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Author Topic: VCE English Question Thread  (Read 847663 times)  Share 

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Callum@1373

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #165 on: March 02, 2015, 07:15:51 am »
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Yeah - those examples are good as they are based off confabulation.

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #166 on: March 02, 2015, 08:03:17 am »
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Hi Lauren!
Could you please have a look at my context essay as well on the thread?
I also tried to incorporate your advice into mine but I am not sure whether I did a good job of it or not.
It's been on there for a couple of days but no one answered :'(

Thank you! :)
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JackSonSmith

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #167 on: March 02, 2015, 05:16:11 pm »
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How important is the inclusion of film techniques when writing an essay on Mabo? I was told that I wouldn't get over 14/20 if I did not include a plethora of detailed film technique analysis in my essays.
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cosine

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #168 on: March 02, 2015, 06:00:52 pm »
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Instead of repeating myself and say 'In Euripides' play, 'Medea',..'
Is there any other good ways to start an introduction? And, after saying the above, what should I continue with?

Thank you
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literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #169 on: March 02, 2015, 06:58:33 pm »
+2
Hi Lauren!
Could you please have a look at my context essay as well on the thread?
I also tried to incorporate your advice into mine but I am not sure whether I did a good job of it or not.
It's been on there for a couple of days but no one answered :'(

Thank you! :)
Will do. It seems everyone has a big round of SACs at the moment so I haven't had much time, but I'll get there :)

How important is the inclusion of film techniques when writing an essay on Mabo? I was told that I wouldn't get over 14/20 if I did not include a plethora of detailed film technique analysis in my essays.
Fairly important, but you don't need to go overboard. Most teachers like to overemphasise film techniques or metalanguage because it's better to overdo it than underdo it. Just stick to whatever your teacher is suggesting for your SAC; if they say you must include seven film techniques in every paragraph, then that's exactly what you should do. Or maybe include eight if you're looking to challenge yourself :P After awhile, you'll probably get a sense for how necessary it is to delve into close, technique-based detail. If it feels like it's stunting your analysis, then maybe cut down, but if you feel like you're being to general, fit more in. It really depends on the essay, and the prompt.

Also, point of interest, the word 'plethora' is meant to mean 'too much of something' in a bad way (ie. you can't have a plethora of chocolate, but you can have a plethora of health problems as a result of said chocolate,) though nowadays it's used interchangeably with 'abundance,' unfortunately. :(

Instead of repeating myself and say 'In Euripides' play, 'Medea',..'
Is there any other good ways to start an introduction? And, after saying the above, what should I continue with?

Thank you
Just varying the sentence structure in your intro should be enough,
- 'Throughout Medea, Euripides...'
- 'Euripides' tragic play Medea...'
- 'In the tragic play Medea, Euripides...'
You'll only be doing this once per essay, so it's not like you'd lose marks for repetition. Alternatively, you could open with some historical/contextual information, and then segue into the prompt.

After that, your priority is to convey your contention, and perhaps sub-arguments. So long as your assessor can get to the end of your intro and know what you're arguing, you're fine. Some people like the obvious sign-posting (ie. '>first argument.< Furthermore, >second argument.< Moreover, >third argument.< However, >challenge.<') I tend to advocate for something smoother if you can manage it, but this method gets the job done. Try not to do the really obvious rewording-of-each-topic-sentence-in-the-intro since that can look lazy or repetitive.

Clarity is key, just get your ideas across, and open up the discussion for your body paragraphs.

vanessa14

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #170 on: March 02, 2015, 07:01:02 pm »
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Hello!

I was just wondering, if you could give me some tips on how to make my analysis more critical? And I was wondering how you structured your essay paragraphs and maybe if you have an example to show me? Im always repeating myself and not doing much analysis...

Tips would be most helpful! Thank you.

literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #171 on: March 02, 2015, 07:08:15 pm »
+1
Hello!

I was just wondering, if you could give me some tips on how to make my analysis more critical? And I was wondering how you structured your essay paragraphs and maybe if you have an example to show me? Im always repeating myself and not doing much analysis...

Tips would be most helpful! Thank you.

What do you mean 'more critical?' I'm guessing this is something your teacher has told you that you need to work on, in which case it's probably worth sitting down with them and getting a clearer picture of where you're going wrong.
Like, are your essays at the moment just summarising the text? Or are you taking too much knowledge for grated and not going into detail? Or are you just agreeing with the prompt and don't develop a complex contention? All of these things could be classed as 'not critical,' but you need to be specific if you want to know how to improve.

Essay structure is a matter of personal preference. I usually recommend opening with a general idea or concern in your Topic Sentence; interweaving discussion, analysis, and evidence throughout, and then ending by linking back to your contention. But there's a whole lot of room for originality in there, so it's just a matter of practicing to find your strengths and weaknesses.

With regards to repeating yourself, are you saying the same ideas over and over again, or are you just using the same words? The first is a problem with your understanding of the content, meaning you have to go back to the book and expand your knowledge. The second is a problem with expression, meaning you should consult some resources and start building up your vocabulary so you can tackle more analysis.

vanessa14

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #172 on: March 02, 2015, 07:15:40 pm »
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What do you mean 'more critical?' I'm guessing this is something your teacher has told you that you need to work on, in which case it's probably worth sitting down with them and getting a clearer picture of where you're going wrong.
Like, are your essays at the moment just summarising the text? Or are you taking too much knowledge for grated and not going into detail? Or are you just agreeing with the prompt and don't develop a complex contention? All of these things could be classed as 'not critical,' but you need to be specific if you want to know how to improve.

Essay structure is a matter of personal preference. I usually recommend opening with a general idea or concern in your Topic Sentence; interweaving discussion, analysis, and evidence throughout, and then ending by linking back to your contention. But there's a whole lot of room for originality in there, so it's just a matter of practicing to find your strengths and weaknesses.

With regards to repeating yourself, are you saying the same ideas over and over again, or are you just using the same words? The first is a problem with your understanding of the content, meaning you have to go back to the book and expand your knowledge. The second is a problem with expression, meaning you should consult some resources and start building up your vocabulary so you can tackle more analysis.

I have a good understanding of the text but when It comes to analysing quotes, I seem to just be rewording it somehow and not doing critical analysis. I've tried sitting with my teacher but my essay marks are always the same, and no matter how I change my style of writing, it doesn't seem to get into that A band. I know my expression needs working on- so any advice for that?  ::) And yes I guess I don't go into as much detail as I'd like too while explaining quotes. And when I said repeating myself, I'd provide a quote, then explain it and then I write another sentence underneath all that, rewording what I wrote the first time, and it just goes downhill   :'(

Im just a little nervous for my SAC on wednesday!


Oh and one more thing  ::) Im not quite sure how to explain the metalanguage the author uses while i'm explaining the quotes I've chosen... any ideas?
« Last Edit: March 02, 2015, 07:18:45 pm by vanessa14 »

literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #173 on: March 02, 2015, 09:54:20 pm »
+2
Alrighty, let's break this up:
I have a good understanding of the text but when It comes to analysing quotes, I seem to just be rewording it somehow and not doing critical analysis.
A little trick you might find helpful is nominalisation, which basically means noun-ifying things.
Rather than saying: 'The character suggests she "does not love Romeo."'
Try instead: 'The character's suggestion that she "does not love Romeo"...'
See how that second sentence makes you keep going? Using the verb form for words like said, suggests, implies, confides, reveals, etc. can lead to lapsing into summary. Whereas, if you stop and force yourself to discuss the suggestion/ implication/ confidence/ revealing, etc. you're also forcing yourself into analysis.
It's only one minor change, and of course not every sentence should look like this, but if you get into the habit of analysing on a small level, it'll be easier to adapt to other kinds of helpful sentence structures.
I've tried sitting with my teacher but my essay marks are always the same, and no matter how I change my style of writing, it doesn't seem to get into that A band.
Assuming you're in Year 12, tough it out. Even if you think your teacher's advice is unhelpful, or wrong, they're still the ones marking your SACs! Most students in this position will be learning two courses; one is the methods for essay writing that their teacher mandates, and the other is what is objectively safe to write in the end of year exam. If you're lucky, there will be a lot of overlap, but for now, you have to focus on catering to your teacher.
If you want to improve, be as specific as possible!
There's a reason you can't just move into the A band by wanting to; numerical goals don't help you study. They might motivate you, but they don't give you anything tangible to work towards. Put yourself in a teacher's shoes and imagine a student came to you and said they wanted to go from a 6 to a 10. What would you say?
You might be able to point them in some general directions, but to actually help, you need to know what the problem is. Likewise if you're going to a teacher for help, make sure you have a clear purpose in mind, like 'I need to know how to structure my Topic Sentences, and whether I should make them really broad, or really specific.' Not 'I need to make this 7/10 essay a 10/10.'
I know my expression needs working on- so any advice for that?  ::)
What about your expression needs work? Are your sentences too long? Is your syntax all over the place? Is your vocab really weak? If you ask a specific question, you'll be able to get a more specific answer,
eg. 'My expression needs work.'
--> 'My ideas flow, but not my writing.'
--> 'I can't write long sentences.'
--> 'I'm not using enough conjunctive words (eg. 'and,' but,' 'therefore,' 'contrarily,' etc.)'
--> 'I should try using those words to combine similar ideas.'
And yes I guess I don't go into as much detail as I'd like too while explaining quotes. And when I said repeating myself, I'd provide a quote, then explain it and then I write another sentence underneath all that, rewording what I wrote the first time, and it just goes downhill   :'(
If you're aware of the problem, then just stop yourself from doing this :) Consciously remind yourself to discuss the quote, not just paraphrase it. Assume your marker has read the text - you don't need to contextualise quotes and go into heaps of detail before or after - just give them sufficient information so that they know what you're talking about, and move straight into analysing the significance of the quote on a broader level.

Oh and one more thing  ::) Im not quite sure how to explain the metalanguage the author uses while i'm explaining the quotes I've chosen... any ideas?
Not quite sure what you're asking here, but if it's just a general vocab issue, going through some sample word lists is probably your best bet. As a last minute thing, go through the essays you're writing/ have written and find instances where you haven't been able to explain a word properly. Look these words up in a thesaurus, and take note of any viable synonyms that you could use. Although you can acquire words passively, going out of your way to expand your vocab is often more productive. You don't want to be spending several minutes in a SAC just trying to word your response properly; sophisticated language is efficient language, so build it up early so you have a wealth to draw from if you need it :)

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #174 on: March 02, 2015, 10:03:31 pm »
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Just a quick question, can we use 'readers' in text response essays? Or is it not recommend if so why not? :)

literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #175 on: March 02, 2015, 10:11:44 pm »
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Just a quick question, can we use 'readers' in text response essays? Or is it not recommend if so why not? :)
It depends on the format of the text you're studying.
If it's a novel, or a collection of short stories, then you can say 'readers' and 'author.'
If it's a play, then it's 'audience' and 'playwright.'
For films, 'audience' and 'director.'
For poetry, 'audience' and 'poet.'
Don't know if there are any other forms currently on the lists, but it's just a conventions thing. You won't be instantly marked down, but it's the sort of teensy-weensy thing than annoys English pedants, so you want to get it right just to avoid their wrath :)

vanessa14

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #176 on: March 02, 2015, 10:45:43 pm »
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If you ask a specific question, you'll be able to get a more specific answer,
eg. 'My expression needs work.'
--> 'My ideas flow, but not my writing.'
--> 'I can't write long sentences.'
--> 'I'm not using enough conjunctive words (eg. 'and,' but,' 'therefore,' 'contrarily,' etc.)'
--> 'I should try using those words to combine similar ideas.'If you're aware of the problem, then just stop yourself from doing this :) Consciously remind yourself to discuss the quote, not just paraphrase it. Assume your marker has read the text - you don't need to contextualise quotes and go into heaps of detail before or after - just give them sufficient information so that they know what you're talking about, and move straight into analysing the significance of the quote on a broader level.

Okay so consciously reminding myself not to paraphrase it might just work! :) thanks for that suggestion. And yes I am in year 12 (: My expression needs some working on because (for example) I was referring a character doing something beneficial and I wrote, 'its gives out a positive image' Saying that out loud to myself does make me realise that the expression is funny, but how do I avoid doing this during my SAC? Sometimes I read over my essays but under exam conditions and with 2 minutes left, things like this slip my mind.  :(
I also tend to write things that are too informal... Are these minor errors? If so and if not, how do I avoid such things?

ps: thank you so much for the help you've provided me with already (: you're awesome!  ;D
« Last Edit: March 02, 2015, 10:47:19 pm by vanessa14 »

literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #177 on: March 02, 2015, 11:06:56 pm »
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Okay so consciously reminding myself not to paraphrase it might just work! :) thanks for that suggestion. And yes I am in year 12 (: My expression needs some working on because (for example) I was referring a character doing something beneficial and I wrote, 'its gives out a positive image' Saying that out loud to myself does make me realise that the expression is funny, but how do I avoid doing this during my SAC? Sometimes I read over my essays but under exam conditions and with 2 minutes left, things like this slip my mind.  :(
I also tend to write things that are too informal... Are these minor errors? If so and if not, how do I avoid such things?

ps: thank you so much for the help you've provided me with already (: you're awesome!  ;D
Two options:

1) Reread your work constantly. This is probably better in the long run since it teaches you to pick up on mistakes as you're making them, or just after. Perhaps make yourself reread every three or four lines depending on how bad the problem is, and then you can edit as you go.
I'd also recommend writing on every second line, since it'll let you make the necessary adjustments in a much neater way.

2) Allow yourself editing time after you've finished. This is what people usually do in timed constraints, though it has some drawbacks. For one, you might not get time to edit - then it becomes a question of 'is it better to have 3/4 of a really good essay, or a finished piece that's rushed and kind of average?' To which I would answer, the first one.
But if you find it easier, allocate maybe 10 minutes before your SAC finishes to go through your sentences with a fine toothed comb, even if you need to silently mouth the words or read really slowly; you'll get faster, and it'll get easier.

The fact that you know your grammar is iffy is actually a good sign. If you didn't know what the problem was, then you'd have issues with your understanding. But if, when you read your work, you know a sentence sounds clunky or has some letters/ words it shouldn't have, you'll probably be able to correct yourself. This may take some getting used to, and you may even want to go back to your old essays and correct those for practice, but the more you do it, the more likely you are to pick up on these sorts of errors as you're writing --> thereby cutting down on your editing time --> thereby giving you more writing time --> thereby letting you write more, and better :)

For formality, that's probably just a vocab concern. Usually the reason people use informal language is because they don't have a formal alternative up their sleeve; or they do, and they just don't spend time thinking about it. Go through your practice pieces and find instances of this informal language, and see if you can find a better word or phrase to communicate your point. If not, thesaurus.com :) Wherever possible, brainstorm some other possible words that could convey the same, or a slightly different point. Even if you don't use these in the very next essay you write, you have no way of knowing whether they'll come up in the next essay, or later in Context studies, or even in the exam.

vanessa14

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #178 on: March 02, 2015, 11:55:05 pm »
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Two options:

1) Reread your work constantly. This is probably better in the long run since it teaches you to pick up on mistakes as you're making them, or just after. Perhaps make yourself reread every three or four lines depending on how bad the problem is, and then you can edit as you go.
I'd also recommend writing on every second line, since it'll let you make the necessary adjustments in a much neater way.

2) Allow yourself editing time after you've finished. This is what people usually do in timed constraints, though it has some drawbacks. For one, you might not get time to edit - then it becomes a question of 'is it better to have 3/4 of a really good essay, or a finished piece that's rushed and kind of average?' To which I would answer, the first one.
But if you find it easier, allocate maybe 10 minutes before your SAC finishes to go through your sentences with a fine toothed comb, even if you need to silently mouth the words or read really slowly; you'll get faster, and it'll get easier.

The fact that you know your grammar is iffy is actually a good sign. If you didn't know what the problem was, then you'd have issues with your understanding. But if, when you read your work, you know a sentence sounds clunky or has some letters/ words it shouldn't have, you'll probably be able to correct yourself. This may take some getting used to, and you may even want to go back to your old essays and correct those for practice, but the more you do it, the more likely you are to pick up on these sorts of errors as you're writing --> thereby cutting down on your editing time --> thereby giving you more writing time --> thereby letting you write more, and better :)

For formality, that's probably just a vocab concern. Usually the reason people use informal language is because they don't have a formal alternative up their sleeve; or they do, and they just don't spend time thinking about it. Go through your practice pieces and find instances of this informal language, and see if you can find a better word or phrase to communicate your point. If not, thesaurus.com :) Wherever possible, brainstorm some other possible words that could convey the same, or a slightly different point. Even if you don't use these in the very next essay you write, you have no way of knowing whether they'll come up in the next essay, or later in Context studies, or even in the exam.

Thank you so much! I'll definitely take these suggestions on board and try give myself 10 minutes to read through my SAC!  ::)

appleandbee

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #179 on: March 03, 2015, 12:38:32 am »
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Hello

How text- centric does my context piece have to be? Is one paragraph enough,  I'm just wondering because I've seen some pretty text dense ones out there.

Also can someone help me dissect the prompt 'It is difficult to look objectively at our lives because we are always looking from inside out'. I'm not too sure about whether I'm interpreting the prompt correctly.

Thanks!
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