How to Pass Diploma and ACII Examinations

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How to Pass Diploma and ACII Examinations

• Len Wilkins FCII
• Consultant, Wellington plc
• Chris Paine Dip CII
• Independent Training Consultant Advisor

Chairman N. White, Senior Casualty
Underwriter St Paul International Insurance
Company Ltd
Insurance Institute of London Lecture First Floor
Suite, London Underwriting Centre Monday 1st
March 2004
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Insurance Institute of London

• Website www.iilondon.co.uk
• Lecture Scripts
• 2003 / 2004
• 9th February 2004 How to Study and Revise
• 1st March 2004 How to Pass CII Examinations
• Please visit website well save some trees !
• Lots of other interesting information as well

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Basic Rule - No matter how good you are, you
still need the right technique

• For those of you who have cracked exams, hearty
  congratulations, but for mere mortals, here are
  some thoughts
• Exam technique is frequently the difference
  between passing and failing
• Every exam requires special techniques
  multi-choice, short answers, essay answers

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Basic Rule - Right Technique

• Even well-prepared candidates can get things
  wrong by misreading questions or running out of
  time
• Contrary to popular belief, the CII really does
  want you to pass first time !

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So far its been studying

• Objectives - not too many maximum 2 exams per
  sitting
• Study, Study, Study
• Take course textbook apart and rewrite it
• Complete all assignments especially Continuous
  Assessments

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So far its been studying

• Have you covered all main topics in syllabus ?
• Look at past exam papers - check style
• Organise yourself - time for fun time to study
• 8 weeks before exam its revise, revise, revise -
  but you can only revise what youve already
  learned

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Hint

• CII Examiners are sent a grid showing syllabus
  points and when topics were last examined
• Carrying out same exercise is a great idea, so
  get examination guides for the last four
  examination sessions
• 6.00 ( VAT) from CII website www.cii.co.uk
  or by e-mail to publishing_at_cii.co.uk

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Revision

• Use techniques that work for you
• Passive Revision - learning, reviewing notes,
  re-expressing facts, concepts and ideas
• Active Revision - answer questions, use memory
  joggers - words, rhymes, tapes, flash cards for
  key points and legal cases, mind maps to link
  things together
• Above all practise under exam conditions !

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Revision

• Monitor your revision, make a timetable by topic
  and syllabus and keep to it
• Use CBT or On-Line help if available
• Remember, you need somewhere quiet, free of
  distractions and equipped with storage space

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Attitude

• Think POSITIVELY
• Be CONFIDENT
• Remember that you are going to get a DISTINCTION
  !

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Know Your Examinations

• Certificate, Diploma or ACII, theyre all
  different its a game of time versus marks
• If youve 3 hours or 180 minutes to gain 200
  marks, thats just 4 minutes for each 5 marks
  (after checking etc)
• CII Pass Mark normally 110 marks (55)

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Know Your Examinations - Diploma

• Diploma Compulsory (PO1 or 2, PO3, PO4)
• 20 short answer questions in 3 hours or 8 minutes
  a question (with checking time)
• 10 marks per question
• Diploma Branch (P10, P11, P12, P13, P16)
• 14 short answer plus 2 essay questions
• 10 marks each - allow max 2 hours for short
  questions (about 8 minutes per question)
• 30 marks for each essay 1 hour for essays

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Know Your Examinations - ACII

• ACII Compulsory (510, 520, 530)
• Part One 8 short or 5 minutes per question (CII
  own suggestion max 45 minutes)
• 6 marks for each short question (48 marks)
• Part Two 4 essays (510 has compulsory question
  no differential in marks)
• 38 marks each essay (152 marks)
• Approximately 30 minutes per essay

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Know Your Examinations - ACII

• ACII Specialist, Technical, Management
• Part One 8 short or 5 minutes per question (CII
  own suggestion max 45 minutes)
• 6 marks for each short question (48 marks)
• Some have compulsory question (50 marks)
• If compulsory question included, then 3 more
  essays at 34 marks for each essay (102 marks)
• If no compulsory questions, then 4 essays at 38
  marks each (152 marks)
• Still approximately 30 minutes per essay

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Three VITAL points

• NO marks for questions that you do not attempt -
  never leave anything blank - intelligent guess is
  better than nothing
• You are not going to get more than marks
  allocated to the question - if question asks for
  three examples, you will get no extra marks for
  mentioning a fourth
• Rare to get 100 of allocated marks - especially
  with essay questions but you are extremely
  likely to get some marks for at least attempting
  a question

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Other VITAL points

• Examiners never assume knowledge
• Students who know subject often get low marks -
  this is quite common
• For some people, most difficult paper is one
  where they have specialist knowledge
• Perhaps they have worked in or studied subject
  before
• Please remember to tell examiner all facts -
  especially ones that are so obvious that they
  seem not worth mentioning

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So to the Examination itself

• Do you know where Exam Centre is ?
• Do a trial run
• Can you park there if you need to ?
• Have carbohydrate and protein-rich breakfast or
  lunch to raise your energy
• Get there in plenty of time
• Remember to take necessary identification
• Pens, pencils, calculators, erasers etc
• Water or juice (if allowed)

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Examination Itself

• Be organised - as you sit waiting for paper,
  remind yourself that you know the exam, you know
  whats required and that examiners want you to
  pass
• Deal with any distractions before you start
  (wobbly table - too hot - too noisy)
• Listen carefully to envigilators instructions
• Use a watch/clock/stopwatch

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Examination Itself

• Read WHOLE PAPER FIRST !!!
• Note what questions are compulsory and how marks
  are awarded
• Follow exam paper instructions precisely and
  manage your time
• Then decide in what order to do questions

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Examination Itself

• Pace yourself - dont spend all your energy on
  first few questions
• Allow time for checking
• READ and UNDERSTAND each question THOROUGHLY
• Look for KEY words or INSTRUCTIONS
• Check and recheck your time allocation

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Examination Itself

• Plan your answers - write down lists of dates,
  cases etc - use bullet points for short answers
  and for planning essay answers
• Jot down headings, sort into logical sequence and
  CHECK ALL points have been covered - lets call
  them your TRIGGERS

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Examination Itself

• Inside front cover of answer paper, brainstorm
  questions by writing down these triggers you will
  use when answering in full
• If you run out of time, there is now some form of
  answer already there
• If necessary, refer examiner to those notes

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General Rules

• CONSIDER whole questions
• CONSTRUCT your answer relating to key words and
  your knowledge
• UNDERLINE key words
• LINK your points to key words in question
• PRIORITISE the points listed

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Specific Rules

• Short Answer Questions - use bullet points or
  note form (CII own suggestion)
• Essay Questions - use bullet points to plan your
  answer
• KEEP REFERRING BACK TO QUESTION
• Write down first bullet point and then refer back
  to question cover your next bullet point and so
  on
• CHECK ALL your points have been covered
• Develop your essay from there

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Other Vital Points

• If youve a choice of two questions and its
  difficult to decide between them, jot down
  headings for both and see which one can be
  developed better to obtain more marks
• Make sure you answer question the examiner
  actually set, not question you wanted him/her to
  set

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What the Examiner Means !!!

• STATE
• Write down clearly
• OUTLINE
• Identify main features or general ideas on topic
• DESCRIBE
• Give a fuller account of something

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What the Examiner Means !!!

• EXPLAIN
• Give clear and detailed account to show you
  understand philosophy of subject
• ADVISE
• Look at circumstances, identify possible
  alternatives and provide reasoned solutions
• LIST
• Provide a series of bullet points

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Answering Style Structure

• Structure your answer try not waffle, repeat or
  pad - examiners get bored easily and theyre not
  silly
• Include an introduction defining terms and
  stating how you will approach question - then do
  main points
• Remember key examiners terms
• Remember to use paragraphs (examiners get lost in
  long single blocks of writing like some of our
  slides sorry)

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Answering Style Structure

• Presentation - you will not fail because you do
  not write or spell well or that your grammar and
  punctuation are not perfect
• You will get better marks if your script is easy
  to read and understand
• If question involves figurework, its about
  insurance principles not mathematics - if answer
  is not working out very well, its likely youve
  made a mistake

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Answering Style Structure

• CII examiners use a follow-through system - if
  result is wrong but logic is right, you will
  still get bulk of marks
• If you run short of time, try to answer in note
  or bullet-point form (or refer to folder cover)
• Even let examiner know that you are running out
  of time

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Marking Your Paper

• Marking schedule is prepared at same time as exam
  paper
• May be amended if examiner sees fit
• Marking schedule is designed to reward correct
  but does not penalise incorrect
• Papers will normally be marked within a month of
  exam
• Marks are moderated for fairness

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Why others are going to fail !

• Failure to answer the question set
• Inadequate understanding of main principles
• Failure to answer enough questions
• Waffling, repetition (including question itself)
• Failure to structure an answer properly
• No paragraphs, headings or underlinings
• Setting out both sides of a discussion or
  illogical and confused presentation
• Poor standard of English
• Poor (illegible) handwriting

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Some Crucial Hints

• UNDERLINE key words
• LIST relevant points
• LINK your points to key words
• PRIORITISE points listed
• CONSIDER whole question
• CONSTRUCT your answer relating to key words and
  your knowledge

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Why do some Fail ?

• Because they are unprepared
• Because they have not structured their study and
  revision correctly
• But mostly, because they use the wrong techniques
  !

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Remember !!!!!!

• Be POSITIVE
• Be ORGANISED
• Use your MEMORY SKILLS
• Use the RIGHT TECHNIQUES
• Use BULLET POINTS if you run out of time - better
  to say something rather than nothing
• Be PREPARED, do not rely on luck

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Remember the Golden Rules

• When exam is over, try not to discuss it with
  anyone else only the examiners personal
  opinion matters
• One last task - when you have put books away,
  reflect on what went right, what went wrong and
  what you can learn from this and give any useful
  revision resources to help your colleagues
• Most of all, do your best and GOOD LUCK !!