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Can I do my HSC in pencil? (1 Viewer)

Evilo

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cem said:
The school doesn't hand out the special provisions - that is done by the BOS and that is their requirement, including a series of tests to 'prove' the physical problem. That some schools may recommend a high percentage is not the same thing. If doctors are signing off on the difficulty then that means the doctors aren't ethical but it is the BOS that awards the special provisions, not the school.
These days doctors hand out certificates too easily anyway. I just think its unethical practice by the school, the students, and the doctors.
 

claire.bear

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cem said:
I am a marker and we are told to read everything and mark accordingly. That is not what I was referring to as an urban myth
i didn't mean u were saying it was, i was just kind of enforcing my point =S
 

claire.bear

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Exphate said:
People, please read cem's posts, they are as accurate a representation of what's going on as you are going to get. Don't bother questioning what she's writing.

Then, you might wish to take a look at the cover page of every HSC exam, which states "write in black or blue PEN"

That's as far as this needs to go.
damn straight =D
 

BrookSteven

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Exphate said:
People, please read cem's posts, they are as accurate a representation of what's going on as you are going to get. Don't bother questioning what she's writing.

Then, you might wish to take a look at the cover page of every HSC exam, which states "write in black or blue PEN"

That's as far as this needs to go.
I am already well aware of what is recommended, but what would happen if I did use pencil? The way I see it, if I write with pen my writing will be too illegible and I will lose many marks. However, if I write with a pencil, or more specifically a propelling pencil, then I should gain many valuable marks. What my main query is focused on is whether or not I am actually ALLOWED to use pencil, or if I desired, another colour of pen. Will I get a zero for using a pencil? Will I lose marks? What is the consequence of going against the recommendation?
 

cem

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BrookSteven said:
I am already well aware of what is recommended, but what would happen if I did use pencil? The way I see it, if I write with pen my writing will be too illegible and I will lose many marks. However, if I write with a pencil, or more specifically a propelling pencil, then I should gain many valuable marks. What my main query is focused on is whether or not I am actually ALLOWED to use pencil, or if I desired, another colour of pen. Will I get a zero for using a pencil? Will I lose marks? What is the consequence of going against the recommendation?

You won't have marks deducted and you won't get zero.

I know that every marker I have ever marked with has had to mark pencil scripts and has complained about them at times but they are marked just the same.
 

BrookSteven

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cem said:
You won't have marks deducted and you won't get zero.

I know that every marker I have ever marked with has had to mark pencil scripts and has complained about them at times but they are marked just the same.
Thank you.
 

Evilo

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cem said:
You won't have marks deducted and you won't get zero.

I know that every marker I have ever marked with has had to mark pencil scripts and has complained about them at times but they are marked just the same.
you don't think that could work against you? especially if they you get between a 15-16 in a English script - they might just round down. That does make a band of difference.
 

housah0lic

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nah don't think you can champ

always says at the front
use blue or black pen
apparently they prefer black
so use black pen!

but in science and maths and shit yeh use pencil for diagrams.
 

wixxy2348

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housah0lic said:
nah don't think you can champ

always says at the front
use blue or black pen
apparently they prefer black
so use black pen!

but in science and maths and shit yeh use pencil for diagrams.
no!
u r wrong!

OP: do in pencil
thats one less opponent for me
haha jks
 

cem

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Evilo said:
you don't think that could work against you? especially if they you get between a 15-16 in a English script - they might just round down. That does make a band of difference.

No marker I know would ever consciously mark a student down.

Please realise that markers take their professionalism very seriously. In fact I suspect that being annoyed at having trouble reading a script in pencil would make the marker more conscious of not marking the student down - because they have to take longer to read it.

I am aware that sometimes a marker may subconsciously mark down but certainly not consciously - i.e. no marker takes marks off due to the pencil, or untidy writing - but if they can't read it they can't mark it.
 

allyoop

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hmm. Well my history teacher did state that she *thought* that's how the practice went, and she's been doing HSC marking for 8 years now, however this hasn't happened to her before. Every senior class she's had in Ancient History has averaged a band 5 in their HSC so I do know that she's doing something right.

Judging by the lengthy, in-depth responses that Cem has given, it's guaranteed she knows quite a bit ;).. I did not know about the sense of 'pride' that markers feel, but my english teacher who is also Deputy Principal had talked to us about fairness in HSC marking. The paper is not just marked by one teacher- it is completely taken apart and marked again, and again. The marker must not make any markings in the sheet or corrections, just to leave it as it is. After every sheet is read he/she must tick the bottom of the page to say that he/she has read it so any possible information you may have written does not go unnoticed. To ensure fairness, it is marked by the teacher, then taken and compared to a whole lot of other essays by the supervisor or the Head of the department in marking to ensure that all marking is fair. (Some teachers judge more harshly than others, e.g. losing marks for incorrect spelling, saying 2 cats instead of two cats, getting 18th december mixed up with 19th december, and so on)

So don't worry about teacher's critical points- it will be looked over again later.
 

monesh

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Just.Snaz said:
Cause if you've written a paragraph that you realise is absolute rubbish, you can rub it out and still have all the lines to write on rather than cross it out and be writing on the margins.
liquid paper, kgo
 

qqmore

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Umm, my maths teacher (who is a HSC marker) said it was alright to write in pencil for maths as long as you don't smudge your own work, making it hard to read.

Pacers with HP lead are recommended.
 

qqmore

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No, that is the recommended instructions. My teacher has marked HSC for 5~7years and, believe it or not, saw quite a few writing in pencil and were never marked down for it.

Also, I wrote in pencil for ALL my maths assessment and I wasn't disadvantaged.

AS long as its not smudged and can be read properly.
 

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