ACCA Study Guide and Exam Tips - Planning Part
1. Planning:When you are going to enter in your next ACCA exams, first take your time and bent on planning immediately and decide about which papers to start ,when ,where and how to start ! Also consider which study text to be used and everything relevant to your papers immediately , because the purpose is avoiding time wastage . Specially , don't wait till the results of your previous exams if you will do so, it means you have already wasted 2 precious months of your current exam session.
When finally you have planned all the above mentioned things relevant to the exams , then first of all calculate quantity of your time you have got to organize for the exams then plan your expected daily basis work routine including your wake up time ,classes time , playing time , family commitments , sleeping time and so on. Finally try and draft a timetable of above mentioned plannings of your daily basis routine works supported by the quantity of expected days and overall time you have got for every paper of your current ACCA exams.
But remember one thing about your timetable that is , your timetable should be realistic and attainable . if you have set an Ideal timetable then you will always need your space while following your timetable and this will demotivate you , so your timetable should be motivating and encouraging in terms of achieve ability of your routine works that you have set in your timetable.
2. Info of ACCA Examinable Documents :
"Work smarter than harder". You must have info about examinable documents of your ACCA exams . These are introduced by ACCA examiners giving additional details about that particular topic like as, intellectual level of a selected topic , the depth of knowledge needed and the way you have to use your skills and knowledge practically in exams . For more details click hereBut remember you should not rely totally on these examinable documents only . You have to prepare the whole study text and available material but more focus on examinable documents to improve your skills to be successful in your final exams .
3.ACCA Examiner's Approach Interview:
These interviews are released on ACCA website regularly .Examiner's Approach Interviews released at ACCA,s web site offer you first-hand insight into what examiners want in answers provided by students in their relevant exam papers. So this area requires more attention by students if they want to perform well in their exams .Click below link to approach these interviews: Examiner Approach Interviews
4. ACCA Approved Study Texts:
In ACCA there are different publishers who provide learning contents for ACCA students . But students should use aproved learning contents providers.The approved study texts are completely reviewed by ACCA continuously for coverage of the whole info and additionally for any revision incorporated once changes within the info.So therefore, you'll be taking a large risk by relying only different kind of notes reffered by friends, colleges or teachers.Famous Publishers are BPP ,GTG and Kaplan , but BPP is only approved learning partner of ACCA. Click the link to check approved learning study text providers and their rank . ACCA Approved Learning Study Text Providers Direcorty !
ACCA Study Guide and Exam Tips - Studying Part
5. Goals Oriented - Approach:Set targets on daily basis. In ACCA papers you have to study complete course and all available relevant material to pass your exam .So on daily basis work realistically , try to cover chapters ,past papers and questions daily to complete your course ,otherwise giving just some hours to your studies will not be helpful in completing your course , so all efforts will be useless at the end . Cover your daily work always on time ,so that before exams you will be able to revise your exam papers 3,4 times easily.
6. Make Clear Concepts:
Whole of the ACCA study lies on Concepts . If your concepts are clear then you can handle different scenario questions in your text books and also in exams . Therefore from the first day of your ACCA studies continuously try to understand and perceive the underlying ideas behind every topic of your text books . If your are conceptually strong in your studies you will be able to earn good marks in your papers by giving ideas in different kind of situations in exams . In ACCA if you are not doing so your making a big mistake of your life because it can cause problems for you in your advance level papers of ACCA.
7. Ask Teachers for Help:
If you're stuck somewhere while studying or fighting with a selected topic and could not understant it then don't hesitate in asking your teacher , friend , T.A etc to assist you. Get facilitated on right time don,t wait or try on yourself again and again ,this will waste your time and efforts.
ACCA Study Guide and Exam Tips - Practicing Part
8. Past Papers Practice:
Past papers practice is in recommendation of ACCA . Most of past papers questions are found in Exam Kit to practice and apply your concepts to evaluate yourself against your preparations .Wise students starts practicing at right time before exams .At least in last month you have to do only past papers .This will improve your skills of time management , pressure handling , structuring the answer , understanding the marking scheme etc. Most of time students got failed their exams only due to lack of time management skills in exam even having complete knowledge of that paper.The reason is lack of practice of past papers and final mocks .
Structuring the answer of a question in ACCA exams is another major problem for students. To get idea about how to structure an answer you have to practice simply past papers and finally at least 2,3 mocks at the end . Mock exams should be practiced according to exams conditions .
Your answers should be according to rules and standards provided by ACCA Examiners .Info in answers must be to the point or relevant to be successful in your papers . For this purpose try to understand every model answer provided in exam kits but not just memorize it as it is. Also use approved text books to get enough knowledge of topics and understanding it clearly . Use proper words in your answers having good weight age in the eyes of examiner and requirements.
9.Writing skills:
Many candidates perform poorly in ACCA exams in terms of writing . The reason for poor writing is a lot of rough practice before exams. Candidates have to focus on this issue at practicing stage before the final exams . The trick is simply perform every practice on rough copy as like in final exams always by writing slowly neat ant and clean every single word and line so that in final exams this will be a natural habit for you . Then you will not face any problem of writing but remember don,t compromise too much on speed otherwise you will be in shortage of time .
10.ACCA Examiner,s Reports:
Examiner Reports are published by ACCA after every exam on website . These reports are made by examiners after checking papers of students . In these reports examiners tells us common mistakes and drawback areas encountered by students.The purpose of these reports is to offer candidates generally a constructive feedback as to their performance in their examinations.These reports provide a general commentary on the overall performance of candidates in each session after assessments as well as details on:
- technical aspects that were being examined in the questions
- whether candidates performed well or poorly ( performance areas also )
- what aspects of the questions appeared to cause difficulty to candidates and if possible why it was a problem e.g. lack of knowledge, poor examination technique , time management etc.
11. ACCA Papers Marking Schemes:
Understanding marking schemes is vital for your success in exams .If you want to get some good marks in ACCA you have to comply with marking scheme and the idea behind this.In order to get some good marks and to comply with marking scheme try to answer the questions according to requirement , also use good words that examiner wants and try to remain to the point always.There are different words that are used by examiners in questions requirements and you have to answer according to those words. For example 'identify' , list , define etc . If these words are used then simply there will be one mark per list or point , so if there are four marks you should list four good points to get full marks . Word 'Briefly' means theme of a story not a detailed answer.In case of 'explain' examiner wants a detailed answer full of knowledge explaining all relevant points . Explanation should be according to marks available , neither too much , nor too less ! Similarly word 'Discuss' means , write points in favor and against the topic required in question.So it means you have to be clear almost about every term used in papers to avoid time wastage and failure in exams.
12. ACCA Exam Analysis:
This gives idea about which kind of topics mostly asked ? Which areas are not tested within many previous attempts and which kind of queries these are or topics are ? This provides vital info about key topics and queries that can be tested in your current ACCA exams and you should use this info to rank sure key topics and then you have to focus on these topics very carefully with great attention . However, make sure that you are not going to spot for exams only these areas selectively on the basis of analysis . These areas just needs proper attention and clarity to boost up your confidence about your preparations for exams .This will be a plus point having good understandings of these important topics which may be favourite areas for examiners and so , there are great chances to be tested in your exams. This will enhance the possibility of getting passed your papers easily .
13. Examiner Analysis Interview:
ACCA Examiner Analysis Interviews are published on it,s website for every exam . Here examiner comments on the performance of the students in current and past exam,s .Examiner also tells about student,s weaknesses and the relevant areas . Analysis interviews are very useful in guiding students on the way to improve their performance in ACCA exams.Shockingly, some students don,t consider them as a useful tool and with a reasonable confidence i can say that they are simply loosing some good marks due to this carelessness .Examiner Analysis Interviews will be accessed through the following link: Examiner Analysis Interviews
14.ACCA Technical Articles:(Student Accountant)
ACCA Student Accountant,s technical articles are terribly useful tool for ACCA students towards topics within which students have unusually underperformed . These articles also have info about changes , updates and additions in the syllabus . So, pay special attention to these technical articles always for every paper before entering in your next exams .
Student Accountant magazine will be accessed through the subsequent link: ACCA Student Accountant Megazine
ACCA Study Guide and Exam Tips - Preparation Part
15.Revision:When you have done with every aspect of your studies then start revision , assign proper time for your revision . Even you have studied every thing in syllabus but it will not easy for you to revise full course in few days so assigning proper time is necessary otherwise you will feel stress and will become panic at initial stage of revision. Use your own notes always in revision because this will be easy for you and will save your a lot of precious time.If you are not in habit of making your on handy notes you can use approved publishers notes .
16.Exam Centre Confirmation:
Knowing about your exam center is very important . You should select exam centre which should not be too far or away from your living place when submitting your exam fee to ACCA . Check Also your Docket before exams and confirm that your docket is according to your provided info. Take reasonable care to reach your exam center on time by leaving your living place on right time considering the distance and traffic problems .
17. Sleep well before the exam:
Worrying about the exam, or studying till late night , will interfere with sleep .No doubt it seems unnatural to think about not studying before the exam night, but in order to get proper rest, it is necessary to put down the books and go to bed early . Skipping some hours of studying will not affect your grades .So take proper rest before your exam night .Otherwise you will feel sleepy in exams and would not be able to perform well.
18. Panic Control:
Students feel panic due to exam pressure in ACCA which is a big problem and some times unfortunately leads towards failure . How to avoid this in not a big deal .To don,t feel panic , take a fresh glass of water , check your sitting details , fill your details and remain concentrated till start of paper .If you have failed and got panic , you will simply become confused throughout the total exam session . This will result in errors and a lot of cutting on your answer sheet The trick is simply think positive before the exam starts , try to recall your memories , remain calm totally and hold your nerves till the exam ends .
ACCA Study Guide and Exam Tips - Performance Part
19. Reading Time:In ACCA papers fifteen minutes are given to read the question paper . These fifteen minutes are also vital towards solving your whole paper as you solve in standard time of three hours .In these fifteen minutes you have to understand the requirements of the questions and then start thinking from where i should start solving the questions keeping in mind the requirements of questions and the structure of answers . So in short the trick is simply understand the requirements of questions and start planning of structures of answers. in these fifteen minutes . If you have done with this all and have some extra minutes then start drafting your answer on question paper , don,t waste your time !
20. Understand Question Requirements:
Read requirements of the question and the question carefully . Don,t miss any point or line , understand it completely and then start solving the question . Understanding the question is very important , this will result in no cutting and clear to the point answer which examiner wants.
21. Answer to the Point:
Marking scheme and answering to the point are relevant to each other . As above we have discussed how you should answer accordingly marking scheme the same case is here . When answering to the point you should try to write according to requirement , marks available for that query and the word used as query in question like as discuss , define , analyze , identify , explain , list etc. So this is a matter of common sense which applies here .
22. Structure up your Answers:
Examiner wants and appreciates well-structured answers . Your answer should in adherence of questions requirements . The wording and solution should be simple and brief covering whole aspects of questions. This puts a good impression on examiner , the impression that you simply have tried your best to prepare your answers . And in case of time runs out, a solution just mentioning the key points of a question examiner may reward you a few good marks never thinking that the question is left incomplete. So always follow the required structure to gin some good marks easily.
23. Facilitate the Examiner:
Always facilitate your examiner by following required structure , writing to the point , writing clearly and cutting on your answer sheet. Always follow the sequence of requirements and the questions . Mention questions or company name in question on each answer on start as title .Name the questions parts clearly as a , b , c, etc. Start your new question always on a new full page . Don,t mix up different questions . Do your workings on right place properly this will help the examiner in understanding that from where the figures used in questions have actually came and how the have been calculated. Mark the question numbers clearly always and take a look at to follow the sequence of sub-parts to avoid confusion.Always write in line and within the permitted area of answer sheet don,t write on corners or cross lines and leave for examiner to seek your answer .In short avoid confusing examiner , that,s all !!
24. Don't leave any question Unanswered:
Unanswered question puts a bad impression on examiner . if there is a time management problem or you are shortage of time try to just t format the answer,s major points but remember just in case when you are unable to complete the solution . Examiner will understand your problem and will reward you some good marks . So if you are just leaving your question completely unanswered the you might loose your marks and examiner confidence and this may contribute towards your failure.
25. Review:
Always try to solve your paper up to fifteen minutes before the exam time . If luckily you have done this , then review your answers completely and make corrections where needed . But remember don,t overwrite again and again .
26. After Exams:
Hummm now just go home , take proper rest , sleep well and enjoy your some time . After this again prepare yourself for next examinations immediately and avoid wasting your time :)
Source
http://accareloaded.blogspot.com/2013/12/acca-december-2014-exam-tipsgeneral-tips.html
