TESTING TIMES
GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE EXAMS
WITH SO MUCH media attention focused on elections during the past few weeks, the state examinations slipped in, practically unnoticed, under the radar. In fact, the state exams are now standardised to begin each year on the Wednesday after the June Public Holiday, so the exams begin this Wednesday and continue until Friday, June 20.
ALERTNESS
The heavy study has been done at this stage, so the priority is to be mentally and physically alert for the duration of the exams. A clear and alert mind is your best asset going into an exam. Examinations test your staying power as well as your knowledge. So your mental and physical energy needs to be at a high level over the next few weeks.
On the evening before each paper, spend an hour or so looking over your notes, so that the important concepts and ideas are fresh in your mind. Heavy study sessions on the eve of an examination are not a good idea as you will feel exhausted the following morning. Instead, take a few hours of light leisure, relax in a warm bath or shower and get a good night's sleep. Eat well during the examinations when you'll need high reserves of energy. A well-balanced nutritious diet is the source of that energy.
ANSWERING STRATEGY
Before you tackle a subject, give serious thought to your answering strategy and adopt a planned approach. Each examination is answered in an A4 style covered booklet. On the front cover there is space to write in your examination number, the subject being examined and whether you intend answering through Irish or English. Also read the directions on the back cover before you write anything.
Each page of the answer book contains two margins, one on the left and another on the right. Write your answers between the margins and work your way down the page in a neat and orderly manner. Write clearly and legibly. Keep your answers well spread out for easy reading. There will be a copious supply of supplementary answer books available in the examination centre so you needn't worry about running out of answer paper. Number each question and sub-question clearly in the left-hand margin to make it easier for the corrector to follow your work. Do not split questions by answering a part of a question on one page and then the other part a few pages further on.
If you are unable to completely answer a question or if you suffer a momentary mental block leave a page blank to which you can subsequently return. In fact, it's a good idea to leave about a half page blank at the end of each question. This will allow you to add more information to a question if you wish to do so later in the examination.
Use diagrams, sketches and illustrations if they enhance your answer. Small drawings aren't helpful and may be difficult to interpret. Use decent size diagrams, as they are quicker to draw and allow greater inclusion of detail.
PRESENTATION
The presentation of your answering won't get you extra marks, but a well-presented script makes a favourable impression on the corrector. However, the core of any examination is the quality of your answering.
The content of your answer to each question must be relevant to the question asked. Your task is to address, as best you can, the questions that appear on the question paper. Therefore it's vital to read each question very carefully before deciding which ones to answer. You may decide to tackle a good question first to settle you down and boost your confidence.
Before answering a question list the key points around which you will build your answer. Be concise, accurate and relevant. Don't be longwinded or wordy. Waffle and repetition will not impress the corrector.
FORMAT
Be familiar with the format of each paper. Know how the paper is presented. What topics are examined? How many questions must be answered? What styles of question can you expect on any examination paper? Know what choice is available on the paper. Is one or more question compulsory or is there an unrestricted choice available to you? Be particularly careful about a paper, which is subdivided into subsections. Without prior knowledge of such a paper you could very easily fail to address the relevant number of questions.
TIMING
Doing well in any examination involves not just knowing the course material but also in presenting your answers within the allocated time.
Go into the examination determined to attempt the required number of questions. If you don't make an attempt at a question you can't possibly earn any marks for it. This means being aware of the marking scheme for each paper and working out in advance the approximate time you can afford to devote to each question. Let me stress that if you attempt the required number of questions you have the best chance of maximising your grade in that subject. So work out in advance, and write down, the approximate time at which you should be completing each question.
FIRST GLANCE
As soon as your examination paper is handed to you read carefully through the instructions in case there is a change in format. Then spend about five minutes reading the entire paper. This preliminary scrutiny of all the questions gives you the feel of the paper and allows you to settle down and gather your thoughts. Keep to your pre-prepared answering plan and once you have made your choice of questions, start with a question you can answer well. As you warm to your task, you will be pleasantly surprised at the store of information that comes to mind, as you need it.
When you have finished each question, reread the question to ensure you haven't omitted any part. If you finish a paper before the allotted time has elapsed, do not leave the examination venue. Read back over your answers for omissions and to check your question numbering and presentation.
NO POST-MORTEM
Once a subject is over, spend as little time as possible on a post-mortem. The matter is now out of your hands. Focus on the next subject and when the entire exam is over, forget about it and enjoy yourself.
Leaving Certificate Examinations results will be issued on Wednesday, August 13, and CAO First Round Offers will be available on the following Monday, August 18.