Higher Graphic Communication

Hey guys, about a few months into the Higher Graph Comm course and I'm really struggling. ATM I'm heading for a fail. My Thematic is pretty poor, the drawings and components on the Computers are pretty bad and I'm behind the rest of the class.

This is probably my most stressful subject as I need to do all the folio work in my own time. Anyone got any tips on how to improve my performance in this subject? Thanks.

Reply 1

RedNight

i would say put lots of time into your Thematic
what are you doing and on what programs?
make sure you have a few section in there and that your piece doesn't have too few parts

i drawings aren't too bad just keep looking over them and the answers (measured perspective is an easy full marker)
make sure you look over the theory part as its lots of easy marks

don't stress too much its an easy A
i did a stapler and got 55/60 and in the end got an A
i only needed 85 marks in the exam out of the 140 to get it

Reply 2

Elder93

OP

Original post by RedNight

i would say put lots of time into your Thematic
what are you doing and on what programs?
make sure you have a few section in there and that your piece doesn't have too few parts

i drawings aren't too bad just keep looking over them and the answers (measured perspective is an easy full marker)
make sure you look over the theory part as its lots of easy marks

don't stress too much its an easy A
i did a stapler and got 55/60 and in the end got an A
i only needed 85 marks in the exam out of the 140 to get it

I'm doing a plug on a terrible piece of software, can't remember the name, its either serif draw or something else but it's awful.

I agree with the theory, thats easy, how many marks could i get from that?

Reply 3

RedNight

last year the theory was out of 40

http://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/papers/papers/2010/H_Graphic-Communication_all_2010.pdf

how complex is this plug?

Reply 4

Elder93

OP

Original post by RedNight

last year the theory was out of 40

http://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/papers/papers/2010/H_Graphic-Communication_all_2010.pdf

how complex is this plug?

40 seems a bit much considering its out of 200? And thats purely theory questions?

It has 9 parts to it and I need to do an engineering drawing as well soon...

Reply 5

username535859

If you don't like the program you're using for the computer drawing, have you tried either AutoCAD or Inventor? Inventor is really easy to get to grips with, but works really well. I think you can get it for free if you're a student. I used it for my Higher last year and got a really good mark for the Thematic. Also, the Higher Graphic Communication Course Notes book takes you through everything you need to do in the Thematic. Might be worth a look if you're struggling.

Hope this helps.

Reply 6

Elder93

OP

Original post by draconia_93

If you don't like the program you're using for the computer drawing, have you tried either AutoCAD or Inventor? Inventor is really easy to get to grips with, but works really well. I think you can get it for free if you're a student. I used it for my Higher last year and got a really good mark for the Thematic. Also, the Higher Graphic Communication Course Notes book takes you through everything you need to do in the Thematic. Might be worth a look if you're struggling.

Hope this helps.

How might I obain one?

Reply 7

Adala

8

Original post by Elder93

How might I obain one?

Ask your teacher or simply buy one.

What draconia_93 said is pretty much everything

Reply 8

username535859

Original post by Elder93

How might I obain one?

I'm actually trying to sell one at the moment, but you probably don't live anywhere near me. :tongue:

They're published by Leckie and Leckie, but you can find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Graphic-Communication-Course-Notes-Higher/dp/184372474X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291238179&sr=8-1

Waterstones usually sell them as well. Its an expensive book, but I guides you through all the different parts of the Thematic and gives examples of the work you need to do.

Reply 9

Elder93

OP

Original post by draconia_93

I'm actually trying to sell one at the moment, but you probably don't live anywhere near me. :tongue:

They're published by Leckie and Leckie, but you can find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Graphic-Communication-Course-Notes-Higher/dp/184372474X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291238179&sr=8-1

Waterstones usually sell them as well. Its an expensive book, but I guides you through all the different parts of the Thematic and gives examples of the work you need to do.

So this book will basically tell me all of the Theory stuff and Help on Drawing?
Does it help with the Thematic?

Reply 10

username535859

Original post by Elder93

So this book will basically tell me all of the Theory stuff and Help on Drawing?
Does it help with the Thematic?

Yup, it'll show you step-by-step how to do all the drawings, as well as give you information on everything that you would ever be asked in the exam. It's really helpful, and takes you right through all the stages of the Thematic. Also, practise with past papers to give you an idea of the questions you can be asked in the exam - you can get several for free on the SQA website. All you can do to improve your drawings is practise - our teachers made us do at least six weeks worth of past papers before the final exam!

If you need any help, feel free to PM me. I sat Higher last year and got an A, so I should be able to answer any questions you may have. :smile:

Reply 11

Elder93

OP

Original post by draconia_93

Yup, it'll show you step-by-step how to do all the drawings, as well as give you information on everything that you would ever be asked in the exam. It's really helpful, and takes you right through all the stages of the Thematic. Also, practise with past papers to give you an idea of the questions you can be asked in the exam - you can get several for free on the SQA website. All you can do to improve your drawings is practise - our teachers made us do at least six weeks worth of past papers before the final exam!

If you need any help, feel free to PM me. I sat Higher last year and got an A, so I should be able to answer any questions you may have. :smile:

Thanks. I'm only able to do past papers in my school as I don't have a drawing board and if I print of past papers they won't be to scale. But I will try and just do lots of papers in my school e.g obliques, measured perspectives etc.

Reply 12

username535859

Original post by Elder93

Thanks. I'm only able to do past papers in my school as I don't have a drawing board and if I print of past papers they won't be to scale. But I will try and just do lots of papers in my school e.g obliques, measured perspectives etc.

If you can't get them online, get a past papers book (also from Leckie and Leckie, or Brightred, check on Amazon). They print them to scale (A3) so you can get some practise with them. Past papers from older years are supposed to be harder, so it might be worth asking your school to see if they have any (anything in the 1990s would be good practise) Also, it might be worth buying a second-hand drawing board if you can't/don't want to buy a drawing board - this way you will be able to practise at home too. At our school we were told we had to buy one because the teachers would give us homework to do, and it wasn't always possible to use the boards in school.

Reply 13

Mr_T_Scots

Hi,

All the advice is good so far. If you were in my class I would say -

Speak to me, your teacher. Explain what your struggling with, ask for lunchtime help and ask for extra papers.

The book is good but remember eg you need to draw any isometric not just the one in the book. So doing 5-10 past papers will cover all the isometrics that have come up as some have been isometric, exploded isometric, assembled isometric, sectional isometric, interpenetration isometric. Si I do'nt use the bbok. I give out 5 years of Isometrics then teach through it. Then after 2-3wks you get one as a class test. Then you and I know where you are. Then 5 yrs of Planometric and so on right thru the course. It is hard to draw all the drawings in 3 hrs. :mad:

As posters have said the key thing is to get 60/60 for the thematic. You can get teacher feedback right up till March when it's sent away or the grades are sent to the SQA. The knolwedge questions are easy if you build up the knowledge and write enough for the extended questions. It's easy to learn this by looking at the SQA Marking schemes. Not the case for the Drawings, shows you the answer not the construction drawing methods.

Make sure your Thematic is linked and has a complex enough item eg an IPOD is harder to show all the skills for 60/60 whereas a digital camera has lots of parts and plenty of hidden detail. The hardest part of the thematic is the 3D Manual sketching showing sections and exploded views of your object. Take time over this sheet. Don't trace anything coz if you are Moderated by the SQA they will zero mark it !

I teach via GLOW so my HGC pupils get lots of Short tests covering - 3 Ps, Standards, DTP/Printing, Engineering Conventions, 3D Modelling etc which they do at home.

Inventor is free for three years for you, but only if your school has licenses. But the SQA won't accept modelling done at home as there is no guarantee you did not download it off the web. :wink:

Good Luck !

Mr T :biggrin:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 14

01jtiong

does anyone have the 2002 past paper answer Q1 and 2 and 7

Reply 15

username535859

Original post by 01jtiong

does anyone have the 2002 past paper answer Q1 and 2 and 7

I'm guessing these are the theory questions? I don't have the answers, but if you told me what the questions were I'd probably be able to tell you if you've got the right answer.

Higher Graphic Communication

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