• 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

Search results

  1. Tacitus

    English Advanced/Extension Tutoring (97 and 48) - $25/h - Essay Writing Specialist

    Hi guys, I'm a relative geriatric (2007 HSC) who's studied English subjects at uni and spent 3-4 years tutoring in-house for a GPS school before I got bogged down in my degree. Have since graduated. I specialise in the technical aspects of essay writing, especially the structure that HSC...
  2. Tacitus

    How to find motivation for relentless essay writing?

    Motivators, ranked by efficiency: 1. Ritalin* 2. Fear 3. Asian parents 4. No-Doz/coffee 5. Something worse to procrastinate about (cleaning your room, applying for jobs, studying for UMAT) 6. Having a point to prove to your asshole of an English teacher 7. Porn - either as a reward after you...
  3. Tacitus

    Best way to introduce a related text?

    'This analysis contrasts heavily/compares compellingly to (title of related text) when one discusses relevant issues in (the question).'
  4. Tacitus

    Advanced English Essay Writing Guide

    Re: Advanced English essay writing guide, 2nd edition How much retelling of the plot was in there? That's the most common way to over-extend a paragraph or essay.
  5. Tacitus

    Just started the HSC course?

    Just remember that techniques exist to explain how you understand quotes from the text. This understanding, phrased in a way relevant to answering the question, will be your best friend over this year. Excel study guides give huge amounts of material to memorize. Anyone can memorize a text...
  6. Tacitus

    HSC English --> Ask your questions

    If it's an obviously memorized response, your best bet is about 15-16/20. That would be a mind-blowingly good irrelevant essay though.
  7. Tacitus

    HSC English --> Ask your questions

    All three should probably be acknowledged in your essay, but you don't need to provide a comprehensive analysis on all three. Hell, you could focus exclusively on one character and explain how the other two play a role in his/her belonging process.
  8. Tacitus

    Will you get lower marks if you use related texts from study guides?

    Absolutely not. If it's not on the official prescribed text list, then nobody will mind. HSC markers have a professional obligation to mark each essay as an individual piece and not compared to any other submission. Popularity (or simplicity) of a text will not drag down your mark at all if...
  9. Tacitus

    HSC Marking for English (applies to standard and adv)

    There's not really a lot to gain from going through the plot - the only important plot details you need are the ones that give background to your supporting evidence.
  10. Tacitus

    English Adv. paper 2 trial tomorrow

    Answer the question! So simple, yet so tragically often overlooked. Oh, and eat breakfast. Something like low-GI cereal can do wonders in a long exam.
  11. Tacitus

    Paper 2 advice

    Are you getting that out in two hours? That seems like the crucial part.
  12. Tacitus

    Advanced or Extension 1?

    Extension 1 is no different from Advanced except in a few select respects: 1. Essays are significantly longer (about twice as long as a standard Advanced extended response, although you only do two as opposed to five) 2. Marked slightly harder, although generally on less juvenile criteria...
  13. Tacitus

    How long should the intro be???

    Agree wholeheartedly.
  14. Tacitus

    Exactly how much essays do you have to write to "ace' English?

    The number of essays you write to 'ace' English won't matter at all if you've already memorised them. The most common reason for your question is because people find it very hard to adapt and apply the material they've learnt while under pressure. Practice essays and trial questions help you...
  15. Tacitus

    What odes it mean by explain EFFECTIVELY????

    Re: What does explain EFFECTIVELY mean???? The key is to get into a 'which means/because' mindset. My thesis states A which means quote B is very relevant because technique C gives it a meaning of D which means this quote directly addresses the question because it means my quote embodies...
  16. Tacitus

    Remembering english essay word-for-word

    Remembering an essay word-for-word is a guaranteed B-range mark. Because your answer, purely by virtue of being rote-learnt ahead of time, is going to be sophisticated and verbose enough to satisfy half the marking criteria, it will get pushed up to a B. Because your answer, purely by being...
  17. Tacitus

    Advanced English Essay Writing Guide

    Re: Advanced English essay writing guide, 2nd edition Welcoming critiques or omissions - please let me know if something deserves to be in there! Also fielding questions about any aspect of essay writing - if it's a burning problem with your essays, please don't hesitate to put it in here.
  18. Tacitus

    Advanced English Essay Writing Guide

    Re: Advanced English essay writing guide, 2nd edition CONVERSION TO OTHER TEXT TYPES The majority of work asked of you under exam conditions will come in the form of an extended response (a standard essay). However, it is possible that your skills will be further tested by asking to present...
  19. Tacitus

    Advanced English Essay Writing Guide

    Re: Advanced English essay writing guide, 2nd edition CONCLUSIONS It is a very rare marker who has not already thought of a mark (or at least a marking range) for an essay by the time they reach its conclusion. However, it is important that you don’t lose focus, as two or three marks are often...
  20. Tacitus

    Advanced English Essay Writing Guide

    Re: Advanced English essay writing guide, 2nd edition BODY PARAGRAPHS (skip at own risk) These are slightly harder, and MUCH more important. Basically, you’re expected to prove the theme you brought out in the intro by using examples from the texts. Or even more simply, just give quotes...
Top