A good guide on how to tackle the Ordinary Level paper including tips on the exam structure

QUESTION BY QUESTION/Section 1

Short Questions (25 per cent)

Tackle this section first, but do not spend more than 45 minutes on it.

Definition-type answers are required, sometimes with examples

or illustration. All carry equal marks and are written in the answer book that is returned at the end of the

exam. Answer all 15 questions if you can - you will be marked on your best 10.

Because space is limited, think before you write! Aim to be as precise as possible and do not write more than the space allows. There are only three or four lines available for your answer so, if your handwriting is very large, you may have to modify it for this purpose. Avoid having to scribble out, Tippex, or rewrite words - it looks terrible and loses you valuable space.

Practise these answers in preparation for the exam. Use the last three exam papers, sample papers and your "mock exam" paper to identify likely terms and questions.

It is relatively easy to get these marks under your belt right at the start and it will give you a great psychological boost.

Each section on the course has particular terms or definitions worth revising e.g. privatisation, marketing mix, trading bloc, span of control etc.

You could be asked to match two lists of information, write true/false to a number of statements or identify initials such as HRM, TQM or ICTU. You can be required to explain or define terms in a couple of lines. In all cases, keep your answer simple and direct - there is no need for elaboration.

SECTION 2

Structured Questions (75 per cent)

You are required to answer four questions from seven, at least one from Part 1 (People in Business/ Business Environment) and at least two from Part 2 (Enterprise, Management, and Business in Action).

All questions carry equal marks and are usually subdivided into five parts. Your choice of questions is vital - pick the questions which can deliver the most marks for you! Carefully examine the five parts, see how the marks are allocated, do a quick calculation on your potential score, and compare it with other possible questions.

Don't be put-off by what you initially think the question is asking - you may dismiss a question on financial management because you hate figures, yet it may turn out to be a very straightforward non-technical answer that is required.

At ordinary level, the questions are usually sub-divided into five parts with limited information required in each case. This makes it easier to score maximum marks on a question but it does require you to present your answers in a clear format. Chief Examiner's reports have indicated that the numbering and labelling of questions and parts of questions could be improved.

In revising for Section 3, use the past papers to test your knowledge of specific material on the course.

Can you explain two elements of the law of contract? Can you describe two long-term and two short-term sources of finance? Can you explain three main functions of advertising? Don't satisfy yourself with mere recognition - test your recall with a blank sheet of paper in front of you.

Review the legislation. There are seven specific pieces of legislation on the syllabus and you should know the main purpose and elements of each. Two relate to the consumer (1978 Consumer Information Act; 1980 Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act) and three to the area of employment and industrial relations (Employment Equality, Unfair Dismissals, Industrial Relations Act). The others are the 1988 Data Protection Act and the 1990 Companies Act (as it relates to the formation of private companies).

Stick closely to your exam strategy and timing. If you are getting bogged down in a particular question, move on! You can always come back to it. Remember that the biggest "exam crime" is to leave questions unattempted! By making an effort to put something down in each part of the question, you will start picking up marks.

As the answers required are brief, there is plenty of time in the exam to read the paper carefully and even attempt an extra question (as one in five students do) but do make sure you have attempted all parts of each question.

There is a high success rate at this level - nearly four out of five students receive an A, B or C grade so a good general knowledge of business combined with a concise answering style will get you through.

EXAM STRUCTURE AND STRATEGY

Time: 2½ hours (150 minutes)

Marks: 400

Structure: Section 1 (100 marks)

Short Questions (answer 10 from 15)

Section 2 (300 marks) Structured questions (answer 4 from 8)

TIMING

Allow 10 minutes to read the paper carefully at the start. This will get your mind tuned-in to business terminology, help you to make the correct choice of questions, and remind you of relevant points (which you can jot down on your rough-work page). Resist the temptation to launch headlong into answering questions. Spend no more than 40-45 minutes on Section 1 short questions. For the structured questions in section 2, allow approximately 22 minutes for each of the four questions chosen i.e. no more than 90 minutes in total. Leave 10 minutes at the end to review your paper and spot any significant errors or items left out.

ANSWERING STYLE

Never write an essay-style answer in business. Everything should be structured in point-form. Train yourself to approach every question with this in mind - what exactly is the examiner looking for here? How many points should I give? As a handy rule, assume five marks are allocated for each point. If part of a question is worth 25 marks, then give five points.