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BEST USE OF TIME

IN OBJECTIVE TEST EXAMS


The introduction of computer based examination across CIMAs professional qualification
raises new considerations about how you should best manage your exam time.

Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants

Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants

Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants

This article aims to provide guidance on how best to use your time in the Objective Test
(OT) examinations.
It will be useful to view any of the OT Practice Exams, when considering the content
of this article.

Overview of the OT Exam

OT exam tools

In any OT Exam, you will get 60 questions and be allowed 90


minutes in which to answer them.

An OT exam has two features which are particularly helpful to time


management:

This means roughly 90 seconds per question but some questions will
require more or less reading/consideration than others; this balances out
over the course of the test. The questions are presented uniquely to each
student as they are selected and ordered using some randomisation.
One candidates exam may start with a short multiple choice question
while another candidates exam for the same subject may start with a
sequence of three or four number entry questions from shared data.

Next button in bottom right hand corner of the screen

Question Types

When you click the Next button, the test will move you on to the next
question whether or not you have completed the question currently on show.

Next button
Flag for Review button

A range of question styles (e.g. drag-and-drop, hot-spot, multiple answer,


multiple choice, number entry) will be used to assess your knowledge
and competence of the entire syllabus (all the component learning
outcomes). All questions earn equal marks, but the time you may spend
on each question may vary based on question type explained below.

If you have not completed your answer to the question, it will be recorded
as incomplete for later review. Incomplete status may reflect a question
with no response at all or one where the answer is only partially complete,
such as a multiple response question.

For effective use of time during the OT Exam, all OT questions can
be grouped into one of the four categories below, depending on your
personal preferences and strengths and weaknesses:

Flag for Review button in top right, underneath the countdown timer
If this button is clicked, the icon turns yellow and at the end of the exam,
you will be notified that you have flagged this question for review.

1. Short questions where you feel confident about the content,


therefore quick to answer
2. Longer questions where you feel confident about the approach
required
3. Short questions where you are less confident and will need to
give more consideration / thought / workings
4. Longer questions, with more complex data where you need to
consider the approach required to answer the question
With pre-exam practice, you should learn to identify the category
into which each question falls.

The flag will not alter your answer and if the exam ends with flags remaining
on questions, those answers will be submitted in their current state.
Flags should be used sparingly; for questions where youve worked out
an answer but would like a second chance to review it if time allows.

Recommended Approach

Review Screen

We recommend the following approach to answering questions:

This is an important feature to use when you have clicked through


all the questions.

First

Take about 10 to 15 minutes to click Next through


all 60 items, identifying and answering the questions
in category 1 above (Question Types) i.e. short questions
that can be answered quickly and confidently. These
include brief knowledge and definition multiple choice
questions where the correct answer is identified
immediately without the need for re-reading of the
stem or the options.
At the end of the first run-through, you may have
answered 10 to 15 questions with confidence.
This confidence will allow you to relax a little and
approach the remaining questions more calmly.
Use the function Review Incomplete Items in the
review screen

Second

Identify questions from category 2 i.e. those where


you know the approach to answering and also know
that you would prefer to have less time pressure in
answering. Such questions would include those requiring
analysis of a short scenario / set of data or calculations
where you know what those calculations need to be.
Depending on the subject being examined, this
could get you up to another 20 to 30 questions
complete in around next 30 to 40 minutes.
Use the function Review Incomplete Items again,
this time tackling the questions in categories 3 and
4 i.e. those where you know that you have to think
in more detail about the options or workings.

Third

Fourth

Do not spend too long on any one question (a maximum


of 3 minutes). If you think you need more time to
review a question, submit your best answer and
click the Flag button so that you can review the
question in any time remaining after all questions
have been attempted.
Use any remaining time to review flagged questions,
making sure that you consider the options or
calculations carefully.

There may be a few questions based on same data, and that case
all such questions will be one after the other. Do all such questions
in one go so that you may maintain the flow of thoughts and
save time from reading the question again and again.

Once you have clicked Next on the sixtieth question, regardless of


whether you have completed all questions, the exam takes you to a
review screen which lists the status of all 60 questions.
Complete: there is no mark on the review screen against questions
you have completed
Incomplete: questions for which you have submitted no answer or a
partially complete answer. This provides a safety net. If you accidentally
click two options when the question has asked for THREE, the review
screen identifies the omission for you.
Flagged: the questions which you have consciously flagged for review.
The review screen is the first time you will have the option to End the
Exam. If you choose to end the exam, a warning screen will pop up asking
you (twice) to confirm. If you have any incomplete questions, the pop up
will alert you to this, telling you how many such items there are.
Note: It will not mention any flagged items.
When you are at the review screen, you are given the option to:
Select an individual question for review
Review all 60 questions in sequence
Review only the incomplete questions in sequence
Review only the flagged items

AT THE END of the OT Exam


After 85 minutes, a window will pop up to alert you that there are
5 minutes remaining.
You are strongly advised during this time to return to the review screen;
click Review Incomplete Items and ensure that an answer is submitted
for every question.
In any remaining time, review any questions which remain flagged.
At the end of the 90 minutes available, the exam will close down.
All complete answers, including those which have been flagged will be
recorded for scoring. Any which are incomplete will earn no marks.
In OT Exams, there is NO:
Negative marking (for wrong answers, you wont lose marks)
Partial marking (you either earn a mark or dont earn any
marks. i.e. only a correct and complete answer will earn the
marks, and partial answers will earn no marks)

Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants
26 Chapter Street
London
SW1P 4NP
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8849 2251
cima.contact@cimaglobal.com

Two of the worlds most prestigious accounting


bodies, AICPA and CIMA, formed a joint venture
to establish the CGMA designation to elevate the
profession of management accounting.

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