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Hi Mike,
When I read the examiner answer, some answer will give you eg: maximum 2 marks per point if fully explained, some will give you 1 1/2 and some will even give you 1 mark. Even if they use the same verb eg: evaluate or explain.
any clue how can I know how many marks ? So I don’t waste my time on 1 mark per point question.
Thank you.
“Identify and explain” will be worth probably 2 (1 each for identifying and for explaining) but it could be .5 / 1.5
Paying careful attention to the verb(s), I generally recommend working on the principle of 1 mark per paragraph, 1 paragraph per point.
Try copying out some section from a text book (any text book – even a novel) and see how much you can copy without having to think in 1 minute 18 seconds. That’s the MAXIMUM length of a sentence / paragraph in your exam answers.
The other missing time of 50 minutes (1.3 minutes x 100 marks = 130 minutes and you have 180 minutes in the exam, excluding reading, thinking and planning time) is devoted to planning in bullet format where you are going to score marks.
Put your plan on the answer booklet, head it “Plan” and rule it off before you start writing your answer in full.
DO NOT CROSS OUT YOUR PLAN!
Work on the basis that if you have a blank page as your answer, you score zero. If you write one sentence, the marker may give you 1 mark (if the sentence is correct, relevant and markable)
If you write 2 sentences, you have the potential to score 2 marks. Now apply rocket-science! If you write 10 sentences, you have the potential to score 10 marks.
This relationship goes on right the way through to 100 sentences = a potential of 100 marks.
Of course, there is a maximum potential mark in each question – even in each part of a question so strict time allocation is essential
Use headings! The examiner and the markers love headings! Underline the heading (using a straight edge) and leave a line between each markable sentence / paragraph. Try to get your answer to “flow” logically (part of the reason for planning where you’re going with your answer)
Attempt every part of every question (planning will ensure that you address the question fully, properly and relevantly, and strict time allocation will prevent you from over-running on any particular part of a question to the detriment of your attempts at later parts)
Hope all that helps
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