Park College teacher, John Mackey looks at the Geography Paper.

Know the lie of the land

The new Leaving Cert Geography syllabus is only in its third year, but with two complete past papers and various sample papers there's plenty to work with. Even now, there is still time to pick up good habits, improve your grade and secure those vital points. This article will give you an overview of what you need to know for your exam along with tips and advice that will help you save time and gain marks.

The syllabus is assessed in two parts; the 2hr 50min examination and the geographical investigation, which should be completed by now and handed up. The geographical investigation accounts for 20 per cent of your overall grade so the exam itself is worth 80 per cent.

The higher level paper is made of four parts; short questions, core, electives and options, each worth 80 marks each. The ordinary level paper has three parts; short questions, core and electives, each worth 100 marks. In all parts, you will be faced with a number of challenges. The main challenges are coping with the structure of questions and timing your answers. With that in mind, let's take a look at the exam paper in more detail.

Part One: Short Questions (80 marks)

Structure

The introduction of a short questions section is one of the biggest changes to the syllabus. It is also an excellent section to pick up easy marks. Students who are looking for a high grade should aim for full marks here.

The questions are taken from Physical Geography, Regional Geography and Geographical Skills (this involves reading and interpreting O.S maps, aerial photographs, graphs and weather charts). In total, there are 12 questions worth eight marks each.

Each eight mark question usually has four parts, so be aware of this when answering. It's a good idea to attempt all 12 questions, as you will be marked on your best ten, not your first ten. Read all questions carefully, making sure you answer the question properly using all the information given to you.

Timing

Although the five sections of the paper carry equal marks (80), it's best not to spend equal time on each. The short questions section offers a great opportunity to save time for the longer questions later on.

Aim to finish them in 20 minutes or less.