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Author Topic: VCE English Question Thread  (Read 847419 times)  Share 

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tiff_tiff

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #315 on: April 27, 2015, 01:11:15 pm »
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Does this make sense:
We cannot see ultraviolet radiation, nor x rays, for our cones are not sensitive to thee

don't think I used thee in the right context, but it sounds right :D

kimmytaaa

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #316 on: April 27, 2015, 02:42:22 pm »
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Hi Lauren
I have been having an English tutor that helps me, for my last sac he gave some examples and I did some practice essays for him to correct. When he was correcting it, he added a few notes and give some advice so that I can improve or work on next time, but when it came to the actual sac I did really poorly.But for that sac, we were given the prompt before hand so we got to do our planning at home before the sac date. My school teachers asked everyone to do a practice essay for her to correct but it wasn't compulsory and when I handed it up to her she said it was good but when it came to the actual sac, my teacher said is expected more from me. My tutor said if he didn't correct the practice essay, it won't be that good. I have a really bad habit of writing and writing so I do sometimes repeat things a lot but I don't see that mistake on my own. My tutor does points out those problems but I can't seem to improve on it. Is there a way to improve on this issue?

Callum@1373

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #317 on: April 30, 2015, 08:44:44 pm »
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Received a B+ on my Language Analysis  :-[ Absolutely devastated.

Can anyone please for the love of god tell me that the comments I received suggest I should have got a much higher grade?

Quote
An intelligent and well constructed Language Analysis that demonstrates a very high understanding of persuasive techniques and how these devices are used to position readers.

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The introduction contains all of the necessary information required in this kind of essay. The contention and tone are clearly and accurately identified.

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The body paragraphs offer a thoughtful analysis of specific words and phrases and the manner in which they are used in an attempt to persuade

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Excellent analysis of the visual material

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The essay does not contain a concluding paragraph. This has affected the overall grade.
This is strange. I have been told before that All marks in language analysis come from the analysis. I did conclude my essay my summarizing the last techniques the author used and how readers were made to feel after they read the opinion piece.
Quote
The written expression is sophisticated and highly fluent

I feel like my teacher has legitimately slapped me in the face...after all that hard work to receive a bloody B+ in a damn year 11 essay...
2015: Business Management [48]
2016: English [43] Specialist Mathematics [43] Methods [46] Chemistry [45] Biology [45]

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heids

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #318 on: April 30, 2015, 10:01:22 pm »
+2
Does this make sense:
We cannot see ultraviolet radiation, nor x rays, for our cones are not sensitive to thee

don't think I used thee in the right context, but it sounds right :D

No, 'thee' means 'you' as an object (e.g. 'I love thee').  'Them' would fit in this sentence, but were you trying to rhyme or something ??? ?

Is there a way to improve on this issue?
I'm literally not Lauren, so wait for her to answer properly :-\  All I can say is to write some essays, and then afterwards imagine you're the tutor and go through and tear it apart.  Don't stress about finding ways to FIX the issues, just try to FIND the issues.  Then go to the tutor, get them to go over your issues, check if you've got them right, and ask for their help in fixing them.  Repeat this again and again - always try to find your own issues before you ask the tutor to point them out.  Before long, you'll be more aware of them as you write.

Received a B+ on my Language Analysis  :-[ Absolutely devastated.

Can anyone please for the love of god tell me that the comments I received suggest I should have got a much higher grade?  I feel like my teacher has legitimately slapped me in the face...after all that hard work to receive a bloody B+ in a damn year 11 essay...

Firstly: year 11, don't be devastated.  Even if your hard work hasn't paid off on this one SAC, it will pay off in year 12.

Secondly, just ask your teacher.  I agree, everything sounds really positive and deserving of something better, but obviously your teacher will have some reason which only he/she can explain, so just discuss it with him/her.  Unless she's one of those ones that has an innate aversion to handing out As and A+es.  In which case appeal to the school for a different teacher next year.  (I had a similar experience in year 12 lang analysis with 15/20 and not a single criticism written, discussed it with them and ended up with 17/20 and rank 1).

Thirdly... I like never, ever finished essays... always ran out of time (or more accurately, ideas, so I pretended I could have finished but ran out of time ;) )  I think the only SAC I finished in year 12 was the lang analysis one, then I didn't finish any of the other SACs or the exam.  Yet my marks ended up A+... I wouldn't have thought not finishing was too bad.
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scandin9

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #319 on: May 01, 2015, 09:05:34 pm »
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Hi,

My teacher says that we must mention persuasive techniques in the introduction; how can this be accomplished without listing?

heids

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #320 on: May 04, 2015, 09:25:56 am »
+1
My teacher says that we must mention persuasive techniques in the introduction; how can this be accomplished without listing?

I tended to put in the really major things, the major approaches the author used, the major ways the author tried to persuade throughout the article rather than just in one instance (e.g. the author mocks the opposition, or heavily relies on personal anecdote, or constantly uses experts/statistics etc. to add weight to his argument, or appeals strongly to nostalgia and tradition).  Remember, 'techniques' doesn't necessarily mean those horrible textbook 'named' techniques like 'rhetorical questions', 'appeal to hip-pocket nerve' etc.  I put in up to about 3 major approaches.  Often TONE is a really big factor to look at (you're analysing the LANGUAGE, not just argument techniques).

For instance, normally inclusive language is really minor (and sounds like basic technique identification) so you would end up listing if you put something like that in the intro; so normally you avoid it.  However, the occasional piece might be really really focused on inclusive language, appealing to group solidarity etc. as a major way of trying to persuade the audience, so you might include this in the intro.

So just stick to really major things that shape a lot of the article, and briefly show what their aim is and how they're trying to persuade the audience - you're showing that you understand the big-picture, overall dynamics of the piece.
VCE (2014): HHD, Bio, English, T&T, Methods

Uni (2021-24): Bachelor of Nursing @ Monash Clayton

Work: PCA in residential aged care

StupidProdigy

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #321 on: May 04, 2015, 04:32:24 pm »
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For context is it bad to have the first sentence being a quote (expository essay)? It's a general broad quote not about my text, but the context and the prompt more generally
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RazzMeTazz

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #322 on: May 05, 2015, 08:18:26 pm »
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Could someone please explain what is meant by the persuasive technique of 'rationalisation' in language analysis?

:) Thanks

literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #323 on: May 05, 2015, 09:07:53 pm »
+3
For IDB I'm trying to think of an example for yes ones identity and belong is shaped constantly. 

and an example for yes ones identity does change but for the worst

I cant think of an external / real world example, event / quotes .


Any ideas ?
For the first instance, think about whether you'd consider yourself the same person now compared to who you were three years ago. Now would you say there was a dramatic shift in your identity at some point, or did you just gradually change in little increments every time? And for the second, you could consider any 'good person gone bad' stories or examples whereby someone who was once very moral, considerate, and level-headed then becomes callous, foolish, or naive.
Before looking for very specific examples, try to narrow down what you're talking about exactly so that you end up guiding yourself to an answer. So, instead of saying, 'what examples are there of continuous change,' ask yourself how do I know? Start with your premise or contention (in this case, one's identity is shaped constantly,) and then ask 'how do I know?' You may need to ask this question several times to get to the core of your point, but this'll help open up the discussion for you so that you can begin building upon what you know.

For context is it bad to have the first sentence being a quote (expository essay)? It's a general broad quote not about my text, but the context and the prompt more generally
That would be fine so long as you used it well. Most essays that open with quotes tend to just stick something profound that they googled before the SAC right at the start, and then write a piece that doesn't deal with the kinds of ideas that the quote raised.
Different teachers will have different preferences though; I know some who say 'no, don't, it's clunky and awful' and other's who've said 'it's a wonderful, engaging way to begin and everyone should do it,' so consult your education professional to see if opening-quotes are right for you :)

Could someone please explain what is meant by the persuasive technique of 'rationalisation' in language analysis?

:) Thanks
It depends on the context. The word itself means 'to make rational' (obviously from 'rational' + '-ise' + 'ation') so on the surface it would be used to refer to when the author makes something seem rational. This could be in the form of justification (eg. 'The author rationalises the concept of fearing change and explains that it is a natural human instinct.') Alternatively, the author might be reasoning or showing the logic behind something (eg. the equivalent of 'showing your workings' in maths: 'The government isn't allowing these people access to basic needs, and if those basic needs aren't met, they will die. So how can we support a government that knowingly allows people to die?') This'll usually be present in the form of 'leading logic' where the author creates this chain of A --> B --> C --> D etc. and implies that the final result is a natural, unavoidable consequence of A (eg. if I don't buy a 24 pack of pens for my exam, I might run out of pens, then I won't be able to finish, then I'll fail Year 12, then my parents will disown me, then I'll be forced to live on the streets, then I'll have to eat pigeons to survive. So if I don't buy these pens, I'll have to eat a pigeon. QED.) It's obviously a fallacy, but it's very common in Language Analysis pieces :)

Otherwise, if your teacher was giving you a specific example or told you to use this technique for a certain case, let me know and I might be able to explain it in more detail. Analysis rarely just stops at the technique level, so what you say after you identify the device is much more important.

scandin9

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #324 on: May 05, 2015, 11:29:25 pm »
+1
Hey Lauren,

Do you have any resources on Year Of Wonders?

literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #325 on: May 05, 2015, 11:49:22 pm »
+1
I do!
That was one of my Year 12 texts, though I didn't do it in the exam. I haven't posted anything for it because no Year 12s are studying it and very few schools select it for younger year levels, but I'll have a look through what I've got and see if there's anything worth scanning. I'll certainly have a practice essay or two, and maybe a few articles/ discussion question-answer type things :)

Callum@1373

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #326 on: May 06, 2015, 05:17:46 pm »
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Hey Lauren,

I've finished reading Macbeth for text-response - I used a combination of watching the movie, reading the modern translation while reading the Shakespeare at once and I have a solid understanding of the plot.

What should my next step be? Thanks   :)
2015: Business Management [48]
2016: English [43] Specialist Mathematics [43] Methods [46] Chemistry [45] Biology [45]

ATAR: 99.65
NYSF Session C 2016

Recipient of ANU National Scholars Program

http://www.callum-lowe.weebly.com

scandin9

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #327 on: May 07, 2015, 08:15:33 pm »
+1
Hey Lauren :),

The resources for Year of wonders would be extremely helpful as I can't seem to find many academic articles on it.

Thanks in advance!

TheAspiringDoc

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #328 on: May 08, 2015, 06:35:55 pm »
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Hi all :)
So I really like English (i.e. reading, writing, debating and communicating etc.) and was wondering if you guys could give me some tips on how I could further my knowledge in the area. I read texts such as The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, The Kite Runner, The Hunger Games, Wild Cat Falling, Autobiographies, non-fiction, the newspaper, and AN essays people have posted up. The biggest issue is that while in english class at school, everyone mucks around and I end up being quite unproductive.. I'm also worried that students at selective schools are getting an unfairly large advantage over me and my low-grade private school..
Any tips/ ideas/ advice?
Thanks!! :)

literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #329 on: May 08, 2015, 07:17:26 pm »
+2
Hey Lauren,

I've finished reading Macbeth for text-response - I used a combination of watching the movie, reading the modern translation while reading the Shakespeare at once and I have a solid understanding of the plot.

What should my next step be? Thanks   :)
For Macbeth, as well as many Shakespeare tragedies, there's only one real question: who's to blame?
You may think you know the answer now, but academics have bickered over this for centuries, so I guarantee there's more to say. See if you can answer that question, and let the discussion take you in different directions rather than concentrating on 'finding' the 'right' answer. For instance, if you think Lady M plays a significant part, then is it because she exerts control over Macbeth's character, or is she powerful in her own right? Does her power enhance or belittle Macbeth's? Does her degree of influence change at all? If so, what does this say about the blame we attribute? ~etc.

Also, there's no shortage of resources out there for Macbeth, so read heaps in order to expand your analysis and interpretation of the text :) Let me know if anything doesn't make sense... I think I've done Macbeth four times now over the course of my English-life  ::)

Hey Lauren :),

The resources for Year of wonders would be extremely helpful as I can't seem to find many academic articles on it.

Thanks in advance!
Sooooo, atarnotes won't let me upload the scans since they're too big  >:(  If you want, I could email them to you, otherwise I'll try and upload them in the actual Notes section (though I have no idea how soon they'll be published/ when you'll be able to access them though) - sorry!

Hi all :)
So I really like English (i.e. reading, writing, debating and communicating etc.) and was wondering if you guys could give me some tips on how I could further my knowledge in the area. I read texts such as The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, The Kite Runner, The Hunger Games, Wild Cat Falling, Autobiographies, non-fiction, the newspaper, and AN essays people have posted up. The biggest issue is that while in english class at school, everyone mucks around and I end up being quite unproductive.. I'm also worried that students at selective schools are getting an unfairly large advantage over me and my low-grade private school..
Any tips/ ideas/ advice?
Thanks!! :)
Read.
Read read read read read read read.

There's not much need to read VCE-level essays really, though I suppose you could peruse some Language Analysis or Text Response essays if you really wanted to. Those tend to be rather dry reading though (unless you're an oddball like me.)

What'll really help is reading. Novels of any genre, non-fiction texts on any subject matter - just go for whatever you're interested in. I owe at least half of my study score to the contents of my bookshelves.

The best thing you could do for yourself at this stage is to set yourself up with a solid intuition of grammar and sentence composition. Unfortunately, if you try and learn this deliberately, you'll likely just end up confused. Actually "learning" grammar is kind of counter-intuitive; most people are better off picking up on it subconsciously when they take in new information. So as great as it would be if you found a few authors or genres you really enjoy, the more you expose yourself to, the more chances you'll uncover something that will (implicitly) help you later down the line.

If you're really desperate, perhaps suggest a few areas of interest and I might be able to recommend something you like?