Examinations

Below are some tips to help students prepare for and sit the exams:

Plan how much time you are going to spend on each section. Try to manage your time carefully so that you can attempt to answer all the questions.

Read the stem of the question carefully – you will have to adapt the answer to suit the stem.
Highlight keywords in a question, as this will help you focus on the answer.
Make sure you know what is meant by the words ‘explain’, ‘discuss’, ‘state’ and ‘list’.

Plan what you are going to write before you start.
Look at the mark allocation so you know how much to write in the answer.
Think before you write – make sure you use technological terms and condense your work.
Always try to justify your answer by proving an example of what you mean. Do not write answers such as ‘quicker’, ‘fast’, ‘more efficient’; instead write ‘it is faster than…’ or ‘faster because...’ ‘it is more efficient in terms of...’
Write in full sentences - do not use short hand.
Read over your answer to make sure it matches the question.
Remember there are marks for your quality of written communication (QWC).
Write clearly so the examiner can read your answer.
Make sure your handwriting isn’t too big (your answer won’t fit in the space provided) or too small (the examiner won’t be able to read your answer).
If you need more space to complete an answer, make sure you clearly label where the rest of the answer is.
Answer all questions – if you don’t write anything then you will definitely get no marks.

For more information, see the full course specification.