How to Pass the IRSE Exam

[PJW]

David Nicholson has supplied the latest version of this presentation (updated to recent exam changes) for the March 2011Study Day at Atkins.

[Jerry1237]

David has once again produce a superb presentation. The only real comment I have is on "Answer the questions in the time available".

Most people will find it hard to finish any module in the alloted time. Using exam technique, if there are three questions in an hour and a half, only allow yourself to write for thirty minutes for each question. Complete your strongest question first and weakest last. If you have time at the end, go back and add information to the first two questions but don't add information that has little or no value.

If the exam is practiced enough, exam technique will be gained and means your answers will be concise, precise and controlled. A good technique will seriously aid putting what is in your head onto paper.

[Walter125]

Hi dear,


David supplied an excellent presentation to pass IRSE exam.
It would be really helpful for passing IRSE exam.
Thanks for informing latest version of presentation.



Maitland Fitness

[steak]

If I answer a question, worth 5 marks,  in bullet point fashion can I therefore only use 5 points?
My thinking is if I use 8 but get 2 wrong will I still get 5 marks? Unless you are penalised by answering incorrectly ie like some marking systems. 
If I use 5 points but get 2 wrong will I only get 3 marks?

Any theories would be welcome

[PJW]

If I answer a question, worth 5 marks,  in bullet point fashion can I therefore only use 5 points?
My thinking is if I use 8 but get 2 wrong will I still get 5 marks? Unless you are penalised by answering incorrectly ie like some marking systems. 
If I use 5 points but get 2 wrong will I only get 3 marks?

Any theories would be welcomed

No, use as many bullets as you wish.  
Bear in mind that if aiming to get 5 marks then you should expect to to write for 5 minutes.  So 5 bullets of a couple of words each will not be enough, but 5 bullets of a couple of sentences would be. Or 5 high level bullets then broken down with multiple sub bullets would also be suitable.

One of your main bullets could perhaps be “Routine Maintenance”  and then you could add under that:
- inspect
- clean
- lubricate
- measure
- adjust
Etc. To put some flesh onto the bones.

If it seems just to want a lot of ideas then perhaps just a bullet point list of the briefest explanation possible but lots of them, so perhaps 15.

You will only get marks for that which is right and relevant.  You won’t directly have marks subtracted for things being wrong or irrelevant, but you won’t get any marks for it and just waste of your valuable exam time; however I think that indirectly you might lose as it is all about giving examiner confidence in your knowledge and experience and if you lose that trust then you won’t benefit from “giving the benefit of the doubt”.  Now if your 3 good bullets had been good and solid (as well as being relevant) then it is potentially possible that the examiner might think each was worth 2 marks each; I have to say this is unlikely (and in that case you’d have spent 10 minutes on the question worth only 5 marks) but they wouldn’t deliberately subtract marks for the other 2 being wrong; however the impression that  I would gain from 3 good bullets is better than I would gain from 3 good and 2 bad.
If you had a choice of buying in a shop a pack of 3 batteries, or a pack of 5 batteries for the same price but being told that 2 of them were duff but you had to work out which they were, which pack would you buy?

[steak]

Gotcha, cheers for that Peter, just refining my answering techniques. 

Out of curiosity would the second pack of batteries be on sale.......?