Common HSC Mistakes to avoid

We all make mistakes, but we want you to achieve as many marks as possible in your Trials and HSC Examinations. Here are a few tips which can cost you a Band 5 or 6 in your subjects.

Incomplete essay

One of the most common mistakes students make (especially in the HSC Trials), is not completing an essay. You’re expected to write a lot of content at a fast pace, but always remember to write an introduction and a conclusion to your essay. State your points, and then fill them out as you go. There are certain requirements you need to fulfil in order to get a Band 5 or Band 6 essay, and you won’t achieve these higher marks if you don’t properly include an introduction or a conclusion!

Study smarter, not harder

We encourage all students to identify their best learning style, but what do we mean by this?

There are a number of different ways students can retain and memorise information, some include: hand-writing notes, creating diagrams, recording their lessons on video or audio, typing notes on their laptop, the list goes on!

RELATED: Study Techniques For All Learning Styles

Running out of time

Look at the time recommended and see how you can break down a long answer question to fit within these time restrictions.

If you have been doing past papers during your study (and also timing yourself) you will have a better experience working within the time limits for Trials and the HSC. Let’s take a look at the HSC English Paper 1 as an example:

Reading time: 10 minutes

Total working time: 1 hour and 30 mins

Section I: 45 minutes (20 marks)

Section II: 45 minutes (20 marks)

Not backing up your statements

Every time you bring up a new statement in response to an essay question, it’s important to back this up with a quote from your related text. Rather than memorising just 2-3 generic quotes to adapt in every essay, you need to incorporate quotes that answer the question.

We recommend memorising a few different quotes across a variety of themes. This way, you’re bound to remember a quote from the related text that you’re studying.

Not using reading time wisely

The reading time is so crucial because it gives you some insight on the paper before you can even start writing.

Some students skip the multiple choice questions and go straight to the long answer questions, some go through the questions and answers – it’s really up to you! If you feel like you need that extra time to read the essay question and think about which quotes are relevant, then go with that.

Need some help navigating your HSC experience? Why not try a 2 Week Free Trial for any of our in-centre or online classes at Talent 100. Click here to find out more information on how to get started, and make your talent count.