praciting questions

AA is not about remembering – it is not a theory exam – it is an applied skills exams. You don’t have to write a lot to pass. For a 10-mark part of a Q – if you can write just 6 sentences that each will earn a mark that’s 60%!!!!

Firstly you need to make sure that you have the knowledge – so use the practice test questions at the end of each chapter – https://opentuition.com/acca/aa/aa-practice-questions they shouldn’t take long and all answers are justified. Anything you get wrong understand why you were wrong. Refer back to the notes if necessary.

If you have a BPP revision kit, for example, you will find that it includes tips how you should have approached questions. If you are relying on using past exams from ACCA www then you will have to pay particular attention to the model answers, marking schemes and examiner’s reports.

This is what I suggest you do – choose a Q either from a kit of past exam – attempt it as best you can in the time available. Don’t worry about writing “essays” – the marker does NOT want to read an essay. Don’t worry about writing out full answer points – just get your ideas on paper – use “ideas” to help you. So if it’s a substantive procedures Q think about the financial statements assertions – think about the ways of gathering evidence (“AEIOU”) – think about the “direction” of testing – whether from financial statements to “source” or vice versa (for completeness assertion). When time is up review your ideas against the model answer – what did you miss that was “obvious”? What was the clue in the question? Think how you would spot it if you saw it again. Read the examiner’s reports – learn from them.

After the first few questions you should see improvements in your thinking – it’s not called “practice” for nothing – it requires effort.

When you have some confidence in writing more you should attempt the questions that are the subject of the “read the mind of the marker” article which is sticky posted to the top of this forum. This is essential reading. The most important thing any student can do to ensure they pass this exam is to think before writing an answer point – rote-learned answers earn nothing.

Move on to the next question. To try it repeatedly until you get full marks is just to rote learn it. Since every question in the exam has a unique scenario, such points that are merely remembered and copied will most likely not be relevant and therefore score nothing. You will see examples of this when you read the essential article.

Because there is only a finite number of recent exam style and standard questions (since September 2016), it’s far better to properly attempt fewer Qs (in full and to time) and learn something from each one, rather than merely read them (which is a complete waste of this resource).

That’s a good Q – you could try something like this:

Risk Q from exam A
Risk Q from exam B
Risk Q from exam C
Then:
Controls Q from exam A
Controls Q from exam B
Controls Q from exam C
Then the Substantive Procedures Q.
So you will “use up” 3 exams in this way. If you don’t yet feel prepared to tackle full exams – you could focus on a few more Qs from the area you feel you are struggling with most. And don’t forget the article and associated Qs I suggested BEFORE you attempt full exams as mocks.