Hi everyone
I am pretty scared about the HSC because my most recent exam essay got 17/20 (which I was already unhappy with) was remarked by my tutor (a hsc eng marker) who said that he wouldnt have given it 17, and that it was resting in the 14/15 mark. This made me question whether my own teacher was correct or not in assessing my work, and I was not sure how I could improve it.
Hey Selina! So in terms of whether your teacher is 'correct,' I'd say they are. And your tutor is probably correct too. What you should take from that is, "Yeah, it is probably sitting at about a 15-17 (so maybe a 16?) out of 20." More beneficially, you are sitting in the High Band 5 range - Which is a great point to be at at this stage of the year btw!
There will always be a little difference in how different individuals mark your essay. In the HSC exam environment, the markers are very "tightly controlled," well guided by senior markers, and checked regularly for fairness. So don't worry - Your exam mark by the end is definitely going to be fair, and for now, a little ambiguity in the mark is totally normal. It would be impossible for two people to give the same mark for an essay every single time. They are close and that is what counts
I can see that you are posting your work and asking questions, that is the absolute best way to improve! I am sure that if you keep motivated, you will absolutely be able to push those essay marks into the high range