Advice for comprehension questions in Reading & Viewing

* Read all questions carefully. Highlight, circle or underline the key terms to help you locate the answers in the texts. * Do not plagiarise (copy) information from the texts. Always paraphrase (use your own words). * If a question is allocated two marks and two dot points are provided for the responses then provide two answers. The allocated marks always indicate the number of answers you should provide. * Providing numerous answers to one question does not indicate understanding of the question or the required response. * Use a dictionary to check the meaning of any unknown words. If you do not have a dictionary, use contextual clues (read the lines before or after the unfamiliar word) to guess the meaning.

Advice for synthesis of texts in Reading and Viewing

* In the Extended synthesis, look for links between texts and try to make these apparent. Avoid, where possible, separating the answer so that each paragraph addresses one text only. * Provide a relevant personal experience or observation where suitable and incorporate it into the point of synthesis as a textual support. Avoid, if possible, presenting the experience and/or observation as a separate paragraph. * I understand that the skill of synthesising is difficult to master. References and links across texts are often not made. Weaker responses are characterised by separate textual discussions and then a last paragraph of personal opinion or experience. * Expand your vocabulary; never wait to be taught a new word/phrase/expression in class. For example, in your last attempt at writing a synthesis on book banning, you wrote ‘dangerous ideas can destroy us’. Good. You made your point. However, is it the same if I say that the ideas ‘crumble our value system’, ‘disintegrate public harmony’, or simply ‘erode our traditional beliefs’? You decide.

Advice for extended writing – speech

* You are strongly encouraged to use texts studied in class, in both Units 3A and 3B, to provide examples to the speech topic. * Greeting and gratitude established in introduction. Also, state the reason/purpose of your presence. * Use textual evidence and examples if the topic requires you to refer to texts you have studied this year. * May also use anecdotes and emotive language to convey a point. * Use generally formal and sophisticated vocabulary. * Tone can be humourous and slightly casual (but not colloquial!) if your purpose is to engage your audience and establish a good rapport. * Use common persuasive techniques such as rhetorical question, tricolon, and inclusive language e.g. ‘we’ and ‘our’. * May use personal pronouns such as ‘you’ and ‘I’.