What to expect in the exam As part of your qualification in Engineering Programmable Systems you will be taking an exam that is worth 40% of your marks. It is important that from the beginning you start to think about the exam and the skills you’ll need to get the best possible grade. Answering exam questions is a skill. Like any other skill, it can be learnt, practised and improved. Below is an outline of what to expect in the exam, the types of questions and what the paper looks like. You need to answer all the questions.
Types of questions to expect in the exam Exam questions can be asked about any area of the specification, which means that you have to learn everything!
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The exam paper will be made up of two sections, with different types of questions. Section A will contain multiple-choice questions, and Section B will contain both short and long-answer questions. Question type
Description
Multiple-choice question (MCQ)
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A question with four answer options. Worth 1 mark.
Short-answer question
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Usually requires a one-word answer, a simple sentence or a short paragraph. Worth 1–4 marks.
Long-answer question
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Open-response question where you are expected to do a piece of extended writing. Worth 6 marks. These questions allow you to be assessed on the quality of your written communication.
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Understanding the language of the exam
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The command word is the key term that tells you how to answer the question. It is essential to know what the different command words mean and what they are asking you to do. It is easy to confuse the words and provide too much information, not enough information or the wrong information. The tables below will help you understand what each command word is asking you to do.
Command words that ask you to get creative Command word
OCR definition
How you should approach it
Create
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Produce a visual solution to a problem (for example: a mind map, flow chart or visualisation).
Show your answer in a visual way. You might want to use a mind map, flow chart or a diagram. Think about what is the best way to show the required information.
Draw
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Produce a picture or diagram.
Create a picture/diagram to show the relevant information.
Command words that ask you to do your maths Command word
OCR definition
How you should approach it
Calculate
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Do your maths. Give the final answer but make sure you show how you got there.
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Get a numerical answer showing how it has been worked out.
Preparing for the exam
Original material © Cambridge University Press 2022. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.
