Difference between revisions of "On BattleDay"

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{| class='wikitable' style="background-color: lightgreen;"
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__TOC__
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==Time Management==
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|| '''IMPORTANT''': Our original article pertained to the traditional paper & pencil format of taking exams. For '''2020.Fall''', all exams are being administered in a CBT (Computer-Based Testing) format at Pearson-Vue testing centres and we've made adjustments to reflect the CBT format. Please note, however, as this is a new process, our article will be a work in progress based on user feedback of the actual experience.
 
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===Time Management During the Exam===
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Time management is one of the key skills you need to develop to pass an upper-level CAS exam. Running out of time and leaving questions at the end unanswered is a common reason for failing - even for candidates who are well prepared. In fact, if you <u>are</u> well-prepared, you will actually be under <u>more</u> time pressure because you'll be able to answer most or all of the questions.
  
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* '''Note:''' The better prepared you are, the more time pressure you'll be under because you'll be able to answer most (or all) of the questions. ''(If you are NOT well-prepared, then there will be less time pressure because there will be many questions you'll just have to skip.)''
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Every sitting there are well-prepared candidates who don't pass because they ran out of time. Don't be one of them. I'm going to explain how you can avoid that. The illustration further down shows what you need to do but here is the key idea:
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: ==> Most answers you can write in bullet points. You are tested on content, not grammar or style.
 
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: ==> If you get stuck, don't linger. Take your best guess and move on.
 
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: ==> You probably won't have time for review.
 
  
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====Exam Organization====
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:{| class='wikitable'
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* You first need to understand how this exam is usually organized:
 
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:{| class="wikitable"
 
 
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| '''First''' one-third of exam  || short-answer questions
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|| Divide this 4-hour exam into 4 roughly equal one-hour blocks of time
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| '''Middle''' one-third of exam ||calculation questions
 
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|-
 
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| '''Final''' one-third of exam  || short-answer questions
 
 
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* Also, the exam topics tend to appear in similar order. ''It's all quite predictable.''
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Here is the point grid from 2018-Spring for Exam 5, but the principle is exactly the same for all upper level exams. You'll be given something similar for the CBT version. An explanation of what I've done is shown below the point grid.
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<br>
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: [[File: point_grid.png|left|400px]] <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [[File: time_blocks.png|300px]]
  
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====The First 5 minutes====
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<br clear="left" /><br> '''Explanation:''' This exam is 55.5 points so each block will have about 14 points. To the right of the point grid is how I divided the questions into one-hour blocks. You should spend the first 3-4 minutes of the exam doing something similar on your scrap paper. There will be a countdown timer visible on your screen while you're taking the exam and you must keep an eye on it to make sure you complete each block within about an hour. On exam 5, I would answer the questions in the order they appear.
  
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{| class='wikitable'
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:{| class='wikitable'
 
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|| '''Modifications for CBT format:''' When the exam was given with pencil and paper there was a cover sheet showing the point-values for each question. This cover sheet is now a tab in the Excel spreadsheet. You cannot print this, but you will be provided with a pen and scratch paper. You can still do the time management calculation explained below <span style="color: red;">'''with appropriate modifications'''</span>. You'll now have to make a note on your scratch paper which range of questions you want to allocate to each of the 4 one-hour periods during the exam. To avoid running out time, you must keep track of your time very strictly using the countdown clock on the screen.
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|| You have (240 mins) / (55.5 pts) ~ 4 mins per point
 
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* On the sheet with the point-value of the questions, use a highlighter to divide your time into four 1-hr parts. '''Click'''[https://www.battleactsmain.ca/pdf/TimeMgmt.pdf <span style="color: white; font-size: 16px; background-color: orange; border: solid; border-width: 1px; border-radius: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 10px 2px 10px; margin: 10px;">'''Time Mgmt'''</span>] '''for an example.''' ''(This will be time well spent.)''
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Calculation problems usually take a little longer than an essay question of similar point-value so keep that in mind during each block. A question like #8, worth 6.5 points is probably going to take you 30-35 minutes. That means you would start it towards the end of the Block #1, and finish it and the beginning of Block #2. If you find yourself ahead then great. If you find yourself falling behind, see ''[[On_BattleDay#Other_Tips | Other Tips]]'' below.
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: <span style="color: red;">&rarr; ''For the CBT version of the exam, make a note of the range of questions you want to do in each hour on a separate sheet of scrap paper and don't use this piece of paper for anything else.''</span>
 
  
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* If the exam has 70 points then do this roughly as follows:
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And be aware of this:
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:* '''Section 1:''' 20 points
 
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:* '''Section 2:''' 15 points ''(contains lots of calculation problems and these take longer to do.)''
 
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:* '''Section 3:''' 15 points ''(contains a few more calculation problems but some short-answer too.)''
 
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:* '''Section 4:''' 20 points
 
  
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* Use your calculator to do this and on a separate piece of scrap paper make a note for which range of questions you want to do in each one-hour period.
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:{| class='wikitable'
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* You have roughly 3.5 minutes to spend on each point on the exam '''but'''
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** The calculation problems take relatively longer, maybe 6-7 minutes per point.
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|| <span style="color: red;">'''Danger:'''</span> If you don't manage your time properly during the beginning and middle of the exam, you risk not getting to what might be easy questions right at the end.  
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** The short-answer questions are generally quicker.
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|}
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====Begin Writing your Answers====
 
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* '''Hour 1:'''
 
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** <span style="color: red;">'''Start with Section 2.'''</span> That's where most of the calculation problems usually are.
 
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*** The calculation problems are harder so you should do these when your brain is fresh.
 
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*** Keep an eye on your watch and aim to finish Section 2 within the first hour.
 
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*** If you get to a problem that you can't do, don't linger. Quickly write down anything you think might be relevant and move on. You can almost always take an educated guess and get partial credit, even if it's just 0.25 points.
 
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** As you complete problems:
 
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*** If you are satisfied with your answer, simply move on the next question.
 
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*** If you are <u>not</u> satisfied with your answer, write the question number on your time management sheet so you know to come back to it later ''(if there's time.)''
 
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* '''Hour 2:'''
 
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** <span style="color: red;">'''Move on to Section 3.'''</span> There are usually a few more calculation problems in Section 3.
 
  
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* '''Hour 3:'''
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So that's the basic idea behind time management. Here are a few more tips that will be helpful...
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** <span style="color: red;">'''Move on to Section 4.'''</span>
 
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** These will mostly be short-answer questions. Your brain may be getting tired at this point, but these short-answer questions are easier because they're mainly memorization.
 
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** If you are properly prepared for the exam, then Section 4 should be easier than Sections 2 & 3.
 
  
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* '''Hour 4:'''
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==Other Tips==
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** <span style="color: red;">'''Go back to Section 1.'''</span> You're in the home stretch, and this will be mostly short-answer. If you're prepared, it shouldn't be too hard.
 
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** '''But before starting''', <u>skim</u> the questions in this section.
 
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*** If there are questions at the end of this section that you know how to do, make sure you get to them!
 
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*** The worst thing is running out of time and not answering a question you know!
 
  
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===Exam is Over===
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# For the <span style="color: purple">'''essay questions'''</span>, write bullet points not complete sentences. You get points for content, not style.
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#: &rarr; You generally need to provide '''1 bullet point for each 0.25 pts''' that a question is worth. People often write far more than they need to and then run out of time at end of the exam.
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#: &rarr; Essay questions often just want you to tell how well you've memorized basic facts. If you have drilled yourself on flash cards, these should be easy points that you can get very quickly.
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# For <span style="color: green">'''calculation questions'''</span> that you're not sure how to do, don't linger, especially if it's a low point-value question. Do what you can then move on. You can mark it incomplete and come back to it at the end if you have time.
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# If you get to a question or part of a question that <span style="color: red">'''stumps you completely'''</span> then just skip it. Mark it as incomplete and you can come back to it later. ''(This can happen even to the best prepared candidates so it's quite likely everyone else is having trouble with it too.)''
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# I would keep the <span style="color: brown">'''formatting of your spreadsheet'''</span> to an absolute minimum. I'm not sure what the default cell format is but I might quickly format my answer area to 3 decimals and also right-justify all cells. That's simple to do and it might keep your workspace tidier and easier for you to read. ''(It might also make it easier for the graders to read.)''
  
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* '''GO HOME & CHILL!!!!'''
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So that's it. Slay the beast!

Latest revision as of 22:30, 4 April 2023

Time Management

Time management is one of the key skills you need to develop to pass an upper-level CAS exam. Running out of time and leaving questions at the end unanswered is a common reason for failing - even for candidates who are well prepared. In fact, if you are well-prepared, you will actually be under more time pressure because you'll be able to answer most or all of the questions.

Every sitting there are well-prepared candidates who don't pass because they ran out of time. Don't be one of them. I'm going to explain how you can avoid that. The illustration further down shows what you need to do but here is the key idea:

Divide this 4-hour exam into 4 roughly equal one-hour blocks of time

Here is the point grid from 2018-Spring for Exam 5, but the principle is exactly the same for all upper level exams. You'll be given something similar for the CBT version. An explanation of what I've done is shown below the point grid.


Point grid.png

             Time blocks.png



Explanation: This exam is 55.5 points so each block will have about 14 points. To the right of the point grid is how I divided the questions into one-hour blocks. You should spend the first 3-4 minutes of the exam doing something similar on your scrap paper. There will be a countdown timer visible on your screen while you're taking the exam and you must keep an eye on it to make sure you complete each block within about an hour. On exam 5, I would answer the questions in the order they appear.

You have (240 mins) / (55.5 pts) ~ 4 mins per point

Calculation problems usually take a little longer than an essay question of similar point-value so keep that in mind during each block. A question like #8, worth 6.5 points is probably going to take you 30-35 minutes. That means you would start it towards the end of the Block #1, and finish it and the beginning of Block #2. If you find yourself ahead then great. If you find yourself falling behind, see Other Tips below.

And be aware of this:

Danger: If you don't manage your time properly during the beginning and middle of the exam, you risk not getting to what might be easy questions right at the end.

So that's the basic idea behind time management. Here are a few more tips that will be helpful...

Other Tips

  1. For the essay questions, write bullet points not complete sentences. You get points for content, not style.
    → You generally need to provide 1 bullet point for each 0.25 pts that a question is worth. People often write far more than they need to and then run out of time at end of the exam.
    → Essay questions often just want you to tell how well you've memorized basic facts. If you have drilled yourself on flash cards, these should be easy points that you can get very quickly.
  2. For calculation questions that you're not sure how to do, don't linger, especially if it's a low point-value question. Do what you can then move on. You can mark it incomplete and come back to it at the end if you have time.
  3. If you get to a question or part of a question that stumps you completely then just skip it. Mark it as incomplete and you can come back to it later. (This can happen even to the best prepared candidates so it's quite likely everyone else is having trouble with it too.)
  4. I would keep the formatting of your spreadsheet to an absolute minimum. I'm not sure what the default cell format is but I might quickly format my answer area to 3 decimals and also right-justify all cells. That's simple to do and it might keep your workspace tidier and easier for you to read. (It might also make it easier for the graders to read.)

So that's it. Slay the beast!

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