What's new on ExamExplained
The 50 most recently updated study pages, grouped by week. Each entry shows the state, the subject (where it applies), and the date the page was last updated. Want the same feed as JSON? /whats-new.json.
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A complete 2026 guide to HSC Ancient History. The compulsory Core Study (Cities of Vesuvius - Pompeii and Herculaneum), Ancient Societies, Personalities in their Times, and Historical Periods. Exam structure, scaling, and links to every deep guide.
A complete 2026 guide to HSC Biology. The four Year 12 modules (Heredity, Genetic Change, Infectious Disease, Non-infectious Disease and Disorders), exam structure, scaling, study strategy, and links to every deep guide we have on the subject.
A complete 2026 guide to HSC Drama. The Australian Drama and Theatre core, the Studies in Drama and Theatre elective, the Group Performance and Individual Project practical tasks, written exam structure, scaling, and links to every deep guide we have. Practical work is built in your studio with a teacher; this site supports the writing and the theory.
A complete 2026 guide to HSC Economics. The four topics (The Global Economy, Australia's Place in the Global Economy, Economic Issues, Economic Policies and Management), the 100 mark exam structure, scaling, current Australian data you must know, study strategy, and links to every dot-point answer we have.
A complete 2026 guide to HSC English. The four module structure, paper format, what differs between Standard and Advanced, how to study for each module, and links to every guide, explainer, and quiz we have on the subject.
A complete 2026 guide to HSC English Extension 1. The Common Module Literary Worlds and its five electives, the critical and imaginative response requirements, how the course differs from Advanced, and links to every dot-point guide we have shipped.
What changes in HSC English Extension 1 from the 2027 HSC: Literary worlds plus one elective, all five electives replaced, an online exam of 50 marks, and the new limit on take-home assessment tasks.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose a strong Confessional worlds response for Question 2, with a who-to-whom-at-what-cost thesis method, an address-edit-cost paragraph, plans for the prescribed texts and original practice questions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Confessional worlds elective asks, using NESA's framing of performance, intimacy and artifice, the six prescribed texts and what each is best for, and how Question 2 is set.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose a strong Historical worlds response for Question 2, with a two-times thesis method, a source-shaping-stake paragraph, plans by authority, time or scale, and original practice questions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Historical worlds elective asks, using NESA's framing of truth, authority, memory and the use of the past, the six prescribed texts and what each is good for, and how Question 2 is set.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose a strong Hybrid worlds response for Question 2, with a form-as-subject thesis method, an ingredient-collision-work paragraph, plans by seam, reader task or risk, and original practice questions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Hybrid worlds elective asks, using NESA's framing of structure, time, hybridity and textuality, the six prescribed texts and what each is good for, and how Question 2 is set.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose a strong Natural worlds response for Question 2, with a relationship-based thesis, a nature-relationship-form paragraph, plans by tradition, threat or form, and original practice questions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Natural worlds elective asks, using NESA's framing of the pastoral, beauty and fragility and culture and nature, the six prescribed print texts (no film or media text) and how Question 2 is set.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose a strong Shakespearean worlds response for Question 2, with a relationship-between-worlds thesis, a borrow-change-expose paragraph, plans by verb, inwardness or crisis, and original practice questions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Shakespearean worlds elective asks, using NESA's framing of reference, reconstruction, extension and subversion, individualism and crisis, the six prescribed texts and how Question 2 is set.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose a strong Literary worlds response for Question 1 of the online Extension 1 exam, with a thesis method, a three-move paragraph, online exam habits and original practice questions with worked solutions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the common Literary worlds focus area asks of Extension 1 students, how Question 1 is examined in the online paper, and how to think about worlds as constructed systems of values rather than settings or themes.
A complete 2026 guide to HSC English Extension 2. The Major Work and its permitted forms, the word and time limits, the Reflection Statement, the Major Work Journal, and links to every craft and process guide we have for the course.
What changes in HSC English Extension 2 from the 2027 HSC: Author and authority plus Major work, an online exam whose questions can be critical, creative, two-part or stimulus-based (and can ask for a reflection on your own composition), no separate Reflection Statement in the new specification, and shorter Major work limits.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): a respectful guide to studying Alexis Wright as an Extension 2 author: reading across a body of work, authority grounded in Country and story, and how to argue about method without quoting.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): a guide to studying Haruki Murakami as an Extension 2 author: how to read across a body of work, why translation matters to authority, and how to argue about method without quoting.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): a guide to studying Henry James as an Extension 2 author: how to map a body of work, which questions about authority his fiction invites, and how to build an argument without relying on remembered quotes.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Author and authority focus area asks of Extension 2 students, how the new 100-mark course is split between the online exam and the Major Work, and how to prepare for the author study.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): a practical process for planning, drafting and cutting a Major Work within the new limits, with original practice questions and worked solutions on concept, form and revision.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): the new, shorter Major Work limits for each form, the end of the Reflection Statement, how the Major Work is weighted in the new 100-mark course, and what these changes mean for planning and drafting.
A complete 2026 guide to HSC English Studies, the NESA Content Endorsed English course. The mandatory Common Module and Achieving through English, the focus electives, the portfolio of work, the optional HSC examination, and links to every dot-point answer we have for the course.
What changes in HSC English Studies from the 2027 HSC: three Year 12 focus areas, a shorter optional exam of 60 marks (was 70), and the new limit on take-home assessment tasks.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): a practical study routine and response method for Elective focus areas in English Studies, with original practice questions, worked solutions and marking guidance.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Elective focus areas in English Studies are, how your school's choice shapes your study, and how to prepare using your own texts and the optional 60-mark exam.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): a step-by-step method for planning and writing a response on Narrative and human experiences, with original practice questions, worked solutions and marking guidance.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Narrative and human experiences focus area asks of English Studies students, how stories shape our understanding of human experience, and how it fits with the optional 60-mark exam.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): a practical process for planning, drafting and editing purposeful writing, with original practice tasks, worked solutions and marking guidance.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Writing for purpose focus area asks of English Studies students: writing for a clear purpose and audience, the choices that shape effective writing, and how it fits the optional 60-mark exam.
Every HSC English Advanced and Standard prescribed text for 2027 to 2030 grouped by focus area, with NESA editions and set poems, which titles were also on the 2019 to 2026 list (and in which course and module), the Shakespeare rule, and short Studies, EAL/D and Extension sections with links to our study pages.
What changes in HSC English Advanced from the 2027 HSC: the same four-part Year 12 course under new focus-area names, a new prescribed text list for 2027 to 2030, new text requirements (poetry compulsory, no prescribed texts for The craft of writing), the new assessment rules and an exam with the same structure.
What changes in HSC English EAL/D from the 2027 HSC: four Year 12 focus areas, two written papers worth 100 marks in place of 85 marks plus a 15-mark Listening Paper, and the take-home limit.
What changes in HSC English Standard from the 2027 HSC: the same four-part Year 12 course under new names, new 2027 to 2030 prescribed texts, new text requirements (poetry compulsory, no prescribed texts for The craft of writing), the one take-home task cap and an exam with the same structure.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how English Standard students can write strong responses in Close study of literature, with a paragraph model, planning for any question and original practice questions with worked solutions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what English Standard students are asked to do in Close study of literature, the six prescribed texts for 2027 to 2030, how Paper 2 Section II works, and how it differs from the Advanced Critical study.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose a strong critical response on your English Advanced prescribed text, covering thesis, evidence across the whole work, context, other readings, timing and original practice questions with solutions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what English Advanced students are asked to do in Critical study of literature, the six prescribed texts for 2027 to 2030, how Paper 2 Section II works, and how this focus area differs from the Standard Close study.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how English Standard students can write strong responses in Language, identity and culture, with a paragraph model, a planning method for any question, and original practice questions with worked solutions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what English Standard students are asked to do in Language, identity and culture, the six prescribed texts for 2027 to 2030, how Paper 2 Section I works, and how to prepare.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose strong Paper 1 answers for English Advanced and Standard, from short responses on unseen texts to the extended response on your prescribed text, with original practice questions and worked solutions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what the Texts and human experiences focus area asks of English Advanced and English Standard students, how Paper 1 is structured, which texts are prescribed for 2027 to 2030, and how to prepare.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose a strong integrated comparison of your two Textual conversations texts for English Advanced Paper 2 Section I, with a paragraph model, a planning template and original practice questions.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): what English Advanced students are asked to do in Textual conversations, the six prescribed pairings for 2027 to 2030, how Paper 2 Section I is structured, and how to prepare a comparative study.
New 2024 syllabus (first HSC 2027): how to compose strong imaginative, discursive, persuasive and reflective writing under timed conditions for English Advanced and Standard, with a planning method, craft moves, editing checklist and original practice questions.