Geography?-A joke?

Sangre

Is it just me or is geography the biggest joke of a subject in the leaving. I think its the one subject that doesnt get harder after the leaving, theres just more to learn (except the field study but that is a gaurenteed question so its easy to learn)

Theres so much choice in the subhect E.g do 3 out of 5 questions and in them do out of four, i think except you have to do the Ordenece survey(ohhh noo)

I think its just really unfair when you compare it to subjects like Hnours maths and Biology if you put even half the work you would ion those subjects you'll get an A.

HAs any1 else noticed this?

P.s i might be a bit wrong on the format of paper

damnyanks

Your pretty much right apart from one or two things its almost the exact same as junior cert. If you want to do some subject and put way more effort in I guess you can do that instead, I'd say the marking for geography is pretty strict.

Oeneus

Remember those little "tick the boxes" things in the Junior Cert? They're gone:(.

The Ordinance Servey is the fun bit! It's the rest that is just so boring. I've nearly fallen asleep twice during all that Population Study and crap about Urban and Rural differences and ocean currezzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.

MetroDuck

Junior Cert geography(higher) was so great. I thought I was going to fail coz I didn't study. The only reason I got an A is coz I could tick those boxes with such deadly accuracy and also spent an hour in the exam aesteticly colouring in my excessivly large maps. I just don't see the point in the 'make a copy of this ordinance servey map' thing. It's too much of an art/tech.g thing...

If geography for the leaving is as easy as you say, then i'm starting to regret picking Applied Maths instead... I wonder if it's not too late to switch?

rachel

... I wonder if it's not too late to switch?

I took it up two weeks ago...

(major course change decision, had to have a second science subject and I wasn't going back to chemistry)

Victor

I never got to do LC Geography and Applied Maths. And I'm probably barred (by colleges at least) from doing them now (I did similar subjects in college). Do the easy subject, do them well and get the A's abd B's. Do not necessarily take them for granted though.

Repli

It's easy!
Just know which questions you're going to do and revise them.
Eg. I'm doing map, photograph, regional geography and fieldwork, all of which i know are going to come up, so there's no point in revising ALL the coursework

Sangre

Originally posted by MetroDuck
picking Applied Maths instead...

Just wondering if your good at honours maths is applied maths harder or easier. im doing it (in 5th year) but i cant rally tell yet, its an extra subject so is it worth it? the choice in it is pretty good tho

Lenny

OMG
Did the higher papers get "tick the boxes" jobs in the JC?
I did Ordinary, and got an A too, but don't remember doing any ticking the boxes?
Anyone wana correct me here?
what year did you guys do this in though?

MetroDuck

Applied Maths is a lot harder than honours maths! It may start off easy in 5th year but take one look at the past papers(if you can find a shop that actually sells them) and weep.

It's a good subject if you're really good at maths or if continually study and try questions... but it's very easy to fall behind if you don't do the homework etc. But one good point: after doing applied maths for a while, honours maths becomes easy!

In the Summer exams I failed maths and applied maths miserably but then I got my act together and got a B in honours maths(such an improvement). I only just managed to pass applied maths though... (41%). Hopefully I'll do better in the mocks!

If you're doing 8 LC subjects it's a good idea to drop one and focus on the other 7.

If you're good at cramming consider doing business studies(If you're not already doing it). It's by far my easiest subject.

MetroDuck

I did the junior cert in 1999 and higher georaphy did start off with some 'tick the box' action. In the first two pages there were all these little pictures and questions like "what is this". They also had some crazy pie chart where they give you some headings and you have to put them in the right pie-segments. It was hilarious! The population pyramid question was a complete joke too!

Victor

Originally posted by MetroDuck
Applied Maths is a lot harder than honours maths! It may start off easy in 5th year but take one look at the past papers(if you can find a shop that actually sells them) and weep.

I think that comment is unfair to the subject and to anyone who is considering doing it. It may not suit you, but it does suit others.

Kraken

if it was really hard you would be really complaining. Just let it be.

MetroDuck

I'm not trying to condemn the subject Victor, I just think the exam is too difficult for a Leaving Cert standard. It's not just the little twists they put into part (b) of every question, the time constraints are a problem too... 6 questions to be answered in two and a half hours -25 mins per question. And each question takes a lot of thinking before you can start it unless you've come across a very similar question before.

But as I said before:

It's a good subject if you're really good at maths or if continually study and try questions...

...and also if you can get your head around some of the harder concepts, it's possible to get a very good grade...

...but for a dumbass like me there are easier subjects available (imho).

b20uvkft6m5xwg

There is no question that Geography will not fry the brain of effort by you, in attempting to understand the subject. The difficulty lies in how it is marked. There are only about 2% "A" grades, and the skill of the subject is in how you impress the examiner thro' your exam technique.

Dont under-estimate it...like virtually all LC subjects its all about memorisation and application. If you dont do both, you wont get that "A"

saik

iirc, the applied maths last year was awful,and i didn't even do it, but there were an awful lot of people complaining about it at the time - that's how i remember . i don't think that this gives you a good idea about the subject though.... it just shows that the department made a balls of the exam paper
applied maths is very (VERY) useful to you if you want to do engineering or something like that - and it's a pity i didnt do it (boo hoo)
people who are great at maths can clean up with honours maths, applied maths and physics, as these all overlap

Rebel18

I took up Applied Maths and unfortunetly will have to do it in one year From what i have seen so far it is a mixed bag in terms of difficulty, it seems to me that ever year you get 2-3 really difficult questions that are hard to answer. As for the questions themselves?

Linear Motion - One of the easiest questions
Relative Velocity - Can be tricky at times, mostly ok
Projectiles - Yuck, i can't get my head around these
Pulleys/Wedge - My favourite so far
Impacts and collisions - Easy most of the time
Statics - Tricky

I haven't done the rest yet but i heard the remaining topics are ok except for SHM

peterd

I find the 'ol geography easy and is definitely an "A", in the bag (if there is such a thing). Also, much of the course overlaps with the jnr cert. If you want easy, I heard the home economics course is great. I know it's not fair when you get the same marks for Hon/App Maths as to home economics, but we're all in the same boat :mad:

I'm actually trying out the Hon Math, App Math and Hon Physics combo which is actually nice cos the App math + physics overlap in several sections and then one makes it easier to understand the other too. (Catch my drift?)

What's the format for the App Math paper. Something like do 6/10 q's ?

Sangre

Originally posted by peterd
. I know it's not fair when you get the same marks for Hon/App Maths as to home economics, but we're all in the same boat :mad:

I'm actually trying out the Hon Math, App Math and Hon Physics combo which is actually nice cos the App math + physics overlap in several sections and then one makes it easier to understand the other too. (Catch my drift?)

What's the format for the App Math paper. Something like do 6/10 q's ?

Yeah its 6 out of 10 same ten every year! so with revision i'd say you could do fairly well and i agree with you on doing hon physics and a. maths cause its means you're constantly thinkinbg about the concepts and its easier to understand them.

Funny though a. maths has the highest percentage of A's in the leaving and geography one of the lowest but i guess its usually more studious students do a. maths and geography is consider a dos subject.

You know i heard from a bright guy that home economics/social scientific is hard you have to learn about the chemicals of food and such and law

peterd

It's something like 20% of applied math students get A's! But then again, it is only 20% of the top students that do it. e.g. 25 in hon. math class, 8 doing applied math (funny, all are doing hon. physics too). 20% of 8 is 1.6!

Is it just me or is geography the biggest joke of a subject in the leaving.

That's why we like it

rachel

You know i heard from a bright guy that home economics/social scientific is hard you have to learn about the chemicals of food

from what I've heard, if you're doing biology as well and are alright at it, you should have no problem there...

Sangre

YEah but what if you're not?Also you have to learn family law aswell its very broad. ahh well i dont do it so whos cares.

Does any here think hon.irish is way............ too hard, i mean there's so much learning never mind the language being a bitch what with tisheal ginideach (crap spelling!!!!!)

peterd

ho ho ho, don't get me started on hon. Irish! I plan on dropping down to pass before the leav. cos I don't need it anyway. I haven't a clue about the CAO apps yet, but can someone tell me if you need to count your grade in Irish as one of your 'best 6' ? I know it's compulsory to do the subject, but is it compulsory to count your final grade ?

Anyone here going to Opportunities on Monday ? (ie. day off school)

rachel

I dropped to ordinary in september and it is a joke compared to honours...
I had my mock paper 1 finished in half an hour and I'm aiming to get an A1 but I don't think it has to be counted in your final 6, you just have to have passed it for most colleges
some colleges don't even want it anymore... Just have another language instead...

Victor

Typically you only have to count your top 5 or 6 subjects for points. If there is a minimum standard for say, maths, that is counted separately. Jsut because it is a 'compulsory' subject for school, does not make it compulsory for points.

peterd

Cheers for clearing that up Victor. (sheesh, and they call themselves 'guidance' councilors)

Sangre

Thank god you dont have to count irish in yours points that would suck ass. im doing hon. irish but ill drop it next year, its too much effort and the great thing is you cover the ordinary coarse in honours and some more, so you can do hon. for ages and you'll still have ord. coarse done.


P.S IRISH IS TOO HARD, HOW CARES ABOUT HOW A FRIGGING POEN IS WRI|TTEN OR ITS METER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BaRcOe

I am doing my Field Studies prject and was wondering if anyone knows if theres Any Sample ones out there at all because I am finding it difficult to start part 2-3??

Any links to any examples of Field study would be great thanks.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

MetroDuck wrote: »

I'm not trying to condemn the subject Victor, I just think the exam is too difficult for a Leaving Cert standard. It's not just the little twists they put into part (b) of every question, the time constraints are a problem too... 6 questions to be answered in two and a half hours -25 mins per question. And each question takes a lot of thinking before you can start it unless you've come across a very similar question before.

Not at all, it's perfect for a leaving cert standard, even I dare say a bit easy as it's very easy to get very good marks without doing any hard maths, or those 'tricky bits'. You can get ~80 percent of the marks in most questions by writing down the information you're given in the form of equations. For anyone mathematically minded, that is easy.

Admittedly it would be hard for someone not good at maths but really no-one who is not good at maths should be doing applied maths.

Chunky Monkey

Geography is an easy subject but then so is biology. However if you don't put the study into both you won't get an A. There is a lot of fact learning and you're marked on SLRs (significant relevant points). If you haven't written the required amount of SLRs in your answers you'll lose marks no matter how eloquent your waffle is. Don't be so hasty to think you have an 'A in the bag' until you have learned every little SLR. It's an interesting subject (particularly if you do cultural studies for your option), enjoy it

justshane

I did L.Cert Geog at just the right time, they were bringing in a new format so they where throwing out decent grades:)

ZorbaTehZ

6 years old!

ibtl.

Andrewf20

Sangre wrote: »

Is it just me or is geography the biggest joke of a subject in the leaving. I think its the one subject that doesnt get harder after the leaving, theres just more to learn (except the field study but that is a gaurenteed question so its easy to learn)

Theres so much choice in the subhect E.g do 3 out of 5 questions and in them do out of four, i think except you have to do the Ordenece survey(ohhh noo)

I think its just really unfair when you compare it to subjects like Hnours maths and Biology if you put even half the work you would ion those subjects you'll get an A.

HAs any1 else noticed this?

P.s i might be a bit wrong on the format of paper

I did the leaving in 1998 and expected to bail thru the paper probably expecting a B1 or B2. It ended up being my worst result with a D.

SRFC90

barcoe4 wrote: »

I am doing my Field Studies prject and was wondering if anyone knows if theres Any Sample ones out there at all because I am finding it difficult to start part 2-3??

Any links to any examples of Field study would be great thanks.

im in the same boat. going to be filling mine out next week i think, anyone know of anything??

Fad

but geography is sooooooo boring
i cant stick it (moving to physics tomorow, cant wait)

artanevilla

Fad wrote: »

but geography is sooooooo boring
i cant stick it (moving to physics tomorow, cant wait)

You are in for a shock. I do both. Physics is comically hard, I reckon I could get a C3 in Geography on general knowledge.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

artanevilla wrote: »

You are in for a shock. I do both. Physics is comically hard, I reckon I could get a C3 in Geography on general knowledge.

Physics is easy, once you understand it (read are good at it), the amount of study you need to do is comically minimal

Chunky Monkey

Keeping in mind that there are different types of intelligence eg it's quite common to find that someone who maybe struggles with maths has a natural flair for languages. Physics can be very, very hard or it can be easy, it just depends on what way your brain processes information (ie has nothing to do with being 'stupid').

Fad

i have other reasons for swapping from geography but it was just so boring, sure a C£ with no work is grand but strangely id prefer a better grade in a subject that will almost certainly be useful in MY immediate future:)

Chunky Monkey

Makes sense Tbh I did it because I loved it for the JC. I was told to do physics for medicine instead of biology but A) I thought this was stupid because you kinda need to know the human body and I preferred biology plain and simple. If you find geography too boring that's fair enough. No point spending two years doing a subject you don't enjoy.

BaRcOe

SRFC90 wrote: »

im in the same boat. going to be filling mine out next week i think, anyone know of anything??

Hey I found a really good site For the field trip On River Study!

http://www.teachnet.ie/abrennan/

Check it out!! Very Helpfulif you are doing Rivers for your Geography Report!

Fad

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

Makes sense Tbh I did it because I loved it for the JC. I was told to do physics for medicine instead of biology but A) I thought this was stupid because you kinda need to know the human body and I preferred biology plain and simple. If you find geography too boring that's fair enough. No point spending two years doing a subject you don't enjoy.

thanks for understanding, i liked geography for JC but i dont know what happened, i lost all ''passion'' for it

Chunky Monkey

Good luck with the physics I'd offer you my book but the last person I gave it to never gave it back grr.

Corruptedmorals

I don't think it's a joke..the marking scheme is so strict. I lost out on the A1 because I didn't know enough about desertification or something. It's a very broad subject I think. It's not easy..I was the only one who got an A out of 40 or 50 in my year who did it? Biology also is not easy..I tried and tried with it and it still dragged me wayyyy down, C1 but with so much effort. It is no not the easy science subject, obviously it's been dumbed down since 2004 or something but it's still awful, imo.

Naikon

*line disregarded due to my stupidity:O*
Anyway, personally i think its a dodgy subject.
Went from a B2 in the mocks to a C3 in the real deal.
Be careful with this one!

*Old thread btw

JSK 252

Being only in 5th year and all I have learned a lot about the geography exam as my teacher is one of the chief advising examiners for leaving certificate higher level geography.

One of the biggest things that ****ed up a lot of students in this years exam was the fact that the overall cohesion mark was abolished at this years correcting conference. The main reason for this was in the first year of the new syllabus 2006, where overall cohesion marks were graded from a scale of 0-6, teachers were only giving students a minimum of 2 to 3 marks for overall cohesion when actual fact that answers which some students were producing were either very good or excellent and did not deserve to be marked so badly. So they decided to get rid of this system and mark totally on SRP's which caused problems as many students/ teachers who believed that overall cohesion still existed were surprised to find that the maximum score that students got in questions was 24/30 due to the absence of the overall cohesion system. Nobody knows what they can do with the marking scheme. Whos to say they wont bring back the OC mark in 2008 or even when Im doing it in 09?

The next thing which is debatable is what is considered a SRP. To one person it could be a word and to another it could be a sentence. To an extent it is subjective marking and my teacher has shown me this from many examples of this from appeal candidates.

On the brighter side of things, well for me anyway! in 2009, is practically all the questions which can be asked in the exam will be repeated indefinetly as the lifespan of questions was supposed to last at 4 or 5 years but it looks like in 2008 that there will be a lot of repitition.

The books in my opinion for the subject are rubbish. They have way too much information than is required in the exam and it has gotten to the point where my teacher gives us notes ( the notes are legendary! ) and we dont even read from the book but only for reference.

Naikon

JSK 252 wrote: »

Being only in 5th year and all I have learned a lot about the geography exam as my teacher is one of the chief advising examiners for leaving certificate higher level geography.

One of the biggest things that ****ed up a lot of students in this years exam was the fact that the overall cohesion mark was abolished at this years correcting conference. The main reason for this was in the first year of the new syllabus 2006, where overall cohesion marks were graded from a scale of 0-6, teachers were only giving students a minimum of 2 to 3 marks for overall cohesion when actual fact that answers which some students were producing were either very good or excellent and did not deserve to be marked so badly. So they decided to get rid of this system and mark totally on SRP's which caused problems as many students/ teachers who believed that overall cohesion still existed were surprised to find that the maximum score that students got in questions was 24/30 due to the absence of the overall cohesion system. Nobody knows what they can do with the marking scheme. Whos to say they wont bring back the OC mark in 2008 or even when Im doing it in 09?

The next thing which is debatable is what is considered a SRP. To one person it could be a word and to another it could be a sentence. To an extent it is subjective marking and my teacher has shown me this from many examples of this from appeal candidates.

On the brighter side of things, well for me anyway! in 2009, is practically all the questions which can be asked in the exam will be repeated indefinetly as the lifespan of questions was supposed to last at 4 or 5 years but it looks like in 2008 that there will be a lot of repitition.

The books in my opinion for the subject are rubbish. They have way too much information than is required in the exam and it has gotten to the point where my teacher gives us notes ( the notes are legendary! ) and we dont even read from the book but only for reference.

Ahem.....http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54713232#post54713232
Never count on the SEC for for anything btw, they are c*nts when it comes to exam setting and customer service duties.

phenomenon

Is a geography a joke subject? Most definitely!!
I'm in my second year at Trinity and I'm doing a science degree, but I'm taking a geography module this year for a few easy marks. I hadn't done goegraphy for my leaving cert either so I thought I would need to do a lot of catching up but no! You will be pleased to know that we learn junior cert level stuff in "Irelands most prestigious university"! I'm merely using geography so I can get sufficient marks to major in biochemistry next year, my real area of interest.
I've a lot more respect for people that study maths, physics or chemistry - REAL subjects (like I did :cool: )

Chunky Monkey

It's quite possible that we were in the same lectures and labs phenomenon Geography in first year was (-_-)zzzz. We were doing planets and such craic (I think, I didn't really turn up much)- the sort of thing you read in a kids book when you were eight.

Fad

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

Good luck with the physics I'd offer you my book but the last person I gave it to never gave it back grr.

Thanks, i got the book and i dont seem to have a massive amount to catch up on, wont be easy but mneh!

i think how easy it is depends on your teacher tbh, sometimes you'd get a teacher and you'll get an A with little effort, others you'll barely pass, so dont just rely on how your teacher grades you the examiner who grades the paper could and probably be stricter

JSK 252

Naikon wrote: »

Ahem.....http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54713232#post54713232
Never count on the SEC for for anything btw, they are c*nts when it comes to exam setting and customer service duties.

haha Good man Naikon for picking up on my laziness but I thought I would just copy and paste my previous comment as its relevant.:D:D:D

Yah the SEC are bastards.;)