Belonging essay. (1 Viewer)

[Pyrobooby]

How long should our belonging essays be?

I realise that this is a subjective question, but the essay I've written comes close to 5 pages on font 11 and there's no way I can write this much in the examination (on a second thought, how long are we given in the exam?).

Anyways, I am planning to trim this essay down. Right now it consists of:
Thesis Statement
Paragraph 2-4 Prescribed Text (Skrzynecki:3 different poems)
Paragraph 5-6 Related Text (Movie:Happy Feet)
Paragraph 7-8 Related Text (Short Story: The Upside Down Year by Francis Lee)
Conclusion

Am I doing anything wrong...?

And how should I go about practicing the adjustment of my essay into different questions?

Thank you in advance.

 

[iSplicer]

How long should our belonging essays be?

I realise that this is a subjective question, but the essay I've written comes close to 5 pages on font 11 and there's no way I can write this much in the examination (on a second thought, how long are we given in the exam?).

Anyways, I am planning to trim this essay down. Right now it consists of:
Thesis Statement
Paragraph 2-4 Prescribed Text (Skrzynecki:3 different poems)
Paragraph 5-6 Related Text (Movie:Happy Feet)
Paragraph 7-8 Related Text (Short Story: The Upside Down Year by Francis Lee)
Conclusion

Am I doing anything wrong...?

And how should I go about practicing the adjustment of my essay into different questions?

Thank you in advance.

You don't need two paragraphs for a single related text.

 

[Aquawhite]

Aim for essays around the 900-1200 mark, if you can write more, great. You only need about one related text per paragraph but you want to be aiming for integrated responses rather than these block style essays.

 

[Pyrobooby]

Aim for essays around the 900-1200 mark, if you can write more, great. You only need about one related text per paragraph but you want to be aiming for integrated responses rather than these block style essays.

I'm wondering how I can have an "integratable essay. Am I looking at flexibility in all the paragraphs, the thesis, etc.?

Well, my teacher has set a question:
"Discuss how experiences of belonging shape notions of identity in the texts you have studied"

I'm just confused as to how I can have a final essay ready to be integrated on the day, as the question I may be given may be disadvantageous for the essay I've prepared.

 

[iSplicer]

Aim for essays around the 900-1200 mark, if you can write more, great. You only need about one related text per paragraph but you want to be aiming for integrated responses rather than these block style essays.

Integrated essays are over rated, and make answering the question a lot harder imo.

 

[Aquawhite]

Integrated essays are over rated, and make answering the question a lot harder imo.

Integrated ideas, not texts. Sure, if you can integrate the texts that's even better and to be honest I don't find them that hard to do.

 

[Shadowdude]

When you use the new shiny four page A3 booklets - aim to write two of those. Otherwise, I aimed for about 1000 words.

 

[UnrealAnchovies]

You don't need two paragraphs for a single related text.

I agree with iSplicer. I recently wrote an essay also, with three paragraphs for Skrzynecki poems and two related text paragraphs (one for each related text).

 

[gesh17]

How long should our belonging essays be?

I realise that this is a subjective question, but the essay I've written comes close to 5 pages on font 11 and there's no way I can write this much in the examination (on a second thought, how long are we given in the exam?).

Anyways, I am planning to trim this essay down. Right now it consists of:
Thesis Statement
Paragraph 2-4 Prescribed Text (Skrzynecki:3 different poems)
Paragraph 5-6 Related Text (Movie:Happy Feet)
Paragraph 7-8 Related Text (Short Story: The Upside Down Year by Francis Lee)
Conclusion

Am I doing anything wrong...?

And how should I go about practicing the adjustment of my essay into different questions?

Thank you in advance.

AOS Essays can afford to be a bit shorter than that of the Modules but probably around the 1000-1200 word mark I would say. 5 pages is far too much content for 40 minutes.

As mentioned above, one detailed thorough paragraph should suffice for related texts and at this stage, it appears that the Board has progressed toward favouring more linear essay structures with an emphasis on deeper critical analysis and ergo, one related text (usually).

As for being flexible to a particular question, it'd be good to initially practice writing only thesis responses to a bunch of different questions before slowly adding body paragraph topic sentences, conceptual points, language techniques, etc.

I'm wondering how I can have an "integratable essay. Am I looking at flexibility in all the paragraphs, the thesis, etc.?

Well, my teacher has set a question:
"Discuss how experiences of belonging shape notions of identity in the texts you have studied"

I'm just confused as to how I can have a final essay ready to be integrated on the day, as the question I may be given may be disadvantageous for the essay I've prepared.

Well, an integrated essay means strong synthesis between all texts and a unified thesis that links them conceptually. So yeah, you need to find critical ideas that cover all your texts as well as commenting meaningfully on the AOS concept of belonging.

With that particular question, you could discuss the problematic nature of belonging as a linear constraining process that diminishes individual identity in favour of a more culturally assimilated one, etc.

You can't really have a pre-prepared thesis going into exam - it'd be better to have a wide variety of different thesis statements or better yet, strong underlying synthesis links between each of your texts that are broad enough to tackle almost any question.

 

[annabackwards]

Around about 1000 words would be ideal but less than 1200 words.

If you're a freak of nature and can write blazingly fast, then perhaps 1400 words but that'd be the absolute limit and i'd strongly advise against it.

Oh and you can have a final integrated essay. Just make sure it's based on a very general/generic theme/thesis that can be easily altered to suit any question asked - it takes a bit of practise to get it right though. You can always have a bunch of quotes/techniques memorise that haven't been put into a set essay but are loosely tied via some theme. It's pretty much the same thing except the essay version obviously has some more structure to it.

 

[_blank]

You could structure an integrated response like this:
1. Intro – thesis about belonging, respond to question, state texts
2. Idea 1 about belonging
1. Core text
2. Related
3. Idea 2 about belonging
1. Core text
2. Related
4. Conclusion

Integrate using linking words, topic sentences which encompass both texts, and brief links within the paragraphs.

 

[Pyrobooby]

Would a song be a legit related text?
And how many related texts should be prepared?

 

[kBOS]

Does anyone know where to find short films like Tropfest ones as related texts? (besides Youtube!)

 

[slyhunter]

Would a song be a legit related text?
And how many related texts should be prepared?

It's allowed, but some markers tend to frown upon them so I don't recommend it unless you can pull off an epic analysis.

About 3-4 related texts should be the minimum you would have prepared.

 

[Absolutezero]

Would a song be a legit related text?
And how many related texts should be prepared?

Yes you can do a song. However, remember that a song is so much more than the lyrics. You have to be able to analyse things like tempo, genre, key etc. in order to do well.

You should prepare a mimimum of two IMO.