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Exam season is over and most second and third level students are now on holidays. We’re using this lull to step back and review 24-7tutorials.com and see what we can do to improve the service. We have contacted our regular users separately. If you haven’t registered to tutor/taken a tutorial yet, please take 5 minutes and click on the link to tell us why not. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GF5JGDJ

Post Leaving Cert holidays

Now the exams are over, many students will be heading away to the sun for a holiday. The Department of Foreign Affairs offer tips and advice for students to read before travelling to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday. Bon Voyage!

Leaving Cert Maths paper 2 – help is available online now

Maths tutors are available online www.24-7tutorials.com to help students prepare for Leaving Cert Maths paper 2. Pay just 15 euro for one-to-one online help in real time. Use audio or chat messaging in secure online meeting rooms. There is no video to protect the privacy of students/tutors.

Mixed reactions to Maths paper 1

There will rarely be consensus on Maths papers and today was no exception with mixed reactions from ordinary level students. ‘It was a good paper. The people that wanted to scrape the pass it was there for them’, ‘it was way harder than I thought it would be’, ‘Some little parts in questions got me. But overall I was really happy with how it went’. One ordinary level student remarked:  ‘Be glad we don't do honours, that thread is in meltdown!!’
The thread was in ‘meltdown’ indeed with a more or less unanimous verdict among higher level students online that the paper was very difficult. Comments included ‘the worst paper I have ever seen’, ‘disgusting’, ‘horrible’ ‘and ‘Oh thank god, I'm not the only one who thought it was evil.’ One student asked ‘They will have to mark it easier though? Like they can’t fail the whole country!’ ‘There is always paper 2’ suggested another. …

LC English paper 2 -no shocks or surprises

Many students sitting today’s Leaving Cert English higher paper 2 had already placed their ‘pick 4 poets’ bets  Boards.ie have been running a ‘poetry prediction poll’ over the last few weeks with Eavan Boland the odds on favourite followed by Emily Dickinson. Punters were happy today to see the top two race in along with Yeats and Frost. 'Everything I predicted came up' remarked one student and 27% of students voted for 'best paper ever! everything I studied came up' on another online poll.

Addicted to Facebook/Twitter and need to study?

Many students find it difficult to study online and ignore (more pleasant) distractions such as social media websites. A new programme called Cold Turkey  enables you to block certain websites for a specified time period e.g. 8-24 June……

LC English paper 1 was cat!

No, Leaving Certificate English Paper 1 wasn’t particularly difficult at all but ‘whoever set the paper was obsessed with cats’ according to students chatting online. ‘I never want to read about cats again’ said another. The higher level paper included a comprehension where students were asked about the crazy cat lady.
Lots of students loved the essay on the impact of technology on young people: ‘I did the technology essay –think nearly everybody did’.www.24-7tutorials.com liked it too:-)

Good luck to all exam students

Good luck to all Junior and Leaving Cert students starting exams tomorrow from www.24-7tutorials.com

The day before the Exams

• Think positive –examiners want to give you marks not take them away from you
• Focus on what you already know –now is not the time to look at new topics
• Allow at least an hour to unwind and relax before going to bed
• Get a good night’s sleep –you will often have 6 hours plus of exams the next day and need to be alert in the afternoon too.
• Pack all pens, equipment, calculators or whatever else is needed for each exam
• Allow plenty of time to arrive early and unstressed
• Avoid exam post mortems at lunch hour

Common mistakes made in exams

Not reading the question correctly

Ignoring part of a question

Misunderstanding questions e.g. define/compare/contrast/outline/analyse

Summarising the plot of a text instead of addressing the question
Mismanaging time and not finishing the paper
Ignoring the marking scheme

Repetition
Irrelevant quotations

Read more blog posts on Exam Time Management and Exam Past Papers and Marking Schemes

Last minute Leaving Cert English

Focus on Paper 2. Sketch out rough plans with a brief introduction, 3-5 points and a conclusion for each question. Support each point you make with a quote or reference
Stand alone text
Write short summary notes/plans on main themes, characters and relationships
Comparative texts
Higher level 2011: Theme or Issue/ General Vision and Viewpoint/ Cultural Context
Ordinary level 2011: Relationships / Theme / Social Setting
Do not plan your answer using sub headings with the title of the texts at the top. Use points of comparison/contrast between texts for each paragraph.
Poetry
(Higher level) Sketch out rough plans on main themes and features of style for 4/5 of the poets depending on the time you have available.
(Ordinary level) test yourself on the theme, tone, genre and language used for as many poems as possible

Last minute exam help

www.24-7tutorials.com  is still open and not on school holidays. Some of the tutors are busy with last minute requests for exam help If you’re having difficulty finding a tutor for a particular subject, contact us directly and we’ll try and match you up.

Exam Time Management

Mismanaging your time within an exam can easily cost you a full grade. Attempt all questions. Sketch out an approximate time plan in advance e.g. 3 hour exam and 4 questions: Q1 9.30-10.15 Q2 10.15-11am Q3 11-11.45 am Q4 11.45-12.30
It is much easier to get the first 20% of the marks for any question than the last 5%. If you find yourself stuck for time on question 3, don’t waste anymore time perfecting the answer, move onto question 4. It is better to attempt the final question in points form rather than leave it out altogether. If you have answered only three questions instead of four, the highest mark you can get is 75%.

Use past exam papers

Use past exam papers when you are revising. Don’t wait until the exam itself to familiarise yourself with the general layout of the paper, compulsory questions, options and marks allocated for each section
Check previous questions on a subject topic. Note any trends in the questions asked   Draft short plans for important and recurring questions.
You can also check out the marking schemes for past papers e.g. Higher Level English the percentage of marks awarded for clarity of purpose (30%), coherence of delivery (30%), efficiency of language (30%) and accuracy of mechanics (10%)
Past exam papers and marking schemes are available on www.examinations.ie