By Clodagh Murray - 3 minute readComputer Science is a new Leaving Cert subject that will teach you useful skills, broaden your knowledge of technology and boost your skills as a computer programmer. Aoife, who achieved a H1 in Leaving Cert Computer Science, has devised a guide full of tips and advice drawn from her own experience to help you succeed in this subject. We have included excerpts from her guide below!
There are key dates for this subject that you should keep in mind when studying LC Computer Science:
Worth 30% of your overall grade, this is completed over a 10 week period which usually takes place between January and March of 6th year.
This occurs outside of the traditional exam period in June, usually around three weeks ahead of the exams for your other subjects, which was May 22nd in 2021.
The first section of your exam consists of 12 short-answer questions. You don't need to give a paragraph for every answer here! Concise, correct answers will be best rewarded! Many questions in this section are looking for definitions or an explanation of the role of a particular computer component, protocol, or system. You may also be required to answer questions on a piece of code provided. Flashcards are a great way to study for this section!
Don't be mislead by the name of these questions! The questions are often comprised of multiple parts where some questions require a one-word answer. If an essay style question does appear, it's a good idea to adopt the Point, Example, Explain approach to keep it focused. If asked for your own opinion, you need to interpret the question and draw your own conclusions. Calculations can appear too, it's best advised to practise lots ahead of the exam to be prepared! There's no guarantee of topics that'll appear in this section. Aoife's full guide includes a breakdown of topics which tend to appear on the paper.
This final element of the exam will include one question, which may be broken into several parts. It can be rooted in any of the three main languages, Python, JavaScript or HTML. On the day of the exam you'll open a file on the device you're using to complete the exam, and this is what you will edit in line with the question you are given. You'll receive a reference guide to help you with basic commands and operators you may need in your exam.
Check which application you'll be using on exam day to familiarise with it in advance.
Be well acquainted with all basic commands and operators in the language being used.
Practice using lists in your programming and make sure you're comfortable with appending values to a list, ordering lists, inserting items in a list and working with index values.
Know how to use if, elif and else as they're used very frequently!
Don't underestimate the importance of planning your project!
Don't underestimate the importance of planning your project!
Make sure to note any challenges, issues or problems faced, including their resolution.
Manage your time wisely.
Keep your files organised, then you'll avoid panic when you're looking for files you're using for the project.
Store your links for references safely in somewhere like a document.
We hope these explanations, tips and advice will help you to achieve the best possible result in Leaving Cert Computer Science! Check out Aoife's full guide, which includes lots more detail and information, by clicking the button below.
