Guide

How to get a H1 in Leaving Cert Religious Education

By Paul McAndrew - 16 minute read

Paul has been teaching religious studies for 16 years and in this guide, he shares his top tips for achieving a H1 in this subject.

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Introduction

People tend to see Leaving Cert Religious Education as an easy subject in which you simply have to say a couple of rosaries to achieve a good grade but this is not the case. It is as easy or difficult as any other course on the Leaving Cert but its main advantage is how interesting it is. You will be hard-pushed to find a more diverse or thought-provoking subject as religious studies will stimulate the mind and alter your opinions on many topics. This subject should be taken by any student who likes to think of themselves as a thinker. 

20% of the course is completed as coursework and the other 80% is the written exam. The topic of the coursework is based on four prescribed titles from the Department of Education (you pick one to research). If completed properly, it will enable you to go into June’s exam with most of that 20% in your pocket. 

Answering questions

Here's some advice for answering questions in this subject:

  • Read the question

    Read the question a couple of times and make sure that you answer each aspect of it. Leave a line between the first part and the second part of the question.

  • Keywords

    Use keywords/phrases/quotes/statements from the question in your answer. This is particularly important in this subject. Use a highlighter to note the most important things in the question and refer to these words as much as possible when making a point. This will show that you understand what is being asked. You can find these key terms in the teacher’s guideline booklet for Leaving Cert Religious Education.

  • Be clear

    Essay-based assessment is about answering the question that is asked in a clear manner. You need to read the question asked 2-3 times, break it down into more manageable parts and then answer each one in turn.

  • Answer the question asked

    The cardinal sin in writing Leaving Cert Religion essays is not to answer the question that is being asked and between 70-80% of the time, this is what happens. Please make sure that you are not in this percentage by answering the question that is being asked in full and making it clear that you understood the question.

  • Quality over quantity

    I would suggest that a substantial answer is the one that fulfils the marking criteria, no matter the length. Quality is always preferable to quantity but it must also be said that some questions will require substantial answers and an understanding of the topic in question. Therefore, a cardinal rule is to stick to the time frame for each question and to answer the question as well as you can in the time given.

  • Stay on point

    The final thing to note is that you will start to lose marks when the answer you are giving stops being relevant to the question asked. So, as you practice answering these questions, it is important to be constantly thinking about whether your response is answering the question being asked.

Marking criteria

Remember that if there is an 'and', there must be two 'MCs' (marking criteria). MCs refer to the answers to the questions that the examiner expects you to have addressed before they will award you a grade. Use N.E.A.R. to guide you in this process, where the following should be evident in your answer for each point:

  • Name: state what the answer is.

  • Explain: explain your stated answer clearly and concisely.

  • Applied example: expand on your explanation by giving an example (real life or imagined) that backs up what you have discussed in the above two points.

  • Refer: refer to the question being asked, using keywords from the question to show that you have answered it fully while being clear, concise and relevant.

Remember

If there are two points in the question, do this twice, leaving a space between each N.E.A.R.

Exam layout

There are 3 sections to the written paper: 

Unit 1

In this unit, there are two options and you are free to choose whichever question you want to answer. There is generally a philosophy question in this section of the paper so studying this topic well is a good idea which may earn you 40 marks (10%). In this unit, you will answer a question on the subject: the search for meaning and values.

Unit 2

In this unit, you answer questions on two of the following:

  • Christianity: origins and contemporary expressions;
  • world religions;
  • moral decision-making.
Unit 3

You need to answer any one of the questions under this unit, excluding the two sections designated for coursework. There are four questions in this section and the topics are:

  • religion and gender;
  • issues of justice and peace;
  • worship, prayer and ritual;
  • the Bible: literature and sacred text;
  • religion: the Irish experience;
  • religion and science.

In this unit, there are two options and you are free to choose whichever question you want to answer. There is generally a philosophy question in this section of the paper so studying this topic well is a good idea which may earn you 40 marks (10%). In this unit, you will answer a question on the subject: the search for meaning and values.

Timing

The written paper is 80% of the marks and is 2.5 hours long. You will need to answer between 7 and 8 essay-based questions in this time. Check out the table below to see how much you should write for each type of question.

Marks Pages Time
80-mark question 2-3 30-36 minutes
40-mark question 1-2 15-18 minutes
20-mark question Up to 1 7-9 minutes

 

I advise trying to practice answering questions in the shortest time you can. This will benefit you and give you more time in the real exam if you can get into the habit of answering the questions quickly. Any H1-aspiring students must be focused on the question being asked and answering it fully, clearly and concisely.

Top tip

Never go over your time limit. Go to the next question once you see you’ve run out of time and come back to the incomplete question at the end of the exam if you have time left.

How to succeed in this subject

Here's some advice on making the most out of studying for this subject and getting the grade you want:

  • Study from the get-go

    Religion is not a subject you can cram for. It requires a steady level of study so that a broader outlook can be gained on each topic in case a question strays from the norm.

  • Study additional information

    Study additional information which is not in the notes and find your own examples. My books (linked in my bio) and digital resources like internet clips on the philosophers can be helpful and provide a way you are more likely to remember what is being studied. It will also help you be more than able to give your own perspective on the matter, something which is looked for in the religion exam. 

  • Use acronyms and rhymes

    If you are finding any points difficult to remember, using acronyms or rhymes can be quite useful, for example, STR (separation, transition, return (incorporation)). This refers to the rites of passage in ancient societies in the 'search for meaning and values' section of the course. 

  • Use visual resources

    If you are a visual learner, YouTube videos can be very useful. When studying a question, watch a YouTube video, read an article or look up pictures about the topic and this will make the information far easier to remember. You will associate the information with a certain visual. In this way, information will come back to you quickly when answering questions. You can find videos and other helpful learning resources for religion in the resource box on the religion subject page on Studyclix.

The coursework

This section is worth 20% of your overall grade for Leaving Cert Religious Education and it needs to be taken very seriously. It’s broken into 2 parts and each part is worth 10% of your overall grade.

The guidelines state that you must only write 1,500 words maximum for both parts when in actual fact, the aim is to fill the written area in the booklet. All in all, the word count is flexible but about 1,300-1,500 words will fit in each section of the booklet.

Important

Do not write outside of the provided written area as the booklets are meant to be scanned and the SEC does not guarantee that writing outside the area will be transferred in this process.

Part A

This is a research essay based on the prescribed titles given by the department and should be approx. 1,300-1,500 words long. The titles change each year and are based on 2 of the subjects from Unit 3 of the course. There are 4 areas of marking criteria for Part A:

  • The sources you used.

  • The steps that you took and the skills you used to research your chosen title.

  • Your research findings.

  • Did you fully address the title of your chosen coursework and if so, did you answer the question?

Process

There are 6 steps to complete for Part A:

Step 1

Choose the question you want to research

Pick the one that you are most interested in and that you have the best connection to.

Step 2

Define the key terms in your chosen title

What is the command word asking you to do? Be specific. What topics are you expected to research, cover and know? Look at the syllabus knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes for your chosen question.

Step 3

Research the title

Look at 15+ sources which can include:

  • books;
  • interviews;
  • documentaries;
  • websites;
  • journals;
  • newspapers, etc.

Create a database with the sources used to research your chosen title and the information that you have taken from these sources. This will help when start writing up your coursework.

Step 4

Write up a summary of your findings

This goes into your booklet, titled 'Summary of Findings'. The length again is roughly 800-1000 words depending on the size of your handwriting. Set out your title-focused findings (2-3) that fully address your chosen title.

Step 5

Steps taken and skills used

Use the title 'Steps Taken and Skills Used' and put it at the start of the Part A section of the booklet. The summary of findings should come after it. This section should be 300-400 words max, be title-focused and full of skills words like ‘analyse’, ‘evaluation’ and ‘research’. A good way to do this is to break down your chosen title and give step-by-step examples of how you went about researching it, using the skills words where relevant.

Step 6

Create a bibliography

This is where all the sources you used or viewed are listed and it should live at the end of the booklet. It should also look similar to an academic bibliography (you can see examples of these online). Finally, make sure to reference some of these sources throughout your 'steps and summary of findings' section.

Part B

Part B is a personal reflection on the learning, skills and experiences you gained through completing Part A. It should be approx. 1,300-1,500 words in length and you are required to answer 5 questions (outlined below). Each answer should be at least 300 words in length and you need to make sure that what you are writing is relevant. Here are some other things to note:

  • Skills

    You must mention 3–5 skills used (in the same manner as they are mentioned in Part A). The marking scheme suggests that substantial use of skills be evident in your Part B and mentions the following by name: research, analysis, evaluation, critical thinking, communication, reflection and judgement.

  • Your answers

    When answering each question, make sure that the underlined words/phrases appear in the first line/sentence of that answer. This shows the examiner where you are answering each question and it will make your Part B easier to read..

  • Marking scheme

    There are 7 aspects to the marking scheme including the 5 questions and at least 2 skills words must be mentioned. You must answer the question on your chosen title.

Top tip

A poorly researched Part A equals a poorly written Part B.

Questions 1-5

Please answer them in the order they appear. The question does not need to appear but it should be obvious to the examiner which questions you are answering. See below an outline of these 5 questions.

Why was the title of interest to you?

The answer needs to be 300+ words. Here's some advice on how to approach it:

  • The marking scheme is looking for enthusiasm/concern in your answer to this question.

  • It is looking for a very worthwhile piece of work, with substantial explanation and very clear personal interest.

  • One way to do this is to link your interest in the title to a personal story of how your interest was sparked in the topic.

  • Be honest, personal and original.

What different perspectives did you encounter in doing coursework on your chosen title?

The answer needs to be 300+ words. Here's some advice on how to approach it:

  • The marking scheme expects you to show substantial identification and balancing of different perspectives in your answer.

  • It expects you to show an ability to interpret, contrast and evaluate different opinions/approaches to a topic and the ability to develop counterarguments.

  • Discuss different perspectives or views encountered and different opinions on the topic from the different sources you researched (2-3). All should be relevant to your chosen title and address the key aspects of your findings.

  • You need to answer the question posed in your chosen title again here as you did in your findings in Part A. The perspectives encountered should be written briefly.

  • Mention the skills you used.

What questions arose for you through doing the coursework on this title?

The answer needs to be 300+ words. Here's some advice on how to approach it:

  • The marking scheme expects you to show a substantial identification of questions.

  • Discuss 2–3 questions that arose (relevant to your chosen title) while researching and writing your coursework.

  • Show an ability to question the authority of different sources of information and distinguish between fact and opinion.

  • Mention the skills you used.

What personal insights have you gained through doing a coursework on this title?

The answer needs to be 300+ words. Here's some advice on how to approach it:

  • The marking scheme expects you to show a detailed description with substantial personal engagement.

  • You should show an ability to reflect on your own learning and the effect of that learning on your ideas, attitudes and experiences. What did you learn about yourself while doing this coursework? How did the learning affect your ideas, attitudes and experiences?

  • Discuss personal insights of your own character and opinions that you discovered in your findings while researching and writing this coursework.

  • Mention the skills you used.

What has been the most valuable part of doing coursework on this title?

The answer needs to be 300+ words. Here's some advice on how to approach it:

  • The marking scheme expects you to show a substantial assessment of value. 

  • Ultimately, what was the most valuable experience or knowledge gained from researching and writing the coursework based on your findings?

  • Try not to repeat yourself here and do not mention skills in this answer.

  • Give a positive and negative assessment of the value of doing this coursework.

Reviewing your work

When you have finished writing Parts A and B, you should review the coursework by asking yourself the following questions and include or adapt any information where necessary:

  • What did I know about the topic at the beginning of this process?

  • Why did I choose this topic?

  • How will I show the steps and skills I used in the process of this coursework?

  • What issues arose in my investigation/research?

  • What are two perspectives I came across? Use different sources, e.g. a book and a website.

  • In my research, did I encounter any bias/assumptions by authors or others?

  • What is my reaction to this bias?

  • What do I think/feel about personal reflection?

  • How did I verify the credibility of my sources?

  • What are the possible implications of this topic for 21st-century Ireland?

  • What kind of conclusions can be drawn from my investigation? Why does it matter?

  • How has the experience challenged my views, opinions and beliefs?

  • How well informed am I now?

  • What further questions remain unanswered?

  • Did I show originality and personal engagement in the process of researching and writing this coursework?

How to succeed in your coursework

With regard to the coursework project, I cannot stress enough how important it is to start early. This is essential so that there is time to look over it and correct any mistakes, etc. and to allow you to get back to focusing on the actual written exam. Once you have most of the project done, it lessens the pressure during 'project weeks', that busy period near the end of April in the year you are taking the exam. Here are some other things to note:

  • Pick a topic you're interested in

    It is vital that you choose a coursework title which intrigues you, otherwise, you will most definitely find yourself losing interest halfway through and your project may not be as good as it could have been.

  • Your drafts

    The drafts of your coursework should be typed out and not handwritten. Only your final draft which is written into the official booklet needs to be handwritten. This way, you can readjust and correct mistakes without having to rewrite the whole thing each time.

  • Timing

    It takes a while to write out the coursework into the official booklet so don't leave the actual work until the last second. There are also orals and other projects due around that time so the more you've done in advance, the better. Don't rush the project, either. When you're confident that you’ve answered your title and questions well and spent enough time on your project, it gives you confidence going into the exam. 

Final tips

Final Tips

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2
3
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5

Listen well in class and participate

Topics become memorable when you take a genuine interest in them and listen in class. Being open to different views from classmates and forming your own views on topics makes it easier to give a well-rounded answer in an exam. 

1

Know the paper

I recommend knowing the layout and history of the paper from year to year. Both Studyclix and examinations.ie have an extensive examination material archive on their sites, where you can access all exam papers from 2005 onwards. Also, look at the marking schemes for each exam to give you a feel for what the examiner is looking for.

2

Test yourself weekly

Although a test every week in religion seems daunting at first, it can be really helpful in the long run. Study for about an hour or more for each test and write out notes. By the end of the year, you will have a folder full of notes for each section and topic. 

3

Record yourself

Since there is a lot to know about religion, I recommend recording yourself (or someone else) reading the notes. That way, if you get tired of reading or saying the notes out loud, you can listen to them instead. This is helpful for any subject that requires a lot of memorising. 

Stay calm

Lastly, I'd just suggest being calm going into your exams. Take deep breaths and read the questions carefully. When answering a question, make sure you address all parts of the question and state clearly in the introduction/conclusion to each paragraph which part of the question you are answering. There's a temptation to write down everything you know if you are well prepared so make sure that when you're answering you only write what is relevant.

Some final tips

for Leaving Cert Religious Education.

Listen well in class and participate

Topics become memorable when you take a genuine interest in them and listen in class. Being open to different views from classmates and forming your own views on topics makes it easier to give a well-rounded answer in an exam. 

Know the paper

I recommend knowing the layout and history of the paper from year to year. Both Studyclix and examinations.ie have an extensive examination material archive on their sites, where you can access all exam papers from 2005 onwards. Also, look at the marking schemes for each exam to give you a feel for what the examiner is looking for.

Test yourself weekly

Although a test every week in religion seems daunting at first, it can be really helpful in the long run. Study for about an hour or more for each test and write out notes. By the end of the year, you will have a folder full of notes for each section and topic. 

Record yourself

Since there is a lot to know about religion, I recommend recording yourself (or someone else) reading the notes. That way, if you get tired of reading or saying the notes out loud, you can listen to them instead. This is helpful for any subject that requires a lot of memorising. 

Stay calm

Lastly, I'd just suggest being calm going into your exams. Take deep breaths and read the questions carefully. When answering a question, make sure you address all parts of the question and state clearly in the introduction/conclusion to each paragraph which part of the question you are answering. There's a temptation to write down everything you know if you are well prepared so make sure that when you're answering you only write what is relevant.

Hope these help - happy studying!

Best of luck! You'll be great.

By Paul McAndrew

Paul has 16 years of experience teaching the subject and has examining experience from 2017-2019. He has published multiple books on the subject which you can purchase from mcandrewbooks.com 

Related subjects & topics
Higher Religious Education
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