• Best of luck to the class of 2024 for their HSC exams. You got this!
    Let us know your thoughts on the HSC exams here
  • YOU can help the next generation of students in the community!
    Share your trial papers and notes on our Notes & Resources page
MedVision ad

Who memorises essays for english? (1 Viewer)

What strategy do you use for english exams?


  • Total voters
    199

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,904
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
In response to the thread on memorising essays for english, I have created this poll to see how just how many people memorise essays for english. For the purposes of this poll/thread, a memorised approach can include:

- Memorising an essay word-for-word and re-writing it in the exam verbatim
- Memorising an essay and adapting it in the exam.
- Memorising body paragraphs and adding an introduction, conclusion and topic/linking sentences during the exam
- Any approach which requires you to memorise a sigificant proportion of a pre-written response.

Feel free to post your approach and your reasons for using it (this poll is both for people who completed the HSC as well as current and future HSC students). Just note that this thread is NOT to be a discussion on the merits of memorising as a technique (refer this http://community.boredofstudies.org/showthread.php?t=287753). I know its a fine line, but this thread is for you to state your approach and reasons behind it, whilst the other thread is more of a discussion on the merits of each strategy.
 
Last edited:

wootwoot1234

Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
139
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
I usually memorise all my English responses however lately I haven't. I usually only memorise essays word-for-word if I am given the question but for the Trials and my last assessment task (which we were not given the question), I just prepared an introduction that I could mould to fit the question in the exam and the quotes that I would use. Although, if I had had more time, I would have prepared an essay and adapted in on the day of the exam as I find that my prepared responses oftentimes hit the higher mark range, 18-20, while my non-prepared responses usually get 17-18.
 
Last edited:

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,904
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
The threads been up for half an hour and already memorised responses have a 10 to 1 advantage. Cant say I'm totally suprised.
 

iSplicer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2008
Messages
1,809
Location
Strathfield
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2017
Enoilgam, could you please include that large post I made in that other 'memming essays' thread, as well as the post made by the other dude to which I replied "+1, +1 so much" in your OP? Thanks! (Should make stuff clearer)

Also, you might want to include some arguments for not memming essays too, in order to provide a balanced view or w/e. TY!
 
Last edited:

SpiralFlex

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
6,960
Gender
Female
HSC
N/A
I still do not see how memorising helps if you get a totally unexpected question. (ie. 2011 Speeches question - where you had to talk about the ending.) I guess you could memorise your quotes and arguments and have a few essays as extra back up in case you strike lucky.
 

Zeroes

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
263
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
I used to never memorise them (pre year 12) and I still got much the same marks as now. I think I just feel safer having a vague idea (i.e. significant points with quotes + analysis) so that I'm not at a complete loss when I go in.
 

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,904
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
This thread is an objective thread on whether or not you memorise essays for english, with latitude for a brief justification on your strategy. All discussion on the merits of english essay strategies should be posted in the other thread. Again, I know it is a fine line, but as I stipulated in the OP, "this thread is for you to state your approach and reasons behind it, whilst the other thread is more of a discussion on the merits of each strategy."
 

2xL

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2010
Messages
582
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Word for Word, adapt to the question. If I don't, I sound unsophisticated.
 

someth1ng

Retired Nov '14
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
5,558
Location
Adelaide, Australia
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2021
I memorise quotes and make the analysis during the exam so I'm considered a non-memorised approach.
 

RivalryofTroll

Sleep Deprived Entity
Joined
Feb 10, 2011
Messages
3,805
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Uni Grad
2019
Memorised Approach.

Works wonder for generic questions.

If it's a difficult question then doing some quick planning (at the beginning of the exam) to get an idea on how to mould the memorised content (quotes, techniques, etc.) to answer the question with greater insight.
 

Gary_Oak

Taking a Piss
Joined
Aug 2, 2012
Messages
499
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
I usually try and remember quotes, techniques and whatever...... but in my school trials, that didn't seem to work out
 

xdosha

Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
89
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
I usually only memorise; my introductions & topic sentences + quotes & techniques :)
 

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

Top