Believe it or not, teachers and examiners must adhere to strict guidelines when correcting your exams. "She only gave me that mark because she hates me" ... "The teachers love him and always give him great marks" ... not true! 

Below is the criteria that your teacher and examiner will mark all your work by.


1. Clarity of Purpose (P) - 30% of the marks available for the task
    
    Examiner (and I) will be looking for ...

                               - engagement with the set task
                               - relevance
                               - focus 
                               - originality 
                               - freshness
                               - clear aim
                               - understanding of genre

2. Coherence of Delivery (C) - 30% of the marks available for the task

    Examiner (and I) will be looking for ...
                                - sustain the response over the entire answer
                                - continuity of argument
                                - sequencing
                                - management of ideas
                                - choice of reference
                                - use of examples
                                - engagement with texts
                                
3. Efficiency of Language Use (L) - 30% of marks available for the task


    Examiner (and I) will be looking for ...


                                 - control of language for clear communication
                                 - wide range of vocabulary
                                 - proper syntax
                                 - good sentence patterns
                                 - paragraph structure
                                 - appropriate punctuation
                                 - use of lively interesting phrasing & style

4. Accuracy of Mechanics (M) - 10% of the marks available for the 
    task

     Examiner (and I) will be looking for ...


                                 - spelling 
                                 - grammar

For the comparative question, students must compare either two texts or a text and a film. During the course of the two years, we will study three texts (may include one film). The following are the options available to us. The original document can be found here. 


***Higher level MUST study one Shakespearean play***

ABRAHAMSON, Lenny (Dir.)            Garage (Film)
ADIGA, Aravind                             The White Tiger
AUSTEN, Jane                                Pride and Prejudice
BALLARD, J. G.                              Empire of the Sun
BINCHY , Maeve                             Circle of Friends
BRANAGH, Kenneth (Dir.)               Much Ado About Nothing (Film)
BRONTË, Emily                              Wuthering Heights
CUARÓN, Alfonso (Dir.)                   Children of Men (Film)
CURTIZ, Michael (Dir.)                    Casablanca (Film)
FRIEL, Brian                                  Translations
HAMILTON, Hugo                           The Sailor in the Wardrobe
HARRIS, Robert                             Pompeii
HEMINGWAY, Ernest                       The Old Man and the Sea
IBSEN, Henrik                                A Doll's House
ISHIGURO, Kazuo                           Never Let me Go
JOHNSTON, Jennifer                        How Many Miles To Babylon?
JONES, Lloyd                                  Mister Pip
KAY, Jackie                                     Red Dust Road
KEANE, John B.                               Sive
KEEGAN, Claire                               Foster
LEVY, Andrea                                  Small Island
LEONARD, Hugh                              Home Before Night
LESSING, Doris                               The Grass is Singing
McCARTHY, Cormac                         The Road
McGUINNESS, Frank                        Observe the Sons of Ulster  
                                                     Marching Towards the Somme
MILLER, Arthur                               All my Sons
NGOZI ADICHIE, Chimamanda         Purple Hibiscus
ORWELL, George                             Nineteen Eighty-Four
PICOULT, Jodi                                 My Sister's Keeper
ROSOFF, Meg                                  How I Live Now
SALVATORES, Gabriele (Dir.)            I'm Not Scared (Film)
SALINGER, J.D.                               The Catcher in the Rye
SANSOM, C.J.                                 Dissolution
SCOTT, Ridley (Dir.)                        Blade Runner (Film)
SHAKESPEARE, William                    Macbeth
                                                     Othello
TÓIBĺN, Colm                                  Brooklyn
TREVOR, William                             The Story of Lucy Gault
TWAIN, Mark                                   Huckleberry Finn
____________________________________________________

The texts must be studied under the following modes:

Higher Level -

(i)   The cultural context
(ii)  The general vision and viewpoint
(iii) Theme or issue 

Ordinary Level - 

(i)   Relationships
(ii)  Social setting
(iii) Theme
___________________________________________________


Marking Scheme

1. Honours Level - 

   35% of Paper Two
   17.5% overall 

2. Ordinary Level - 

    35% of Paper Two
    17.5% overall 

So it's our first day back at school and we're already talking about the layout of the Leaving Cert paper! "Seriously Miss?!", I can hear you all saying. In order for us to commit to either the honours or the ordinary level course, it is important that we familiarise ourselves with the syllabus. 

So here it is:


Stand alone text

H = Appropriate for honours
O = Appropriate for ordinary
H/O = Appropriate for both

AUSTEN, Jane                      Pride and Prejudice (H/O)              
BINCHY, Maeve                    Circle of Friends (O)
BALLARD, J.G.                     Empire of the Sun (H/O)
FRIEL, Brian                        Translations (H/O)
ISHIGURO, Kazuo                Never Let Me Go (H/O)
JOHNSTON, Jennifer             How Many Miles to Babylon? (O)
KEANE, John B.                    Sive (O)
LEONARD, Hugh                  Home Before Night (O)
SHAKESPEARE, William        Macbeth (H/O)


- Students must study ONE text from above. 

Marking Scheme


1. Honours Level - 


   30% of Paper Two 
   15% overall 

2. Ordinary Level - 

    30% of Paper Two
    15% overall