Length of solutions

[didster]

Could anyone give me some pointers on the length of solutions to questions?

The Institute reports say something like : these are not model solutions. Although they contain the majority of points, they are more than could be expected to be written in the time"

Is it just me or is something amiss there? The solutions seem a bit short sometimes. I suppose thats why they use the word majority, expecting some more details somewhere. Yet they dont expect good students to have time to write all that.

To me this isnt very helpful

The Acted ASET Solutions are much longer and although they say they are longer than you need, it doesnt say what could be left out.
Also there doesnt seem to be much consistency with the length of solution to marks available.
Maybe Acted could make a model solution , One we are expected to write in the exam or provide a sample mark scheme.

I thought I was going ok before (after accounting for my lack of knowledge) but in one of the last assignments the marker commmented I wrote too much detail.
When I don't write much I just dont get marks, but again I dont want to waste too much time unnecessarily.

Sorry bout the length of the question ( too much detail, I suppose lol)

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated

 

[SummerBub]

For straightforward bookwork, it's easy - about 0.5 marks for each point made.

For difficult application-type exam questions, I find that I don't have that much to write anyway, maybe because I find it hard to understand what the question is asking for - see those last questions in recent exam papers. In this case, length is irrelevant. One can write a lot but if still cannot grasp the question, it will not get him/her a lot of marks! On the other hand, if one truly understand what the question is asking and answer to the point, a short paragraph could easily earn more marks than a one-page answer.

So maybe we shouldn't judge by the length, just answer the question - to the point. Wish I could do that though.

 

[bystander]

First pay attention to the verb:
List => you may be able to get away with a single key word per point
Discuss => both sides of an argument
Explain => more depth on a single concept
Describe => yet more detail

Second: adjectives
large/small/new old/
Make sure you focus on each aspect of the scenario you have. Don't go into other scenarios

Ideas like simplicity have different facets: of calculation/understanding/communication/checking/speed/cost so if you are describing include each aspect

I don't think there's a magical formula but avoid scatter-gunning. And if you are putting more ideas down they may score. Guess you just have to go with your instinct but don't write too much on everything or you won't complete the paper!

Good luck

 

[Pede]

The Acted ASET Solutions are much longer and although they say they are longer than you need, it doesnt say what could be left out.
Also there doesnt seem to be much consistency with the length of solution to marks available.
Maybe Acted could make a model solution , One we are expected to write in the exam or provide a sample mark scheme.

Have you seen the new versions of ASET coming out now? They split out the stuff needed for the exam and all the "extra stuff".

 

[didster]

Thanks for you help everyone. I'll just see how good I do come July or whenever pass lists come out.

Centipede, no I havent seen the new ASET, just the one I got for CA1 in November or thereabouts. It's certainly a good idea to split the extra stuff from the 'model answer', 'cause the extra stuff is still useful.