Advice on Passing SBL

Sorry to heat about your SBL problems. Advice is as follows:

Set a time budget based on marks and stick to it.

1 Read the whole question and specimens. Often requirements are linked to specific specimens so try to link as you go. You should be able to get through this stage in about 20 – 30 minutes. If you are doing the CBE version, make use of the highlighter and scratch pad options to help planning.

2 This leaves you with 210 minutes, so about 2 minutes per mark. Therefore a thirty mark requirement should be answered in about 1 hour. I suggest giving 10 minutes to planning a 30 mark answer then 50 for writing.

3 When time is up for that question, leave it and move onto the next. Be strict about that.

4 If you are on the CBE system you can plan your answer using paragraph headings/bullet point, then insert full sentences to produce a full answer. One or two-word bullet points are useless – aim for one or two sentences so that each of your points is properly explained.

5 Approach the questions from a common-sense point of view first. This is an exam which wants practical solutions to problems and not answers that regurgitate theory. It is. of course, not an exam in common sense and there are theories in the syllabus that must be known so frameworks and models are important. However, use those to back-up or justify your analysis and advice. If you start explaining models you are almost certainly on the wrong track.

6 Don’t study text books any more. Practise questions and be critical when comparing your answers to model answers.

7 The professional marks allocation guidance is very useful in directing your answer. Eg if you have to show skepticism then you know you should be critical about the evidence and assumptions. Evaluation implies pros and cons/plusses and minuses etc.

Good luck with your next attempt.