Study Methods

Healio

any1 got any ways to study that are effective, i just cant seem to get anything to stick(actually jus to lazy to learn) but after the shocking sub-100 mock results i need to try something. so please i am open to suggestions.

PrecariousNuts

No one expects you to get over 100% in the mocks, leave that till June.

Seriously though, I just pick a chapter a night read it and underline the good stuff. Then rewrite it out while reading it aloud. I just rewrite everything.

For maths, nothing beats exam papers, do everything.

I haven't a clue about english, or languages.

Duritz

just read ur texts books away from distraction, i.e mobile phone, tv etc. u may not think ur learning anything, but u are. just read the book, write out some notes and leave it at that.

Mutant_Fruit

For english especially, write quotes down! I have an A4 page (front and back) for each poet, containing more quotes than i need to know for each poem. That way i only have to read over the sheets a few times before the exam (after reading over them a lot beforehand), and i'll remember 3/4 of em, which is plenty for the exam.

Actually, i've only done this for three poets, but i plan to do it for 2 more to cover myself inthe LC

subway_ie

Originally posted by Healio
any1 got any ways to study that are effective, i just cant seem to get anything to stick(actually jus to lazy to learn) but after the shocking sub-100 mock results i need to try something. so please i am open to suggestions.

I think he meant sub-100 POINTS. That would make a little more sense than sub-100 PERCENT.

PrecariousNuts

Yeah I always find it hard getting more questions right than are on the paper. Below 100 points though, ouch, I managed 470 or so without applied maths

subway_ie

How's everybody getting their results back so fast? Ours aren't due untill mid-April. At the very earliest. Are they being corrected within the school or being sent away?

Healio

Originally posted by PrecariousNuts
Yeah I always find it hard getting more questions right than are on the paper. Below 100 points though, ouch, I managed 470 or so without applied maths

is applied maths hard to learn?? could i learn it between now and the lc?

subway_ie

Originally posted by Healio
is applied maths hard to learn?? could i learn it between now and the lc?

No, applied maths isnt that hard, but its more understanding than learning - aplications rather than just all theory. Youd probably get six questions covered between now and june, but youd need serious determination and a good teacher. Probably not the best thing to pick up as an 8th/9th subject this late in the year though.

Healio

Originally posted by subway_ie
No, applied maths isnt that hard, but its more understanding than learning - aplications rather than just all theory. Youd probably get six questions covered between now and june, but youd need serious determination and a good teacher. Probably not the best thing to pick up as an 8th/9th subject this late in the year though.

but you reckon its do-able? im just desperate for points cause im already doin two lower subjects and im averagin d3's at best in the highers. it would only be an eighth subject, i do higher physics aswell would that help.

dudara

If you're doing subjects like biology which require you to remember things like the photocycle, draw it out on a big chart and hang it up in your bedroom, where you'll have no choice but to see it. I did that for my leaving. Some of it is bound to sink in, when you see it every day.

Also I used to get a bus in to school every morning at 8, and I'd often be five minutes early, so I'd start saying things out loud, try to get as far as I could, and then I'd check against my notes. We live out in the country, so only the cows could hear me, but saying things out loud forces you to state what you know.

I used to write notes for everything, even if I never looked at most of them again, repetition helps things sink in.

We did Hamlet for our Leaving Cert play, so I bought the BBC version on Audiobook, and I just used to leave it play in the backgoround while studying. Easiest way ever to learn the necessary quotations. Plus, i got a different interpretation of the play, to what our teacher showed us.

Good luck, you just need to develop some good techniques and you'll do much better. I actually didn't really put my head down until April of my LC year, until after the mocks.

Agent Smith

Originally posted by PrecariousNuts
No one expects you to get over 100% in the mocks, leave that till June.

lol



even in june is that possiable?

subway_ie

Originally posted by Healio
but you reckon its do-able? im just desperate for points cause im already doin two lower subjects and im averagin d3's at best in the highers. it would only be an eighth subject, i do higher physics aswell would that help.

Well, I'd say if youre going to get an A in physics, especially the mechanics part, and actually *know* the stuff, as well as a high B or A in higher maths, then you should be able for it. But you'd need to start ASAP with a *good* teacher. Major grinds needed to catch up - you'd already be a year and a half behind most people. The paper is 10 questions, answer 6. Question 3,4,5,8,10 are very predictable and easily covered. That leaves you with one question which youll need to put alot of work into (relative to the others i mean - they'll all need lots of work). Its definetly possible, but, to be honest, I think youd be mad to try it just for points. Matriculation, maybe. But points, thats madness. You're better off concentrating on your other subjects from now untill June instead of taking up a totally new one. At best you'll get a B in higher, which is roughly 70 points. If youre doing LCVP its far easier just to work on your portfolio and get a distinction for the same reward or just devote extra time to hons maths/physics/irish/etc etc.

If you're really determined (and a little bit crazy), then go for it.

Healio

Originally posted by subway_ie
Well, I'd say if youre going to get an A in physics, especially the mechanics part, and actually *know* the stuff, as well as a high B or A in higher maths, then you should be able for it. But you'd need to start ASAP with a *good* teacher. Major grinds needed to catch up - you'd already be a year and a half behind most people. The paper is 10 questions, answer 6. Question 3,4,5,8,10 are very predictable and easily covered. That leaves you with one question which youll need to put alot of work into (relative to the others i mean - they'll all need lots of work). Its definetly possible, but, to be honest, I think youd be mad to try it just for points. Matriculation, maybe. But points, thats madness. You're better off concentrating on your other subjects from now untill June instead of taking up a totally new one. At best you'll get a B in higher, which is roughly 70 points. If youre doing LCVP its far easier just to work on your portfolio and get a distinction for the same reward or just devote extra time to hons maths/physics/irish/etc etc.

If you're really determined (and a little bit crazy), then go for it.

alrite cheers for explaining that all to me, my mates dad teaches it he said he would teach me for free, but i think i had better study harder for other subjects instead i just dont have the time arggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

subway_ie

If youre thinking about repeating though its a really good option - youd get the course covered well in one year and its a good points course if youve got a mathematical mind

Healio

Originally posted by subway_ie
If youre thinking about repeating though its a really good option - youd get the course covered well in one year and its a good points course if youve got a mathematical mind

yeah your probaly right, i just hope i dont need to go down that road.

subway_ie

Yeah, just incase, its a good back up plan. Personally i couldn't stick another year in this hole.

PrecariousNuts

Subway, I would be very grateful if you could give me a few of those things only teachers would know. Like you mentioned above that questions 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 are fairly straight forward (and I know what you mean after looking at some papers).

What are the questions that everyone avoids? and what about statics? I heard someone mention that its a pure evil question.

Can I study anything else other than brown book and papers?

Have you any hints overall yourself?

I'm doing this at home and while I have no problems with it, I just want to know if I've missed anything.

Are you going to the Institute Easter revision thing for applied maths?

subway_ie

Originally posted by PrecariousNuts
Subway, I would be very grateful if you could give me a few of those things only teachers would know. Like you mentioned above that questions 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 are fairly straight forward (and I know what you mean after looking at some papers).

What are the questions that everyone avoids? and what about statics? I heard someone mention that its a pure evil question.

Can I study anything else other than brown book and papers?

Have you any hints overall yourself?

I'm doing this at home and while I have no problems with it, I just want to know if I've missed anything.

Are you going to the Institute Easter revision thing for applied maths?

Hmmm, well i don't want to give too much away, but yeah, basically questions 3,4,5,8,10 are straightforward (i noticed on your mock it was drawn up by your school and only gave a reduced selection of questions?).
The questions that everybody avoids, in my school at least, are 2,7,9. Question 6 is sound, as long as it stays in the horizontal plane, if it goes vertical, then youre in for *lots* of fun. Personally, i don't like statics. Yes, i think its a pure evil question. Some others love it though, I've just never really liked it.
Re: Studying something else - I've got a great book "Applied Mathematics" by Kevin Conliffe, Friary Publications (ISBN 0-9543429-0-9). It's very different to the brown one, uses lots of new formulas and interesting questions. The examples can be hard to follow though, theyre more "guided" than "worked" - all you get is the rough outline.
The biggest issues im having right now is trying to perfect that 6th question - im leaning towards question 6 and a backup of question 1 (Very, very changeable question. DONT rely on it as being a doable question).
Be sure to leanr off the proofs in question 8 - usually theyre worth 20-30 marks, which, out of 50, is pretty good if youre stuck for a 6th question, and youll still be able to get an A just by knowing the proofs. Again, know the definitions for the other questions, they dont come up often, but when they do they're easy points. (Limiting friction, SHM, Newtons experminetal law of restitution, etc.)
There are lots of stuff that our teachers told is that isn't in the book, but i cant really remember exactly what. I'd definetly advise that you get a few grinds if youre doing it totally on your own. The Institute Easter revision thing sounds interesting, but im in north Co. Galway, and to be honest, it would probably just be a waste of a day. If its anything like the courses around galway it'll just be lots and lots of hand outs and exam technique, which we've already got.
Be sure to get lots and lots of marking schemes. We've got them back to 1987 (not exactly legal, but who cares). Very, very useful. And as much exam papers as you can get your hands on (again, going back to late '70s, early '80s is good - they seem to have gotten slightly easier recentyl, so its good practice plus the course hasnt changed since then.

It also helps to know exam supervisors - at the start of the exams, they get a book full of corrections for exam papers (constants left out, misprints, etc). Usually theyres a mistake in applied that gives away at least one question (like the last time it meant that hydrostatics had to be a u-tube). Useful to know beforehand.

PrecariousNuts

Oh gee I'm trying to perfect every question, I'm not getting any mocks, first test will be in June...

Speaking of exam papers... please tell me what the **** is going on in 1997 Q1 (b) (iii), seriously that question is hard enough as it is, no need for them to piss me off with a question like that.

And it was mutant fruit with the homegrown exam, I always love the comic sans ms font that the teachers seem to love to use, so professional.