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Exam Techniques & Marks allocation

Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA APM Exams › Exam Techniques & Marks allocation

  • This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 12 years ago by gabriel.
Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • August 14, 2012 at 8:33 am #54113
    waneros
    Participant
    • Topics: 4
    • Replies: 5
    • ☆

    Hi,

    Can you advice me regarding how many points to be written as per marks allocated.

    For example.. 12 Marks = How many points to write?

    In June 2012, I wrote 1 point for 1 mark and at the end I could not complete the whole exam paper.

    Thank you

    August 14, 2012 at 9:07 pm #104278
    Ken Garrett
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 10589
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    See answer to your question in P3. Pretty much the same applies in P5.

    August 17, 2012 at 1:23 pm #104279
    angryhamtaro
    Member
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 162
    • ☆☆

    12 points for a 12 mark question sounds drastic. You may be able to write all 12 points, and each point is awarded 2 marks, but you can only get a max of 12 marks (ie. you only need 6 points). Hence, I took the approach of writing 6 points, plus one or two more points if I suspect one of my points was incorrect.

    Take a look at the marking scheme for June 2012 and see Q3(b) DMAIC for Six Sigma. The Q only has 9 marks, 1 mark for general definition and 2 mark for application. In total, by answering each D-M-A-I-C, I will get 15 marks but it will be capped to only 9 marks. Would it be worth it to answer only DMA and not IC? That’s very risky considering I never know the marking scheme during the exam, so I will still attempt to answer all D-M-A-I-C points for safe measures.

    Also, don’t forget to time yourself. For each mark, times 1.5 minutes (or 1.3 minutes for safer measure again). Don’t go beyond your time budget or you will not finish the paper. I finished my June 2012 paper right on the dot on the 3rd hour 15th minute! 😀

    Don’t forget to allocate marks on an equal basis for questions that ask for “2 requirements” (ie. June 2012 Q2(a) – Calculate performance indicators (6m) and comment (6m) – total 12 marks). If you put lots of figures but fewer comments, you won’t score the full 12 marks. Sometimes, getting the right critical indicators like load factor and capacity utilization (for an airline industry, these are very important) can even earn you 2 marks each!

    Also, make worthy and reasonable analysis in your answers, A standard answer like ‘This figure is higher than that figure’ won’t give you any marks and it’d be a waste of time for not thinking harder.

    August 23, 2012 at 9:02 am #104280
    waneros
    Participant
    • Topics: 4
    • Replies: 5
    • ☆

    Thanks @angryhamtaro .. I think this sem I will apply ur approaches.. and I fail the other paper with 47 which I was only able to complete section B..

    August 23, 2012 at 12:47 pm #104281
    gabriel
    Member
    • Topics: 17
    • Replies: 162
    • ☆☆

    @waneros,

    if you can come up with good 12 points for 12 marks question it won’t be a bad idea. papers at professional stage requires some level of details.

    Sometime 1mark can tell the different about pass or fail grade.

    My advise: write little about many points not many about single point.with this you display that you’ve study wide.

    cheers!

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