Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Macbeth

  • 13-01-2014 10:21pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27


    Im doing higher level english and my teacher keeps telling us that our Macbeth answers have to be four A4 pages, do they?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5 jenlet


    we've been told 4 minimum going for about 5-6 pages


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27 MeganB


    jenlet wrote: »
    we've been told 4 minimum going for about 5-6 pages

    5-6 :O I can barley write over 3 lol


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭gabsy


    Weird ... We only have to write 3 because realistically you won't have time to write 6 pages . I think 3-4 is plenty to answer the question :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭Daniel2590


    I haven't done a single one that's more than 4 pages.. We've been told 3.5 to 4.5 pages. It's quality that counts, not quantity. :)


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    It's a good guideline.
    I would recommend 4 for poetry
    5 for Single Text
    6 for Comparative

    It's what I always aimed for at least.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,358 ✭✭✭Geekness1234


    MeganB wrote: »
    Im doing higher level english and my teacher keeps telling us that our Macbeth answers have to be four A4 pages, do they?

    We've been instructed to write four to five, exam paper booklet pages. It's worth your while getting used to writing on exam paper, so that sizing will be slightly easier in the Mocks/real thing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,222 ✭✭✭Calvin


    Jeez, I'm barely scraping 3.5 pages. Poetry I can just about make it to 3.5 and with comparative that I'm doing now, I could just about make it over 5.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,358 ✭✭✭Geekness1234


    Jeez, I'm barely scraping 3.5 pages. Poetry I can just about make it to 3.5 and with comparative that I'm doing now, I could just about make it over 5.

    3.5 Pages of A4 will translate to roughly four and a bit pages of exam booklet, the ideal size really. Also you could probably fluff out a tad (too much and it'll be blatant padding) with block quotations, lines between paragraphs etc.
    3.5 pages of well thought out, fluid and relevant material will beat 5/6 pages of waffle. As long as you avoid the "unfocused narrative", that the Chief Examiner's report highlights as a problem, your 3.5 pages is grand.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,509 ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    As Geekness basically just said, quality is far more important than quantity.

    Also remember that people have different size handwriting, and that one person's 4 pages could be another person's 6 ... so comparisons are loose at best, and certainly over the 'net when you've never seen the other person's writing.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 49 EliteC


    Also you could probably fluff out a tad (too much and it'll be blatant padding) with block quotations, lines between paragraphs etc.

    NO NO NO!! Never leave lines between paragraphs. Examiners are ruthless when it comes to paragraphs. They'll slaughter you on the Mechanics!!


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,971 ✭✭✭✭peekachoo


    EliteC wrote: »
    NO NO NO!! Never leave lines between paragraphs. Examiners are ruthless when it comes to paragraphs. They'll slaughter you on the Mechanics!!

    I've never been docked marks for leaving lines between paragraphs? And I've always done it. :confused:
    actually in my mocks last year I didn't leave a line because I was kinda running out of room and the examiner wrote in that there wasnt enough distinction between paragraphs :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 221 ✭✭Shane15


    EliteC wrote: »
    NO NO NO!! Never leave lines between paragraphs. Examiners are ruthless when it comes to paragraphs. They'll slaughter you on the Mechanics!!

    You say lines meaning more than one? So, is one line okay? Because that's what I usually do. :confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,358 ✭✭✭Geekness1234


    EliteC wrote: »
    NO NO NO!! Never leave lines between paragraphs. Examiners are ruthless when it comes to paragraphs. They'll slaughter you on the Mechanics!!

    How would they possibly be justifying crucifying me, if I made sure my paragraphs were neat, as a result of adequate spacing? :S


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    You shouldn't start waffling just so it looks like you have written more. 3 pages of focused writing with the question being precisely answered could get you an A whereas if you padded this out with bull***t just to get it up to four pages you wil risk loosing marks in the purpose and coherence.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    How would they possibly be justifying crucifying me, if I made sure my paragraphs were neat, as a result of adequate spacing? :S

    I think it's because a paragraph is usually shown just by going to the next line and then indenting. This new method of leaving a line between them and not indenting seems to be more commonly used on computers.
    Now I don't know about 'slaughtering' but I never understood why people would never just do the 'traditional' way and it looks just as good.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,358 ✭✭✭Geekness1234


    Just so you guys know, according to the Chief Examiners Report, the main problem with students' answers is "unfocused narrative", i.e not being able to make their answer question orientated. This should be your main worry, not essay length (unless it's ridiculously short) in my opinion.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,316 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Just so you guys know, according to the Chief Examiners Report, the main problem with students' answers is "unfocused narrative", i.e not being able to make their answer question orientated. This should be your main worry, not essay length (unless it's ridiculously short) in my opinion.

    This happens with learned off junk.
    If you address the question on the day, it's much less likely to be an issue.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    Just so you guys know, according to the Chief Examiners Report, the main problem with students' answers is "unfocused narrative", i.e not being able to make their answer question orientated. This should be your main worry, not essay length (unless it's ridiculously short) in my opinion.

    As a rule of thumb make sure the first and last sentence in every paragraph is relevant to the question. This way your likely to stay focused on the question. Even if you stray slightly, your answer will still seem relevant this way.


Advertisement