Sometimes it’s fine to be ‘fresh’

March 8, 2017

Though being ‘fresh’ as in “Don’t be fresh with me, young man, ‘said his mother curtly’  is perhaps a little archaic in usage, working to get your writing to be ‘fresh’ is a goal worth aspiring to and will offend no...

Magical Revision Tips

January 31, 2017

Now that mock exams have ended you may be searching for ways to improve your study technique. During the 26 years that OSC has been helping students achieve the grades they need we have picked up some pointers that can assist you in creating the perfect study...

Try these New Year Resolutions…

January 6, 2017

The five mathematical resolutions I have suggested below are, unlike some New Year Resolutions, very achievable! But you do have to stick with them if you are to get the benefit. 1.   I will know my times tables up to 12 by the end of January. Does that sound a bit...

Writing tips #2: Conventions make readers happy. . .

November 30, 2016

. . . and a happy reader (examiner) is likely to have a friendly response to what you write.  So as your final effort for 2016, the one where you are determined to ‘get better’ and eliminate the nasty gremlins in your writing style, give your writing an...

‘Let us contemplate evil’

November 2, 2016

“Let us contemplate evil’ Sheridan Baker in his Practical Stylist begins one of his chapters with this invitation about ‘evil. And he offers us some evil practices that will keep you from becoming the writer you could be. So here is the second set of tips plus one....

Just starting your diploma course? Don’t panic!

September 9, 2016

Many of you will be starting, or have just started, the new school year. What should you be doing to make a success of your mathematics course? Will I be expected to know topics at a more advanced level before I start? Some of you will find mathematics comes easily to...