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Short Story Question; Can I....

  • 21-05-2011 11:23am
    #1
    roisin24
    Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭


    Hey all,

    With the exams approaching, my plan of leaving my English short story preparation till last is time consuming, to say the least!

    My question is:
    Can I learn off a short story that I find online, and work it around whatever titles come up, without running the risk of losing marks for copying??

    I have no imagination for creative writing whatsoever but i've been told a short story is the way to go.

    Any ideas on this?

    Roisin


Comments

  • #2
    Ficheall
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,034 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    Will you get in trouble or lose marks for it?
    Probably not, though you would deserve to.

    Is it despicable and ill-advised?
    Yes.


  • #3
    LilMissCiara
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,292 ✭✭✭LilMissCiara


    Don't do a short story if you have no imagination.

    There's plenty of other options that would suit (Personal Essay for example).

    Plus, learning of an essay, especially a short story, is risky because the headings will be quite dynamic.


  • #4
    Salty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,116 ✭✭✭Salty


    Since you say yourself that you have no creativity, maybe you're more logical minded? If that's the case, a speech or an argument essay may suit you better. They're very structured, and fact-based, and you might find them easier to write on the day.


  • #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,505 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Just to echo what other posters have said, you probably shouldn't do the short story if you really have no creative writing imagination. Even if you learned a story beforehand, without creativity you'll have a hard time adapting it to the given criteria on the day.

    Moreover, what you're suggesting is plagarism. Just because you plan to take the time to memorize it instead of writing it on your leg, it's still cheating. If/when you go to college, your assignments and exam essays will be checked for plagarism, and if it's found you can get kicked out of your course. So while you might get away with it this year, it's certainly an underhanded way to begin your life after second level education.

    I know I'm being a bit harsh, and you don't mean any harm, and I know that other people certainly do worse things (like all out cheating), but it really isn't something anyone should condone.


  • #6
    njd2010
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 244 ✭✭njd2010


    That's a bad idea. The short story is usually the hardest to get marks in anyway, and an examiner will know if you're trying to mold a pre-learned story to it. Learn a few off as a backup, but go for the other essays, you'll do less badly.


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  • #7
    partyatmygaff
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,992 ✭✭✭✭partyatmygaff


    You can certainly try but unless you are extremely lucky you will do very poorly.

    If you're not a creative person, don't do a short story. Learning off essays for any language (Barring perhaps Irish ;)) is a bad idea.


  • #8
    Chuchoter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,305 ✭✭✭Chuchoter


    Short story is the way to go if you are good at short stories.
    Debates are the way to go if you are good at debates
    And so on and so forth.


  • #9
    randylonghorn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,509 ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    LilMissCiara wrote: »
    Don't do a short story ...
    true-or-false wrote: »
    Just to echo what other posters have said, you probably shouldn't do the short story if you really have no creative writing imagination.
    njd2010 wrote: »
    That's a bad idea.
    partyatmygaff wrote: »
    If you're not a creative person, don't do a short story. Learning off essays for any language (Barring perhaps Irish ;)) is a bad idea.
    You're getting some good advice here, OP.
    roisin24 wrote: »
    ... but i've been told a short story is the way to go.
    Who told you this? Why?

    Certainly, it seems to be pretty bad advice to someone who says they don't really lean towards imaginative / creative writing.


  • #10
    orlabobs
    Registered Users Posts: 132 ✭✭orlabobs


    Ok, seriously? Seriously?
    The good thing about the creative writing is that there is something for every style of writing. I mean, I would have loved to have been able to do a short story, but they are SO hard to do well. I mean they are the best options for the really good short story writers and the really weak students.
    Instead of STEALING someones work online, find what your good at. Surly your teacher has gotten you to try each form and grade you. It's one thing having key topics and sentences learnt off to fit into a question, but another to steal work and then try and memorise it. The fab thing about paper 1 is its not about learning off.

    I'd pick a type of essay such as personal essay or debate/argument or whatever, whatever your good at, and then try writing them, giving yourself the allotted time (or maybe even 10 mins less) and pick a year from exam papers and see how you get on. Give it to your teacher to correct.

    So to conclude...... No. do not take someone elses work


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