How to Write for Text Production in the DSH (New Format)
When I began the preparation course for the DSH exam in Göttingen, I received some shocking news. Over the course of the winter break, the format for two parts of the test, namely Text Production and Listening Comprehension, had been changed! I felt blindsided, to say the least. Instead of being able to spend 12 weeks properly preparing for the DSH, this decision made the first six weeks before winter break seem awfully irrelevant. However, I guess that I should still be grateful. After all, six weeks to prepare is better than nothing.
Recently, I took a mock exam and to my surprise, I was awarded almost full marks in Text Production! This could mean that the format I wrote is the go-to one, if you’re looking to get a high score in this section.
Despite it having been announced on the university’s website, I’m pretty sure that external participants might not be aware of these changes and would get a rude shock on the day of the exam itself! There would also not be sufficient model answers for the Text Production available online. Therefore, I’m sharing the text I wrote (which has been edited to perfection, thanks to my teachers), so as to help especially external participants with the upcoming test.
I won’t go into details but what I can confidently say is, focus on writing coherent arguments using big lofty adverbs etc and conveniently slip in a fact or two from the statistics to support said arguments. Whatever you do, do NOT heavily describe the graphs!
If this has helped you, I hope you wouldn’t mind donating a dollar or two in return. All the best for your exam!
click on image to download the PDF
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