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Coffee

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #375 on: May 25, 2015, 06:07:13 pm »
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Hi guys

Im having troubles with how to write up language analysis paragraphs :(

What are you caught up on? Can you be more specific?

biy

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #376 on: May 25, 2015, 07:06:21 pm »
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What are you caught up on? Can you be more specific?

Sorry about that :3

Well I am in the process of writing one up now. We have to compare multiple articles with each other. I have never done this before so I do not know how to structure my paragraphs, and what do I say in the introduction and conclusion?

Thank you coffee (nice name haha :P)
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literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #377 on: May 25, 2015, 09:54:50 pm »
+5
Hey,

I have a text reponse exam next week and I'm confused since my teacher says I have to address this hidden question no matter what. "How does the author create meaning", do I address this in all of my paragraphs including the introduction or do I only have to mention it once?

Should each of my body paragraphs be saying how the author uses characters and their actions to imply a message or can I talk about a character or theme specifically?

My teacher said to sign post my arguments in my introduction, but obviously at VCE level I shouldn't, or do it so obviously? Do I have to mention what I'll be saying in each paragraph in my intro, or can I just start off with a broad idea in my intros and then focus on specific events in each of my body paragraphs?
From the sounds of things, your teacher seems to be pushing the 'text as a construct' angle that's explained in the post bangali linked above
(Incidentally I was just about to write an explanation of that until I clicked and realised I already had :p ty!)
Essentially it just means the focus is on the text and not what happens in the text if that makes sense? It's not really a matter of consciously telling yourself to stop and write a painful sentence like 'Therefore this contributes to the author's overall message that >blah<' every paragraph; it's something that should be woven throughout your discussion.
Broadly speaking, the starts of your paragraphs can involve a 'views and values statement' about the author's intent; the bulk of your paragraphs should avoid it; and the last few sentences in your paragraph should definitely include some. The good message-analyses tend to need a bit of discussion building up to the overall point, ie. you can't just go into a sentence, guns blazing, and think 'right! I'm going to say something about the author's deepest darkest values.' Imagine if your body paragraph was that jarring:

In 'Goings on at Number Thirty-Two,' Paddington Bear awakes from his nightmare about being unable to open a jar of marmelade which can be seen as the author's attempt to distill a sense of simultaneous relief at the dream being over, and fear for what it may portend.

Not only is the first part of that section just pure summary, but the conclusion it draws is a little shaky. I haven't said anything about how the author creates a sense of relief/fear, or what it is about the chapter that contributes to this impression. That's something I've just left to the reader to infer - and examiners tend to take a 'snooze ya'lose' approach to this sort of thing. Students who are content to just mash together a point from the text with a point of analysis/V&V without making the reason for that link clear... well, they won't lose marks exactly, but they certainly won't score as highly as someone who justifies their thinking.

Well I am in the process of writing one up now. We have to compare multiple articles with each other. I have never done this before so I do not know how to structure my paragraphs, and what do I say in the introduction and conclusion?

Thank you coffee (nice name haha :P)

Essay structure-wise:

Intro:
- mention the titles, authors, and contentions of each piece (pretty much compulsory)
- dates/publication details are optional, but some teachers prefer them, and they're easy to include
- a brief statement about the issue or 'spark' is usually good to start with
- audience or tone can be mentioned, but it's more important that you bring them up in your body paragraphs for analysis
- don't mention specific techniques
- don't quote anything

Body paragraphs:
- you don't have to include every text in every paragraph, but every paragraph should include more than one text (my rule; not an official one, but highly recommended)
   eg. P1: Article 1 + Article 2
         P2: Article 2 + Article 3 + visual
         P3: Article 1 + Article 3 + visual
- language is always the focus, but think about how you might contrast the arguments in the different pieces. Where do they differ? Remember, differences are better to comment on than similarities. --> because if things are different, you get to discuss both of them (eg. Where Author A suggests that the decision was misguided and foolish, Author B instead contends that it was the best possible option...) whereas saying 'these two contentions are the same' doesn't give you much else to say. Also, schools tend to pick significantly different articles to give you more to discuss anyway :)
- Never compare at the expense of analysing. You don't have to be constantly flipping back and forth between articles. Discuss one for a little while (~100 words or so) then transition when you feel you've said what you need to.

Concl.
- revisit contentions if needed, and try to say something about how language has been used overall
- don't analyse anything new
- don't rank the articles (ie. 'this article is more persuasive because of its use of statistical evidence') That's worth nada.
- ending by saying something about the audience is a popular option, though other things can work too.

And as always, because this is marked internally, your teacher will likely have their own expectations or at least recommendations, so it's worth having a chat with them if you're still unsure :)

Chang Feng

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #378 on: May 25, 2015, 10:15:17 pm »
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How do you make an expository essay less text response like. Like how is an expository essay different from a text response. Also how would you go about making an expository less dry, and more interesting to the reader so that they are captivated by it. (cause apparently my expository essays are to text response like, but not sure how to change it and also a bit dry.
THanks for the advice. 

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #379 on: May 27, 2015, 06:15:33 pm »
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For the play macbeth, do I refer to the audience as 'viewers', 'playgoers', 'audience' or something else?
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vanessa14

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #380 on: May 27, 2015, 08:45:32 pm »
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Just a quick question  ::) For Context, how do I explain a quote I've chosen that relates to my prompt as an example?... I know I have to mention the author's name but is there a specific amount about what I have to say about the author or do I just mention his/her name and write the quote and then explain how it relates to the prompt?

And is a single quote enough for one paragraph? (I know that examples arent meant to take up the whole paragraph)

Any ideas?

Oh and if it helps, im writing a persuasive speech!  :)

Alter

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #381 on: May 27, 2015, 10:12:24 pm »
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Also a very straightforward question (though quite urgent)...

I have my English Oral SAC tomorrow. I feel very prepared as I've been refining and practising my speech since the beginning of the term. As a result, I can recite my entire piece without fault (i.e. I've memorised it quite well) to the extent that I can perform it without any cue cards/notes at all. With this being said, I would like to know which would be preferable of two possibilities: should I perform my speech without any aids at all, or should I perform it with cue cards in my hand without necessarily referring to them? I understand this might seem like a ridiculously stupid question, but could the skill of being able to interact/articulate your ideas without any aid make it seem to the assessor as if you're of a higher calibre, or does it make your presentation seem arrogant/disorganised?

The reason I ask it is because, while I would've gone with cards in hand to the actual speech to begin with, I was present at a VCAA Plain English speaking competition today. The winner was commended on his prepared speech above all, particularly for the fact that he did so without any notes. Is this a subjective assessment that the assessor will make, it is objectively better to be able to perform in this manner if you have very good interaction abilities when speaking? Thanks in advance and sorry for the unusually niche nature of this question.
« Last Edit: May 27, 2015, 10:44:10 pm by Alter »
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literally lauren

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #382 on: May 27, 2015, 10:47:15 pm »
+3
How do you make an expository essay less text response like. Like how is an expository essay different from a text response. Also how would you go about making an expository less dry, and more interesting to the reader so that they are captivated by it. (cause apparently my expository essays are to text response like, but not sure how to change it and also a bit dry.
THanks for the advice.

A Context piece uses a text for evidence in order to say something about the Context itself. In Text Response, you're given a prompt that relates only to your chosen text, and told to discuss the ideas within that text.
So Context has no limits, because you're talking about the entirety of the Imaginative Landscape/ Whose Reality/ Conflict/ Identity and Belonging. But Text Response is just about the text itself, and you can't just go off on tangents about other themes or ideas.

For instance, the sentence: 'The desire for revenge is a fundamental part of human nature, even though we don't often like to admit it' would be perfectly fine in a Context essay, because it's dealing with a general concept. However, you couldn't use this in T.R. because it's not telling us anything about the book/film/play etc.

By contrast, something like: 'This character's quest for revenge can be seen as emblematic of his flawed, but relatable nature' would be fine in both Context and T.R. The difference here is that, after this sentence, a T.R. essay would stick with the character and link the discussion to the overall message of the book - while a Context piece would start to zoom out from the text and try to say something about IL/WR/C/Id&b.

In terms of 'spicing up' essays and making them more interesting, there's some general stuff here and here that might help get you started, but ultimately it just depends on your writing style and how 'creative' you want to get.

For the play macbeth, do I refer to the audience as 'viewers', 'playgoers', 'audience' or something else?
'Audience' is the conventionally accepted term, with 'playwright' (preferred) or 'author' being used for Shakespeare. You could use 'playgoers'/'theatre-goers' if you wanted, but only in moderation. This'd more likely be the case if you were saying something about Jacobean society at the time, and how those specific theatre-goers in Shakespeare's day would've responded to something; in contrast to how 'audience' members (read: anyone who is viewing the play) could judge a certain character or infer a certain idea.

Just a quick question  ::) For Context, how do I explain a quote I've chosen that relates to my prompt as an example?... I know I have to mention the author's name but is there a specific amount about what I have to say about the author or do I just mention his/her name and write the quote and then explain how it relates to the prompt?

And is a single quote enough for one paragraph? (I know that examples arent meant to take up the whole paragraph)

Any ideas?

Oh and if it helps, im writing a persuasive speech!  :)
It depends how well known the person is. If you're quoting, say, John Lennon, then you probably don't have to clarify which John Lennon you're talking about, so specifications like 'Renowned British pop singer, and counter-culture activist John Lennon who was born on...' is going to sound superfluous. However, a brief adjective or two can be a good way to sum up a certain person; eg.
In her monumental address to the United Nations summit, then political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi said "quote"
The same can be done for lesser known figures, or even completely random people you found by searching 'quotes about conflict/reality/identity.' We've all done it :P
So long as it doesn't detract from the flow of your speech, you should be fine.

As to the ratio of quotes to examples/explanation, I'm afraid your teacher will have to answer that because it's very subjective. Technically you don't need any quotes at all in Context - you just need 'evidence' of some kind. The most important thing is that your essay is able to find a balance between Context-based discussion, and example-based discussion - how exactly you do this is totally up to you.

I've heard some teachers say things like 'you have to have three or more quotes in every paragraph' while others say 'never use quotes; they're clunky and awful' so definitely check with your teacher to see if they have a hard-and-fast-rule either way. If you're lucky, they'll be cool with whatever you choose, and so it'll be up to you to determine whether your speech feels balanced or not.
ie. does it seem like
a) there are two many quotes and you can't explore them in enough depth, meaning the rest of the speech is compromised because you don't have enough time to talk about the bigger ideas?
b) there aren't enough quotes, so you end up stretching out the ones you do have to the point where you're reading too much into them, or they become sort of over-worked - OR - there aren't enough quotes and the whole thing feels like a stack of huge, lofty ideas with nothing supporting it underneath
or c) none of the above, so pretty much fine :)

Also a very straightforward question...

I have my English Oral SAC tomorrow. I feel very prepared as I've been refining and practising my speech since the beginning of the term. As a result, I can recite my entire piece without fault (i.e. I've memorised it quite well) to the extent that I can perform it without any cue cards/notes at all. With this being said, I would like to know which would be preferable of two possibilities: should I perform my speech without any aids at all, or should I perform it with cue cards in my hand without necessarily referring to them? I understand this might seem like a ridiculously stupid question, but could the skill of being able to interact/articulate your ideas without any aid make it seem to the assessor as if you're of a higher calibre, or does it make your presentation seem arrogant/disorganised?

The reason I ask it is because, while I would've gone with cards in hand to the actual speech to begin with, I was present at a VCAA Plain English speaking competition today. The winner was commended on his prepared speech above all, particularly for the fact that he did so without any notes. Is this a subjective assessment that the assessor will make, it is objectively better to be able to perform in this manner if you have very good interaction abilities when speaking? Thanks in advance and sorry for the unusually niche nature of this question.
I'm of the opinion that having cue cards in front of you is fairly sensible, even if you feel like you've memorised everything entirely... it's a good security blanket in case your brain just flies out the window when you need it most. Also, for someone who never knew what to do with her hands whilst giving a speech unless I had something to hold, it can kind of detract from the awkwardness in a weird psychological-boundary-between-you-and-the-audience sort of way.
But, assuming public speaking isn't too terrifying a prospect for you, then you could go either way. You definitely won't be penalised for having cue cards (unless your teachers are especially cruel, but I've never heard of this happening) and whilst you would get some credit for being able to speak confidently without them, ultimately the marks come down to how good your content is and how well you present it. Things like body language and tone of voice are way mroe influencial factors in the marking scheme than whether you have the speech in front of you.

Ultimately it comes down to what kind of public speaker you are. If your speech is suited to a more personal, perhaps even borderline colloquial delivery where you talk directly to the audience (eg. 'Imagine you were in this situation...' or 'How can we abide this?') then a lack of cards might work in your favour. Whereas, if it's a very formal speech and you're suited to a very formal delivery style, then having your speech there is probably best.

Incidentally, it's kind of like how newsreaders today still have sheets of paper on their desks and occasionally shuffle them around a bit, even though they're almost completely reliant on teleprompters and ear-feeds. It's partly in case everything goes wrong and they need to rely on the hardcopy, but it's mostly about the way they deliver and transition between points.

If you're still undecided, wait and see what others in your class do tomorrow. If it seems like everyone's using cue cards, then maybe just stick with the system, but if there are a few solid speeches delivered without them, then by all means test that memorisation-prowess!

Good luck!

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #383 on: May 27, 2015, 11:11:29 pm »
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It depends how well known the person is. If you're quoting, say, John Lennon, then you probably don't have to clarify which John Lennon you're talking about, so specifications like 'Renowned British pop singer, and counter-culture activist John Lennon who was born on...' is going to sound superfluous. However, a brief adjective or two can be a good way to sum up a certain person; eg.
In her monumental address to the United Nations summit, then political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi said "quote"
The same can be done for lesser known figures, or even completely random people you found by searching 'quotes about conflict/reality/identity.' We've all done it :P
So long as it doesn't detract from the flow of your speech, you should be fine.

As to the ratio of quotes to examples/explanation, I'm afraid your teacher will have to answer that because it's very subjective. Technically you don't need any quotes at all in Context - you just need 'evidence' of some kind. The most important thing is that your essay is able to find a balance between Context-based discussion, and example-based discussion - how exactly you do this is totally up to you.

I've heard some teachers say things like 'you have to have three or more quotes in every paragraph' while others say 'never use quotes; they're clunky and awful' so definitely check with your teacher to see if they have a hard-and-fast-rule either way. If you're lucky, they'll be cool with whatever you choose, and so it'll be up to you to determine whether your speech feels balanced or not.
ie. does it seem like
a) there are two many quotes and you can't explore them in enough depth, meaning the rest of the speech is compromised because you don't have enough time to talk about the bigger ideas?
b) there aren't enough quotes, so you end up stretching out the ones you do have to the point where you're reading too much into them, or they become sort of over-worked - OR - there aren't enough quotes and the whole thing feels like a stack of huge, lofty ideas with nothing supporting it underneath
or c) none of the above, so pretty much fine :)

thank you so much! you're awesome honestly! :)

Alter

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #384 on: May 28, 2015, 07:53:32 pm »
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Whew, my SAC went relatively well. I ended up deciding to do my speech without any cue cards/notes and I didn't go blank/make any crucial mistakes, so I'm glad I made the decision in retrospect. I didn't have a chance to see if anyone else would present it like this before I did it (I was the first up of my group of ~8), but of the rest I've seen today (20ish) nobody else did this. Hopefully it can help separate it me from others who relied a ton on prepared material. Thanks a bunch :)
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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #385 on: May 28, 2015, 08:57:32 pm »
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I'm wondering if I should remember ideas of our studied text before heading in to an exam or is there something that just sparks your memory in the exam? It seems that I don't fully retain what I read on a less so obvious important part of the novel which may be an issue since I want to write an original essay.

Also, should I be learning the context of the quotes I'll be using in my essay? I found some good quotes on the Internet but have a vague understanding of the context but I do think I can link the quote up to a major theme.

Coffee

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #386 on: May 29, 2015, 07:14:45 pm »
+2
I'm wondering if I should remember ideas of our studied text before heading in to an exam or is there something that just sparks your memory in the exam? It seems that I don't fully retain what I read on a less so obvious important part of the novel which may be an issue since I want to write an original essay.

Also, should I be learning the context of the quotes I'll be using in my essay? I found some good quotes on the Internet but have a vague understanding of the context but I do think I can link the quote up to a major theme.

You should definitely be prepared when going into an exam so you should have a thorough understanding of the ideas and themes presented in the text. If you're struggling to retain information it's important you're employing good study habits. What works will obviously vary from person to person but you should be revising regularly. Making summary sheets based on characters, plot, themes, etc can be very helpful as are completing practise questions/essays. I personally find mind maps to be very helpful in displaying connections between characters/themes as I can visualise it in the exam. But experiment and see what works for you! Also, it is important you understand the context of the quotations so you're using them appropriately.

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #387 on: May 30, 2015, 06:45:02 pm »
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Guys, stressing over my oral :(

Alcohol advertisements should be banned from being publically viewed. But i have absolutely no ideas/arguments :( Someone pls help me, my oral is in 3 days!
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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #388 on: May 30, 2015, 07:32:20 pm »
+2
Guys, stressing over my oral :(

Alcohol advertisements should be banned from being publically viewed. But i have absolutely no ideas/arguments :( Someone pls help me, my oral is in 3 days!
Hi cosine,
Currently, the use of alcohol advertisements entices younger generations. As such you can look preventing the broadcasting of a negative message by the use of alcohol advertisements. This will probably be the key message but it can have a flow-on effect.
Example, the government and TAC are strongly condemning drink driving. Currently, alcohol advertising in public would hinder their attempts to discourage such behavior.
You can speak of building a better, alcohol-free life for the younger generations. To speak of this you can refer to role models in sport etc. For example, Would you show advertise alcohol publicly at a sports event? I.e. People disapproved of Shane Warne's actions following the 2015 World Cup where he asked many questions relating to alcohol...

Overall, the main idea is building a better future, and to do that you can paint a positive picture of the benefits of reducing alcohol consumption in youth. In other words, CONSIDER THE RIPPLE EFFECT.

Hope it helps.  :)
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Floatzel98

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Re: VCE English Question Thread
« Reply #389 on: May 31, 2015, 08:22:32 pm »
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I have a couple of articles that i need to compare which are mainly comprised of just an anecdote the whole way through, and i don't really know how this is persuasive and/or effects the reader.  I know this effect is something i should have learned in year 10/11, but i just don't really know what to write about these articles.

Thanks guys :)
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