Introductions that earn marks in the first thirty seconds
A four sentence structure that states a judgement, signposts the argument and gives the marker a reason to expect a strong response.
The introduction is where a marker forms an expectation. A generic opening does not lose marks directly, but it sets a low expectation that the rest of the response then has to overturn.
The four sentences
- 01The judgement. Answer the question directly, in the terms the question used.
- 02The qualification. State where the judgement does not hold, which is what separates a nuanced argument from an assertion.
- 03The criteria. Name the basis on which you are judging, so the marker knows the response is structured rather than incidental.
- 04The map. Signal the two or three areas the argument will cover, in the order they will appear.
What to leave out
- Dictionary definitions of justice, religion or business
- Restating the question as a statement
- Historical background the question did not ask for
Write it in four sentences, then reread the question and check that every sentence is doing work. If a sentence would sit equally well in an essay on a different question, delete it.
Apply it to your own work
Bring a response you have written to a session and it will be marked against the HSC criteria, with the correction taught rather than just noted.
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The four errors that keep well prepared students in the middle bands, and the correction for each one.
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A repeatable method for reading the question properly before writing a word, and why it is the highest value ninety seconds in the exam.
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