Leaving Cert 2011 exam timetable

www.examinations.ie for Leaving Cert and Junior Cert 2011 exam timetables, examination papers and marking schemes

24-7tutorials Sunday Business Post

Student tutorials offer online assistance in real time Read about 24-7tutorials.com in The Sunday Business Post 22 May 2011

Brainfood needed for study and revision

Revising for exams requires long periods of concentration and it’s more important than ever to eat the right food. Research has proven that eating fish improves concentration, memory and problem solving. Oily fish contain Omega 3 and this nourishes the brain cells. Read more about how Omega 3 can improve intelligence

Cramming for exams and crashing

The human memory is not unlike your PC –open too many apps, overload the short-term memory and it will crash. Now is the time for a defrag. Link any new information you are revising with existing information. For example, do not learn 4 new quotes from Hamlet in isolation - instead show how these quotes support and back up your points on Hamlet’s madness.
Save your short-term memory for the night before the exam.

Study and Revision tips for Donegal students

Eileen O’Duffy, the owner of 24-7tutorials.com, will be advising students (and parents) on study and revision. Tune into Highland Radio at 12 noon and ICRfm at 4pm tomorrow Wednesday 18 May.

Dealing with Distractions

Study in the location most likely to offer peace and quiet. Ask for consideration from family members/friends over the final run up to exams. Never have a TV, phone, computer or music on while you are trying to revise for exams. If you are in fact studying online, turn off Facebook/email//chat messaging.  You can catch up and check your messages when you’ve finished your study.

Active Revision Tips

Revision should be active not passive. Always work with a pen/highlighter and paper. Write short summary notes in your own words and add your own examples. This will help you to identify the key points and also to remember them. Draft short paragraph plans for important exam questions. These draft plans should include an introduction, 3-5 key points and a conclusion. 

Revise by topic not time

Don’t plan your revision around time as this is too vague e.g. "I'm going to study English for an hour" or "I'm going to spend all day Saturday studying English"
Instead use your revision checklists to decide what specific topics you will complete for each revision session e.g. “I will make notes on the theme of madness in Hamlet” Take a break when the topic is finished and then move onto a new topic. This will encourage you to study more efficiently and get things done rather than (literally) waste time.

Exam Revision -Eating the Elephant

Eat the elephant –one bite at a time. Now is the time to start breaking up the long task of revising into smaller bits. Each subject can be broken down into sections and topics. Use these lists to make ‘revision checklists’ for each subject. Use past exam papers to prioritise. Tick off topics you know well/have already revised and topics that require extra attention. Now you will be able to watch your progress over the next few weeks.