English Studies 2019 HSC exam pack

Question 1(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide specific examples of what makes Scotty an interesting individual
• refer appropriately to the text.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring they make the link between the question and the text. 

Question 1(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• make the link between the image and the written text
• provide textual references for both the image and the written text.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring that both the image and the written texts are addressed.  

Question 2(a)  

In better responses, students were able to:

• directly address why the title was appropriate
• make appropriate reference to the text.

Areas for students to improve include ensuring they:

• make the link between the question and the text
• use appropriate references to the text.

Question 2(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• engage directly with the question
• explain effectively using well-chosen textual references that show the value of shared experiences.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring they explain, rather than describe
• carefully selecting appropriate references from the text.  

Question 3

In better responses, students were able to:

• effectively justify which text depicts the most inspiring experience
• select appropriate references from the text.

Areas for students to improve include:

• expressing an opinion on which text was the most inspiring and supporting this with appropriate references from the text.

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly explain how specific elements of the visual text represented diverse experiences.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding listing experiences without explanation of how these were represented in the visual text
• making explicit references to visual features.  

Question 5

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly explain how the poet conveyed experiences such as gratitude and hard work with well-chosen supporting evidence
• focus on how the poet invited the reader to share in the experiences.

Areas for students to improve include avoiding:

• describing the experiences in the poem
• generalisations on how readers share in the experiences within the text, such as ‘everybody has worked in a fast food joint’.

Students should:

• develop a personal understanding of the human experience
• evaluate the ways the prescribed text can invite a reconsideration of the human experience
• consider how the textual form, features and language of the prescribed text contribute to the representation of the human experience and how this meaning is shaped
• compose a sustained response using purposeful and evaluative language.

In better responses, students were able to:

• consider all aspects of the question in their response
• develop and sustain a conceptual thesis which engaged with the question
• evaluate to what extent texts invite a reconsideration of the specified human experience
• adopt a confident personal voice
• articulate a considered interpretation of the specified human experience
• develop their argument to reveal a strong understanding of the text and how the specified idea was explored
• create a purposefully structured and thoughtfully integrated argument
• demonstrate a strong sense of how the audience is positioned by the text
• show awareness of textual purpose and the text as a whole
• select apt and detailed textual evidence. 

Areas for students to improve include:

• analysing rather than describing texts
• selecting and analysing textual references which contribute purposefully to the argument
• demonstrating an awareness of audience and the representation of meaning
• demonstrating greater awareness of textual form and features and their impact on meaning
• controlling expression throughout the response.

Students should:

• engage with all parts of the question
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a module and text
• show awareness of audience and purpose. 

In better responses, students were able to:

• engage with the question in a thoughtful manner
• use language appropriate to form and audience
• provide relevant and detailed textual references
• compose a well-structured response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• engaging effectively with the whole question and the stimulus
• demonstrating knowledge of a text that was studied
• taking care with control of language.

Students should:

• engage with all parts of the question
• show awareness of audience and purpose. 

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a thoughtful understanding of the notion of ‘through the window’
• effectively engage with the notion of ‘through the window’ throughout their response
• purposefully embed the stimulus and question in their response
• successfully manipulate form and structure for an imaginative purpose
• use language in a well-developed and controlled way.

Areas for students to improve include:

• engaging with the specific terms of the question
• developing a credible and engaging plot
• composing a controlled and complete response.