Given how new and open-ended the creating texts (crafting texts) section of the course is, it's helpful to see some examples of pieces which previously have done well or poorly.
Below are some pieces with the estimated VCAA grade above them. Keep in mind, cohesion is an important criterion, so the below pieces are really only examples of the varying levels of prose. A true 10/10 piece can't really be assessed unless it has been written in full.
Title: Duty Calls
6
When you wake up in the morning, you have to brush your teeth, get dressed, and get ready for school. As you do every day. These things have to be done as life is about things we must complete. When you have to wake up early, you might think I dont have to get ready, but you always do because the pressures of society make us do these things we otherwise don’t understand.
Sometimes it’s better not to be normal. Being just another brick in the wall. Can be a negative experience, as can being part of the crowd. If we stand up against the things in society, we can show ourselves to be more based in our own thoughts, and individualistic. Since it s better to be this way. This is why we should stand up for what we believe in.
7-8
Protest is important because it helps people who find others like themselves. When you protest, you can meet people who think similarly to you. This is because if you have a deeply-held personal belief, you are unlikely to meet other people with the same feelings unless you are grouped in a place where these people all get together.
Protest can also help you learn more about yourself. If you don’t know who you are or what you stand for, you can often learn this by protesting. For many people, protest is an expression of identity, and a way to stand up for what you believe in. It is a way to say “this is me, and even if we don’t win today, I want you to know that this is the side of history I stand beside.” Thus, protest is a vital act which helps us to develop our personalities and identities.
Furthermore, standing up against the norm is necessary when something is wrong in the world. We have a moral duty to stand against evil when we see it, whether that is by marching publicly in the streets, or simply deliberately choosing not to participate even when the urge is strongest.
8
Part of protest’s inherent value is its ability to produce legal change. These things are essential for the protection of democracy, and are key insurance against injustices which may be perpetrated against those who have less power in a society. Legal change is very difficult to produce, and rarely comes about. Frequently, those with lawmaking capacity don’t see the need to change a law. For example, women didn’t have voting rights in many countries for years because the men in parliament did not feel the need to grant them. This means that unless the body politic decides to draw attention to an issue, it is likely nothing will be done. Protest is an essential step in raising awareness of an issue, not only among everyday people, but for lawmakers also.
Because protest is one of the few tools we have with which to enable change, we have a duty to protest where we see wrong in the world.
Title: Democracy dies in darkness
9-10
Humanity is founded on identity, and identity is formed in the minds of individuals. Societies may seem like grand, impenetrable structures far beyond comprehension, but in reality they are simply made up of individuals. As such, each individual has the power to make society a little better or worse every day. Democracy, as a political system chosen by people, necessarily puts us at the head of our social system: we alone are responsible for the world in which we live. Thus, when we see a threat to our way of life, we as individuals must be compelled to stand against it. Such threats often come in small forms initially: a newsreel that doesn’t quite portray things as they are, or a political ad which doesn’t necessarily reflect reality. It is these tiny lies that every day, we individually have to decide to accept or reject. Every time we accept one, we make it easier for nefarious intentions to prevail, whereas each rejection is an act in the pursuit of truth. When reality becomes distorted, it is up to us to stand against this falseness and declare how the world should really work.
It’s important for us to maintain this fearless dedication to individualism and the truth because democracy dies when we lose sight of reality. Societies built on lies and not supported by the public eventually crumble. Historians now estimate a time Rome began to fall, but documents from the era suggest its citizens didn’t notice a problem until many years later. In our modern societies, our problem is not exactly analogous to the Roman Empire, but is rather about the fact that we too often refuse to listen to minorities. We live in a society where powerful companies and individuals are able to manipulate our news feeds, and as a result their voices are heard over those with less power. However, this refusal to listen to small groups means these people will feel unheard, and eventually rejected. As they say, ‘a house divided among itself cannot stand.’ In order for society to progress, it is imperative that all members feel valued. We are all human, and this entitles us to be heard, even if our perspectives are ultimately not chosen to prevail.
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