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HSC '09- the most paranoid year. (1 Viewer)

Sarebs

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Aug 10, 2009
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I was so paranoid that they would specify like a certain sonnet or speech I had to relate to. Overall exam was ok. If I had studied a lot more it would've been perfect. No regrets but. Am happy with what I did. And even if I flunk this exam, my SOR mark will probably be included instead..
I think at least 2 units of English HAVE to go towards your ATAR. It's always what I've been told.
 

123ash

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the marking criteria will be quite harsh/ i feel paranoid.
 

123ash

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the marking criteria will be quite harsh/ i feel paranoid about it.
 

Kikkoman

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The gross paranoia that has swept our cohort has been, in my opinion, mostly due to the overwhelming number of people memorising their essays for English. I will not say this is WRONG, but I do not think it's the best way to learn English either. It's the best way for some people, to beat a test, but otherwise, it's not a learning method that will open people up to variety in answers. People memorising essays will definitely be worried about the potential to have to write in another text type, because it's not what they would have memorised; on the other hand, they may be asked to write about ONE related belonging piece which does not fit the requirements of those memorised essays with TWO relateds. When this memorised, rote learnt treatment of a text is suited to be shorter, to fit a 2-related essay, then there could be trouble. That's why I prefer taking notes, drawing from which whatever I need to answer the questions. But, as they say, each to their own. Other people can't do that, and if they rely on memorisation, that's their prerogative, but I think that's where this paranoia originates, mostly...
However, I think it has also been due to module prescriptions having changed for the first time in 8 years. This is mostly new, except of course some of the critical study texts and some other recycled texts in other modules.
BUT! I've been calmly telling myself that everyone has to do this. Hundreds of thousands have done it before us. People will continue to do it after us.
 

aektzis

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Uhhh yeah they asked for ONE text instead of TWO. So what? Lol, paper 2 being the surprise. Stop trying to justify it kiddos, ain't working.
why are you still on boredofstudies when you finished last year? dont have a life after the hsc? pathetic
 

Aplus

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why are you still on boredofstudies when you finished last year? dont have a life after the hsc? pathetic
There's a Tertiary Education section. Also, General/Non-School section.
 

Rockyroad

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Lol. My only problem was not having enough time. 2 hours is unnecessarily short for 3 good long answers. What would be so bad having at least an hour for each? Imo it would be more reflective of a student's ability. Your handwriting speed should not be such a big factor. Also good that there weren't any weird forms. I would have taken even longer. I only did one related text when it said at least one for conflicting perspectives and only wrote like 4 pages. THat is my favourite topic too dammit. Anyone do Hamlet?Do you know if we were supposed to talk about the way it was recieved in different contexts? over time eg films etc. Or just about the original play?
 
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Venetiad

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Lol. My only problem was not having enough time. 2 hours is unnecessarily short for 3 good long answers. What would be so bad having at least an hour for each? Imo it would be more reflective of a student's ability. Your handwriting speed should not be such a big factor. Also good that there weren't any weird forms. I would have taken even longer. I only did one related text when it said at least one for conflicting perspectives and only wrote like 4 pages. THat is my favourite topic too dammit. Anyone do Hamlet?Do you know if we were supposed to talk about the way it was recieved in different contexts? over time eg films etc. Or just about the original play?
Time was my problem too, I hadn't even though about "Disruption" as an idea, so I had to think on the go, and Identity was something I had done only a little on. (Frank/Blade Runner) So yeah, time became a real issue for me, in the end it was my Module C that suffered (Ted Hughes). My interpretation of "your Interpretation" was; Do a god damn reading that you were told you wouldn't need to. So, I did a reading. I suppose now that I'm wrong, although back at school I talked to a few other capable people who said they'd done a reading too. And I took no interest in context for the critical study module...
 

cerys

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I'm actually unhappy about no surprises.
I didn't have a memorised/pre-prepared essay so I made mine up on the spot.
Was hoping there were surprises that would fuck lots of people up.. Aww..
^ This
 

evakiss

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'09 kids have been the worst hsc kids so far. i wonder if '10 can pass 'em.
I will be graduating next year and I don't believe that students intelligence is declining as you seem to suggest. Our english teacher says that it often ebs and flows. Apparently, the department writes the exams with consideration to the students of the year, this year was one of the easier papers and next year, according to my teacher, will be a harder paper. This is only what I was told.
 

Michaelmoo

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Uhhh yeah they asked for ONE text instead of TWO. So what? Lol, paper 2 being the surprise. Stop trying to justify it kiddos, ain't working.
All I have to say is:'09>'08 yeeeee. U know it mate.
 

jes.h

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Lol. My only problem was not having enough time. 2 hours is unnecessarily short for 3 good long answers. What would be so bad having at least an hour for each? Imo it would be more reflective of a student's ability. Your handwriting speed should not be such a big factor. Also good that there weren't any weird forms. I would have taken even longer. I only did one related text when it said at least one for conflicting perspectives and only wrote like 4 pages. THat is my favourite topic too dammit. Anyone do Hamlet?Do you know if we were supposed to talk about the way it was recieved in different contexts? over time eg films etc. Or just about the original play?
I did Hamlet. In it I mentioned context, and how its reception varied slightly for a contemporary audience, but I didn't focus on films at all, or other stage productions; after the rubric changed, there was more focus put onto our own interpretations, instead of others. I think I may have mentioned how a psychoanalytical reading could mean that a certain scene could be perceived differently, but they were really wanting us to focus on how the content conveyed loyalty/disloyalty and the consequences of it ("significance" - if it wasn't present, then what? The disturbance of the Chain of Being, etc). Human experiences frustrated me a little, I think I focused too much on simply human relationships. But not only did you have to look at the question, but also the rubric. That's why I threw in context, as well as techniques relating to the language.But who knows what BOS is going to decide in regards to the marking criteria? Gah, all in the past now. Just have to wait til Dec 16...
 

Rockyroad

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I did Hamlet. In it I mentioned context, and how its reception varied slightly for a contemporary audience, but I didn't focus on films at all, or other stage productions; after the rubric changed, there was more focus put onto our own interpretations, instead of others. I think I may have mentioned how a psychoanalytical reading could mean that a certain scene could be perceived differently, but they were really wanting us to focus on how the content conveyed loyalty/disloyalty and the consequences of it ("significance" - if it wasn't present, then what? The disturbance of the Chain of Being, etc). Human experiences frustrated me a little, I think I focused too much on simply human relationships. But not only did you have to look at the question, but also the rubric. That's why I threw in context, as well as techniques relating to the language.But who knows what BOS is going to decide in regards to the marking criteria? Gah, all in the past now. Just have to wait til Dec 16...
THanks for response. What do you mean after the rubric changed, there was more focus put onto our own interpretations, instead of others? ...the rubric was changed? huh? im getting scared now. i shouldn't have talked so much about films and other versions shit. i already stuffed up section III completely.
 

posey-rose

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Lol. My only problem was not having enough time. 2 hours is unnecessarily short for 3 good long answers. quote]

true, but i think i'd die if i had to sit i three hour english exam... i was hungry enough after two hours.
 

Rockyroad

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Lol. My only problem was not having enough time. 2 hours is unnecessarily short for 3 good long answers. quote]

true, but i think i'd die if i had to sit i three hour english exam... i was hungry enough after two hours.
In my system, you would be able to leave when you wanted. So that slow people could finish their essays if they needed to.No harm done.It's not fair.
 

ekdownie

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i said to my friends just before the exam 'everyone was so fkd over after only ONE related text for B. but im praying they will only expect ONE related text for the third module' and they did!!!
 

jotdan

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No obscure text types.

Fairly straight forward essays.

No ridiculously specific related text.

No specification of one poem for prescribed texts.


We are so, SO paranoid.
I nearly cried when i saw three essays; was freaking out theyd throw in an interview Now just have to get over 3u hurdle and no more essays that require analysing XD
 

tonyharrison

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I think the main reason that our year was so paranoid is that we had belonging and all those new texts which had never been done before. There were no past papers on those texts to show us what to expect. I'm guessing a lot of people got confused by past papers as those questions were based on different texts.
Yeah i agree. I didn't think they'd do anything weird cause it was the first year of using the new texts or modules. The only thing i was worried about, was maybe a weird cryptic question that was hard to interpret, however, was simmmpplleee.
 

jes.h

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THanks for response. What do you mean after the rubric changed, there was more focus put onto our own interpretations, instead of others? ...the rubric was changed? huh? im getting scared now. i shouldn't have talked so much about films and other versions shit. i already stuffed up section III completely.
Don't be scared, the rubric dot points were changed ever so slightly, and by reading between the lines most teachers and members from BOS (I rang the advice line about it, lol) interpreted it to mean less focus on other interpretations, more on your own. That's not to say that you write "I think Hamlet was good cos there was lots of loyalty in it", but simply you discussing what ideas you saw in the play, and thats just an essay, really. So don't stress too much over it. I know of lots of people who incorporated readings and texts and interpretations into theirs. The markers will probably just interpret them as support for your own reflections on the text, which will be of benefit to you because you provided support! So please don't worry, there's nothing you can do now anyway, so feel happy that you've done your best, and study for you next exam :)
 

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