Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was set? (1 Viewer)

[T-Dog]

Okay so I am doing Ancient History by correspondence with OTEN, and I am wondering because we got set Sparta, Xerxes and the Greek-World 500BC-440BC. I love Xerxes and the GW500BC-440BC, and I thoroughly enjoy Sparta... However I always wanted to study Egypt in at least one topic. I was thinking of doing an Egypt society on my own for the exam. Only set back is the trials and my assessments which will be based on Sparta. Is it worth the risk or should I just stick with what I got?

 

[LoveHateSchool]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

I'd personally stick with what you've got if you have to do your trials on the set topics...otherwise you'll have no feedback on how you're going in the topic and also self-teaching and sourcing resources from the ground does take more effort. Way risky.

If you were allowed to write your assessments and trials on a different topic to class and get them marked, that would be different.

 

[T-Dog]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

I guess so, it sucks cause Egypt was the only reason I chose this subject but nonetheless I am loving these topics! Thanks!

 

[cem]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

You would be marked 0 if you attempted another area of study in the exams, regardless of how good the response was.

No you wouldn't.

They markers have no idea what topics you are taught at school and are also aware that many schools have more than one class so different topics are taught in the one school.

I have had a student do a different topic to the one that I taught and he did very well on that question (must have as he did get a Band 6 which wouldn't have been possible if he had been given a 0 for a question).

I teach Persia as my historical period and have also had students do a question on Greece rather than Persia and still receive Bands 5 or 6.

 

[buriza]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

No you wouldn't.

They markers have no idea what topics you are taught at school and are also aware that many schools have more than one class so different topics are taught in the one school.

I have had a student do a different topic to the one that I taught and he did very well on that question (must have as he did get a Band 6 which wouldn't have been possible if he had been given a 0 for a question).

I teach Persia as my historical period and have also had students do a question on Greece rather than Persia and still receive Bands 5 or 6.

I am simply going off what my Modern History teacher told me and she was also a HSC marker in the exams. I am presuming the same would have applied to Ancient History, though I may indeed be incorrect.

 

[cem]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

I am simply going off what my Modern History teacher told me and she was also a HSC marker in the exams. I am presuming the same would have applied to Ancient History, though I may indeed be incorrect.

I don't know why any Modern History marker would say that as when the scripts arrive at the desk, in the old days, or when on screen now, there is no information about what topic was studied by the school.

 

[buriza]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

I don't know why any Modern History marker would say that as when the scripts arrive at the desk, in the old days, or when on screen now, there is no information about what topic was studied by the school.

I may have recollected what she said incorrectly then, since that has been a little over a year now.

But back to the OP, I would still suggest that you stick to the areas prescribed to you, given you have said that you enjoy them. It is very possible you might be able to study Egypt in university when the time comes!

 

[LoveHateSchool]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

You would be marked 0 if you attempted another area of study in the exams, regardless of how good the response was.

That is false because they do not have your school on your papers, so you can attempt any question you want in the HSC.

I have heard of a BoSer getting into a fight at a schools' trial level on this front though because they didn't get doing another question approved. They might want everyone to do the same area in OTEN, though some schools let you study a different module to your peers if they feel you are a capable student.

 

[enoilgam]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

You would probably need to raise this with the OTEN people, but it is possible to do other topics. Logistically speaking, it usually isnt that much of an issue, because most trial papers cover all of the available modules and on the HSC, meaning that you can do whatever you want. It's just the internal assessments that can be an issue, in addition to whether your teachers can mark responses from other topics (most can). To a lesser extent, some teachers may be reluctant to let students study on their own in class or they may not trust students to learn independently due to their aptitude.

When I did Modern History, I wanted to do Conflict in Europe as opposed to the Arab Israeli Conflict and my teacher was happy to let me do it because of my record. The only condition was that I needed to do an assessment for the Arab Israeli Conflict worth 15%. This wasnt an issue because the assessment was an essay which could have easily been prepared for without having study the topic in depth. Ultimately though, it was a moot point because the teacher gave our class a choice between the two topics and Conflict in Europe was unanimously selected.

 

[strawberrye]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

In general it is not worth the risk because then technically you would have wasted your time in class studying for Sparta, you can always read up on Ancient Egypt for fun, stick with the topic your class has set.

 

[SuchSmallHands]

Re: Attempting a different topic in the HSC exams for Ancient History than what was s

If I were you I would discuss it with me teacher now and arrange for there to be a question for Egypt in your internal exams, otherwise your first exam condition essay marked against your peers will be the actual HSC exam, which is a bit of a concern. Is there a teacher at your school who has taught Egypt and can mark your practice essays to a HSC standard? If not, I'd be a little worried