Authorise open book examinations of English Lit 2017 Petition

Popsiclez

21

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/172405

Sign its filling up quick

Reply 1

Quizlet

19

Already done. :smile:

I don't think it will be enforced for the current Year 11's though... maybe for Year 10s...

Reply 2

Popsiclez

OP

21

Original post by Quizlet

Already done. :smile:

I don't think it will be enforced for the current Year 11's though... maybe for Year 10s...

Your probably right but we might aswell give the next years a better chance by helping them out

Reply 3

dragonkeeper999

17

Huh? My English lit exam back at GCSE was definitely open book anyway...

Tbh, no other subjects are open book and for English lit it was definitely better to just memorise key quotes (you probably only needed to remember around 10-20 anyway) rather than spend your exam frantically flicking through the book to find them, and at A level/ university English Lit students are expected to memorise key quotes (from both set texts and extended reading) so it's a useful skill to learn...

Reply 4

Popsiclez

OP

21

Original post by dragonkeeper999

Huh? My English lit exam back at GCSE was definitely open book anyway...

Tbh, no other subjects are open book and for English lit it was definitely better to just memorise key quotes (you probably only needed to remember around 10-20 anyway) rather than spend your exam frantically flicking through the book to find them, and at A level/ university English Lit students are expected to memorise key quotes (from both set texts and extended reading) so it's a useful skill to learn...

But not everyone is taking English Lit further, only because its compulsary at GCSE and the 91k people who signed it think exams aren't a test on memory but how we interpret text and they dont think its fair being English is an important subject, at A-Level sure by alll means take away the text but not GCSE. It isnt science only English.

Reply 5

username2637499

18

If this happens the mark scheme will become harder.

Reply 6

Popsiclez

OP

21

Original post by AppleB

If this happens the mark scheme will become harder.

Only if most people do well, us being the people to take the new exams some leniency may be offered

Reply 7

snutty

6

Original post by dragonkeeper999

Huh? My English lit exam back at GCSE was definitely open book anyway...

Tbh, no other subjects are open book and for English lit it was definitely better to just memorise key quotes (you probably only needed to remember around 10-20 anyway) rather than spend your exam frantically flicking through the book to find them, and at A level/ university English Lit students are expected to memorise key quotes (from both set texts and extended reading) so it's a useful skill to learn...

^ This is true

Learning quotes will really help you a lot as you won't have to waste valuable time flicking through books over and over. I did English lit last year and although it was an open-book exam, I ended up memorising all the quotes I wanted to use as I knew it would probably save me a lot of time (and it did).

I know it probably seems a little daunting having a lot of quotes to remember but honestly you'll be surprised at how much you can retain. Plus, the examiner is not going to take away all of your marks if the quotes aren't 100% right so it's not like you have to memorise them word for word. What I would recommend is to try and ''group'' your quotes. For example, if you're looking for a quote that describes a character, try and find one that, as well as mentioning the character, it links to a theme in the novel too. This will cut down the amount you have to remember.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 8

username2324315

17

I've signed the petition - I didn't remember any quotes from my books during GCSE English but instead just revised where main events happened within them, and got an A*. I think that getting students to remember quotes is missing the point of English Lit, which isn't to memorise quotes but instead what you get out of the author's choice of words etc.

Reply 9

username2637499

18

Original post by Popsiclez

Only if most people do well, us being the people to take the new exams some leniency may be offered

No. The mark scheme is picky because it wants "specific" quotes. I do English Lit A Level and we have an open book exam paper. The mark scheme is harsh.

Reply 10

RogerOxon

21

Original post by Popsiclez

Sign its filling up quick

How ironic.

Reply 11

BRING BACK MHOC

19

Signed, I don't know what I would have done if mine hadn't been open book.

Reply 12

Popsiclez

OP

21

Original post by Rex Onocrotalus

I've signed the petition - I didn't remember any quotes from my books during GCSE English but instead just revised where main events happened within them, and got an A*. I think that getting students to remember quotes is missing the point of English Lit, which isn't to memorise quotes but instead what you get out of the author's choice of words etc.

Exactly I understand having to Memorise in subjects like Science but English is suppose to be somewhere you can express how certain texts interest you it should test how good you are at interpreting the play and looking for the authors hidden meaning. I thought the Government wanted more people interested in this kind of stuff.

Reply 13

username2110825

6

English Literature A2 was honestly the most p***-easy exam of my life. Got an A without paying attention for the entire year or even really memorising/studying that much.

And I'm not saying that to brag - I'm saying that to criticise.

Now I don't know how the new A Levels are, but if it's anything like mine, open book will just make an already pathetically easy subject even easier. And I don't know that even I'd be comfortable walking into an exam and getting an A for a subject I know I don't even need to try for.

Granted, I didn't bother to check if they're talking about GCSE. But even then, quote memory isn't some indomitable task...

Reply 14

Popsiclez

OP

21

Original post by cranbrook_aspie

Signed, I don't know what I would have done if mine hadn't been open book.

Thank youuu!

Reply 15

username3025040

15

Too much of a pessimist sorry

Reply 16

Popsiclez

OP

21

Original post by orderofthelotus

Too much of a pessimist sorry

Lmao I can tell by your profile picture.

Reply 17

username3025040

15

Original post by Popsiclez

Lmao I can tell by your profile picture.

I'm tellin' ya, the new GCSE maths syllabus has taken everything outta me.

Reply 18

J4mie99

7

Whoever created the petition has really exaggerated how much you need to know, at the most I had 20-25 main quotes on a page to remember and if you revise you'll be fine. As for the poems you just have to read between the lines and try think about what it's saying, you only have to remember a handful of techniques the poets used when analysing a poem, the rest is down to what you think it's trying to saying. Admittedly I was crap at the poems but I passed.
This would essentially open the door of okay why can't you have the bible in your RS exam??? You may as well have a calculator in your none calculator maths exam and a book telling you about all the formulas, shapes and metric conversions ect.
This petition is basically screaming "we couldn't be arsed putting the work in at the end of year 10/start of year 11 to revise and memorise and we've left it too late so now we have to cram work in making us stressed". Cramming the night before every single one of my exams was exactly my mind set and I still got through it all and I get anxious & stressed af easily.
"More demanding for a higher grade" well yes obviously??? You just have to suck it up and prioritise your revision like last years year 11's and the year before them and the year before them. As much as a ball ache that it is YOU CAN RETAKE IN THE MAJORITY OF COLLEGE/SIXTH FORMS ANYWAY! Some actually just take you with English Language as that's the main one for employers.

Reply 19

snutty

6

Original post by J4mie99

Whoever created the petition has really exaggerated how much you need to know, at the most I had 20-25 main quotes on a page to remember and if you revise you'll be fine. As for the poems you just have to read between the lines and try think about what it's saying, you only have to remember a handful of techniques the poets used when analysing a poem, the rest is down to what you think it's trying to saying. Admittedly I was crap at the poems but I passed.
This would essentially open the door of okay why can't you have the bible in your RS exam??? You may as well have a calculator in your none calculator maths exam and a book telling you about all the formulas, shapes and metric conversions ect.
This petition is basically screaming "we couldn't be arsed putting the work in at the end of year 10/start of year 11 to revise and memorise and we've left it too late so now we have to cram work in making us stressed". Cramming the night before every single one of my exams was exactly my mind set and I still got through it all and I get anxious & stressed af easily.
"More demanding for a higher grade" well yes obviously??? You just have to suck it up and prioritise your revision like last years year 11's and the year before them and the year before them. As much as a ball ache that it is YOU CAN RETAKE IN THE MAJORITY OF COLLEGE/SIXTH FORMS ANYWAY! Some actually just take you with English Language as that's the main one for employers.

This just sums it up, tbh. If you can't be bothered to learn things now then you're going to get a massive shock if you want to go on to A-levels.

Authorise open book examinations of English Lit 2017 Petition

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