SC and HSC Feedback: Advice from the Examiner

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SC and HSC Feedback Advice from the Examiners

• Presented by Jim Green

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Exam Time in Mathematics!
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Examiners Advice and Comments

• Preparing for Examinations
• Common Errors by Students
• What the Examiners Advise!
• Quotes from the Examiners
• Marking Guidelines of Interest
• Quit

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Preparing for Examinations

• The Examination when, where, how long ...
• Equipment Required see NSW Board of Studies
• http//www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/manuals/equip
  ment_list.html
• Exam Guidelines conduct, illness, ...
• Past SC HSC Papers see NSW Board of Studies
• http//www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/
• Approved Calculators see NSW Board of Studies
• http//www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/manuals/calcu
  lators_hsc.html

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Common Errors by Students (1/5)

• Transcription errors are errors in copying from
  one page to the next or from the exam paper to
  answer booklet try using your index finger as a
  marker to avoid this error
• Truncation errors are always a problem do not
  round off until you reach the final result
• Radians newer calculators and Graphic
  Calculators default to radians not degrees which
  causes many problems!

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Common Errors by Students (2/5)

• Answer the Question especially those requiring
  two answers, AND means as well
• Factorise does not mean solve
• Simplify does not mean throw away denominators!

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Common Errors by Students (3/5)
WRONG
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Common Errors by Students (4/5)
Calculators must be well understood
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Common Errors by Students (5/5)

• There are 52 weeks in a year!
• There are NOT 4 weeks in a month!!
• Formulae Sheets are provided to be used!
• (General Maths)
• Standard Integrals are provided to be used!
• Dont just look at problems and say I can do
  that!
• get in and just do it!

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What the Examiners Advise (1/6)

• Rulers are a must! (use old SNAP templates)
• Show substitutions and working out clearlymarks
  are allocated for the process and the answer
• Do not use classroom jargon that examiners will
  not understand eg. Windsurfer Theorem, use full
  written explanations avoiding jargon,
  abbreviations etc especially in geometry proofs
• Watch the number of marks allocated to each part
  of the question - dont write 1/2 a page of
  explanation for 1 mark!

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What the Examiners Advise (2/6)

• If you make a mistake (surely not), do not use
  liquid paper or obliterate so that it cannot be
  read at all if by chance it is correct and you
  have made no other attempts you may be awarded
  some marks!
• Make sure you recall all formulae correctly
  marks lost from careless errors are as
  expensive as marks lost by not doing the more
  difficult questions
• Draw large, clear diagrams in pencilabout 1/3 a
  page is a good size

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What the Examiners Advise (3/6)

• Always answer in the required format decimal
  places, significant figures or exact value if
  necessary. Only one instance will be penalised
  but you do not know which one!
• Questions at the start of the paper are not as
  difficult as those at the end of the paper. To
  obtain one mark in Q1 is easier than in Q10.
• Write clearly students must clearly distinguish
  between n, r and x in their scripts

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What the Examiners Advise (4/6)

• Understand what the question is asking too
  often the question is misinterpreted!
• Trial-and-error is a valid strategy for solving
  equations of any kind
• In questions requiring some conversion of units
  do the conversion before the calculation for
  greater chance of success
• Using tree diagrams in probability gives a
  greater success rate in achieving full marks

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What the Examiners Advise (5/6)

• Keep an eye on the time - dont spend so long on
  the early questions you dont get to the last
  questions!
• Be guided by the allocated marks, students must
  recognise that the number of marks relates to the
  complexity of the problem and the
• solution required for full marks
• Parts of a question are often linked - if (a) has
  parts (i) and (ii), often using the result in (i)
  makes answering (ii) easier. Students often
  ignore these connections
• Always check that your answer is reasonable

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What the Examiners Advise (6/6)

• Hence or otherwise hence means to use the
  previous work (which the examiners usually know
  to be the simplest method) and otherwise means to
  use your own method (but beware the
  consequences)!
• Know and use the Formulae Sheet or the Standard
  Integrals provided
• Where is your answer underline it, highlight
  it, box it
• Use decimal form when percentages given
• eg. given 5.5 use 0.055

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Quotes from Examiners (1/2)

• Dont crack a peanut with a sledge hammer!!
• If an expression is factored, leave it factored
  unless asked to do otherwise. It is of greater
  value in factored form.
• Eliminate fractions and negatives where possible
  to avoid common errors.
• Yes/No is not good enough!

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Quotes from Examiners (2/2)

• What does NOT TO SCALE mean?
• Dont take your diagrams home!
• SHOW means convince me that you know where it
  came from!

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Marking Guidelines of Interest (1/3)

• Half marks are never used - full marks may be
  awarded before the correct numerical answer is
  reached.
• Read the question carefully - watch for KEYWORDS
  e.g. 3 significant figures.
• Watch the number of marks allocated to each part
  of the question - dont write 1/2 a page of
  explanation for 1 mark!

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Marking Guidelines of Interest (2/3)

• A considerable number of questions require
  justify, compare, explain students must use
  appropriate terminology talk about the
  mathematics
• Correct answers from incorrect working are not
  awarded marks - if you have made a mistake, fix
  the error in every line of working - dont fudge!
• Write working out clearly - some students cant
  read their own writing, so markers have some
  difficulty awarding marks

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Marking Guidelines of Interest (3/3)

• Examiners will not choose an answer if multiple
  solutions are provided
• Errors carried forward are usually awarded marks,
  provided the problem is not simplified or
  trivialised
• Use mathematical terms, not vague descriptions
• eg. through the centre of a circle rather
• than through the middle

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The End
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can see it again at our website http//www.pa.as
h.org.au/scmainc