• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

Is it suggested to memorise pre-written essays for the HSC? (2 Viewers)

0hNivlek

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2008
Messages
693
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
For my half yearlies for English i memorised one very broad belonging essay which i wrote and then adapted it to the question.
 

Tully B.

Green = procrastinating
Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
1,068
Location
inner-westish
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
I'm not all that good at adapting to essay questions, but will try to do so for the trials. Always memorise short stories though.
 

ninetypercent

ninety ninety ninety
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
2,148
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2010
yes; if you can adapt it to the essay question. memorising saves time thinking, and tends to give you a more logical structure in your essay.
 

annabackwards

<3 Prophet 9
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
4,670
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
yes; if you can adapt it to the essay question. memorising saves time thinking, and tends to give you a more logical structure in your essay.
Exactly this.

If you can't memorise a complete essay then at least memorise a basic structure including techniques and quotes :)
 
Joined
Nov 4, 2007
Messages
207
Location
australia, nsw
Gender
Male
HSC
2004
QUOTE: from Nick1990 the P - plater


''what i did was prepare an essay plan that covered the 'big ideas' of each module, with points you wanna make about the text and appropriate evidence and textual references to back up those points. so something like:

-point
-any techniques used
-textual references

if you use highly relevant and topical material, you should be able to adapt any essay to your generic essay plan structure. also, memorise your thesis so you can just spit it out once you walk in to the exam room. again, the thesis should be highly topical and easily adaptable to the question. usually, it's easy to pre-empt what kind of questions they ask in each module. formulate a thesis that you can manipulate around these themes.

also, it's absolutely essential to have your own unique 'personal interpretation' of each module, and this should be reflected in your thesis. try to avoid being generic. if you want to be generic, do it in the body, not the thesis''
</SPAN>
 

hollaholla

Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
386
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
Memorize the ENTIRE thing and then just add the required stuff!!..
do not EVER go in without having a foundation/base.
 

johony

Active Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,521
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
i didnt do it before this year, but then i started doing it and my marks went up. so, yes if you know how to adapt the question well.
 

ninetypercent

ninety ninety ninety
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
2,148
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2010
English memorised essay: 10/15 (still shit; but it was third place!)
English NOT memorised esssay: 7/15 :(
essay in Economics NOT memorised: 25/25 :D

For English, memorise your essays! For other subjects - doesn't really matter.
 

youngminii

Banned
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
2,083
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
But no one knows what type of question they could ask for belonging.
 

electrolysis

congenital schmuck
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
1,737
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
our teachers keep reiterating that we shouldnt memorise essays, but i reckon 90% of our class still do... its alright if you can mold it to any question, but if its too specific then it isnt worth it

BOS cant really test you on a whole range of topics, if you check the syllabus (http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/eng_stg6_prescrpt_0912.pdf - check page 10 for AoS and other stuff depends on what text you do) they pretty much tell you what the questions have to be based upon in a neat little box, all you gotta do is link all your notes to each of the issues and voila, you cant get stuck :)
 

Timothy.Siu

Prophet 9
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Messages
3,449
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
well, if u write practise essays, even if u dont try to memorise it, u'll end up writing about what u wrote in practise anyway. well thats what happens for me. so it's nto that important to memorise them. just write some practice ones so u know what ur doing and what ur texts are about.
then in the exam, just think about the question and you'll start incorporating your practice stuff in ur exam essay.
 

Uncle

Banned
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
3,265
Location
Retirement Village of Alaska
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
For English
If you want a Band 4 or lower.

Do not take the advice of at least half the posters here.

I earned very good marks by writing four fresh extended responses in the HSC rather than memorise stale essays that most of the kids did minutes before the HSC English exams which also shows how much time you wasted in class making your learning not worthwhile.
 

Aquawhite

Retiring
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
4,946
Location
Gold Coast
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2013
Remembering essays (entire essay) is not exactly the wisest possible thing one could do. I prefer to prepare a little by making a structure and techniques and quotes.... identifying the 'so what's?' as well.

Have fun essay writing.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 2)

Top