Study!

CookieMonster.x

I'm in 3rd year and I really want to do well. I have a stidy plan worked out but apparantely the key to doing well is knowing the papers and marking schemes well. Problem is, I don't really know how to study using the exam papers and marking schemes. How do you actually study using the papers & marking schemes?
Thanks for any help!

elaine93

Well first off,well done for starting so early. Considering its just the beginning of 3rd year, I don't think you would have enough done to start doing only the papers. However I think you're right that papers are the best way to study.

I got through my JC with the revisewise books. They're absolutely brilliant. Buy them all. If you start going through those and your notes from 1st and 2nd year. Then after doing that for about a month I'd say try all the easy questions in the papers, part a's in maths, short questions, notes and postcards in french and german blah blah blah. Don't write them in the book if you can, because you'll be doing the same questions over and over for the rest of the year to make sure you remember them. Then move on to the slightly harder parts and then the hard parts. With the papers its just practice, practice, practice. With languages, you can't really use the marking schemes because you're not going to notice if you're making grammar mistakes. But maths,science,history,home ec you can definitely use the marking schemes

You could probably get everything (except for the maths course because its so huge) done for the mocks. After that its just going over stuff you already know and at that point only do the papers. Time yourself to make sure you can get it done in the 2 hours or 2.30hrs they give you.

In terms of the marking scheme I'd say its to know that in English a thirty mark question needs at least three points and about 2 foolscap pages, in maths leave absolutely everything in, no skipping steps. You can give your practice essays/letters/questions to your teacher and they will correct them and tell you where you're loosing marks.

As a part of your study timetable, write a list of the topics within your subjects you want to cover. For example you would say by the end of October, in history I want to have covered the american revolution and the reformation. In english by the end of october I want to have learnt the tone, themes, poetic techniques whatever else of four poems.

Hope that helps, pm me if you need any help with anything.:)

CookieMonster.x

OMG thanks!
That really helped!
I have all the revision books, do you think I should revise from them now or revise from the book then the revision book? :rolleyes:

elaine93

Mainly the revision books. I barely used the textbooks except for maybe the language ones for vocabulary/sample phrases

soccymonster

Use your book for history as most revision books i found were quite useless other than shortcuts to success.

Evan93

Go through the revision books and try your best to make your own notes, really helps when revising later on in the year.For maths,just keep doing questions,try not to do all of the maths just yet,because if you do them all before your pres then you will have nothing to practice with for your actual exam.At this stage of the year,familiarise yourself with your first and second year courses,just brush up on them.Do your homework and dont worry about it, its the worst thing you can do.Make the mos of third year,try your best not to stress,it only causes worse problems.

animalcrazy

Start learning the revision books about a month before your Mocks and then a month before the actual junior cert, if you want to do really well. I studied for a week before the junior cert and not at all for the mocks. It's so easy and means nothing.

CookieMonster.x

How long does everyone study for each night? Or has anyone started?

Tomebagel

the main thing is not to over-do it on the study,its only october,youve got plenty of time!

ruadhan

CALM DOWN, it is only october and its only the junior c. the junior cert is simple. for one thing revision books can be a bit thin on details so im not sure about them didnt touch them myself even though i had em all. you wont need tostart studying for months even if yu want all a's. a week before for the mocks is surely enough maybe a month or two before with LIGHT studying then doing most of the work the couple of weeks before...
i'm telling you thats all thats needed, there is no need at all to start studying its a complete waste of time. and btw i got all a's but one, irish, but i really didnt study that one much at all so you get what you pay for.

Closed ac

CookieMonster.x wrote: »

How long does everyone study for each night? Or has anyone started?

I've been doing 2 hours a night since I started 3rd year in September, but I'm aiming for 8A's, 3B's so I have to put the work in.

CookieMonster.x

I'm aiming for as many a's as I can get ie. 12 :eek:
But I actually don't have much time for study. So I just take 3 chapters of each subject a week. Well hopefully :P

partyatmygaff

Fair play to you all.
I didn't study till may (Not for everybody but worked for me) and I got on pretty good.


Study the marking scheme of your languages particularly English and Irish, to be honest studying the english marking scheme helped me alot more than doing the actual past exam papers.

For maths leave nothing out, for your geometry theorems rewrite them out using different letters and numbers etc and you will remember it MUCH easier.

Your third language i.e. French is not difficult at all to be honest. A formal letter is well overdue so I think you should learn more about them.
Generally waffle and make stuff up in French and you will do fine in the letter. Comprehension is just learning off vocab, same for listening.

Geography
Unbelievably easy subject. Just put in the work in your long answers and use proper scientific notation to get an A.

History
I thought this was the easiest subject of my entire JC, 2 hours of study the week before the JC and I got an A (No BS). Just pay attention in class and do your homework, its 100% memory, no thinking involved.

Religion
Treat it like english, easy easy exam.

CSPE
......Action Project Need I say more?

Business
Either focus on the bookeeping or the theory, you can do the entire test and get 100% doing only one. I did all the theory questions and did 2 bookeeping questions(Trading P&L and First Books of entry) and got an A.

Practical Subjects (Tech, Woodwork, Metalwork etc)
Put alot of effort into your portfolio early in the year and then do your practical piece and don't rush it but don't go at a snail's pace either. Keep it looking neat and remember FINISH is very important. First impressions make a huge difference.


Oh yeah, enjoy this year, its your last year where you don't need to be constantly studying and if you think its bad this year 5th year is a LOT worse......

jumpguy

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Fair play to you all.
I didn't study till may (Not for everybody but worked for me) and I got on pretty good.


Study the marking scheme of your languages particularly English and Irish, to be honest studying the english marking scheme helped me alot more than doing the actual past exam papers. True! Although with English it's more of a help in Paper 1 than Paper 2 thought. This is because Paper 1 is very much based on your imagination.

For maths leave nothing out, for your geometry theorems rewrite them out using different letters and numbers etc and you will remember it MUCH easier. If you're ****e at theorems...you can predict what comes up. Make out a chart, put the years on the verticle axis and the theorems horizontal. Tick off what theorems came up each year. You should be able to predict what theorems come up, and last year the graph got it dead on.
BUT I'D ADVISE YOU LEARN THEM ALL, BUT FOCUS HARDER ON THE 4 MOST LIKELY TO COME UP.

In maths, do the papers again and again and again and again and again, all of them, and make sure to limit your time like in the exam. Then correct them using the MARKING SCHEME. This means you get VERY familiar with the questions that come up, and what you must write to get full marks.

Your third language i.e. French is not difficult at all to be honest. A formal letter is well overdue so I think you should learn more about them.
Generally waffle and make stuff up in French and you will do fine in the letter. Comprehension is just learning off vocab, same for listening.

Formal letter will probably come up as an option between that and an informal. Definetly learn how to do both, but I highly doubt the formal will ever come up on it's own. You'll have to be very unlucky.
French definetly wasn't my strong point, I found German much better so if you need advice in that: learn vocab, learn vocab, learn all vocab. Not matter how pointless you think it may be (why do I need to know the word for "turtle?") it truly helps. Think of it like this, for every word you learn, you may be increasing your grade .5%.

Geography
Unbelievably easy subject. Just put in the work in your long answers and use proper scientific notation to get an A.

History
I thought this was the easiest subject of my entire JC, 2 hours of study the week before the JC and I got an A (No BS). Just pay attention in class and do your homework, its 100% memory, no thinking involved.
True, no real thinking involved. Just make sure to read the question extremely carefully, especially on social change. Never do the social changes in question 6 if you want an A, unless you're absolutely ****ed.


Religion
Treat it like english, easy easy exam.

CSPE
......Action Project Need I say more?
Very important. Don't copy, they'll mark you down.


Business
Either focus on the bookeeping or the theory, you can do the entire test and get 100% doing only one. I did all the theory questions and did 2 bookeeping questions(Trading P&L and First Books of entry) and got an A.
I did all theory. I couldn't do bookeeping so I just skipped it all. It's unavoidable in the short questions though, and this leaves you down if you do all-theory. If you want an A, you gotta be familiar with it, but if a B will do, then you can just do your best in the short questions and hope you'll know all the theory in the long. Who knows, you could get lucky in the short questions.


Practical Subjects (Tech, Woodwork, Metalwork etc)
Put alot of effort into your portfolio early in the year and then do your practical piece and don't rush it but don't go at a snail's pace either. Keep it looking neat and remember FINISH is very important. First impressions make a huge difference.


Oh yeah, enjoy this year, its your last year where you don't need to be constantly studying and if you think its bad this year 5th year is a LOT worse......

Sorry partyatmygaff, I decided to use your comprehensive list of great advice to add in my own advice.

Closed ac

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Fair play to you all.
I didn't study till may (Not for everybody but worked for me) and I got on pretty good.


Study the marking scheme of your languages particularly English and Irish, to be honest studying the english marking scheme helped me alot more than doing the actual past exam papers.

For maths leave nothing out, for your geometry theorems rewrite them out using different letters and numbers etc and you will remember it MUCH easier.

Your third language i.e. French is not difficult at all to be honest. A formal letter is well overdue so I think you should learn more about them.
Generally waffle and make stuff up in French and you will do fine in the letter. Comprehension is just learning off vocab, same for listening.

Geography
Unbelievably easy subject. Just put in the work in your long answers and use proper scientific notation to get an A.

History
I thought this was the easiest subject of my entire JC, 2 hours of study the week before the JC and I got an A (No BS). Just pay attention in class and do your homework, its 100% memory, no thinking involved.

Religion
Treat it like english, easy easy exam.

CSPE
......Action Project Need I say more?

Business
Either focus on the bookeeping or the theory, you can do the entire test and get 100% doing only one. I did all the theory questions and did 2 bookeeping questions(Trading P&L and First Books of entry) and got an A.

Practical Subjects (Tech, Woodwork, Metalwork etc)
Put alot of effort into your portfolio early in the year and then do your practical piece and don't rush it but don't go at a snail's pace either. Keep it looking neat and remember FINISH is very important. First impressions make a huge difference.


Oh yeah, enjoy this year, its your last year where you don't need to be constantly studying and if you think its bad this year 5th year is a LOT worse......

Wow, great advice! Thanks.

AddictedToYou

I found it so much easier to study for the JC than I'm finding it now. I was alot more motivated back then...

I'd go back over the maths book chapter by chapter and after looking over each section do the revision questions at the end. Do the odd question from the papers but I wouldn't start too early. Once we had the course finished then we just did exam paper after exam paper and maths became my favourite subject.

Learn vocab for Irish, and the essays on the literature if you're learning off by heart. Keep a vocab copy for all new vocab you come across in comprehensions. Same words always come up.

I always left English to the end, and generally just learned what points to write about for each topic on the course, and expanded each point into a paragraph.

I didn't study for French. I was just lucky that I pick up vocab quite easily.

Textbook for Science if you want a high grade.

Once you've revised a topic in Business, go to the papers. There's enough questions in the Business papers to keep you going for the year!

Learned all my history from my teacher's notes, which were basically taken from Shortcuts to Success. Best revision book for history.

I knew my Physical for Geography, and then just waffled for the other questions. God I loved rambling about tourism in Ireland. Killarney's a great place to talk about! Learn how to do a sketch map properly..guaranteed question. Didn't do too many papers though.

If you're good at English then you're sorted for Religion. I tended to do the Religion in Society today type questions and that's pretty much common sense.

I needn't say anything about CSPE.

And Art is Art.

CookieMonster.x

Thanks so much! Thats really good info thanks everyone

Gaeilge-go-deo

Im just back after missin two weeks of school and its really hard on catchin up on the stuff i missed and doin the work for now..:(

Im aiming for as many a's as i can so i study every time i get a chance because i play a lot of sport and it consumes a lot of time..:S

Groe

Everynight I have 2 hours of evening study and usually get an hour max of homework a night and then I do an hour of study. I am going to try and start doing some when I get home ie. finishing off the chapter I was writing notes on during evening study. I don't particularley like following a timetable but will give it a go from monday and see how I get on.

CookieMonster.x

I find it so hard to study. I'm always so tired even though I go to bed early (getting my blood taken :eek:). Then on Mondays and Tuesdays I don't get home til about 7.30/8.00. I so tired after that too and then we have loads of homework, and tests almost everyday. How do they expect us to keep on top of everything?

Evan93

In my opinion its too early to be studying for the junior cert already, you wont remember it in June, however if you do your homework and the odd bit of revision from now until December.When December hits I'd recommend to take up the study for your pres,they will be around Feburary or March so I'd really focus on them and put the actual exams out of your head and focus on the pres.
For Maths I'd recommend to make sure you know all your theorams,they cant be predicted,so thats the easiet marks you will get on the paper.Then,start the exam papers,it is really the only way to study for maths.Just keep doing questions as the same type keeps repeating itself every year.For business, do exam papers, keep doing them throughout the year.I just did the question in the papers nand I got on fine - A. For science get a revision book and make sure you know most of the experiments.Do the exam papers aswell however its a fairly big course so go through your textbook often aswell.For French learn off loads of vocab and phrases and you will be perfectly fine,Id only assume this would be the same for German and Spanish? English, well know the themes for you novel well,the play you have studied make sure you know a character,scene and relationship, for poems well just get some decent notes and you will be fine,you cant really "study" for paper 1 so to say,although if you do write essays in your own time give them to your teacher to correct and they will point out your mistakes etc. For Irish just learn off a summary for your poem and story and apply it to a them, this is what I did and I got on fine.Learn off loads of phrares for Story/aisti and letter,and learn vocab for comprehensions, listen to a good biut of tape aswell, train your ear.For pracitical subjects make sure you do a good project and folder, then you have nothing to worry about really.

Hope the bit of advise is somewhat helpful.

Jackobyte

I'd love to start studying now but just don't have the will power...

K4t

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Oh yeah, enjoy this year, its your last year where you don't need to be constantly studying and if you think its bad this year 5th year is a LOT worse......

No need to scare people now. Both the JC and LC are blown completely out of proportion. Do your homework and the odd bit of revision on top of that every so often and you'll be more than prepared for the exams. And remember, at the end of the day, 'exam paper revision' is the key to success in state exams so make sure you have every year done inside out. Good luck.

Evan93

The LC cant be compared to the JC as you have to study to do well in the LC.Whereas to do well in the JC doesnt require a huge amount of effort.For the LC the odd bit of revision isnt good enough,for the JC it is

bluejay14

I've given up on the idea of making a study timetable, because with the last one I made if I didn't feel like studying a subject I did a different one and had to keep changing it around.I always get distracted and usually end up just sitting there staring at the book or playing the playstation(it's just so damn addictive, especially when my brother starts playing)I usually study lying on my bed (my room is way too small for a desk, I can just about get in), with my iPod on shuffle in my speakers, I just love it when a really good song comes on and you can just get up and start dancin.After I study, the next day for the first 10-15 minutes I try to say what I learned the day before and then read over it because there is usually a load of stuff that I've forgotton.

GO'S

junior cup training f**ks up study.

suitcasepink

Evenings, especailly Sundays for some reason, I always say "Okay serious study has to be done this week". Then I decide okay between x and x i'll study take a break or whatever... This is coming from the one that still hasn't done all the mid term homework let alone study :P Lazy thing I am..
Like someone said above I just cant make myself, theres always something much more intresting then Irish tenses.
Shi**en it tomorrow though coz Im getting two tests back that I literally didnt study for and I know im gonna be killed I normally study for tests but these I just wasnt botherd

CookieMonster.x

deise_girl wrote: »

Evenings, especailly Sundays for some reason, I always say "Okay serious study has to be done this week". Then I decide okay between x and x i'll study take a break or whatever... This is coming from the one that still hasn't done all the mid term homework let alone study :P Lazy thing I am..
Like someone said above I just cant make myself, theres always something much more intresting then Irish tenses.
Shi**en it tomorrow though coz Im getting two tests back that I literally didnt study for and I know im gonna be killed I normally study for tests but these I just wasnt botherd

I know the feeling! I'm usually so tired But now I study before homework :rolleyes:

padocon

GO'S wrote: »

junior cup training f**ks up study.

What is Junior Cup?

suitcasepink

I got one test back others we have to wait longer for.. Meh, it could have been a fair bit better but wasnt as bad as it could have been :P
Again today I brought home a sh*tload of books, intending to study.. Least I have tomorrows homework done

Jackobyte

What is Junior Cup?

Its the Munster Junior Rugby Schools Cup. It is made up of U16 teams from across Munster, not as much from Kerry or Clare, mainly a Limerick and Cork school in final but Tipp have a good bash at it as well. It is the biggest thing in school rugby besides the senior cup.

GO'S

padocon wrote: »

What is Junior Cup?

ya he right ita really big...training 3-4 times a week with a friendly or two every week leading up to tournament website http://www.munsterschoolsrugby.com/juniorcup.html