support those points. I.e in transformations you might say the form has been changed as one of your points and support this and you could well use that in any response unless it specificly excluded you from doing so.

For those less competant in their english skills, and stressed out memorising provides security.

 

[nwatts]

Ah, in the case of transformations, I somewhat see what you're saying. And I probably do a similar thing, but not in such an organised manner. I'll learn points that can then be linked to an essay question, because of the nature of questions as well as the essay that's asked.

But in representation (C) or critical study (B), memorising points/universal essay would seem to me as being a devastating thing because these essays are so driven by your argument rather than points.

 

[silvermoon]

For those less competant in their english skills, and stressed out memorising provides security.

well, i can't say i was stressed out at all, so perhaps i'm not right about this, but i would have imagined that getting inot the exam and finding that your memorised essay points don't fit the question would be more stressful. Knowing that you have practiced writing essays in answer to a wide variety of answers is what provides true security

 

[AreYouAlright?]

Memorise a generic dot point essay OUTLINE......If you know your stuff (which you should) You'll remember each point in the exam and be able to expand on it....

Memorising an essay word for word = trouble.

That is exactly what i was trying to say Maybe not having the best of luck trying to expres myself. It's just not everone can hold the answer to every possible question in their head. So, this seems to be the easiest option.

 

[stella8h8chang]

OK. As a girl whose English grades fluctuate over an immense range, I'm going to say...

Don't memorize essays word-for-word.

Why? You lose the spontaneity in your essay, and you risk screwing things up when you remember something wrongly, or you could miss the point of the question. Trust me, I've done it.

But that doesn't mean you should be going into an exam blind (although I seem to do it a lot). Memorizing ideas or quotes from good essays you have written or read are great, as long as you know how to tailor them to your own style. This can work marvellously, as you have things in your head ready to manipulate and spout onto the page.

So yeah, generic points are good to know off by heart, but whole essays are a waste of good brain space.

 

[ameh]

memorise your points, and quotes to back it up. THEN practice your topic sentences and then when you practice the essay youll have the structure in your head. And when you can read out the essay when asked, you've got it.

 

[sikeveo]

stella8h8chang why did you copy what Dreamerish posted a while back?

 

[stella8h8chang]

stella8h8chang why did you copy what Dreamerish posted a while back?

I did? **hides under table** no I'm serious, I never read what Dreamerish said...I quick replied.

 

[silvermoon]

dont worry bout it doll, easy mistake. still reasonable advice --> middle ground between the memorisers and us "memorise and die!" fanatics

 

[heybraham]

Fair enough, but for those of us who cannot write perfect english off the top of our heads, writing a pre-prepared essay ensures that there is some standard of quality in our responses along with reference to our prescribed texts. I'm not saying you should memorise a complete essay and write it word for word but when i say memorise a universal essay i mean take points that you know can be adapted universally and support those points. I.e in transformations you might say the form has been changed as one of your points and support this and you could well use that in any response unless it specificly excluded you from doing so.

For those less competant in their english skills, and stressed out memorising provides security.

i'm in the same boat as you, tempted to memorise essays because i can't write flowing english on the top off my head (especially under the stress of exam conditions)....but what if i could? you just made me realise, the most important thing i have to do to improve my marks is to improve my english skills from square one

structure
syntax
utilised vocabulary
diction
"flair"?
etc

it's pretty damn HARD but i could imagine it providing 'security' instead of a stupid memorised essay

 

[silvermoon]

the more you practice writing essays the better you will get at using and maintaining structure and techniques. the bonus is that, whilst you won't have one 'universal essay' to adapt, you will have greatly increased your knowledge and understanding of the topic, thereby eliminating the need for a memorised essay

 

[Marcus Aurelius]

Since this thread is still getting replies and just to add a bit more controversy to the topic........

I got my english trial results back.......I came second out of about twentyish people and i memorized all my essays. This second placing in the exam solidifies my second rankin overall. Last year i came about tenth and i didnt memorize any essays.