New South Wales HSC English

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English is a compulsory subject for the award of the Higher School Certificate at the end of secondary schooling in New South Wales, Australia. Marks gained in at least two units of English must also be included in the calculation of the University Admission Index used to determine entry to university. Students must study one of the following courses:

  • English (Advanced)
  • English (Standard)
  • English as a Second Language (ESL)

Optional units include:

  • English Extension 1
  • English Extension 2
  • Fundamentals of English

The Area of Study is common between English (Advanced) and English (Standard). The current theme of Belonging is studied through a selection of prescribed texts provided by the NSW Board of Studies, and other related materials.

[edit] Examinations

English Paper 1 is a two hour examination (plus 10 minutes reading time) conducted usually on the second day (Friday) of the HSC exams. The paper is common to both English (Standard) and English (Advanced) students and is thus the most widely sat HSC exam. English Paper 1 tests the Area of Study - Journeys through three questions:

  • Question 1 (15 marks/40 minutes)): unseen journey texts - requires students to deconstruct and analyse a number of unseen texts of a variety of forms. There are a number of short questions (1-2 marks), building up to a longer answer (approx 6 marks).
  • Question 2 (15 marks/40 minutes): creative writing - journeys. The text type may be specified or liberal.
  • Question 3 (15 marks/40 minutes): extended response specific to Physical, Inner or Imaginative Journeys. Students usually answer on their core text, one text from the Board of Studies stimulus booklet and one or more texts of their own choice. It is usually written in essay form.

English Paper 2 is a two hour examination (plus 5 minutes reading time) conducted usually on the third day (Monday) of the HSC exams. The paper is different between English (Standard) and English (Advanced). The response form of these questions may be specified or liberal but is normally in essay form, although other forms may occasionally be appropriate. English Paper 2 tests the English Modules through three questions:

  • Question 1 (20 marks/40 minutes): Module A - Comparative Study of Texts and Contexts
  • Question 2 (20 marks/40 minutes): Module B - Critical Study of Text
  • Question 3 (20 marks/40 minutes): Module C - Representation and Text

English Extension 1 has a two hour examination (plus 5 minutes reading time). Students answer two questions relating to the module and elective they have studied, each marked out of 25 and allocated approximately one hour of writing.

English Extension 2 has no examination but students submit a Major Work at the end of the course.

As with all subjects in the HSC, the examination mark constitutes 50% of the final HSC mark while internal school assessment counts for the other 50%.

[edit] References


HSC English syllabus (contains English Standard, Advanced, Extension 1, Extension 2, English as a Second Language and English Fundamentals course outlines)