Exams are right around the corner. If you’re feeling stressed out and don’t know where to begin your revision, this is for you. Instead of spending the next 5 minutes scrolling, spend them reading this instead and improve your chances of achieving a strong exam result.
1. READ THE EXAMINER’S REPORT
If you want to make VCE English feel less nebulous for yourself, do yourself a favour and read the VCAA Examiner’s Report.
Your first step towards revising should be working through the Examiner’s Report for English. Now, you might be wondering, “What am I actually looking for whilst reading?” Your focus should be on the comments made for each section. The examiner’s comments provide clear guidance on the qualities that distinguish a high-scoring response and the approach you should take to write one yourself.
Crucially, if you struggle to write because you simply DON’T KNOW what to write, the Examiner’s Report is one of the best places to start. This is because it clearly outlines the features or lower-scoring responses compared with high-scoring ones. Most importantly, the Examiner’s Report gives you sample high-scoring responses accompanied by detailed commentary explaining exactly why they scored well (See Image 1).
So, how should you go about reading the sample responses? Well, when reading it for the first time just try to make sense of it. Ask yourself: What is the writer actually saying? How are the ideas being communicated? Is there a structure to the analysis? Eventually, you will begin to recognise features that are prevalent within high-scoring responses.
Image 1: Excerpt from the 2021 VCE English Examiner’s Report
The goal isn’t to replicate these samples. Instead, it’s to use them as building blocks to develop your own understanding of how effective analysis is constructed with the aim of letting that understanding shape your own thinking and writing.
2. SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE ;)
We have all heard the saying ‘slow and steady wins the race’. It is a cliché for a reason…because it works.
When I was preparing for English, I wasn’t writing full essays every day. Instead, I focused on slow, deliberate and consistent practice throughout the week. Often, that practice wasn’t even conventional, but it was enjoyable and that made it much easier to stick with.
For example, when preparing for Argument and Language Analysis, I didn’t spend hours reading article after article. Instead, I’d analyse YouTube thumbnails or TV shows. I’d spend 15-minutes identifying what made a thumbnail persuasive or analysing the persuasive techniques used throughout an episode.
The same idea applies to writing practice. Instead of setting yourself the daunting task of completing an entire essay, dedicate 30 minutes to writing a single body paragraph. At first, it might take you 15 minutes (or even longer) to produce one strong sentence, but that is completely normal. The more you practice, the easier writing becomes. By writing under timed conditions without the pressure of completing a full essay, you are developing your writing skills whilst keeping the task manageable.
Doing a little practice every day or every other day is far more effective than planning a 6-hour English study session. Why? Because you don’t need that much time! The key to scoring well is sharpening your analytical thinking and writing skills, both of which are developed through consistent practice. Regular practice keeps your thinking sharp, strengthens your writing habits and prevents that feeling of having ‘lost touch’ every time you sit down to write.
So, your practice should start from today. Set aside 30 minutes to write a single body paragraph. Over the next few weeks, gradually reduce that time until you can write a strong paragraph in 15 minutes. It may seem impossible now, but consistent practice will steadily build your speed and confidence.
Once you have reached that milestone, build on it. Progress from writing one paragraph to two and eventually work your way up to completing an entire essay within 60 minutes. Don’t rush the process, take the time to develop your skills gradually so that writing efficiently becomes second nature.
Accordingly, when preparing for the exam, don’t begin by expecting yourself to write three essays in 3 hours. Build up to that level of endurance.
3. FIND FEEDBACK FOR YOUR WRITING!
We have all been there where we send our teacher an email, only to wait days and weeks to receive a response. If you want timely feedback, don’t rely solely on email. Instead, speak to your teacher in person, whether during your English class or at the end of your lessons. Going through a single paragraph only takes a few minutes and is much more manageable.
Also, remember feedback doesn’t have to come from only your teacher.
The Examiner’s Report is another excellent source of feedback. Write a response to an exam prompt, then compare your work with the high-scoring sample and the accompanying comments. Ask yourself: What have I done well? What have I overlooked? This process helps you identify gaps in your analysis and refine your writing.
Additionally, you can mark your own essays! Leave a piece of writing for a day and return to it with fresh eyes. Look for weaknesses in analysis, awkward phrasing, repetitive word choices or missed opportunities that weren’t obvious when you initially wrote it.
Lastly, you can ask a peer whose judgment you trust to read over your work. Getting a different perspective often highlights issues and strengths you aren’t able to pick out yourself.
Receiving feedback, however, is only half the process. To reap the benefits of feedback you must implement it. Implementing feedback doesn’t mean endlessly rewriting the same essay. Instead, it’s taking the advice and applying it to your next piece of writing on a different prompt. Consistent progress is made through repeating the cycle of writing, receiving feedback and applying that feedback to your next piece of writing.
What to actually do this week
If you've read this far and want to do something tonight:
- Download the most recent VCAA English Examiner's Report and read the comments section for each part of the exam
- Set aside 30 minutes to write a single body paragraph on a past exam prompt
- Find one person, a friend, classmate, or teacher, to swap feedback with regularly
- Take one piece of feedback you've already received and apply it to a new essay this week
Wrapping up
Beating the burnout isn't about studying more. It's about studying smarter. Consistent practice, high-quality feedback, and the humility to keep learning from other people's writing, that's the loop. Build these habits in the next few weeks and exam-week you will thank you.
What's next
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About the Author
Haleema Aaamir
HBE English Webinar Speaker and English Tutor
94.25 ATAR, 48 SS