There is some variation in the exam formats of MBB Level 3 lecture modules. You will normally have 2 hours to complete the exam (although in some cases there may be an additional 15 minutes reading time if the questions include a lot of text). You may (i) have a free choice of any two questions from four, or (ii) have to choose one question from two in each of two sections, or (iii) have to answer all the questions in Section A and choose one question from Section B. The format of the exam you will sit in each module is shown by the specimen exam paper that is made available for each module on the web. More information may be found in the Aims and Objectives document for each module. For example, see the Aims and Objectives for MBB302 or for MBB339.
The formats of the exams for the data handling modules are significantly different from those of the lecture modules, and also from one another. For details, consult the Aims and Objectives document and the Specimen Exam Paper for your data handling module.
Unlike the exams for modules at Levels 1 and 2, some exams for Level 3 lecture modules do not contain a set of compulsory questions covering the whole of the module. This may suggest that ignoring some parts of the module could be a good strategy. Be aware, however, that some or all questions may ask you to bring together material from different parts of the module, in which case you might find yourself well prepared for only part of the question. Revising the whole module should put you in the best position to choose two questions that you can answer with confidence.
You will have been given the opportunity to carry out various practice exercises in your modules, in some cases resulting in detailed feedback and/or contributing to the final module grade.
In addition, you have been encouraged to write and submit your own answers to the questions on the specimen exam papers. If you do this in good time, you can expect lecturers to mark and give you feedback on your answers, and to give you suggestions for improvement. If you leave writing your answers until just before the exam, this will be good practice for you, but staff are likely to be too busy to give you timely feedback.
Note that writing exam essays is a generic skill, which we have tried to help you develop in Levels 1 and 2. Although it is highly desirable that you practice writing more exam essays at Level 3, it is not necessary to do this for every module.
You wrote several essays under exam conditions in Level 1. You received feedback on these essays, and advice from your personal tutor and Professor Anderson. You also had the opportunity to look at the comments made by markers on your Level 2 exam papers. It would be sensible to review all this feedback and advice before each Level 3 exam period, looking particularly for generic advice that will help you this year, rather than points that were specific to a particular piece of work.
Key points to remember are:
Include large diagrams with appropriate labels, and make sure that the text of your essay makes the context of the diagrams clear. A perfect reproduction of a diagram from a lecture may be worth nothing if you present it without some appropriate contextual explanation. You need not number the diagrams in an essay, provided they appear at an appropriate in the text. Alternatively, you could group all the diagrams together, but in this case you will need to number them, so that you can refer to each one at the appropriate points in the text. In most answers, it will be appropriate to include several diagrams, and it is only rarely that a good answer can be written without diagrams.
Consider whether your answer needs an introduction and/or conclusion. If a question is worded to ask you to provide very specific information, it may be a waste of time for you to write an introduction or conclusion. On the other hand, if you are asked to discuss an area, or present your view of a topic, it will probably be appropriate to include an introduction that sets the context for your answer, and/or a conclusion that sums up your arguments.
Avoid "regurgitating" your lecture notes. While our lectures will normally include the key points that could earn you a good 2.1 grade, we will not normally award a 1st class grade unless we see evidence that you understand these points. If you simply reproduce the contents of lecture slides, we may conclude that you have a good memory, but we will probably not be persuaded that you understand the topic. Identify the information that you think is relevant to the question, and use this to assemble your own answer.
Make a plan. If you are going to assemble your own answer, as suggested above, you will need to spend some time planning what information to include, and how to organise this in a way that demonstrates you have both knowledge and understanding. Even if a question specifies quite precisely what should be included in your answer, it is probably worth spending a little time on a plan. This will help to organise your thoughts, and also give you a list of points to check against your completed essay.
Show evidence of your reading by bringing in relevant material from other lecturers and modules. To be awarded a 1st class grade for an essay, you will usually be expected to provide some evidence that you have developed your understanding beyond the material presented in the corresponding lectures. This evidence might be in the form of additional, relevant examples or other information, which may come from the reading recommended by the lecturer, from other reading, or even from material you have been taught in another module.
Include suitable examples. It will usually be appropriate to include specific examples to illustrate any general principles that you explain in an essay. In some cases, you may be able to include relevant examples from your reading or another module, rather than relying wholly on the examples discussed in the module being examined. This will not only provide evidence of your reading, but also emphasise your understanding.
The criteria for assessing essay answers are the same as last year, but the wording has been amended slightly to clarify their meaning. You can consult the new wording in Section 9.17 of the MBB Student Handbook.
Many students lose marks by answering the wrong question.
Students often write essays that they have prepared in advance. This SOMETIMES works very well, but the problem is that we usually ask questions that are not of the type "Write everything you know about the general subject of X". If the question is more specific in its coverage or approach, it is essential that you recognise this and shape your answer to be an appropriate response. If you simply "waffle" in the general area, you may not score many marks.
Your "Second Year Tutorials" document contained much useful advice about planning essays, including the following explanation of the meanings of the instructions we may use in exam questions:
It almost always makes good sense to allocate your time evenly in lecture module exams, so that you spend about an hour on each question. If you spend most of your time writing a superbly authoritative answer to one question, but leave yourself time to write only one or two pages on the other, you are unlikely to score a good overall mark for the module. The law of diminishing returns means that the extra time spent on one question will probably add fewer marks to your module score than you lose by spending insufficient time on the other.
Under the pressure of an examination, the quality of your handwriting will probably suffer to some extent. Although we do not award marks specifically for handwriting, your assessment may obviously suffer if we cannot easily make out what you have written.
If you think that your handwriting may be difficult to read, try writing your essays on alternate lines in the answer books. This allows examiners to read each line of text without being distracted by the lines above and below.
If you have poor manual dexterity, or other problems in writing, you should consult the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service for an assessment of your special needs (e.g. use of a computer in exams or an amanuensis).
We shall not award marks specifically for the quality of your English, but you are likely to score better marks on an essay if you not only include appropriate information and ideas, but also communicate these as clearly as possible to the examiner.