Memory tips for prepared essays!! (1 Viewer)

[kiwiolly]

Hey,
For a few of my subjects (modern history and english) you can go into the exam with a few prepared essays.... ive written some i think they are good.... but any tips to help me remember them? So far ive just been writing them out and trying to remember key points and stuff. Please help!!

 

[glitterfairy]

^ Just to clarify, at best you can only go into english exams with partially prepared essays. They call "unseen questions" as such for a reason (be prepared for a variety of mediums as well - you will likely only do one essay per english exam)

 

[hopeles5ly]

In my English trials, 3/4 questions were practically the same as my memorized essays. They were just worded a bit differently. Memorizing essays are pretty easy - just write them out numerous times, then read over them paragraph over paragraph, again and again. When your confident enough, try reading/writing essay out without looking at. Also, have a clear indication of the structure of it, as everything should just easily flow out once you do.

 

[dagwoman]

^ Just to clarify, at best you can only go into english exams with partially prepared essays. They call "unseen questions" as such for a reason (be prepared for a variety of mediums as well - you will likely only do one essay per english exam)

The questions are basically always the same, just phrased differently. They have to refer directly to the rubric, so if you have a good prepared essay you'll be fine.

The second point you brought up is very valid though- last year every medium was essay, which means, lucky us (NOT), there'll probably be a lot of variety this year. BUT regardless of the medium, you basically just do a "disguised essay" i.e. a nod to the medium they're asking for (e.g. headline, byline and perhaps a quick anecdote to start a feature article) and then launch into your prepared essay.

 

[dagwoman]

Also, in terms of memorisation (for English, I don't do History): memorise the quotes. If you know the quotes, you can figure out the techniques of them by looking at them plus having remembered them from just reading your essay, and then from the technique you can remember the insights. I find if I remember the quotes in order, that sets me up a number of triggers that essentially enable me to remember the entire essay.

 

[glitterfairy]

BUT regardless of the medium, you basically just do a "disguised essay" i.e. a nod to the medium they're asking for (e.g. headline, byline and perhaps a quick anecdote to start a feature article) and then launch into your prepared essay.

ouchies be careful of that >.<

I remember my english teacher throwing a huge tantrum when a bunch of us sent in essays masquerading as speeches or editorials. By all means it's better than nothing, but if you're aiming for a high band 6 be extremely familiar with the conventions of the different mediums!

On a side note which I've only just remembered, in my year's English Extension exam there was an unseen text (a cartoon) we had to work into the essay... it threw off my cohort muchly as weren't expecting something like it (not sure whether anyone else is prepared for something like this either).

 

[vg_woz_here]

easy: just read over and over them a few times. Dont just remember the essay word for word....remember the important points or things u consider which will help you for ur essay/ext response

 

[dagwoman]

That's what we've been told to do and I trust my teachers' opinions! Obviously the tone etc. will change according to the medium but the essential insight-technique-quote you've memorised for your argument remains the same.

 

[bboyelement]

im extremely bad at english ... and dont have a very creative mind ... it would probably take the the entire exam just to write one good 8 pages essay. so wouldnt it be easier if i prepare it and memorise it.
hey were all forced to do english not because we want to.

 

[_dhj_]

You record them and listen to them of course. How else are you meant to remember....

 

[s2indie]

Remembering it as a speech always helps. For me at least.

 

[michaeln36]

To remember mine i read through them about 5-10 times, then write them out 1-2 times each. Doing this i can remember them word for word - but obviously i still need to adapt it to the question.

And it is likely that we will have at least 2 essays out of 3 for paper 2 (advanced paper).
And yes, the questions are not easy to predict exactly- but u can fashion ur prepared essay in such a way that it addresses all the *types* of questions they are going to ask you,

eg. For 'In the Wild'
ALL of the past questions have either focued on CONTEXT or RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE >>> if u write a response about how context influences the portrayal of mans relationship with nature - U CANT GO WRONG !!!!

 

[sinist4]

reading over it a couple of times always helps

 

[dagwoman]

Apparently chewing gum while reading over your essay improves memory! Check it out:

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2039

 

[shinji]

i've writted out essay structures for last minute cramming in exams.
really helps.

just write out the thesis -> Concepts with the techniques and brief explanation [repeat for each concept] -> then a basic conclusion that u elaborate on in the essay~

it helps

 

[Phuman]

i find writing out the quotes and techniques helpful as well

 

[Tim035]

To remember mine i read through them about 5-10 times, then write them out 1-2 times each. Doing this i can remember them word for word - but obviously i still need to adapt it to the question.

And it is likely that we will have at least 2 essays out of 3 for paper 2 (advanced paper).
And yes, the questions are not easy to predict exactly- but u can fashion ur prepared essay in such a way that it addresses all the *types* of questions they are going to ask you,

eg. For 'In the Wild'
ALL of the past questions have either focued on CONTEXT or RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE >>> if u write a response about how context influences the portrayal of mans relationship with nature - U CANT GO WRONG !!!!

Oh.. so true, 7/10 times I find myself writing out my generic essay no matter what the question is for In the wild because they all sound the same. Heads up though, I'm predicting an interview very similar to the idependant trial question for module A because it fits so perfectly and its the only option yet not to have an essay structure.
I know this isn't the right forum but could someone go through the correct structure/format for a feature article, I've never understood how you could do a feature article for an english module. Because aren't they meant to have comments from experts and interviews with other people on their opinion of the focus of the article and polls and stuff like that in them?
Besides doing a Main heading and then a smaller more detailed heading and then plunging more or less into an essay format with maybe some more use of emotive language and self reflextivity what else is their to do?

Also I'm thinking journal entries for the creative piece in paper 1.