EXAM SUCCESS WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE TEST

Samuel Li ACMA, CGMA

Manager, Learning Support

SAMUEL LI ACMA, CGMA

Started his career as an Executive Trainee with

Jardine Matheson in Hong Kong

Became a CGMA under sponsorship of Jardines

Worked as a business analyst, project manager, and

management consultant before taking up the current

role in 2011

Extensive international experience gained in Africa,

Asia, Australia and Europe

Now base in Australia with global responsibility

Getting started - understanding objective test (OT)

Study guidance

Exam techniques

Stepping up to the challenge

AGENDA

CCMA QUALIFICATION

OBJECTIVE TEST

All certificate level and professional level

subjects are examined by Objective Test

Questions (OTQs)

Assessment can be taken anytime of the

year whenever you are ready

Exams can be taken at over 5,000 Pearson

VUE centres around the world

OBJECTIVE TEST NOT JUST MCQ

Multiple choice

Multiple response

Drag and drop

Hot spot

Short answer (normally calculation)

Drop down

Matching

Ranking

Sentence completion

MULTIPLE RESPONSE

DRAG AND DROP

SHORT CALCULATION

NUMERICAL QUESTION

DATA ANALYSIS

SCENARIO BASED QUESTIONS

OBJECTIVE TEST

Tests technical competency across all syllabus areas

Guarantee that all component learning outcomes will be tested

Targeted questions to ensure thorough understanding & proficiency

Easy to answer but not an easy test

Much shorter exam time

OBJECTIVE TEST FACTS TO KNOW

90 minutes

60 items

Computer marked

Result given immediately

Pass = 100 out of 150 on scale score

Available year-round

Possible to reschedule up to 48 hours before examination

EXAM LOGISTICS

Schedule exam through MY CIMA

TWO forms of identification (Passport/ driving license/ credit card)

Possible to bring your own calculator (selected models)

Guidance on exam day

https://connect.cimaglobal.com/general-info/day-exam

Study guidance

UNDERSTANDING SYLLABUS WEIGHTING

UNDERSTANDING SYLLABUS REQUIREMENTS

Lead Learning

Outcome

Component Learning

Outcome

Indicative

syllabus content

UNDERSTANDING SYLLABUS REQUIREMENTS

Lead learning outcome/ Component learning outcome

Define the skill or ability that students should be able to exhibit in an

examination

Demonstrate the approach likely to be taken in examination questions

All learning outcomes are examinable

Indicative syllabus knowledge

Show typical topics that should be covered

Non-exhaustive and not restricted to those listed

Case studies(Long and short answer essay questions)

Objective tests

5

4

3

2

1

VERB HIERARCHY

A1(a) discuss the different purposes of organisations

Discuss Level 4 Examine in detail by argument

High level verb. Students are expected

to have the knowledge of different purposes of organisations (e.g. profit/

non-profit)

To be able to apply the knowledge (e.g. to a scenario if given)

To present an argument from more than one angle

This LO can be tested in both OTQ and Case Study

STUDY TIPS

Plan ahead fail to plan = plan to fail

Must cover the full syllabus

Allocate time according to weighting

Focus on learning outcomes rather than on content alone

Make good use of all study resources

Practise under exam condition

Form a study group and be supported

Find ways that work for you own your study!

Exam techniques

SOME QUESTIONS CAN TAKE LONGER TO COMPLETE

NUMERICAL QUESTION

4 TYPES OF QUESTIONS

Cat. Question type Confidence Time

1

Short questions where you feel confident about the content,

therefore quick to answer

2

Longer questions where you feel confident about the approach

required

3Short questions where you are less confident and will need to give

more consideration / thought / workings

4Longer questions, with more complex data where you need to

consider the approach required to answer the question

STEP 1: QUICK SKIM THROUGH USING NEXT

STEP 2: REVIEW INCOMPLETE QUESTIONS

STEP 3: USING THE FLAG FUNCTION

STEP 3: REVIEW FLAGGED

STEP 4: ENSURING NO INCOMPLETE QUESTION

IN OT EXAMS, THERE IS NO:

Negative marking (for wrong answers, you wont lose marks)

Partial marking (you either earn a mark or dont earn any marks. i.e.

only a correct and complete answer will earn the marks, and partial

answers will earn no marks)

PAY ATTENTION TO MULTI-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

PAY ATTENTION TO MULTI-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

Stepping up to the challenge

EXAM RESULT

Preliminary pass/ fail when leaving the exam centre

Overall result (pass or fail) is based on overall performance on the

exam

Pass = 100 out of 150 in scale score

Against each syllabus topic area you will also receive a grade of either

Proficient or Not Proficient

Proficient = scored above the boundary required to demonstrate

competence

Non Proficient = scored below the boundary required to demonstrate

competence

CONSIDERATION BEFORE RE-SITTING

Scale score (are you closed to 100?)

Proficiency for each syllabus area (and weighting of the area)

What can be done differently?

Mock exam under exam condition

When to resit?

Be honest with yourself

QUESTION TUTORIAL

Hosted by Pearson VUE

Accessible over the internet

Can be used to experience the test driver and how items are presented

60 questions per professional qualification subject

Answer and explanation are included

Not designed to be taken under timed exam conditions.

They do not represent the same structure or standard as the live

exams. Therefore they cannot be used as a mock exam to accurately

predict future performance in the real exam

CIMA APTITUDE

Official online question bank

Simulates an actual CIMA exam

Two modules per subject, each with approx. 100 questions

Practice mode or timed assessment mode

FREE WEBINARS

PASS RATE JAN DEC 2016

USEFUL RESOURCES

CIMAconnect The study support platform

Time management in objective test exams (video)

Understanding your result (video)

Question tutorial

CIMA Aptitude

Pass rate

Using Mintzberg to illustrate CIMAs style of Objective Test Questions

Bob Perry

Approaching OTQs as part of a transformational syllabus Bob Perry

https://connect.cimaglobal.com/https://connect.cimaglobal.com/resources/time-management-objective-test-examshttps://connect.cimaglobal.com/professional-qualification-objective-test-examshttp://www.pearsonvue.com/cima/practiceexams/https://www.cimastudy.com/cima-levels/aptitude/http://www.cimaglobal.com/About-us/Examinations/https://connect.cimaglobal.com/system/files/resource/E1-objectivetests-workedexamples.pdfhttps://connect.cimaglobal.com/system/files/resource/E1-approachingotqs-overview1.pdf

THANK YOU

Samuel Li ACMA, CGMA