Sept Exam (CM1 and CM2)- Microsoft Word

Discussion in 'General study / exams' started by Jia Syuen, May 27, 2020.

  1. Jia Syuen

    Jia Syuen Active Member

    Hi guys. I've been notified that the exams on september will be conducted online. We need to type in our answers in Microsoft Word instead of a handwritten answer script.

    I wonder how we are going to type actuarial notation into the word? And do you think 3 hours 15 mins are enough for the exam as we are now required to type in our answers.
     
    Ioannis28 likes this.
  2. Arfan Rahman

    Arfan Rahman Member

    This is really strange - but ultimately fair given that university actuarial students are also sitting exams online.

    Seems to make sense to use Microsoft Word to answer past papers questions and use the notations from the course notes.
     
  3. Jia Syuen

    Jia Syuen Active Member

    But how are we going to type? As I know we cannot type actuarial notation into Microsoft Word.
     
  4. mavvj

    mavvj Ton up Member

    Hopefully detailed guidance as to what is expected will be given soon.
     
  5. newkid

    newkid Ton up Member

    Had a look at some past papers of CM2 - a lot of answers don't actually require any symbols - and i suspect any that do will be omitted - for example A2019 - think there is one question that wouldn't be able to do - and in S2019 - maybe 2 questions.
     
  6. Arfan Rahman

    Arfan Rahman Member

    Jia Syeun, you are absolutely correct. i am trying to answer questions via my laptop and it is not easy and incredibly frustrating. I am planning to take three exams in september and have been preparing well however i am very afraid that i wont be able to do well on a computer based exam.

    Acted/IFOA needs to give us more information in how to adequately prepare!!!

    I implore other members to be on IFOA/acted's case for further guidance otherwise they will stand idle and the September exams for many of us will go to waste.
     
  7. Calm

    Calm Ton up Member

    I was wondering if, hopefully, the feedback suggests that they would allow us to scan in handwritten answers for parts of the paper (and pasted into Word), if you feel doing so is faster.
     
  8. mavvj

    mavvj Ton up Member

    They've already explicitly said no to scanning.
     
  9. Arfan Rahman

    Arfan Rahman Member

    Scanning will be ideal - but as mavvj has said- IFOA have been explicit that this will not be allowed. How can anyone answer questions, for example, from chapter 4 and 5 from Word. I dont think IFOA have thought this through, exam day will be a disaster unless scanning is allowed !!!!
     
  10. John Lee

    John Lee ActEd Tutor Staff Member

    From the Profession's website:

    Can I use Excel to help construct my answers?
    Most of the examination subjects require the answers to be provided in Microsoft Word. The exceptions to this are CP2, CM1 Paper B and CM2 Paper B. When sitting other subjects, you may find it useful to use Microsoft Excel to aid with the construction of your answers. If you do this you must copy and paste any Excel content into your final submitted Word document.


    Questions on the chapters you have mentioned would be best placed to be answered in Excel rather than Word and hence actuarial notation is not required.

    Hope that clarifies things.
     
  11. dazz101

    dazz101 Member

    As using equations is allowed, I assume that we can also use the 'Ink Equation' option when we can use our handwriting to write equations. This could be a great option for people who have a graphics tablet. Please correct me in case this is not allowed. I personally struggle when I look at my equations in Word that don't have subscripts, superscripts, etc. I feel like I lose too much time making all my equations look like what I'm used to, but if I don't, I lose time trying to process what they represent. I really hope that it will be taken into account that we can't write equations in Word as quickly as on paper.
     
  12. laura_mils

    laura_mils Active Member

    I don'T think ink equation would be allowed on the FAQ:

    https://www.actuaries.org.uk/studying/exam-bookings/exam-dates-2020/exams-faqs

    Can I use a device that converts handwritten text into typed text automatically?
    Updated 21 August 2020

    No. Candidates can only use standard functions available in Excel, Word and R (excluding the use of Macros). Not all students will have access to additional hardware or software that would allow them input to MS Office products e.g. Apple pencil and Surface pen. Therefore, allowing candidates to use handwriting conversion hardware or software, would give some candidates advantage over those who do not have access to this hardware or software.
    All answers must therefore be completed using keyboard entry unless we have agreed to the use of specific software as part of an access arrangement




    It's been taking me so much longer to answer any questions in word too, and I am worried the wordy bookwork questions will be gone, so will really struggle to do the paper in the time.
     
  13. dazz101

    dazz101 Member

    Thanks Laura. I can see that this information was added the day after I mentioned it, weird coincidence or not, but I guess I'm glad it's been clarified.
     
  14. laura_mils

    laura_mils Active Member

    I thought that, thought maybe you emailed them to ask them too which is why it went in the FAQ! Don't believe it's a coincidence haha
     
  15. dazz101

    dazz101 Member

    No, I didn't email them. Well, I think we all know that IFOA is very active on this forum, definitely not a coincidence haha. No idea how it's going to be distinguished between using an ink equation and a normal equation, the same goes for built-in equations. These are standard features of Microsoft Word that everyone has access to, and I feel like not using them might put us at disadvantage if others do. I totally agree that not everyone will have resources to buy a drawing tablet, but I found that even using a mouse can be faster for subscripts, etc than writing using a keyboard...no additional hardware or software is required for that.
     
  16. mavvj

    mavvj Ton up Member

    But it is a standard function in Word
     
  17. dazz101

    dazz101 Member

    Yes, it's a standard function, so based on my understanding, we can use it as long as we don't use any additional hardware with it.
     
  18. laura_mils

    laura_mils Active Member

    I have never actually heard of ink equation before, and have only just realised its a thing on Microsoft word (I am a laptop user). I have been practising by just using "insert equation" and just seen the ink equation for the first time now!
     
  19. laura_mils

    laura_mils Active Member

    had a play with it and for me its pretty rubbish with a mouse!
     
  20. Saksham Mehta

    Saksham Mehta Member

    I want to ask one thing that can we use in built function of calculate in word for the simple calculations in the quick access toolbar
    So we can select the whole simple calculations and then and then click on the calculate button on the Quick access toolbar, so we gets our answer for that calculation.
    We only have to select the calculations and then we will get our final answer. But it is only useful for the simple calculations not for the scientific one which includes the exponential and log functions
    So please tell me that can we use that in built feature of word in our September 2020 Examination as soon as possible
    Thank you
     

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