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NSWEnglish Extension 2Quick questions
The Major Work
Quick questions on Composing a critical response for the HSC English Extension 2 Major Work
2short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is original argument, not summary?Show answer
The defining demand is originality of argument. A critical response that summarises what critics have already said, however thoroughly, is a literature review, not a Major Work. You must advance a reading that is yours: a claim about a text, body of texts, author or critical problem that a reasonable reader could dispute. If nobody could disagree with your thesis, it is not an argument; it is a description.
What is sustaining an argument across length?Show answer
The central craft problem is sustaining momentum. A thesis must develop, not merely repeat. Each section should advance the argument to a position the previous section made possible, so the reader feels the case building rather than circling. A reverse-outline, where you summarise each paragraph's job in one sentence, exposes whether your argument moves or stalls.
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