Examtechniqueclasses

Examtechniqueclassesareaimedathelpingstudentswhenansweringquestionsinexternal,
periodicandfinalexams.Certainskillsarerequiredinordertogainfullmarksespeciallyin
externalexams.Examtechniqueclasseswillhelpstudentsachievetheseskillsandimprove
theirgrades.
Thisdocumentcontainsaguideontheskillsrequiredandhowtogoaboutmasteringthemin
ordertoachieveagradeAintheexternalexamstakenatlevelN.Therearealsopastpaper
questionsattheendofthisdocumentwhichteacherswilluseinclasstopracticewithstudents.

ASBusinessStudies

TogetagoodgradeintheASBusinessstudies,youneedagoodunderstandingofthesubjectmatter,an
uptodateawarenessofcurrentbusinessissues,goodcommunicationskillsandgoodexamtechnique.

TheEdexcelASlevelBusinessexamconsistsoftwopapers/units

Unit1:DevelopingNewBusinessIdeas.(examinerisJimByng)
Thisisanintroductiontobusinessandbusinessideas.Usuallybasedonmaterialyouhave
beencoveringinyourhomeworkexams.
Contentsummary:
Thisunitcoversthecharacteristicsstudentswouldneedtodeveloptobesuccessfulinbusinessandhow
neworexistingbusinessesgeneratetheirproductorserviceideasandtestthemthroughmarket
research.Studentsshouldalsoconsiderthecompetitioninthemarket;theeconomicclimate;howthe
businessmightbefinancedandhowmuchrevenuetheideamightgenerate.
Assessment:
SectionA:supportedmultiplechoicequestions,wherestudentswriteashortjustificationofwhythey
chosethatanswerand/orwhytheotheranswersareincorrect,worth32marksoutof70marks(8
multiplechoicequestions).
SectionB:questionsbasedondata,worth38marksoutoftotalof70marks.
Note:Thisunitisbasedonyourbasicknowledge.Homeworkquestionshelpimproveyourbasic
knowledgeforthisexam.

Unit2b:ManagingtheBusiness(Examiner:KerieWelhan)
Contentsummary:
Thisunitcoverskeyactivitieswhichstudentsmaybeinvolvediniftheyweretosetupand/ormanagea
businesswhethersmall,mediumsizedorlarge.Italsointroducesstudentstosomebasicmanagement
toolsandmodelswhichwillbedevelopedintheA2qualificationsiftheycontinuethissubjectatgrade
13level.
Assessment:
Examinationof1hour15minutesintwosections.Totalof70marks.
SectionA:supportedmultiplechoicequestionswherestudentswriteashortjustificationofwhythey
chosethatanswerand/orwhytheotheranswersareincorrect,worth24marksoutof70marks(6
multiplechoicequestions).
SectionB:questionsbasedondata,worth46marksoutoftotalof70marks.

Thefourbasicskillsforthisexamareasfollows:
A01:Demonstrateknowledgeandunderstandingofthespecifiedcontent.
30%ofthetotalASexam.
A02:Applyknowledgeandunderstanding(incontext)ofthe
specifiedcontenttoproblemsandissuesarisingfrombothfamiliarand
unfamiliarsituations.30%ofthetotalASexam.

A03:Analyseproblems,issuesandsituations.20%ofthetotalASexam.

A04:Evaluate,distinguishbetweenandassessappropriatenessoffactand
opinion,andjudgeinformationfromavarietyofsources.20%ofthetotalAS
exam.

Understandingtheseskillsinmoredetail:
1. Knowledge:Thisisanaccurateunderstandingofwhatbusinessconceptsmean.E.g.
adefinitionshowsknowledge.
Commandwordsusedinexamsquestions:

Identify

Outline

State

2. Application:yourknowledgemustbeapplied(linked)totheexamplebusinessin
thequestion/caseoruseyourownexampletoillustratewhatyouaretryingtoexplain.
Therewillalwaysbedatainthecasethatyoucanrelatetoinordertogainyour
applicationsmarks.Youmustpickoutthisinformationandmentionit.
Commandwordsusedinexamsquestions:
HowmightbusinessX?
SuggesthowbusinessX..

3. Analysis:Identify

Causes

Costs

Consequences

Ifthenstatementstoexplorepossibilities.Linkchainofideas.
Whenyoucommentorexplainaresultbasedonknowledgeandtheoryofthesubject.
Commandwordsusedinexamsquestions:

Analyse

Explain

Examine

Why?

4. Evaluation:Thesewillbethehighestmarkquestions
Howwouldyoujustifyyourdecision,ordoyouthinkitwasawisedecision?Discussyour
decision.Thisislikebeinginacourtcase,whereyoulookatbothsidesoftheargumentand
thenmakeadecisionattheendbasedoncertainpointsthatyoufeltwerevitalinhelping
youmakeyourdecision.
Evaluationisessentiallypros/cons,advantages/disadvantagesorcosts/benefitsor
whateverthequestionis.
Reliabilityofmaterialinthecaseisalwaysagoodwayofevaluatingyourdecision.
Shortrun/longruneffectsmightcomeundereitheranalysis,butcanalsobeusedto
evaluate.
Commandwordsusedinexamsquestionsthatwantyoutoevaluate:

Examine

Discuss

Asses

Evaluate

Recommend

Towhatextent

Justify

Followthetemplateinappendix1tohelpyouplanyouranswer.Thisisusedby
examinersthemselvesintheirownclassrooms.

Howaremarksdistributedtowardsthedifferentskillsintheexam:

HowtodealwithSupportedMultiplechoice
Herestudentsneedtochoosethecorrectanswerandsupportitwithawrittenexplanation.1markis
givenforcorrectanswerand3marksfortheexplanation.

Examplesonhowtoscorethe3marksintheexplanation?
Adefinitionofaconceptinthequestionwillalwaysgiveyou1mark
Acalculationwillgiveyou1mark

 Workingoutgivesyou1mark,butyoumustshowyourworkingclearly
Anexplanationofwhythisisthecorrectanswergivesyou12marks
Anannotationonadiagramgivesyou1mark,e.g.shadingintheareaof
profitgivesyou1mark
Thereisacapof2marksoutof3marksforexplainingwhytheothersare
notcorrect(knownasknockouts).
Forexample,adefinitionandtwoknockoutsgetsyoufullmarks.

HowtodealwithCasestudies
TheASexamwillconsistofatotalof2casestudies,whichareanindepthbusinessscenario.Hereyou
willneedtoshowyourabilitytoanalyseandevaluateasituationwhilstbeingincontextwiththecase.
Casestudiesareusuallyusedtointegratetheassessmentofvarioustopics.Inordertoscoreahighmark
incasesstudies,youmustalwaysrelateyouranswerstothescenarioandthesituationgiventoyou.
Thisinvolvesplacingyouranswersinarealisticcontextandhowthefirminthecaseislikelytoreactin
thatsituation.
Eachquestionwillhaveacommandword(wewilllookattheselateroninmoredetail);thiswilldirect
youtoanswerthequestioninawaythatwillenableyoutoscorefullmarks.Marksallocationineach
questionwillhelpyouformulatetheanswerneededandtheamountoftimeyoushouldbespendingon
eachquestion.
Examinerslikeitwhenstudentsunderstandhowtowriteinordertogetfullmarks.Itmakesmarkingfor
themfareasier.
Youalwaysstarttheexambydefiningkeybusinessterminologythathasbeenusedinthequestion.
Analysethequestion,usingtheorywhennecessary,andwithreferencetothecase.Makeajudgement
whenyoureaskedtodosoandjustifyit.

Howtounderstandthemarksbesidethequestion:
Thefollowingisnotarulesetinstone,butcanbeausefultoolwhenansweringquestions.

6markquestions:areusuallyforbrieflyanalysequestions(2forknowledge+2for
application+2foranalysis)

8markquestions:foranalysequestions(2forknowledge+2forapplication+4foranalysis)

8marksquestions:forassesquestions(1forknowledge+2forapplication+2foranalysis+
3forevaluation)

9markquestions:areusuallyforAssessquestions(2forknowledge+2forapplication+2
foranalysis+2forevaluation)

10marksquestions:forasses/evaluatequestions(1knowledge+1forapplication+3for
analysis+5forevaluation)

12markquestions:areusuallyforEvaluatequestions(2forknowledge+2forapplication
+3foranalysis+5forevaluation)

15markquestions:areusuallyforEvaluationquestions(2forknowledge+1for
application+4foranalysis+8forevaluation)

Questionswithhighmarkshaveabalance,lookfrombothpointsofview!evenifyouhaveabrilliant
answerthatisonesided,becauseyouwontgainfullmarks.
Alwaysendthebigmarkquestion(12marksormore)summingupandgivingaconclusion.
Note:Ifyousuccessfullyevaluate,thenyoumusthaveknowledgeandbeincontextsoyouwillgainyour
knowledgeandapplicationmarksautomaticallyandgetthefirst2skillsA01andA02.

EvaluationintermsofMOPS
TogainthehighestmarksstudentsareusingtheacronymMOPSasausefultoolwhenevaluating
questions.Eachlettercanbeusedasanaidonforhowtheirconclusioncanbecontextualised.But
MOPSismostlyusedintheA2partoftheexamtakeningrade13,butcanbeusedalsoasausefultool
intheAStooforthehighmarkquestionswithevaluation.

MOPS:

M:Market:Howdoesthemarketeffectthequestion?Whatarethecharacteristicsofthemarketin
whichthebusinessoperates?Howdoesthisinfluenceyourconclusion?e.g.,likeifyouroutsourcingand
themarketinwhichthefirmsinoperatingisverycompetitivethenitmaybeagoodideatogetthecost
advantageoverothercompetitors.

O:Objectives:Howdothefirmsobjectivesaligntothesituationinwhichtheyfindthemselves.What
aretheobjectivesofthebusiness?Howdoesthisinfluenceyourconclusion?

P:Product:Whatproductsorservicesdoesthebusinesssell?Howmightthisinfluenceyourthinking?
Howdoestheproductthatthefirmproducelenditselftothesituation,forexampleequipmentthatcan
easilybemassproducedbyunskilledlabourisbettertooutsourcethanonethatneedshightechcapital
andskilledhumaninputs.

S:Whatisthecurrentsituationthebusinessfindsitselfin?Doesthisaffectyourconclusion?

Tipsfromtheexaminers:
Usetheoneminutepermarkrulewhenansweringquestions.
Theexaminerunit1(JimByng)tendstobeverykeenonstudentsusing
context.HeisalsoveryfondofleastandNotquestions,thetypeused
inyoureconomicsandBusinessAMSandH.Wexamssincegrade10.
Useexamplesifyouhaveany,theycanboostdodgydefinitions.
Ifyouputtwolettersastheanswerinthemultiplechoice,thatsaninstant
zeroforthatquestion.
Lookforcommandwordsinthequestionandansweraccordingly.
Alwaysanswerthequestionsetbytheexaminer,notthequestionyou
wouldliketoanswer!
Neveruseslangintheexam,likegobust.Avoidthewordmoney,use
profitorrevenue.

 Alwayswriteinspaceprovidedanddonotdraw/writeinpencil.
Usesupplementarysheetsifneedso.
Donotusetextbookanswers;beincontext/themewiththecase
otherwiseyouwilllosemarks.
Bulletpointanswersarenotrecommended
Studentsmakeamistakeofwritingtoomuchonearlier(easier)questions
andneverreachthelastquestions.Moveonandcomebacklateriftimeis
left.
Donotrewriteevidenceinyouranswers,justrefertotablesorline
numbers,thiswillsavetime.
Read,readandthenrereadthequestion.Makesureyouranswerapplies
tothequestion.Somestudentsmisreadthequestionandwritethewrong
answer.
Donotwaffle,youwillnotgetanyextramarks.
Donotuseetc.,principalexaminerspethate.
Donotputlongdefinitionsiftheydontaddanything.Theywilltakespace
andwontgainyouanymarks.
Makesureyouspellproperly,especiallythewordbusiness.
RememberEdexcelmarkpositively.
Studentsdontassessorevaluateenoughandthatswheretheylose
marks.
Wordslikehoweverandbutshowyourevaluatingyourresponse.
Thesearewherethetopmarksare.Dontspendtoomuchtimediscussing
alternativesnotsuggestedbythequestion.
Writeaconclusionevenifitsbrief.

 Workonyourdefinitions,theyareawayofboostingyourmarksonthe
lowermarkquestions.
Useyourcommonsensewhensuggestingpossiblestrategies.Thinkifthey
arefeasibleandcommentontheirpotentialsuccessifitisalongerpoint
question.
Wittyandruderemarksearnyounothingandwastetime.
Donotrepeatyourself.

Appendix1
AnswerFramework
Introduction/concepts:youneedtotalkaboutbusinessconceptsthathavebeen
mentionedinthelesson.

Advantages/argumentsfor:
Becausethismeansthatthisislikely
to
Linkthesewithhoweverandbut.

Disadvantages/arguments
against:
Becausethismeansthatthisislikely
to
Linkthesewithhoweverandbut.

Yourjudgements:Whatdoyouthink?Thereisnorightorwronganswerforthis;you
justhavetobackupyourdecisionwithreasons.Butyoumustcometoajudgement.

Thisdivide
iskeytoteach
students

Conclusion:

Nowthatyouhavestudiedtheexamformatcarefullyandunderstoodtheskillsneededtogain
maximummarks,itstimetopracticewhatyouhavelearnt.Thebestwaytopracticefortheexamisto
dosomepastpapers.Spendthenextfewweeksbeforetheexamgoingoverpastpaperswithyour
teacherandthendoingsomeonyourown.Butremember,themostimportanttooltodoingpastpapers
iscomparingyouranswerstothemarkingscheme.Thisgivesyouanindicationonhowaccurateand
correctyouransweris.

HowtoconducttheExamtechniqueclasses
Pleaseusethepastexampapersattachedtothisdocumentandthemarkingschemeduringthese
sessions.Eachstudentshouldhaveacopyoftheexampaper.Eachquestionwillbereadoutacoupleof
timestotheclassbytheteacher.Individually,studentswillthenthinkabouthowtheywillanswerthe
questionandtheywillwritetheirideasintheircopybooks.Enoughtimeshouldbegivenforstudentsto
thinkabouttheiranswersanddiscussthesewithintheirgroupsmembers,ledbythegroupleader/
subjectprefect.Assoonaseveryoneisready,theteacher,intheformofadiscussion,shouldgoover
everyonesanswerandwriteontheboard,inorder,presentinghowtheanswershouldbe.Allstudents
mustthenwrite,intheircopybooks,thecorrectanswertothequestion.Focusshouldbeon
understandingthecorrectorderofansweringaquestion.Thisisessentialtoscoringfullmarksinexams.