I was in Austin Texas two weeks ago for the SXSW Edu Festival, learning new innovative ways to teach and entertain all of our students. There was a lot of learning to be done to be fair. I learnt that I cannot walk in cowboy boots, that I am not made for the Texan heat, and that Texas margaritas are far too strong for me to handle! While none of these will directly help you sit your exam, there was one thing that could.
I was introduced to the phrase ‘Bless your heart,’ by a Texan friend. At first glance, this seems like a nice statement to make, but in that, you could be mistaken. It could be genuine sympathy that they are offering, but the phrase has multiple meanings and could be an insult which is condescending or even worse contemptuous. Essentially saying ‘Bless your heart you are an idiot.” The context here is everything, it is not always obvious and you may even need to check with someone else to see if they agree with how you took this!
Luckily no one actually uttered this phrase for me, so I did not have to wonder – but as it’s exam time and I’ve been marking a million assignments for my students, it got me thinking about your question essays. Context, especially in a case scenario question is everything, and sometimes, like the bless your heart phrase, the case or certain theory can have multiple meanings/arguments or solutions. This is why you need to outline the different options, and both define and explain your point of view. Do not believe that it is obvious to the examiner, explain everything. Remember the examiner cannot check with you to explain your meaning, so you need to be clear!
I hope you find this little tip useful, if you want even more exam technique help, why not get in touch and find out how Business Academy Online can help you achieve your CIPS goals.
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