A Grade Exam Technique for Data Response Papers
1. When reading the text, jot down 4 business implications of the type of business covered in the article, e.g. seasonality, inexperienced managers, Ltd status or sales decline/Boston matrix.
2. Keep the definitions short and sweet. Spot the difference between ?What is meant by?' (2 marks) and ?Explain what is meant by ?' (3 marks). One to two lines on the former; two to three on the latter.
3. When asked to outline/explain two points, take your time over the first one. The marks are not split evenly. You can gain more marks by writing 7 lines on the first and 3 on the second, than by writing 5 lines on each.
4. With written answers, take a theme, then develop it. Forget quantity; think quality. Examiners reward depth, not breadth. Long paragraphs are good technique. Bullet points and lots of also are bad technique.
5. With numerical questions, explain what you're doing. Good answers have lots of words and not many calculations. Bad answers fill sides of paper with incomprehensible numbers. Keep a careful eye on time; cut your answer short rather than overrun on time.
6. Be very precise about the question. Think hard about the precise meaning; at the end of every paragraph, re-check the question. Are you really still answering it?
7. With 8 - 10 mark questions, start by defining terms, eg market ...