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Advise on Time allocation for new exam format

Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA PM Exams › Advise on Time allocation for new exam format

  • This topic has 7 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by John Moffat.
Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • August 27, 2016 at 8:52 am #335524
    nelvin
    Member
    • Topics: 43
    • Replies: 46
    • ☆☆

    Dear Sir,

    From Sep-15 new exam format shows 60 marks are only for mcqs. and there are 3:15 hours for paper.

    could you pls guide how to allocate time to each section.

    any other advise if you think we should follow ?

    August 27, 2016 at 5:09 pm #335587
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54655
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    I would suggest that you allocate your time as follows:

    For Section A: 54 minutes
    For Section B: 54 minutes
    For each question ins Section C: 36 minutes

    For Paper F5, there is not much need to do any planning first, and so I would get straight on with Section A after having just a quick look through the papers.
    Also, save 5 minutes just before the exam finishes to go through and guess any MCQ’s that you either could not do or did not have time to do. You must hand in answers to every MCQ, because even several of them are just guesses you will probably get some of those right, and even just 1 of them being right makes a huge difference if you would otherwise have failed on 49!

    For the two questions in Section C make sure you do something for each part of the equation. You might get stuck and not be able to finish, but you can always do something for each part, and doing almost anything will get marks. For the calculation parts, the marks are for the workings (not for the final answer) and so each bit of the workings you do will get marks (as long as it is neat and the marker can follow it). For the written parts, always write something – however little – because almost anything will get a mark if it is at all sensible. You must attempt every part of both questions – that does not mean finish then (you might not be able to) but you must do something for each part.

    August 28, 2016 at 6:15 am #335661
    nelvin
    Member
    • Topics: 43
    • Replies: 46
    • ☆☆

    Wonderful,

    Thank you Sir for above suggestion.

    August 28, 2016 at 6:33 am #335696
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54655
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    You are welcome 🙂

    August 28, 2016 at 6:36 am #335698
    nelvin
    Member
    • Topics: 43
    • Replies: 46
    • ☆☆

    Sir, i have heard that from Sep-16, the total exam hours are 3:15, so now there no such reading time, we can start writing in reading time also.

    Is it correct ? if yes, then the time allocation you have given above is covering 3 hours only, could you pls advise on starting 15 minutes also.

    August 28, 2016 at 3:21 pm #335788
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54655
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    As I wrote earlier, save 5 minutes of the extra 15 minutes for the end of the exam to make sure you have guessed any remaining MCQ’s.

    The remaining extra 10 minutes gives you a bit of spare time because you are bound to over-run in places. Yes you can start writing immediately which is why I suggest get straight on with Section A.

    August 29, 2016 at 5:29 am #335870
    nelvin
    Member
    • Topics: 43
    • Replies: 46
    • ☆☆

    ok Sir, Thanks again. 🙂

    August 29, 2016 at 6:57 am #335898
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54655
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    You are welcome 🙂

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