Examination Guide - Business Studies
Business Studies teacher at St Mogues College, Bawnboy, Marilla Feely, offers some essential tips to students preparing for Business at Leaving Certificate level. She also has advice for a good revision programme that will pay dividends in June.
Many students complain of running out of time when undertaking the Business Studies Leaving Cert paper but that should not happen if they understand the structure of the paper and what is expected from you in each answer.
It is a long exam paper but with careful planning a student can complete all questions required.
The Higher Level paper is worth 400 marks - the time allotted is 3 hours (180 minutes). Allowing yourself ten minutes at the outset to read the paper and ten minutes at the end to read over your work you are left with 160 minutes. This works out on average at ten marks = four minutes. (Another approach is to divide marks by 2.5 ie 10% divided by 2.5 = 4 mins.)
The layout of the Higher Level paper is:
Section 1 - Short Questions.
You are required to answer eight out of ten but aim to answer all ten as you will be marked on your best eight. To maximise your marks you must give two points on each one (unless directed otherwise in the question).
The first point will be a definition and the second point can be additional information or a detailed example. (There are 80 marks for this section so get it done in 30 mins.)
Section 2 - ABQ - Applied Business Question
This year the ABQ will be drawn from Units 1, 2, 3.
A good approach to answering this question would be to:
1. Read Questions first:
- Part (a) is usually straight forward
- Parts (b) and (c) - Watch out for more than one question contained in each part e.g. Indicate conflicts and outline the solutions.
2. Decide how many points are required for each answer, ie divide marks by five (unless otherwise stated), or in the case of management skills or activities where there are only three.
3. Read ABQ - noting links.
4. When answering the questions:
• State point
• Explain point.
• Relate it to the text i.e. quote from text to back up your point.
5. Make sure you give what the question asks; eg discuss the "relevant" management activities.
Time management - 80 marks - 32 minutes. However, you can allow yourself a few minutes extra on this question but do not go beyond 40 mins.
Section 3
Answer 4 questions.
Part 1 - Covers material from Units 1, 6, 7.
Part 2 - Covers material from Units 2, 3, 4, 5.
Spend an average of 25 minutes on each question.
As before, divide the marks by five to get the number of points needed. Note what the question requires you to do - explain, discuss, outline.
Questions with evaluate often confuse students, it means that at the end of your answer you have to state your opinion on whether you think it is a good/bad thing.
If the answer is worth 20 marks you divided by five to get the number of points you must give i.e. four points. You have eight minutes - two minutes per point in which to state it, explain it and give an example. No time for padding or repetition.
Start a new paragraph for each new point you write.
Ordinary Level
Timing is also important in this paper. The exam lasts two and a half hours and in addition to the short questions you have to answer four others, so aim to answer one question every half hour.
Try to answer all of the fifteen short questions as you will be marked out of your best ten. Remember you must write two points on each. As with the higher level paper, divide the marks for each section by five to get the number of points required (unless otherwise directed).
Revision Tips
Summarise each chapter on A4 card using a mind map/spider diagram. If you have revised adequately the cards will be helpful in refreshing the topic for you. They will also highlight for you sections you need to revise, eg the Law of Contract.
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