How to study for english (1 Viewer)

[topologyMan]

How do you guys study for english? I mostly do STEM subjects and find studying for them straight forward - make notes for the concepts, and then do practice question so I know how to apply the different equations and such.

For English, I lack direction in how Im supposed to study. Ive been told that my essay structure is bad - to improve Id need to write more essays. But I cant really do that cause to make an essay for a text I need to know it well. So for each term when we're still studying the text - what do I really do? I can make notes on the text but that doesnt really improve my ability at English as a whole.

Even after studying the text, we'll do the essay for the assessment, but thats only one essay. I cant really go and create a new question, write a new essay and then ask my teacher to review it based on that question.

So, what do you guys usually do to improve at it?

 

[idkkdi]

How do you guys study for english? I mostly do STEM subjects and find studying for them straight forward - make notes for the concepts, and then do practice question so I know how to apply the different equations and such.

For English, I lack direction in how Im supposed to study. Ive been told that my essay structure is bad - to improve Id need to write more essays. But I cant really do that cause to make an essay for a text I need to know it well. So for each term when we're still studying the text - what do I really do? I can make notes on the text but that doesnt really improve my ability at English as a whole.

Even after studying the text, we'll do the essay for the assessment, but thats only one essay. I cant really go and create a new question, write a new essay and then ask my teacher to review it based on that question.

So, what do you guys usually do to improve at it?

Essay are very straightforward honestly. Read a few good essays/explanations of a good essay structure and then do something similar. In the case where you can’t do that well, look at the best essays and then completely copy their structure and way of writing. This pulls you into 17+ range. Up from there it is evaluation and judgement on your evidence with good relation to thesis/subpoint and nuances such as vocab. Don’t forget linking sentence at the end of paragraph btw.

Creatives, however, are a shitshow. Legit just make a simple creative with not much controversy so that the marker doesn’t in the off chance not understand it or dislike it for some weird reason and chuck you a 14 when another teacher would score higher.

 

[ahri]

Taking notes won't improve your English, your goal is to improve your essay writing.

1. Start writing essays early.
2. Give them to teacher/tutor/friends to give you feedback.
3. Rewrite those essays using feedback. Resubmit to teachers.
4. Read modules and syllabus. Make sure you are able to adapt your points and essay to each dot point in the syllabus.

What is stopping you from creating a new question and asking your teacher for feedback? Most teachers are happy to read essays (especially if you are out of the exam period when everyone is asking) or give extra feedback after assessments. Take advantage of this because they will be the ones that will give the most helpful advice on what specifically to improve.

 

[topologyMan]

Taking notes won't improve your English, your goal is to improve your essay writing.

1. Start writing essays early.
2. Give them to teacher/tutor/friends to give you feedback.
3. Rewrite those essays using feedback. Resubmit to teachers.
4. Read modules and syllabus. Make sure you are able to adapt your points and essay to each dot point in the syllabus.

What is stopping you from creating a new question and asking your teacher for feedback? Most teachers are happy to read essays (especially if you are out of the exam period when everyone is asking) or give extra feedback after assessments. Take advantage of this because they will be the ones that will give the most helpful advice on what specifically to improve.

Yeah I do ask for extra feedback after asessments.
About making new questions - Wouldnt it be hard to create a new question to make essays for? Wouldnt a good question need to have like multiple ways to approach it? And Id figured the teachers are more prepared to mark/review essays with a question their already familiar with and have thought about it/know how the text relates to the question.

Idk thats why I thought it'd be difficult to make a question for the text as a student. Am I thinking about this the wrong way?

 

[jojosiwa123]

Yeah I do ask for extra feedback after asessments.
About making new questions - Wouldnt it be hard to create a new question to make essays for? Wouldnt a good question need to have like multiple ways to approach it? And Id figured the teachers are more prepared to mark/review essays with a question their already familiar with and have thought about it/know how the text relates to the question.

Idk thats why I thought it'd be difficult to make a question for the text as a student. Am I thinking about this the wrong way?

with humanities subjects, to create a 'question', take key words out of the syllabus and then link it to your text with nesa verbs. so with the common module in english (texts and human experiences), I would go through the syllabus, highlight the key words/phrases (eg anomalies, inconsistencies, individual and collective experiences) and create simple questions like "Evaluate the representation of anomalies and inconsistencies within human experiences in 1984". simple questions are good for practice because they allow you to write a broad essay with quotes/techniques which you can adapt to the question you get in your exam. there are plenty of practice questions available online if you don't want to create your own though.