Exam Techniques - CIMA locations docs/Middle East/CIMA... · Exam Techniques ME October / November ... (20 words) –Build your argument step by step into small ... Impress the marker

CIMA Education 2010 Syllabus - FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

Exam

Techniques

MEOctober / November 2011


About me

Christian GagianoRegional Learning & Development Manager

CIMA

• CIMA Member

• Assist Colleges to Provide Quality Tuition


Why we meet today?

• I - Share my experience– How to study effectively?

– How to please the examiner?

• You - ???

My personal outcomes for this Seminar?


Effective Studying.


• Students who:

o Fully understand the requirements of the

CIMA examinations

oDemonstrate the required level of knowledge

and skill in their answers to examination

questions

o Are successful.

• An overall improvement in success rates in

the CIMA examinations.

The CIMA Aims


Challenges

• How do we know what skills / competences

are tested in the exam?

• What can we do to develop these skills /

competences?


Higher Level Skills Examined

5 - Evaluation

4 - Analysis

3 - Application

2 - Comprehension

1 - Knowledge



• 1: Knowledge – you have to know

(facts - theories - techniques)

• 2: Comprehension – you have to understand

(history - background - strengths - weaknesses -

links between topics)

• 3: Application – you have to be able to do it

(apply knowledge in different contexts)



• 4: Analysis

– you have to identify problems and look at

complex practical solutions

– you have to apply a proposed solution,

then discuss issues arising from the

application



• 5: Evaluation

– you have to identify possible solutions and

discuss their strengths and weaknesses...

...then recommend and justify the most

appropriate solution


LIST OF VERBS USED IN THE QUESTION REQUIREMENTS

A list of the learning objectives and verbs that appear in the syllabus and in the question requirements for each question in this paper. It is important that you answer the question according to the definition of the verb.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE VERBS USED DEFINITION

1 KNOWLEDGE

What you are expected to know. List Make a list of

State Express, fully or clearly, the details of/facts of

Define Give the exact meaning of

2 COMPREHENSION

What you are expected to understand. Describe Communicate the key features

Distinguish Highlight the differences between

Explain Make clear or intelligible/State the meaning or

Purpose of

Identify Recognise, establish or select after

Consideration

Illustrate Use an example to describe or explain Something

3 APPLICATION

How you are expected to apply your knowledge. Apply

Calculate

Put to practical use

Ascertain or reckon mathematically

Demonstrate Prove with certainty or to exhibit by

practical means

Prepare Make or get ready for use

Reconcile Make or prove consistent/compatible

Solve Find an answer to

Tabulate Arrange in a table

4 ANALYSIS

How you are expected to analyse the detail of

what you have learned.

Analyse

Categorise

Examine in detail the structure of

Place into a defined class or division

Compare and contrast Show the similarities and/or differences

between

Construct Build up or compile

Discuss Examine in detail by argument

Interpret Translate into intelligible or familiar terms

Prioritise Place in order of priority or sequence for action

Produce Create or bring into existence

5 EVALUATION

How you are expected to use your learning to

evaluate, make decisions or recommendations.

Advise

Evaluate

Recommend

Counsel, inform or notify

Appraise or assess the value of

Propose a course of action

1 - Knowledge

2 - Comprehension

3 - Application

4 - Analysis

5 - Evaluation

Skill

Levels

A new verb at

Level 4

Prioritise


Syllabus - Skills Development

Performance Pillar Financial Pillar

Paper P1 -

Performance

Operations

Paper P2 -

Performance

Management

Enterprise Pillar

Paper F2 -

Financial

Management

Paper F1 -

Financial

Operations

Paper F3 -

Financial

Strategy

Paper P3 -

Performance

Strategy

Paper E3 -

Enterprise

Strategy

Test of Professional Competence in Management Accounting

Pre-requisite Entry Requirements (e.g. CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting)

Str

ate

gic

Le

ve

l

Ma

na

ge

me

nt

Le

ve

l

Paper E1 -

Enterprise

Operations

Paper E2 -

Enterprise

Management

Award - CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting

Award - CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting

Op

era

tio

na

l

Le

ve

l

Award – Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

Part A – Initial Professional

Development – Assessment of

Work Based Practical Experience

Part B – Case Study Examination

based on Preseen and Unseen

MaterialP

rofe

ss

ion

al

Co

mp

ete

nc

e

Performance Pillar Financial Pillar

Paper P1 -

Performance

Operations

Paper P2 -

Performance

Management

Enterprise Pillar

Paper F2 -

Financial

Management

Paper F1 -

Financial

Operations

Paper F3 -

Financial

Strategy

Paper P3 -

Performance

Strategy

Paper E3 -

Enterprise

Strategy

Test of Professional Competence in Management Accounting

Pre-requisite Entry Requirements (e.g. CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting)

Str

ate

gic

Le

ve

l

Ma

na

ge

me

nt

Le

ve

l

Paper E1 -

Enterprise

Operations

Paper E2 -

Enterprise

Management

Award - CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting

Award - CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting

Op

era

tio

na

l

Le

ve

l

Award – Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

Part A – Initial Professional

Development – Assessment of

Work Based Practical Experience

Part B – Case Study Examination

based on Preseen and Unseen

MaterialP

rofe

ss

ion

al

Co

mp

ete

nc

e

Generally assessed at Levels 1 to 3

Knowledge – Comprehension - Application


Comprehension – Application - Analysis


Application – Analysis - Evaluation


Application – Analysis - Evaluation


Exam Skills and

Learning OutcomesLearning outcomes - Lead

Learning outcomes -

Component Indicative

content


Exam Skills and

Learning Outcomes

• How do we know the nature / level of skills

examined?

• Look at the VERB – at the beginning of each

Learning Outcome („rules of the game‟)

• In the exam, you are expected to show ‘what

you can do’ (not just what you know)!


Learning Outcome Illustration

Discuss the value of post-completion audit

(E2 – B – i)

• Level 4 skill (Analyse)

• No questions with ‘Advise’, ‘Evaluate’ or

‘Recommend’

• Level 1 – 3 verbs possible

• Most difficult question could be ???


Task 1

• How many marks for each VERB?


Exam Skills and

Learning Outcomes

• How to demonstrate the skills / competence

tested? – look at the VERB !

• David Harris explains CIMA Verbs

comprehensively.


Learning Outcomes Examined

Learning Outcome Sep

2011

May

2011

Mar

2011

Nov

2010

Sep

2010

May

2010

Pilot

Paper

Distinguish between different

types of competitive environments

2a

(8)

Produce a strategy for a project

Discuss alternative approaches to

the management of conflicts

3c

(12)


Learning Outcomes Examined

Past paper questions analysed under learning

outcomes of the full syllabus

o Gives a feeler as to how learning outcomes are

tested

o Practice questions after each learning outcome

is studied

o Can identify knowledge / skill gaps.


• Syllabus

• Past exam papers and model answers

• Post exam guides (PEGs)

• Technical articles – FM magazine

• Study articles – Velocity magazine

• „Ask a Tutor‟ – every April and October

• CIMAsphere boards, groups, blogs

• CIMA local and student events

• Video on verbs and exam techniques

Free CIMA study resources


www.cimaglobal.com/resourcemaps


Now, Sit Down and Study.

o Start with Learning Outcomes

o Know and Understand topics / tools / models

/ techniques

o Have a look at Past Paper Questions

o Short Notes (because, if you want to

remember something, write it down)

o Business press / TV / real life examples ???

Have you done enough to show

the skills examined?


Pleasing the Examiner.


In the Exam,

Students Normally:

• Read the question

• Understand the question

• Answer the question


What students ought to do

in the exam hall?

Read

Understand

PlanAnswer


The examiners say……

“ Two of the main reasons why candidates lose

marks are by answering only part of the

question, and by answering the question they

hoped for rather than the question asked.”

How to please the examiner

Read the question:


How to please the examiner?

• Read the question

Briefly explain what is meant by „mission

statement‟ and recommend a suitable

mission statement for XX.

(10 marks)



• Read the questionBriefly explain what is meant by „mission statement‟ and recommend

a suitable mission statement for XX (10 marks)

Common Mistakes:

– Mis-read question

– Brain dump on a key word / phrase in the question

– Fail to address the verb

– Answer only the first task of the question



• Understand the question

• Plan the answer

Identify ways in which information

technology and information systems

might improve XX‟s operations.

(10 marks) E1 specimen paper, Q 4 a



• First, Structure planning• Topic (knowledge)

• Verb (nature & level of skills)

• Marks allocation (time and length of the answer)

• Then, Content planning• Scenario information or Data

(to add value to the answer)



• Yours Answer Plan

• Can afford to spend 1/3 of time

• Do it on the question paper or answer

booklet

• You don‟t want the marker to read it, then ?

• No marks for your answer plan, but it

increases your marks potential

Remember, if you fail to plan – you plan to fail!



• Answer the question

You never lose marks,

only collect them.



• Reward worthy writing

– Short sentences with clear & precise points

and less punctuation (20 words)

– Build your argument step by step into small

paragraphs (3-4) sentences

– What / Why / However approach



Answer layout is as equally important as answer content.

• Heading / sub-heading

• Paragraphing

• White space

• Bullets / numbering

• Selective underlining

• Pro-formas, labels etc. are few hints.

Impress the marker

and make the life of the marker easier.


The examiners say……

“ There is little evidence that students are

optimising the reading time in order to score more

marks”


Use the reading time effectively:


• Operational papers: work through section A

• Management papers: plan section B answers

• Strategic papers: decide which two of the three

section B questions you will attempt, and plan

your answers

• T4 part B – read and make notes on unseen


Use the reading time effectively:


• Make full use of the 20 minutes reading time to start

planning your answers

• Allow 1.8 minutes per mark:

• 5 mark question – 9 minutes




Watch your time:


• Answer only part of the question paper!


Rules of the game: what NOT to do

50 marks out of 100 50% of available marks





Relaxed Body and

Peaceful Mindo Exam stress – problem for all students, yet

it’s normal

o Good exam preparation

o Rehearse the exam day

o Sit and relax in a ‘peaceful place’

o ‘To do list’ for the exam day

o Relaxation techniques

Exam Stress causes stupid mistakes !!!


Exam

Techniques

DubaiOctober / November 2011

Documents

Exam Techniques - CIMA locations docs/Middle East/CIMA... · Exam Techniques ME October / November ... (20 words) –Build your argument step by step into small ... Impress the marker