• 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

Important:section four of examination (1 Viewer)

christoffpow

Member
Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
65
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
How much roughly would a marker expect one to write for this section? This is the 25 mark question essay. And I'm shitting myself.
 

Thecorey0

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
428
Location
Goldstein
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
How much roughly would a marker expect one to write for this section? This is the 25 mark question essay. And I'm shitting myself.
Probably 8ish for a top band, all depends on how big your writing is. But then again people often do this last, and hence have less time.
 

tku336

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
248
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
I got the highest mark in our trial with about 900 words?
 

HadiaWantIt

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
29
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
It's not how much you write, it's what and how you write. I got 98% in my trial exam and I never write more than four pages for each, sometimes less. Intro p1 p2 p3 and conclusion.
 

ashleighjade

Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
33
Location
Central Coast
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
They want 25 points of relevant information, length is irrelevant. Although, in saying that, my teacher said they do WANT you to try and fill the entire booklet... =)G'luck in the exam. (God knows I'm going to need it... =| Wahwah.)
 
E

Empyrean444

Guest
It's not how much you write, it's what and how you write. I got 98% in my trial exam and I never write more than four pages for each, sometimes less. Intro p1 p2 p3 and conclusion.
No; length matters. Of course if you write 8 pages of shit, you'll evidently get a shit mark. But with average writing (if you are aiming for the top band) you should not be getting below 6 pages in an HSC booklet (so about 4 a4 pages) and ought really to push for 7-8. Even if you were to write 4-5 HSC booklet pages really well, I couldnt see you getting above 21. The only exception is with a really concentrated or narrow question in which it is simply impossible to disgorge such an amount; naturally the general rule will not apply to this category. But, on the other hand, most of the common questions should allow you to right 7-8 depending how much you expand or contract certain pts and how much length you dedicate to the intro).
 
E

Empyrean444

Guest
They want 25 points of relevant information, length is irrelevant. Although, in saying that, my teacher said they do WANT you to try and fill the entire booklet... =)G'luck in the exam. (God knows I'm going to need it... =| Wahwah.)
I don't know really whether it is logically possible to quantify an essay (viz. a sustained argument sub-divided into key pts) into '25' components of data. For s start, in such an extended response, what constitutes a point? A *thesis* point? The sub components of each thesis pt? Does the explanation or its different parts classify thus? Basically, an essay doesnt really logically quantify in this regard.
 

SamQ

New Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2008
Messages
29
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
They want 25 points of relevant information, length is irrelevant. Although, in saying that, my teacher said they do WANT you to try and fill the entire booklet... =)G'luck in the exam. (God knows I'm going to need it... =| Wahwah.)
No they are not looking for specifically 25 points, that only applies for low mark questions i.e. less than 5marks.

It is an essay, your expected to respond to the question the same way you answer any other essay question; respond using relevant information, examples and sources. I dont know how many pages is acceptable but id say no less than 4 and no more than 7-8 as you only have 45 minutes for the section and unless theyve asked a question you've prepared an essay for I dont know how your going to write 8+ pages of relevant information.
 
Last edited:

tku336

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
248
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
I'd doubt you could get above 23 with anything under 800 words.
 

HadiaWantIt

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
29
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
No; length matters. Of course if you write 8 pages of shit, you'll evidently get a shit mark. But with average writing (if you are aiming for the top band) you should not be getting below 6 pages in an HSC booklet (so about 4 a4 pages) and ought really to push for 7-8. Even if you were to write 4-5 HSC booklet pages really well, I couldnt see you getting above 21. The only exception is with a really concentrated or narrow question in which it is simply impossible to disgorge such an amount; naturally the general rule will not apply to this category. But, on the other hand, most of the common questions should allow you to right 7-8 depending how much you expand or contract certain pts and how much length you dedicate to the intro).
Taking into consideration the size and spacing you write with, i'd say length shoudl be one of the least worrying to students. Markers want you to be concise, having an amazing, original argument backed up with relevant sources and quotes, along with the vocabulary to make it short and sweet will make your response stand out by leaps and bounds. I never write extra booklets, and its been getting me high 90's, double marked by senior hsc markers as well. I'm not discrediting your opinion, I just personally find it better to do what i've stated. tl;dr: personally, quality > quantity.
 

vasuu91

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
105
Gender
Female
HSC
2008
I know people say that its quality over quantity and that is true to some extent but remember it is a 25 mark essay and I cant imagine people getting everything down in 4-5 pages (if you're aiming for a high band 6 that is). In my HSC I did this question last and so my handwriting got really big and spaced out and so I filled in 2 booklets. In normal course that would be around 1 booklet. As I said its an essay which means you have to elaborate on every point you have, you cannot just state it. If you think its 1 mark for every point- good luck writing 25 paragraphs coz the structure matters too.
 
E

Empyrean444

Guest
Taking into consideration the size and spacing you write with, i'd say length shoudl be one of the least worrying to students. Markers want you to be concise, having an amazing, original argument backed up with relevant sources and quotes, along with the vocabulary to make it short and sweet will make your response stand out by leaps and bounds. I never write extra booklets, and its been getting me high 90's, double marked by senior hsc markers as well. I'm not discrediting your opinion, I just personally find it better to do what i've stated. tl;dr: personally, quality > quantity.
You are unlikely to fit in all the relevant info to satisfy the above criteria unless you are writing 7+ HSC booklet pages (unless you have unussually small writing). Of course quality is important (you wont get a good mark simply by writing a lot), but if you are struggling to get past 3 a4 pages (about 4-5 booklet pgs)in 40 min, you can't really expect more than 21.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top