How to improve my essay writing from a Band 5 to Band 6 (2 Viewers)

[kendallkreene]

Hi,

Creative writing is my strength in English, but I suffer when it comes to analytical writing. I got 80% for the last two assignments in both English Advanced and Extension - they were both essays.

I'm aiming for the best ATAR I can get, so a Band 5 isn't enough. It's weird how I breezed through Year 7 - 10 with high 90s in both creative and analytical, but dropped a solid 10% down for analytical this year.

Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Mr Sir]

Hi,

Creative writing is my strength in English, but I suffer when it comes to analytical writing. I got 80% for the last two assignments in both English Advanced and Extension - they were both essays.

I'm aiming for the best ATAR I can get, so a Band 5 isn't enough. It's weird how I breezed through Year 7 - 10 with high 90s in both creative and analytical, but dropped a solid 10% down for analytical this year.

Does anyone have any advice?

See your private message for some advice from my teaching days

 

[red152]

Just keep writing. Use the feedback from your teachers to practise improving on your weaknesses. It's just two assignments and you still have time to improve.

 

[strawberrye]

I would strongly advise you to get someone to detailedly mark one of your essay and you can get some substantial feedback on how to improve on your expression/flow of ideas which you can apply to your future essays

 

[Lumenoria]

Holy crap, this sounds literally like me!! I got high 90s in my junior years too, and it seemed so fucking easy to get 18/20 then but I've gotten exactly 80% for both Advanced and Extension, just like you! Hahahha I think it's because the standard of marking is much higher than it used to be, but then I'm conflicted because my friends seem to still be sustaining the same marks they received in junior years so idk really. I did my prelim mod B essay on Wednesday and have yet to get it back, but I have to get over 85 because our school is cutting the bottom half of the Advanced cohort to standard English for year 12, ughhh so I'm praying to gods rn


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[andrew12678]

Consider memorising + adapting if your struggles do lie in expression, sophistication of language etc compared to your peers, who I suspected have picked up the memorising game for Year 11+12 and are coming into exams with eloquent, literary masterpieces memorised. There are of course potential downfalls with memorising (not answering the Q) but a strong adaptation (to the point where every sentence answers the question and no trail of memorisation can be detected) will beat 'on the spot' analysis construction from a pool of quotes any day of the week.

 

[kendallkreene]

Consider memorising + adapting if your struggles do lie in expression, sophistication of language etc compared to your peers, who I suspected have picked up the memorising game for Year 11+12 and are coming into exams with eloquent, literary masterpieces memorised. There are of course potential downfalls with memorising (not answering the Q) but a strong adaptation (to the point where every sentence answers the question and no trail of memorisation can be detected) will beat 'on the spot' analysis construction from a pool of quotes any day of the week.

This is interesting as my teacher is dead-set against rote learning in English when it comes to memorising essays and adapting them.