Higher Modern Studies essays.... 22 minutes? D:
Well I know this has been the case for the whole year. We're meant to be able to do 4 essays in 22 minutes each for the exam. And in the prelim... I survived and got a B, but perhaps only because we basically knew what the questions were about.
As for the exam, I'm really stressed out about it. I can write really good essays, given time. I enjoy, to a certain degree, learning the stuff and researching it all. What I HATE is the fact that we only have 22 minutes to write a decent essay on. We've been lectured that we aren't producing good enough A pass essays in the time limit, and my Modern Studies teacher says she expects better essays from me (comparing the timed ones to the ones I've done at home). But I just really struggle with the time, and my essays are always crap and rushed.
I'm a slow writer for one thing, but I just wish they'd give us more time to do it, because I just did an essay just now... trying to do it in 22 mins, and lets say I think it was far better than most of the essays I've ever done at home or at school, but the only thing was it ended up taking 47 minutes, only getting through one and a half pages by the 22min mark, and the whole essay ending up being 3 and a half pages!
I just feel so stressed being pushed to come up with something so quickly when I believe we should be given the chance to show off our knowledge and essay writing skills (in a snobbish voice) instead of being pushed for time and ending up with crap marks.
Anyway, rant over. What's your opinions on it? And what do you suggest I do to get better? Am I writing too much (3.5 pages)? Or do I just need to learn to write A LOT faster?
As for the exam, I'm really stressed out about it. I can write really good essays, given time. I enjoy, to a certain degree, learning the stuff and researching it all. What I HATE is the fact that we only have 22 minutes to write a decent essay on. We've been lectured that we aren't producing good enough A pass essays in the time limit, and my Modern Studies teacher says she expects better essays from me (comparing the timed ones to the ones I've done at home). But I just really struggle with the time, and my essays are always crap and rushed.
I'm a slow writer for one thing, but I just wish they'd give us more time to do it, because I just did an essay just now... trying to do it in 22 mins, and lets say I think it was far better than most of the essays I've ever done at home or at school, but the only thing was it ended up taking 47 minutes, only getting through one and a half pages by the 22min mark, and the whole essay ending up being 3 and a half pages!
I just feel so stressed being pushed to come up with something so quickly when I believe we should be given the chance to show off our knowledge and essay writing skills (in a snobbish voice) instead of being pushed for time and ending up with crap marks.
Anyway, rant over. What's your opinions on it? And what do you suggest I do to get better? Am I writing too much (3.5 pages)? Or do I just need to learn to write A LOT faster?
I think your writing too much... try and make your points in a more concise manner and try not to waffle. they're not looking for flowery language but they are looking for facts and analysis, so fit in as much as you can within the time. missing three facts won't hurt you as much as not finishing an essay
For my essays I normally just write 2 and a half sides of A4- it's all I can write in 22 minutes!! Anyway, I get A's for most of my essays. I've learned to just cut out all the crap and waffle, because it wastes precious time and doesn't get you any marks. Just write a topic sentence, example, and how this proves a point.
Writing way too much my friend. We were not told anything what was going to be in the prelim. I wrote a page and three quarters for every essay and got 13,11,11,11 so its quality not quanitity. In the DME I got 25/30 so overall A. Timing will come with pratice just make you are concise and to the point and maybe you wouldn't write as much. Good luck! 
Just try not to ramble on, and include as much statistics as possible. I can only manage a page and three quarters in the time limit but my teacher says that's no where near enough. In the NAB, where you get an extra 10 minutes, I got 15/15, yet under 22 minutes I can usually only scrape a pass.
The current exam system for Modern Studies is a joke to be honest, I feel as if it's more of a test of handwriting speed than of actual knowledge!
The current exam system for Modern Studies is a joke to be honest, I feel as if it's more of a test of handwriting speed than of actual knowledge!
I really don't understand how the SQA came up with this time limit. For me, it's almost impossible to show your true knowledge of the subject in this amount of time. I guess there is nothing we can do about it though, so we've just got to work our way around this obstacle and keep practising within the time limit.
I love the subject of modern studies and used to have a real interest in it, until we got introduced to the essay side of things, which made me gradually lose interest in the subject altogether.
I will miss the actual subject after the exam, but I can't wait to be shot of this essay writing!
I love the subject of modern studies and used to have a real interest in it, until we got introduced to the essay side of things, which made me gradually lose interest in the subject altogether.
I will miss the actual subject after the exam, but I can't wait to be shot of this essay writing!
This thread is like you've just read my thoughts and typed them up all for me!
IThere should definitely be more time! Normally for NABs we get 30-35 mins and I just manage in no more to get the essays completed. However, because we've been allowed extra times in the NABs, I feel that I'm not mentally trained to be able to write an essay as fast in the actual exam. I ran out of time in the prelim and only got an introduction and first paragraph done for one of the essays, resulting in me getting 4/15. Although it didn't help that I dind't really know what I was supposed to be writing...
However I don't think there should be anything more than 30-35 mins per essay as writing 4 essays with something like 40 minutes each would be pretty tough, and you'd have to learn more. The History essays are bad enough and you get 40 minutes each to write 2 essays!
And yeah, I think you are writing too much. My teacher said that essays should be roughly 2 pages long. If you're slow at writing, I recommend that you practice essays at home to pick up the speed of your writing. Also, because there's normally somany factors and ways to form Modern Studies essays, markers only expect you to write about 3/4 factors. But I have the problem that I feel I will get a lower mark if I don't mention everything. So that's also what makes me run out of time.
IThere should definitely be more time! Normally for NABs we get 30-35 mins and I just manage in no more to get the essays completed. However, because we've been allowed extra times in the NABs, I feel that I'm not mentally trained to be able to write an essay as fast in the actual exam. I ran out of time in the prelim and only got an introduction and first paragraph done for one of the essays, resulting in me getting 4/15. Although it didn't help that I dind't really know what I was supposed to be writing...
However I don't think there should be anything more than 30-35 mins per essay as writing 4 essays with something like 40 minutes each would be pretty tough, and you'd have to learn more. The History essays are bad enough and you get 40 minutes each to write 2 essays!
And yeah, I think you are writing too much. My teacher said that essays should be roughly 2 pages long. If you're slow at writing, I recommend that you practice essays at home to pick up the speed of your writing. Also, because there's normally somany factors and ways to form Modern Studies essays, markers only expect you to write about 3/4 factors. But I have the problem that I feel I will get a lower mark if I don't mention everything. So that's also what makes me run out of time.
youre writing too much, I usually get 13/15 with 2 1/4 pages, dont flesh it out too much, they just want youre main points, and some evidence
the SQA are aware of the difficult time limit and as a result do not mark your essays as harshly as your class teacher would mark one that you've had the whole weekend to do. Writing three and a half pages is too much though, my average in essays is about 14 and I usually write 2 and a half pages maximum.
I think it's necessarily about length. The essay are primarily all about time and accuracy and what detail you have in it as well as the exemplification/evidence.
Writing between 1 and a half to two pages is okay, if you can write more great, if you can right less, well then you just need to make sure your essay has got some nice highlighted points with evidence. I wrote a page and a quarter in one of prelim essays and I got 13 out 15 for it because hit the main points, had a balanced introduction and conclusion as well as evidence. So it's more than proof that if you hit the main points you can sussed pretty well.
Also if you are good at the DME then you should do primarily well as the DME is what boosts a lot of people up to reach that A or B grade.
Writing between 1 and a half to two pages is okay, if you can write more great, if you can right less, well then you just need to make sure your essay has got some nice highlighted points with evidence. I wrote a page and a quarter in one of prelim essays and I got 13 out 15 for it because hit the main points, had a balanced introduction and conclusion as well as evidence. So it's more than proof that if you hit the main points you can sussed pretty well.
Also if you are good at the DME then you should do primarily well as the DME is what boosts a lot of people up to reach that A or B grade.
Too much.
Also, you will find that you will go much faster in an exam condition than you ever would practicing at home, the adrenaline rush will hit you. I found that I was finishing essay's under the 22 minutes in the prelim, still got an A overall (1% of a band one!).
You literally need to state the basics. So put a point, quickly analyise it or compare it and back up with statistics. You only need about 3 good points in an essay, I'd do 4 always as a backup though.
Also, you will find that you will go much faster in an exam condition than you ever would practicing at home, the adrenaline rush will hit you. I found that I was finishing essay's under the 22 minutes in the prelim, still got an A overall (1% of a band one!).
You literally need to state the basics. So put a point, quickly analyise it or compare it and back up with statistics. You only need about 3 good points in an essay, I'd do 4 always as a backup though.
Original post by Zahra0786
what percentage needec for A
You need 70% for an A.
So you need to get at least 11/15 for an essay for it to be an A.
Don't need to write much.
Introduction
Point > Example > Analysis > counterpoint > Example > Analysis > Evaluation(x3, so basically 21 sentences)
Conclusion.
As long as you can write 2-3 sentences a minute you're good.
Introduction
Point > Example > Analysis > counterpoint > Example > Analysis > Evaluation(x3, so basically 21 sentences)
Conclusion.
As long as you can write 2-3 sentences a minute you're good.
Original post by McWolf
Well I know this has been the case for the whole year. We're meant to be able to do 4 essays in 22 minutes each for the exam. And in the prelim... I survived and got a B, but perhaps only because we basically knew what the questions were about.
As for the exam, I'm really stressed out about it. I can write really good essays, given time. I enjoy, to a certain degree, learning the stuff and researching it all. What I HATE is the fact that we only have 22 minutes to write a decent essay on. We've been lectured that we aren't producing good enough A pass essays in the time limit, and my Modern Studies teacher says she expects better essays from me (comparing the timed ones to the ones I've done at home). But I just really struggle with the time, and my essays are always crap and rushed.
I'm a slow writer for one thing, but I just wish they'd give us more time to do it, because I just did an essay just now... trying to do it in 22 mins, and lets say I think it was far better than most of the essays I've ever done at home or at school, but the only thing was it ended up taking 47 minutes, only getting through one and a half pages by the 22min mark, and the whole essay ending up being 3 and a half pages!
I just feel so stressed being pushed to come up with something so quickly when I believe we should be given the chance to show off our knowledge and essay writing skills (in a snobbish voice) instead of being pushed for time and ending up with crap marks.
Anyway, rant over. What's your opinions on it? And what do you suggest I do to get better? Am I writing too much (3.5 pages)? Or do I just need to learn to write A LOT faster?
As for the exam, I'm really stressed out about it. I can write really good essays, given time. I enjoy, to a certain degree, learning the stuff and researching it all. What I HATE is the fact that we only have 22 minutes to write a decent essay on. We've been lectured that we aren't producing good enough A pass essays in the time limit, and my Modern Studies teacher says she expects better essays from me (comparing the timed ones to the ones I've done at home). But I just really struggle with the time, and my essays are always crap and rushed.
I'm a slow writer for one thing, but I just wish they'd give us more time to do it, because I just did an essay just now... trying to do it in 22 mins, and lets say I think it was far better than most of the essays I've ever done at home or at school, but the only thing was it ended up taking 47 minutes, only getting through one and a half pages by the 22min mark, and the whole essay ending up being 3 and a half pages!
I just feel so stressed being pushed to come up with something so quickly when I believe we should be given the chance to show off our knowledge and essay writing skills (in a snobbish voice) instead of being pushed for time and ending up with crap marks.
Anyway, rant over. What's your opinions on it? And what do you suggest I do to get better? Am I writing too much (3.5 pages)? Or do I just need to learn to write A LOT faster?
I wrote 2 sides of A4 per essay and got a band 1. You just need to remember to only answer what the question asks, and not try to impress markers with knowledge of irrelevant parts of the topic. Take a quick 5 minutes at the start of the exam to pick your questions and write 5 or 6 bullets on how you want the essay to go, and keep them in front of you while you write. For example, an essay on voting patterns in the USA (Intro, Hispanic Vote, Black vote, Counter argument, Rebuttal, Conclusion).
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