HSC Extension 2 English

Our Goals for the course

Major Work 

The Major Work is a sustained, cohesive extended composition that demonstrates mastery of the composition process. The Reflection Statement reflects on and evaluates the creative process of completing an original composition. Students engage in extensive investigation of a subject of their own choosing to demonstrate the skills and knowledge developed throughout their Stage 6 English courses.

A Major Work must communicate an idea that is conceptually profound, insightful or thought-provoking with a clear sense of audience and purpose appropriate to the chosen form and style. The form of the Major Work must be chosen deliberately to contribute to the authenticity, originality and overall conceptual purpose of the work. Students skilfully manipulate and control the language features and conventions of their chosen form to create an engaging composition. The work must demonstrate a conscious and purposeful style that has been refined to ensure artistry and textual integrity.

Throughout the Major Work process students will be required to demonstrate their evaluation and reflection on their research and composition in various ways.

The processes of composition are recorded in the student’s Major Work Journal and monitored by the teacher. The journal is an ongoing record, evaluation and reflection on the creative, investigative and drafting process and the realisation of an extended composition.

Reflection Statement

The Reflection Statement evaluates the process of composition and the product is submitted with the Major Work.

This includes:

●      an analysis and evaluation of the relationship between the Major Work and extensive independent research

●      an explanation of the intended audience and purposes for which it was composed

●      an analysis of the relationships between concept, structure, technical and language features

●      an explanation of how the Major Work is an extension of the skills, knowledge and understanding developed in the Stage 6 English courses. This relationship may have developed throughout the Year 11 and 12 English Advanced and English Extension 1 courses

●      an evaluation of the writing process and the realisation of the concept in the composition

●      a reference list for the texts used in the Major Work and cited in the Reflection Statement.

Major Work Journal

The Major Work Journal documents all stages of the composition process. The recording of research and analysis, as well as critical, imaginative and speculative reflections, will assist students in achieving course objectives and outcomes and in preparing for internal and external assessment requirements.

It is expected that students will use the journal to record the recursive and iterative creative process and to demonstrate learning. The journal establishes the authenticity of the Major Work and the following evidence, as a minimum requirement, must be sighted and authenticated by the supervising teacher at each stage of the composition process. 

The journal may be digital or print and must include:

●      concept mapping or alternative strategies for generating ideas for the extended composition, including the genesis of concept, form, genre or style extending from the Stage 6 courses

●      an original inquiry question and statement of intent for the scope of investigation

●      evidence of investigation of a variety of composers in the chosen form

●      action plan with milestones for each stage of the composition process

●      annotated extracts from various texts with notes about language forms and features appropriate to the chosen form and evaluative reflection

●      examples of experimentation with style and structure with evaluation of these drafts or versions in the light of audience, purpose and context

●      summaries and notes about the exploration of the concept, for example academic journals, digital texts and reference material

●      extracts of student’s drafts, sequences, or recordings with reasons for changes and critical questions from peers and/or teachers

●      extracts of revisions of the Major Work and the Reflection Statement with reasons for the changes

●      a developing reference list for the Reflection Statement

●      examples of student’s final edits, including proofreading for grammar and control of language, multimedia elements, transitions or sound effects as appropriate to the form

●      reflection on how the editing process has contributed to the quality of the published Major Work.

Note: a draft or extract may be print, a recording, a sequence of shots, a scene or a storyboard/diagram as appropriate to the form.

Assessment Tasks: