Language techniques can make you lose marks! (1 Viewer)

[Trebla]

My teachers have always been saying that techniques are a must in all English analytical responses and they have been very picky about it. However, in the 2005 HSC for Module C, focusing on techniques LOST YOU MARKS! This can be seen in the marker's comments for Module C:

"It should be noted that outcomes which particularly draw on knowledge of language techniques and their effects were not targeted by this question this year. Some weaker responses used their knowledge of language techniques and their effects in a way that was unrelated to the demands of the question."

So my question is, how can you tell from the question whether or not to focus on techniques?

 

[Lori.]

refresh my memory here, what is module c?

My teacher always says that if the question is a 'how?' then we have to talk about techniques

 

[schismular]

Whilst i dont do standard, i can pretty much assume the meaning of such a statemnet. My interpretation is that people were trying to either use language techniques that werent there...eg saying something was a metaphor when it was a simile or something like that...or that whilst they were correctly recognising language techniques, they were not relevant to the question...ie metaphor blah blah, but they didnt actually link the purpose of this metaphor to the question and hence, wasted time and space....

So basically, you can identify as many language techniques as you want, but without analysing the effect of using such a language technique in a particular way and linking to the question, you wont get very good marks for doing so...

 

[Trebla]

So basically, you can identify as many language techniques as you want, but without analysing the effect of using such a language technique in a particular way and linking to the question, you wont get very good marks for doing so...

The comment states that "It should be noted that outcomes which particularly draw on knowledge of language techniques and their effects were not targeted by this question this year", hence any language analysis (regardless of whether it related to the question or not) would be futile in last year's paper. In other years the outcomes regarding language techniques have been targeted but for some reason they were not targeted last year. My question is, how can you tell whether those outcomes are targeted or not?

 

[Lori.]

Are you studying the individual and the institution?? Cause in that case, and this is probably only for this module, we have to concentrate on sort of psycho-analysing the characters. For this module you can't talk about many techniques anyways, for example, we're studying Raw, where the only techniques I could mention is third person narration, maybe structure ?? I couldn't even recall that now lol

What was the question anyways??

 

[Trebla]

Are you studying the individual and the institution?? Cause in that case, and this is probably only for this module, we have to concentrate on sort of psycho-analysing the characters. For this module you can't talk about many techniques anyways, for example, we're studying Raw, where the only techniques I could mention is third person narration, maybe structure ?? I couldn't even recall that now lol

What was the question anyways??

This marker's comment applies to the ENTIRE Module C. One the questions relevent to the Institution and Individual Experience was:

‘An Address to the Next Generation’

Using this title, present your views on the contributions of institutions to society.

In your response, you should refer to your prescribed text and at least TWO other related texts of your own choosing.

 

[Forbidden.]

This marker's comment applies to the ENTIRE Module C. The question was:

‘An Address to the Next Generation’

Using this title, present your views on the contributions of institutions to society.

In your response, you should refer to your prescribed text and at least TWO other related texts of your own choosing.

C'mon you're in Year 12, you should figure out why this question makes you lose marks, plus the marker's comment will give away a big clue ...

 

[lizziegirl]

yeah i think that the problem with heaps of ppl is that they list the techniques then do not explain HOW it helps to shape the meaning. its like 'yep this is a metaphor...this is a simile...' but they dont say 'the author uses this to explain the blah blah blah.' my tutor who was an HSC marker said thats the difference between the band 5-6 essays and the band 3-4.

 

[Trebla]

I don't think you guys get my point.
The comment states that "It should be noted that outcomes which particularly draw on knowledge of language techniques and their effects were not targeted by this question", hence any language analysis (regardless of whether it related to the question or not) would be futile in last year's paper.

This has nothing to do with whether the technique was analysed to show how it shapes meaning or just listed etc...rather it is the very fact that if there were any language techniques analysed (even appropriately), no marks were gained, since the outcomes regarding language techniques and their effects were NOT targeted. So last year, even if you did a PROPER language analysis, you would not gain any marks over someone who hardly used a language analysis.

In the 2004 paper, this issue of language techniques was not addressed in the marker's comments (in fact barely a glimpse about it), so therefore language analysis had been assessed and targeted in that year. The question in 2004 was rather similar to 2005:

You have been invited to give a presentation at a youth forum on institutions in our society.

Elective 1: What do the texts you have studied have to say about the positive and/or negative effects of institutions?

Elective 2: What do the texts you have studied have to say about the possibilities and choices for different ways of living?

Elective 3:What do the texts you have studied have to say about the new experiences which lead to growth and change?

Deliver your findings by referring to your prescribed text and at least TWO other related texts of your own choosing.


For some reason, the outcomes targeting language techniques and their effects were NOT assessed in 2005 but WERE assessed in 2004....

 

[Not-That-Bright]

The comment states that "It should be noted that outcomes which particularly draw on knowledge of language techniques and their effects were not targeted by this question", hence any language analysis (regardless of whether it related to the question or not) would be futile in last year's paper.

Only 'HOW' questions focus on techniques man... If a question asks you 'How' to do something, you mention the techniques. The question in that year was not a how question, thus talking about techniques was pointless as it did not answer the question.

 

[Trebla]

Only 'HOW' questions focus on techniques man... If a question asks you 'How' to do something, you mention the techniques. The question in that year was not a how question, thus talking about techniques was pointless as it did not answer the question.

If this was the case, then my teacher (and the entire English faculty) are ****. My teacher always emphasises that we have to discuss language techniques and anlayse them in any such response at all times.