Essay-Type Exams

Dr. Mark Matthews

Student Learning

Essay-Type Exams

• Discuss concepts & issues in depth

• Develop an argument

• Your choices are: 1. What to say?

2. How to say it?

Today

1. Where marks are lost?

2. How to do well

3. Practice

4. Writing Style

Sources:

Exam Guide, SU & Student Learning

How to Do Badly in Examinations, Dr. Frank Bannister

How to Succeed in Exams.. , McMillan & Weyers

Grading

Grading

I

Thorough, deep understanding

Critical thinking, insight, creativity

Well written

Nearly all points

II.I

Good grasp of subject

Critical & Analytical thinking

Logical Clear Presentation

Nearly all key points

Grading

II.II

Solid Answer

Knowledge beyond lectures

Good on facts

Writing good, some structure

III

Knowledge Facts, but little insight

Narrow/ No critical thought

Poorly written / incoherent

F

Little Factual Content & Errors

Where marks are lost

Time Wasting

• Writing out the question

• Pointless Definitions / Quotes

Unbalance Answers

Maximum gains for time are in

the early stages of your answer

Plan your time in advance

Rehearse producing quality

work in time available

Equal Time for Equal Marks

Maximum gain

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Time in minutes

% p

erso

nal b

est

Unnecessary content

• Taking a long time to get to the point

• Irrelevance

• Repetition

1. Present what you know

2. Add Value

3. Get to the point

Over-complication

What is meant by each of the following data mining terms? In each case, include a simple example to illustrate your answer.• Decision trees;• Clustering;• Accuracy;• Coverage. (8 Marks)

Over-complication

Decision trees are used in data mining as a way of progressively breaking down data into groups. As this happens, the number in each classification may be noted. A customer database may break down as 70% male, 30% female. The males may be divided into those that spend over €1,000 a year with us (90%) and those that do not (10%). The same subdivision for female shows that only 2% of females spend over €1,000 with us. The high spending males break-down into 77% under 30 and 23% over 30 years of age. When females are divided into high and low spending, it might be found that 80% of high

spenders are repeat customers and 20% are not. Low spending females, on the other hand, might be 90% non repeating customers. A parallel analysis of high spending male customers might show that…

How you lose marks

• Re-interpreting the Question

• Poor English

• Bullet Points

• Lack of structure (aka Brain Dumping)

• General Statements

• Padding

Re-Interpreting the Question

What is/are the function(s) of merchants?Merchants emerged in the USA, the UK, Japan and Germany. In the USA the merchant was highly regarded and the more wealth that he accumulated the higher his status. Many merchants demonstrated their status by building large properties and endowing public works. In Japan the status of the merchant was low. Merchants were at the bottom of the social order behind samurai and even peasants. The latter were at least seen as creating something; merchants were viewed as necessary parasites. Etc.

Generalities

What is meant by the term ‘data mining’?

Data mining is an important technique used

in computer systems. Companies use data

mining to mine data. Many companies

today use data mining for a variety of

applications.

PaddingWork breakdown structures are important. They are used in all projects including civil, mechanical and electrical engineering projects as well as software projects. Work breakdown structures decompose the work to be done in a project into successively smaller components. The result is a hierarchical structure. This is usually done by the project manager, but may be done by sub managers or engineers. Being able to prepare a work breakdown is an important project management skill and needs experience. Specialist engineers may be required to complete a WBS where specialised work is involved. The work breakdown structure enables the project manager to estimate more accurately and later on helps in controlling the project. A typical breakdown may start with a project being divided into phases, stages, activities and tasks. The lowest level in the breakdown is usually a task though occasionally task may be further subdivided into sub-task or even steps. The number of tasks in a project can be very large. The absence of a work breakdown structure can cause problems in a project as it may not be possible to estimate accurately or assign work effectively. If the work breakdown structure is not complete in some way, then the project is almost certain to overrun. One project manager was quoted as saying that a good work breakdown structure is of ‘monumental importance’. A proper work breakdown structure is normally coded with a simple numeric coding system. The work breakdown structure may also be reflected in

a Gantt chart. A Gantt chart is a sort of horizontal bar chart used for showing the timing and duration of the various stages of a project.

How to Do Well

Answer the Question

Demonstrating that you understand the question is the first step in producing an answer

How you structure your answer is as important as what you know

More is not necessarily better

First of All

Understand what is being askedOnly answer the QUESTIONDo not include irrelevant materialLook for keywords: “Cause & Effect”

“Explain & Discuss” “Compare & Contrast”

Step-by-Step Method

1. Read Question

2. Capture your idea

3. Do quick outline

4. You can adjust as you answer

5. Then begin to write your answer

Introduction

• The introduction is about the question – not the answer

• Restate the question in your own words

• Find and use the key words

• Show that you know what the point of the question is by defining the key words/concepts/theories etc (see handout on key verbs).

Structure for essay writing

Introduction

Main body – divided into paragraphs (make point, expand and give evidence)

Conclusion

Adapted from: Rosenwasser, David and Jill Stephen. Writing Analytically. 3rd ed. Boston: Heinle/Thompson Learning. Inc, 2003. Seattle University Writing Centre. For more information: Hacker, Diana. A Writers Reference. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003.

Equal time for equal marks

Leave time at beginning (to plan) and end (to check) paper.

Question 2

40 minutes

Question 3

40 minutes

Question 4

40 minutesQuestion 1

40 minutes

How to do well

1. Provide Analytical Answer (not descriptive)

2. Describe the context & situation

3. Discuss the implications (theoretical & practical)

4. Display evidence of reading/ thinking around debate

5. Cover all sides

Practice

How do you prepare?

1. What do you do the week before the exam?

2. What do you do in the exam?

Not practicing leads to..

• Poor Handwriting

• Brain Dumping

• Irrelevant Material

• Poor Structure

• Running out of time

• Anxiety

Would you sit your driving test without ever driving a car?

Practice makes perfect…

Practice Exam Skills

• 50% how well you know your material

• 50% performance in exams

• Knowing something is not the same as being able to do it when the situation demands it.

• You need to practice in a simulated environment.

Steps to Practice

1. Get sample exam questions2. Practice your starting procedures3. Practice analysing questions (5 mins)4. Practice generating ideas (5 mins)5. Practice developing a structure (5 mins)6. Practice writing Introduction (5 mins)7. Practice past exam questions (timed and un

timed)8. Mark your own answers as critically as

possibly

Study preparation

1. Generate a list of major topics using your notes and past exam papers.

2. Create a chart or summary sheet of the main topics and any relationship between themes.

3. Generate ideas and plan an outline for each question

4. Follow a structure and review your essays (time spent and quality of your answers)

Exam Writing

Writing

• Not the same level as assessment

• Keep your writing simple

• Short sentences

• Few sub-clauses

• Practice writing

• Avoid unsupported value judgements- “World War II was really important.”

Think about your

examiner

Tour Guide

• “This is the broad area, but these are the key issues because…”

• Use signpost words to develop your argument

• Headings to delineate sections

Exam Revision Workshop

http://www.empowertheuser.com:8080/ASPIREv4SC/

Student Learning Development

Thank you for your time& Good Luck

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