Personality Essay Questions (1 Viewer)

[kloudsurfer]

Hey,

I was after some practice questions for the personality essay, and im sure others are too.

Since they've changed the format of the exams to have one generic personality question to be answered on all of the personalities, most of the questions posted here on individual personalities are no longer relevant.


Here are some past questions I have found.

Please add any others.

2006 HSC Paper
'To what extent does history present us with a balanced interpretation of this personality?'

Trial Question
'Those who have the greatest impact on history are remembered as much for their faults as their virtues.'

To what extent does your study of your chosed personality support this view?


There seems to be a trend of historiography based questions. I wonder if this years HSC will follow?

Hey mods, is this worthy of a sticky?

 

[cem]

We know that the question will follow the following format:

Section III: Personalities in the Twentieth Century (25 marks)

• There will be one question in two parts that is generic to the twenty-seven personalities.
• Candidates must attempt the question in relation to ONE personality.
• The question will require a response in two parts. The first part will require a description, outline or narrative and the second part will require analysis, assessment or evaluation of the personality.


This is the description of the question from the syllabus.

The second part will require analysis, assessment or evaluation. To do that knowing different interpretations of the personality is essential e.g. Speer - was he all knowing or was he limited in his knowledge and what evidence from his life and from other people do we have to support either interpretation. Finally you MUST MAKE A JUDGEMENT. You can't sit on the fence.

This is the question that I have marked for the last few years and most kids do one of two things - they either show that there are multiple interpretations of the person and make at least an attempt at a judgement - saying something like 'history will probably never really know the exact extent of Speer's knowledge about the happenings in the Jewish death camps but he certainly knew about the horrors of the slave labour camps in Germany'. Others will clearly come down on the side of saying 'from the evidence presented by x, y and z (could be historians or events or speeches made by the person themselves or others from the time) it is clear that Speer knew the full extent of the holocaust and should therefore have suffered the same fate as those executed for that crime.' NB there is NO right or wrong answer here - you assessment, evaluation of the evidence is what gets the marks along with a clear judgement regardless of what that judgement might be. It is possible for two students to assess and evaluate the same evidence and reach totally different conclusions e.g. in my class we are evenly split this year on whether or not Leni was a fully fledge Nazi propagandist or whether she has been interpreted that way following the fall of Nazi Germany.

One response I read last year even pointed out that had the Nazis won then the interpretation of these events etc would be different taking the view that the victors colour the history and decide on the accepted interpretation of events. Not a normal response but a valid one just the same.

 

[Samwise89]

The first question is usually about the personalities rise to prominence. I do Trotsky, and i was wondering when we should write up till...My teacher says 1921, but will we get rked down if we don't? Because it is not specified in the syllabus...Rise to prominence is up to 1917...:S

 

[cem]

As last year was the first time the personalities were examined through a generic question using this currect syllabus it is difficult to say that 'they usually ask about 'rise to prominence'. Last year they asked about Background and Rise to Prominence'. These terms are specified in the syllabus.

This is the area of the exam that I marked and we looked at the overall response. Students who went further than the dot points in the syllabus were not penalised but nor were students who actually covered the specific dot points under those headings from the syllabus.

The question is very unlikely to use the terms 'rise to prominence' this year as they did use it last year.

 

[TheGlenn]

How long should each section be ? Because i think i could almost write a booklet just on the evaluation. But we've only got about 20 or 25mins maximum. So is 2 pages (8 words/line) enough ?
​

 

[Kujah]

Will this trend of having generic questions for all the personality continue on for the '08 HSC?

 

[Kujah]

And for organisation's sake, here's some of the practice essay questions that you guys have proposed.

Part 1
- Describe the rise to prominence of the twentieth century personality you have studied
- Describe the significant events in the life of the Twentieth century personality you have studied

Part 2
'Important historical people are judged by their contribution to their nation'
To what extent does the study of your personality support this view?

"The impressive figure in history is not the one who reflects the character of their society, but rather the one who attempts to change it"
To what extent does the study of your personality support this view?

"The most remarkable figures in history are those who have more than one talent to offer their society"
To what extent does the study of your personality support this view?

"The career aspirations of talented individuals do not necessarily serve the needs of the society in which they may hold high positions"
To what extent does the study of your personality support this view?

"The most successful individuals in any society are those who can adapt to the demands of changing times"
To what extent does the study of your personality support this view?

"Those who are inspired by an ideal rather than self-interest make the biggest impact on history".
To what extent does the study of your personality support this view?

"This history of a nation is shaped by its leaders".
Discuss, making specific reference to the personality you have studied.

'Those who have the greatest impact on history are remembered as much for their faults as their virtues.'
To what extent does your study of your chosen personality support this view?

“People who are remembered by history are those who have pursued their goals with a single-minded purpose”.
To what extent does the study of your personality support this view?

To what extent does history present us with a balanced interpretation of your chosen personality?


Hope this helps

 

[cem]

Will this trend of having generic questions for all the personality continue on for the '08 HSC?

It will continue as long as the current syllabus is in place unless we (teachers) get notified that there has been a change. That hasn't happened for the 2008 cohort and as they have only examined it that way once I wouldn't expect any change for at least another 4 - 5 years.

 

[cem]

How long should each section be ? Because i think i could almost write a booklet just on the evaluation. But we've only got about 20 or 25mins maximum. So is 2 pages (8 words/line) enough ?
​

You should spend 45 minutes on the personality as it is worth a quarter of the marks for the paper.

For the first section I recommend about 4 exam booklet pages (one of the smaller exam booklets) and about 6 exam booklet pages for the 15 mark response - i.e. 10 pages in total. I recommend about 10 pages for both the 25 mark essays as well.

That is for average size handwriting.

Sure some kids will do a brilliant response in less than that but I am talking about the majority of kids who get top marks and the amount that they write.

 

[TheGlenn]

For the first section I recommend about 4 exam booklet pages (one of the smaller exam booklets) and about 6 exam booklet pages for the 15 mark response - i.e. 10 pages in total. I recommend about 10 pages for both the 25 mark essays as well.

Are you serious ? I did about 5.5 pages and I got 24/25 in trials for one of my essays. How many words do you mean though ? My essay was pushing 1400 words I think.
​

 

[cem]

Are you serious ? I did about 5.5 pages and I got 24/25 in trials for one of my essays. How many words do you mean though ? My essay was pushing 1400 words I think.
​

I am talking about exam booklets.

1400 words would be about average for most kids writing the amoung I suggest.

My recommendations are based on students who do well and what they average writing. I have given full marks for shorter responses but they were outstanding. The average student will easily write 8 pages for the essays.