CIPS Yorkshire Branch Event...CIPS registration document •Do not forget pens, pencils, calculator and water CIPS Yorkshire Leading global excellence in procurement and supply General

Leading global excellence in procurement and supply

CIPS Yorkshire Branch Event A brief introduction to exam techniques 13 January 2016


CIPS Qualification and assessment types

Level 6

Level 5

Level 4

Level 3

Level 2

CIPS Yorkshire


Common Shortcomings in Exams

Students Shortcomings

Ignoring the use of command

words

Time Management

Stress

Poor Structure

Not answering the right question

Answering outside the

syllabus

Inadequate exam preparation

Misinterpretation of the Question

Misinterpretation of the Question

CIPS Yorkshire


Useful information links

• Past exam papers and examiner reports

• CIPS Assessment Guides for Certificate and Diploma qualifications

• List of command words and meanings in the CIPS assessment guides

• CIPS tips for studying

All can be found in the student zone of the CIPS website

• CIPS student forums

• Branch Education Groups

CIPS Yorkshire


Where to start

• Prior to Exam – Plan your own study time

– Leave enough time for revision

– Provide sufficient room for travel

• During the exam – Structure and plan for the answers and highlight the command words in

questions

– re-read the question, make sure that you have a correct understanding of the question

CIPS Yorkshire


Planning the Study • Make sure you attend all of the study sessions and workshops

• Read the CIPS study guide thoroughly using the end of chapter questions to check your recall

• Remember - additional reading enhances answers at L5 and L6

• The examination is based on topics identified in the syllabus and CIPS study guide only

• Practice mock papers and examination questions

• Check your answers against the relevant examiners report (PM) or ask your Tutor to review it if studying within a study centre

• Recall work experiences and/or company examples that you can list against the syllabus

• Make use of command words

• Practice applying models to a business so that you can demonstrate use of a tool and not just to draw it

• At L4 make sure that you can demonstrate a definition of the key term in the question e.g. vendor rating and give an explanation of their use

• Each level is a step up in terms of the breadth and depth of knowledge required to pass the qualification so more study time and revision is required as you progress up the levels

• Suggested revision 4 weeks x 10-15 hours per week

CIPS Yorkshire


Exam Logistics

• Check the time, date and venue of the exam location

• Check the travel routes and parking arrangements

• Allow plenty of time for possible contingencies

• Arrive 20 minutes before the exam

• Don’t leave revision until the last day

• Prepare and relax well before the exam date

• Bring with you the necessary documents listed, i.e. CIPS registration document

• Do not forget pens, pencils, calculator and water

CIPS Yorkshire


General answer advice

• Do what it asks in the question, no more, no less! • If it asks for 5 reasons, don’t do more, they will only mark the first 5 • Use the terminology in the question in the answer – this helps

signpost that you are answering the question • Make sure you demonstrate that you understand the command

word by doing what it asks e.g. A response to a question that starts with the command word ‘describe’ will be different to a question that starts with ‘explain’ or ‘evaluate’

• Answer length should be appropriate to the amount of marks given. A 15 mark question requires a longer response than a 5 mark question

• Relevance to the question is paramount – don’t deliver all you know about a subject

• Make sure your writing is legible – the examiner can’t give you marks if he can’t read your answer

CIPS Yorkshire


Case Studies: Think about …

• Allowing enough time to re-read the case study if necessary

• Highlight the important issues

• Think about the context of the case study as well as the unit contents, i.e. do you have to assume a role as a manager?

• Don’t be vague and general: link the theory to the case study

• Remember, as the study levels advance, you are expected to include more in-depth critical analysis and evaluation

CIPS Yorkshire


Pre-released case studies 1.Identify the problem(s) around which the case study is written:

a situation analysis of the company, its problem areas and its general capacity.

2. Analyse any data provided in the case study:

depending on the situation, you may be given data relating to a range of aspects of the business. You need to analyse the data and their relevance to the situation, considering what they tell you about the company’s:

• growth potential

• supply markets

• financial performance: profitability, return on investment, shareholder value, liquidity, etc

• organisational structure, values and objectives.

Use analysis models and tools e.g. SWOT, PESTLE , 5 Forces, Kraljic etc.

3. Consider future options, and evaluate their costs/benefits to the company.

4. Justified Recommendations you might make, but remember you may be given additional information in the assessment which may change your recommendations

5. Detailed preparation is key but the assessors will look at your ability to adapt to the questions posed in the exam

6. You can take your copy of the case study, your notes, journals and books into the exam with you

CIPS Yorkshire


Recommended time to spend on essay papers (three hours duration) • Reading all questions through twice 5 minutes

• Reading each question and planning 5 minutes

your answer (per question)

• Writing (per question) 35 minutes

• Checking/amending (per question) 2.5 minutes

• Checking that you have correctly followed the, 5 minutes instructions missed nothing out, labelled everything, last-minute amendments (per assessment)

CIPS Yorkshire


Recommended time to spend on unseen case study assessments (three hours duration) Diploma Advanced & Professional Diploma • Reading case study material

and all questions 20 minutes 20 minutes

• Planning/making notes for • answers (per question) 4 minutes 4 minutes

• Writing (per question) 25 minutes 33 minutes

• Checking/amending (per question) 2 minutes 2 minutes • Checking that you have

correctly followed the Instructions, missed nothing out, labelled everything, last-minute amendments (per assessment) 5 minutes 4 minutes

CIPS Yorkshire


Recommended time to spend on pre-released case-

study assessment papers (three hours duration)

• Planning/making notes for answers (per question) 7 minutes

• Writing (per question) 30 minutes

• Checking/amending (per question) 3 minutes

• Checking that you have correctly followed 5 minutes

the instructions, missed nothing out, labelled everything,

last-minute amendments (per assessment)

CIPS Yorkshire


Good answers….

• Use the command word correctly • Demonstrate understanding of the question topic • Provide balance by looking at benefits and limitations • Demonstrate application of knowledge by giving

appropriate examples from the case study or real life • Apply appropriate theory and models in answering the

question and identifies the relevant author • Answer the question at the appropriate level of depth to

the qualification level • At levels 5 & 6, answers are applied, justified and strategic

rather than descriptive of the topic • Answers end with a conclusion

CIPS Yorkshire


Test

• Explain, using examples, the application of operations management principles within any TWO different sectors, highlighting the differences between the sectors. May 2015 Operations Management

What are they asking you to do?

CIPS Yorkshire


Do not forget

• To read the external examiner reports which are located under the student zone on the CIPS website

• To read through the CIPS examination techniques guide available at http://www.cips.org/Documents/Qualifications/Assessment/CIP

S_PrepAssess_Dip_Adv_%20Prof_%20Dip_v2.pdf

• PREPARATION IS THE KEY FOR SUCCESS.

We all wish you good luck!!!

CIPS Yorkshire

http://www.cips.org/Documents/Qualifications/Assessment/CIPS_PrepAssess_Dip_Adv_ Prof_ Dip_v2.pdf





Useful links

• Past exam papers and examiner reports http://www.cips.org/en-GB/Qualifications/student-zone/Past-Papers/

• Hints and tips for exams http://www.cips.org/en-GB/Qualifications/student-zone/Assessment-guides/

• CIPS Assessment Guides for Certificate http://www.cips.org/Documents/Qualifications/Assessment/CIPS_PrepAssess_CertInProcSuppOps_AW_Jan_2015.pdf

• CIPS Assessment Guides for Diploma qualifications http://www.cips.org/Documents/Qualifications/Assessment/CIPS_PrepAssess_Dip_Adv_%20Prof_%20Dip_v2.pdf

• Past exam papers and examiner reports

CIPS Yorkshire

http://www.cips.org/en-GB/Qualifications/student-zone/Past-Papers/








http://www.cips.org/en-GB/Qualifications/student-zone/Assessment-guides/








http://www.cips.org/Documents/Qualifications/Assessment/CIPS_PrepAssess_CertInProcSuppOps_AW_Jan_2015.pdf




