23-09-2014, 06:38 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-08-2019, 07:14 PM by dorothy.pipet.)
A good written answer
1) answers the question, the whole question, and doesn't stray too far from the question;
2) is clearly structured and concisely written;
3) Takes account of how many marks are available for each part;
4) uses diagrams, tables etc to aid explanation/understanding.
You're leaving it very late for this year but I suggest doing past paper attempts and asking someone to comment on them. In my preparation I ensured I could attempt 4+ written questions in each year's paper as I didn't know what would come up.
Think about how you're going to use the reading time to choose which questions to tackle. This is your chance to read them very carefully. I found that there were several questions that looked good, but that was really only the first part - the second/third parts would have left me floundering so watch out for this.
For a question such as "List key advantages and disadvantages of axle counters and track circuits for train detection" how many marks are there? Aim to state that many advantages/disadvantages spread evenly between the options given.
Also think about exam technique - once you're picking up a pen in the exam. Is it worth jotting down anything that you're thinking of on a scrap paper, then briefly structuring your answer before you start writing it properly? Remember you have to aim to gain a mark a minute on average. This means writing concisely, and there is no time to add much of indirect relevance to the question.
There's often questions about risks, hazards, consequences, mitigation and/or advantages, disadvantages. Have a look at some past questions and think about how these might be presented - they're the type of thing that might go into a table (you could use the A3 paper instead of A4 lined paper)
1) answers the question, the whole question, and doesn't stray too far from the question;
2) is clearly structured and concisely written;
3) Takes account of how many marks are available for each part;
4) uses diagrams, tables etc to aid explanation/understanding.
You're leaving it very late for this year but I suggest doing past paper attempts and asking someone to comment on them. In my preparation I ensured I could attempt 4+ written questions in each year's paper as I didn't know what would come up.
Think about how you're going to use the reading time to choose which questions to tackle. This is your chance to read them very carefully. I found that there were several questions that looked good, but that was really only the first part - the second/third parts would have left me floundering so watch out for this.
For a question such as "List key advantages and disadvantages of axle counters and track circuits for train detection" how many marks are there? Aim to state that many advantages/disadvantages spread evenly between the options given.
Also think about exam technique - once you're picking up a pen in the exam. Is it worth jotting down anything that you're thinking of on a scrap paper, then briefly structuring your answer before you start writing it properly? Remember you have to aim to gain a mark a minute on average. This means writing concisely, and there is no time to add much of indirect relevance to the question.
There's often questions about risks, hazards, consequences, mitigation and/or advantages, disadvantages. Have a look at some past questions and think about how these might be presented - they're the type of thing that might go into a table (you could use the A3 paper instead of A4 lined paper)