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Pros + Cons of memorising essays (1 Viewer)

Smooth Operator

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It's only a 'waste of time' if you either a) if you're an idiot for not considering the syllabus which has the key words to adhere to or/and b) do not know your texts in their entirety. That's why you have to make sure your generic essays cover all areas of the rubric to ensure flexibility so you can adapt to the question on the day (if it's a curveball, then say for instance, belonging, you can make links because obviously the AOS is heavily interrelated).

The problem with the bolded part is this - you may find that method of study works for you and if it does, then great. But the thing is, not everyone is adept with the perfect English skills. Everyone learns differently, and so you can’t expect everyone to be able to answer directly to a response. Some people can’t do this. There are people that aren’t natural writers. There are people all though they have tried to become fluent writers, are still yet to grasp the skills. Some people are naturally good at English. There is a giant imbalance in the English skills of everyone. I think the whole concept of examinations is rigged. Everyone has a different learning style. How can one accurately test the knowledge of one’s abilities if everyone thinks differently?
Yeah defiantly, study is a very subjective thing. In the end of the day you have to do what's best for you. Doing generic essays which cover all possible points would be a great way of ensuring you know your stuff, obviously you need to get these marked by your teacher to make sure you're doing it right though.
But I think regurgitating essays in an exam room is not what an exam is about. You should be drawing on your knowledge from the practice you've doing to specifically answer the question. That's the problem with memorising essays, sticking to the question given to you on the day.

One test certainly does not test the knowledge of everyone's abilities, but at the end of the day it's the system we have and you've got to play the HSC game. So if that means memorising essays to do well in English, then that's fair enough.

OP if you do it right, memorising essays can be beneficial but don't entirely rely on it.
 

obliviousninja

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I took the risk of memorising two 20/20 essays. Had the questions been in the actual HSC I would had gotten a state rank or been extremely close.

Turns out that did not happen. But thats life.
 

fatassmcfat

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you might as well learn essays for obvious stuff e.g. frankenstein/bladerunners always going to be about context, 50th gate is always going to be about representation
but hard stuff like Hamlet its probs better to just memorise quotes and go over summary. although if you have time maybe learn 2-3 essays (we have 2 months till HSC anyway so thats plenty of time)
 

Mrmellow

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Most people that top the state generally have a very malleable prepared essay that suits a variety of questions snugly.
 

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