Essay Tips
1. Develop a Thesis:
Before entering the exam, you need to make sure you develop one or more statements, points of view or arguments that you will be able to sustain throughout an essay. Your thesis should:
2. Make sure you are comfortable with and follow a paragraph structure:
In my experience, STEEL works best and provides you with the most detail within a paragraph. In some cases, it may be preferable to use a STEETEEL or STEETEETEEL structure to create denser and more detailed paragraphs.
What is the composer trying to achieve in doing so?
What response does the composer desire from the responder?
What themes of Romanticism or elements of the paradigms does it reflect?
3. Make Links or Contrasts Between Texts:
Make sure you comment on links and/or contrasts between prescribed texts and related texts within your essay. Your essay will appear of a much higher level if you are able to discuss a variety (2-3) of texts in one paragraph, rather than allocate separate paragraphs for each.
4. Link the Texts to Relevant Paradigms:
It is really important in this Module and Elective to discuss how your prescribed and related texts reflect the Philosophical, Scientific, Religious and Economic Paradigms and key thinkers relevant to these. Don't make the mistake of just stating WHAT ways of thinking are present in the texts, remember to explain HOW they are presented.
Below you will find the first part of a 5 part YouTube series created to help students with writing essays - created by an English teacher from Davidson High School.
Before entering the exam, you need to make sure you develop one or more statements, points of view or arguments that you will be able to sustain throughout an essay. Your thesis should:
- Be specific rather than general - don't just make it a statement of facts and definitions
- Encompass your own understanding of and ideas about the Romanticism topic
- Be convincing - it's main purpose is to persuade the reader
- Have some relevance to the question. As a result, it is recommended that you can be flexible with your thesis or have a variety prepared
2. Make sure you are comfortable with and follow a paragraph structure:
In my experience, STEEL works best and provides you with the most detail within a paragraph. In some cases, it may be preferable to use a STEETEEL or STEETEETEEL structure to create denser and more detailed paragraphs.
- S - Statement
- T - Technique, E - Example
- E - Effect
What is the composer trying to achieve in doing so?
What response does the composer desire from the responder?
What themes of Romanticism or elements of the paradigms does it reflect?
- L - Link Back to Your Statement, Thesis and the Question
3. Make Links or Contrasts Between Texts:
Make sure you comment on links and/or contrasts between prescribed texts and related texts within your essay. Your essay will appear of a much higher level if you are able to discuss a variety (2-3) of texts in one paragraph, rather than allocate separate paragraphs for each.
4. Link the Texts to Relevant Paradigms:
It is really important in this Module and Elective to discuss how your prescribed and related texts reflect the Philosophical, Scientific, Religious and Economic Paradigms and key thinkers relevant to these. Don't make the mistake of just stating WHAT ways of thinking are present in the texts, remember to explain HOW they are presented.
Below you will find the first part of a 5 part YouTube series created to help students with writing essays - created by an English teacher from Davidson High School.
Past HSC Questions
2011
In Romanticism, composers not only transform human experience through imagination but also manipulate textual forms and features in response to their times.
Evaluate this statement with reference to TWO prescribed texts AND texts of your own choosing.
Evaluate this statement with reference to TWO prescribed texts AND texts of your own choosing.
2010
Significant texts in any period arise from particular ways of thinking and possess an enduring relevance.
Write an essay in which you explore the extent to which this is true of the texts you have studied in your elective.
In your response, refer to TWO prescribed texts AND texts of your own choosing.
Write an essay in which you explore the extent to which this is true of the texts you have studied in your elective.
In your response, refer to TWO prescribed texts AND texts of your own choosing.