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Hi,
I failed P7 (INT) for only 3 marks short and was very surprised by the result.
During the exam, I managed to completed almost all questions, for the first time, apart from one sub-question which was only half answered.
March exam will be my 4th time in taking P7 and I really want to know how to planning answers efficiently and score the most points by only writing down short sentences.
I highlighted key verbs in requirements first, allocated point and time via using bullet points in question contexts as indicators for my answers and wrote down the amount of time needed to be spent in each question before writing anything down in answer booklets.
However, even though my score is improving each time but I still have no idea why my answers are not good enough?!
After reading examiner’s report, I realized that my answers were too general and can be applied to any question in exam.
How can I deal with this problem?
How can I make a productive answer plan which would help me in writing the full answers?Thank you.
Best,
Ko“After reading examiner’s report, I realized that my answers were too general and can be applied to any question in exam.” – so, don’t leave your answers in generalised form! It’s fine to state the obvious – in a generalised form – but then you need to apply that principle that you have just identified to the particular circumstances in the question.
Quote (briefly) from the question demonstrating that you are tailoring your answer specifically to that particular scenario
You sound like you’re planning your answers appropriately – are you planning enough points? A 10 mark sub-question will have 10 clearly relevant markable points available. You should be aiming for a MINIMUM of 7 out of those 10 within your plan
You say that your plan is written on the question paper (“I highlighted key verbs in requirements first, allocated point and time via using bullet points in question contexts as indicators for my answers and wrote down the amount of time needed to be spent in each question before writing anything down in answer booklets.”)
Why? Why not write it in your answer booklet? Head it “Plan”, write your bullet points beneath it, and then rule a line at the end of your plan. DO NOT CROSS YOUR PLAN OUT
As you progress through your written answer, put a tick against each planned point as you expand it into a sentence / paragraph in your answer
But planning in itself is not enough! You need to make sure that your plan addresses the scenario, that it answers the requirement verb and that it contains enough points to score 70% / 80% of the marks (100% would be great, but I’m trying to be realistic)
And then stick to your time allocation!
“…almost all questions, for the first time, apart from one sub-question which was only half answered.”
WHY? That “one sub-question” could have pulled you up those other 3 marks! There should be NO sub-questions, part questions, mini requirements that go unanswered! That’s poor exam technique
Between now and your resit, read over and over again the questions and answers from past exams. Just read. Don’t try writing / answering
Then, somewhere in very early March, start trying to PLAN an answer. Don’t waste your time writing out an answer in full. Just PLAN
And make sure that your plan addresses the verbs, addresses the scenario, addresses ALL parts of the question and is completed in 15 minutes (for a 30 mark question)
Hope that helps
Hi Mike,
Thank you so much for the detailed instruction :)))
I will apply the suggestions in my studying and hopefully will pass P7 (the final paper) in March!!!
Best,
Ko
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