Acceptable handwriting in English essays? (1 Viewer)

[tekken290]

Hey guys,

I'm not sure if my handwriting is legible enough when I write my English essays. Despite it getting quite atrocious, I can usually read the majority of my own writing but sometimes also struggle to decipher some of my own words. I'm not sure if I can read my own handwriting because I know what I was trying to write or if my handwriting is actually legible in those areas. The first attachment is when I started my 1984 essay (after doing the short/unseen text responses) and the second attachment is the beginning of my second body (which is the messiest it got in the essay). I finished the essay with around 5 minutes left so I think I could slow down a decent amount but you be the judge

Intro pic:


Bp2 pic:

 

[B1andB2]

It is very very hard to read

 

[c8]

Ya that's pretty bad you may even get marked down because your writing is harming the clarity of your argument

 

[#RoadTo31Atar]

No way you've been writing like that all of hs, your teachers must've stopped you at some point.

 

[violetcombe]

It's honestly not a huge obstacle to get over, so I don't want to be a downer, but I found it pretty illegible too. I got through about the first two lines of each picture smoothly. I think if someone was to go through it very slowly with a friend and a magnifying glass they would get to your argument, but I also have a bad feeling that if I was marking this in a long series of essays and it was late at night and I was bored, then I would be skipping big chunks of it. So I think you are losing a bit of perspective when you assess your own handwriting, yes. But if it's at the forefront of your mind when you go into the exam, and you write consciously (tall, narrow, large writing is what I've heard is best - your writing is very squat) then you should be fine. I also personally find my words are easier to pick apart when everything hovers between the two lines without touching them, so maybe that would help?


Good luck with your exams!!

 

[tekken290]

No way you've been writing like that all of hs, your teachers must've stopped you at some point.

lol my teachers (literally in all my subjects except maths) have said that my writing is hard to read. It only gets like this during english and PDH exams (otherwise its actually quite neat). Probably have to do a bunch of practice essays where I'm more conscious of my writing.

 

[studiesofboard]

Hey guys,

I'm not sure if my handwriting is legible enough when I write my English essays. Despite it getting quite atrocious, I can usually read the majority of my own writing but sometimes also struggle to decipher some of my own words. I'm not sure if I can read my own handwriting because I know what I was trying to write or if my handwriting is actually legible in those areas. The first attachment is when I started my 1984 essay (after doing the short/unseen text responses) and the second attachment is the beginning of my second body (which is the messiest it got in the essay). I finished the essay with around 5 minutes left so I think I could slow down a decent amount but you be the judge

Intro pic:
View attachment 29094

Bp2 pic:
View attachment 29095

Sorry to be harsh but I actually cannot understand your handwriting at all. The only word I can see is Stalin in the second paragraph. To improve handwriting maybe put a battery on your pen while doing timed practise responses.

 

[tekken290]

It's honestly not a huge obstacle to get over, so I don't want to be a downer, but I found it pretty illegible too. I got through about the first two lines of each picture smoothly. I think if someone was to go through it very slowly with a friend and a magnifying glass they would get to your argument, but I also have a bad feeling that if I was marking this in a long series of essays and it was late at night and I was bored, then I would be skipping big chunks of it. So I think you are losing a bit of perspective when you assess your own handwriting, yes. But if it's at the forefront of your mind when you go into the exam, and you write consciously (tall, narrow, large writing is what I've heard is best - your writing is very squat) then you should be fine. I also personally find my words are easier to pick apart when everything hovers between the two lines without touching them, so maybe that would help?


Good luck with your exams!!

yeah I have no doubt that markers will see this and immediately not be bothered to read half of it. I'll actually try what you said about taller and more narrow writing. Might just be my saving grace XD

 

[Velocifire]

I’m gonna skip the small talk like all the people on here and just cut to the chase.

He has invented another language

 

[Xanthi]

The pay rate per common module essay marked is $7.50. This would take me 2 hours to rewrite enough of the entire essay so I can read it fluently.

 

[tekken290]

How does your neat version look like?

I just re-wrote the 1984 thesis. Looks something like this:

 

[thetestdude]

your neat version is readable

 

[violetcombe]

I just re-wrote the 1984 thesis. Looks something like this:
View attachment 29096

completely legible

 

[tekken290]

your neat version is readable

yeah but add in timed conditions and poof, reduced to atoms.

 

[Xanthi]

yeah but add in timed conditions and poof, reduced to atoms.

Just to be clear, don't think the handwriting is a 3 or 4 mark difference. It could literally be the difference between and 8 and an 18 - so cut out 200 words if you really need to.

 

[tekken290]

Just to be clear, don't think the handwriting is a 3 or 4 mark difference. It could literally be the difference between and 8 and an 18 - so cut out 200 words if you really need to.

Yea fair enough ay. I'm probably gonna work on being conscious of my handwriting whilst doing practice essays then.

 

[#RoadTo31Atar]

I just re-wrote the 1984 thesis. Looks something like this:
View attachment 29096

You should try using a gel pen, that is ok but I think it would look a lot better if you used a better pen. I switched to gel pens a while ago and it makes you write faster and neater. My handwriting looked similar with some lines of the letters being left out (idk if you understand what im referring to) and after switching to gel I immediately stopped missing those lines because the pen glides along the paper way easier. Gel pens are also easier on your hand during 3hr exams because you don't have to press down as hard.

If you're trying a gel pen I would recommend a 0.7mm because 1 is too fat and 0.5 sounds like you're scratching it into the paper (very annoying and ppl sitting close to you will prob beat you up after the exam). Also I think its compulsory to use black ink for the HSC.

 

[turtle67]

How do you guys hold pens? This thread prompted me to have a look around because I've heard a lot of people say most people don't hold the pen correctly. Do you guys hold it just traditionally as in all three fingers sort of together or with the thumb higher and using your other two fingers to guide like I just saw in this video

?

 

[B1andB2]

How do you guys hold pens? This thread prompted me to have a look around because I've heard a lot of people say most people don't hold the pen correctly. Do you guys hold it just traditionally as in all three fingers sort of together or with the thumb higher and using your other two fingers to guide like I just saw in this video

?

Traditionally unfortunately it’s a bad grip but I’m used to it

 

[turtle67]

Traditionally unfortunately it’s a bad grip but I’m used to it

Yeah that's what I do too, I was just trying the one in that video and I was so slow
Do your hands get sore?