2007 Examiners' Report: the basics

The entire report can be found on the Board of Studies website:

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/exam-papers-2007/pdf_doc/english-standard-and-advanced-notes.pdf

Paper 1: follow the hyperlinks	Paper 2: follow the hyperlinks
Area of Study	Standard	Advanced
Section I	Module A	Module A
Section II	Module B	Module B
Section III	Module C	Module C
Physical journeys
Imaginative journeys	Choosing related material
Inner journeys

Paper 1: Area of Study
Section 1
General notes:

Deal with each text on its own strengths
recognise language techniques - how meaning is made - as a means to understanding the concept and the composer's meaning
Specific notes:
The poster
Question b. You need to respond to the visual elements AND the textual elements: one builds upon the other.
The feature article
Question c. When a composer uses contrast, you need to be able to demonstrate how it is used and why. It's not enough to identify it.
Non fiction prose extract
Question d. You must use the quotation and its keywords in relation to the concept of 'attitude.'
Question e. This requires an understanding of the ideas that come through the text, though not necessarily explicitly stated: reading between the lines.
Conclusions drawn from across the texts
Question f. You needed to demonstrate an understanding of the keyword 'perspectives' AND be able to compare TWO texts from the three presented in the paper. Treating text in isolation or skimpily is insufficient.
You needed to discuss concepts in relation to the journey how meaning was made. Examination of language features was not sufficient.
Refer to the text for support for your points.

Section 2
Three quotations were offered as stimulus to writing, one from each text used in Section 1.

Exploring the experience of a journey and giving it a sense of authenticity, originality and a depth of understanding was better rewarded than the recount of a journey.

More skilled use of structural and language features fared better as well.

Written pieces that draw on the work of others are not regarded as original. Only any components regarded as original are marked.


Section 3
General notes:
You needed to address the concept of the journey having aspects that were not expected.

You needed to demonstrate your own engagement with BOTH the question and the texts you have chosen as well as the textual features of each of your texts..

Good answers used key terms relevant to their focus area, that is, physical journeys or inner journeys or imaginative journeys.

Good answers were able to use the skills of analysis and evaluation.

Good answers were able to integrate their texts into their discussion rather than discuss texts in isolation from one another.

Specific notes:

Physical Journeys

Good answers support their ideas with reference to the text.

A careful selection of related material makes a difference to the ease of making connections between texts, as good answers do. Focus on the qualities that are unique to the chosen text.

When students used prepared answers they did not address the question completely and failed to write convincing arguments.

Inner journeys

Imaginative Journeys

You need to demonstrate an understanding of the concept: imaginative journeys.

You need to make comparisons that reflected an intelligent selection of and response to texts.

You also need to make references to your texts to support your ideas.

This questions required you to recognise the journey involved change and that destination was unexpected.

Paper 2: Modules

Standard English

Standard Module A: Experience through language

You are expected to be able to demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of your texts: prescribed and related.

Your careful choice of related material will help to improve your response to the question.

You also need to demonstrate your own engagement with your texts.

A good response can develop a point of view from reading the question and then consistently analyse the texts in relation to that point of view.

Any comparisons between texts need to be clearly made and expressed.

You also need to demonstrate knowledge of the metalanguage appropriate to the Module, elective and the texts you have studied.

Standard Module B: Close study of text

You are expected to be able to demonstrate detailed knowledge and deep understanding of your text and the ideas it conveys.

You also need to demonstrate a personal engagement with the text in your writing.

Good responses make approrpiate choices in the references to the text used to support responses to the question.

You also need to demonstrate knowledge of the metalanguage appropriate to the Module, elective and the texts you have studied.

Standard Module C: Texts and society

Elective 1: The institution and individual experience

You must address all the aspects of the question. what are the keywords in the question?

You must also demonstrate understanding of audience and purpose as well as the text type you are expected to use.

Good responses formed a clear point of view, made wisely chosen references to text.

They also demonstrated an articulate and convincing argument: a strong personal voice.

Related texts need to be selected with care to be effective. They need to have relevance to the prescribed text studied so that connections can be made.

Elective 2: Ways of living

Good answers responded to the speech format and were able to make strong arguments and looked at similarities and differences between their texts.

 These answers also good reference to the text.

These answers also made connections between between the module, the elective and their texts, prescribed and of their own choosing.

Careful selection of related material made responses stronger.

Elective 3: Into the world

Strong responses dealt with all the aspects in the question and presented a clear and persuasive argument.

They reflected and understanding of the connection between texts studied and the concepts in the question.

Careful selection of related material made responses stronger.

Advanced Module A: A comparative study of text and context

Students need to have a strong understanding of the concepts in the module and the elective studied.

Students need to demonstrate their understanding of the role of context in the composition of texts and its reflection in values of texts studied.

Students then need to be able to make clear and explicit correlations between the texts.

Advanced Module B: A critical study of text

The question needs to be addressed explicitly.

Students need to demonstrate their deep knowledge and understanding of their prescribed text.

They also need to be able to demonstrate their own informed and personal engagement with that text.

Arguments need to be supported by well chosen references to the text.

Students needed to demonstrate an understanding of perspectives or points of view other than their own on the text.

Advanced Module C: Representation and text

Students need to demonstrate a clear understanding of the concepts of the module and the elective selected for study.

Students also need to make wise choices of related material to enable students to address the issues in the question and to make the necessary correlations between texts.

Choosing related material (aka material or your own choosing)

For those Modules that require you to choose additional materials to support your study, like the Area of Study, it is important to:

* choose material with some length - it doesn't have to be a novel, but not a news report of two paragraphs - so that there are ideas fleshed out and language features to deconstruct

* choose material that will easily allow you to make connections to your prescribed text. You do not have to have material that makes exact connections but material that has connections in terms of similarities and differences.

* choose material that is mature eg there is a big difference between Finding Nemo and The Rabbit Proof Fence although both deal with journeys.

* you may find you will get better related material if you search sources like the Sydney Morning Herald, Time magazine and the ABC website rather than Woman's Day and The Australian Women's Weekly because of the nature of the audience they aim to reach..

* you may find making the effort to read an extra book - a novel, biography etc - or do some research  may be worth the effort in terms of the quality of the related material you can find.