Is studying hard for exams a guarantee of exam success ?
It is vitally important to study and prepare as well as possible for an exam. But studying to achieve understanding and mastery of course content is not a guarantee of…
Why is the Leaving Cert used in College admissions ?
Leaving Cert results have a long history of use in decisions about third-level or college admissions in Ireland. Our own published research indicates that there were several progressions along the…
Are the Leaving and Junior Certs assessments ?
Both the Leaving Cert and the Junior Certs are particular types of assessment. Both exams are designed to assess learning across a defined syllabus typically taken over a perdiod of…
What is the Leaving Cert (or Leaving Certificate) ?
The Leaving Cert or Leaving Certificate to give it its full name is Ireland's national exam taken at the end of second-level (secondary) education. The Leaving Cert is a subject-based…
Are exams always problematic in education ?
The history of education suggests that once exam results are being used to make important life decisions, the exam system will exert significant pressure on how education works and how…
What are the most common exam pitfalls ?
Exams by their nature have many pitfalls and performance in exams is affected by factors such as ability, demeanour, study, preparation, and stress levels. Exam takers can make mistakes in…
Why do exams generate so much media attention ?
Come January every year and perhaps more dependable that the seasons, exam season comes strongly into focus. The holiday season is over and the run in to summer exams begins…
The Leaving Cert – A Family Affair ?
Each and every year some 55,000 plus students take the Leaving Cert. And another 55,000 plus students enter Fifth Year and the first year of the two year Leaving Cert…
How can exam stress be managed better ?
Exam anxiety and stress is a real experience for many students. The psychology of performance suggests that a little anxiety is a good thing, but too much gets in the…
Can exam skills be learned ?
Exam skills can be learned and can make a difference to how exam takers perform in exams. Exam skills range across preparation beforehand to performance in the exam hall.