2016 VCE Exam Guide — Business Management: familiarise yourself with requirements of task words

This means that there have been six years of exams and examination reports in the current format.

It also means that the vast majority of terms and concepts have been included in questions over that time period. It is important to remember that knowledge of Business Management terms and concepts, while essential, is only part of what is required to fully answer the questions in the exams.

Consider the following as part of your Business Management exam preparation:

Focus on Areas of Study

As a revision strategy, you can categorise the questions in recent exams according to their Areas of Study.

Find all of the questions related to Large-Scale Organisations in Context, for example.

List the terms that have been incorporated into questions, and those that are yet to be examined. Where a term or concept has been included in more than one exam, take note of the different ways it was used.

Did the questions specify application to a particular function, type of LSO or performance indicators? Which task words were associated with it?

Perhaps try to make a list of 10 other questions that could have been asked on the topic of Large Scale Organisations in Context.

Learn the meanings of task words

As well as learning the key knowledge terms and concepts, it is vital that you prepare for the Business Management exam by familiarising yourself with the requirements of the task words. These are often used in combinations as well.

In the 2015 Business Management exam, for example, students were required to:

● Explain (5 questions)

● Describe (4 questions)

● Discuss (1 question)

● Justify (3 questions)

● Outline (2 questions)

● Distinguish between
(1 question)

● Analyse (1 question)

Other task words that have appeared in recent exams include evaluate, compare and define.

If you do not address the task words, then you are not answering the question that is written.

This prevents students from getting full marks for some answers.

Apply your knowledge of terms and concepts

Students were reminded in the 2015 Examination Report that applying their knowledge to the case material provided in the exam is often required:

“Students are expected to apply their knowledge to the specific scenario within the examination question. Where a more general, theoretical response is given, without application to the scenario, full marks cannot be awarded. Similarly, if the response provides a ‘story’ about the organisation studied during the year and does not apply knowledge to the scenario, full marks cannot be awarded.”

(vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/exams/busmngmnt/2015/busman_examrep15.pdf)

Here is a way to practise this skill. Read the case material in previous years’ exams or practice exams carefully, noting the following (if they are mentioned):

● The type of large-scale organisation. Is it a business? A charity? A Government Business Enterprise? This matters because each type has different objectives.

● The levels and types of managers. Are they senior, middle or frontline managers? This could affect the type of planning and decision-making that they do. Are they functional managers? If so, your answer would need to reflect their area of responsibility.

● Does the organisation produce goods or services? Your answer should be quite precise in terms of incorporating information that is relevant to what the business actually does.

● Is there an urgent issue that is described? Or is time not a consideration? This could affect the management style that is selected or the skills that you describe.

Plan your strategy for answering the
10 mark question

Students often struggle with the 10 mark question in the Business Management exam. This will be your last question, but you can, of course, answer them in any order.

Average mark for the
10 mark question:

2012: 3.7

2013: 4.3

2014: 3.4

2015: 4

There can be a number of reasons for these results:

● Students may not have managed their time properly, having to rush to write something in the remaining time.

● Students may not have known the key knowledge that was being assessed.

● Students may not have addressed the task words that were incorporated in the questions.

● Students may not have planned their responses, resulting in partial answers.

To maximise your marks in the 10 mark question, go in with a plan.

● Have a clear idea of the time that you will allow for the 10 mark question. Remember that you will need to answer a total of 65 marks of questions in 120 minutes of writing time. With 10 marks at stake, the time that you allow to answer this question can be significant.

● Consider whether to answer the 10 mark question first, last or in the middle of writing time.

● It can be worthwhile writing a brief plan before you start writing your answer. That way you won’t get lost half way through. You will remember to cover all points that you consider to be important.

Take a broad approach to your Business Management exam preparation to increase the chances of maximising your marks.

Debra McNaughton teaches at Sacred Heart College Kyneton

EXAM DETAILS:

Business Management

When: October 31, 3pm-5.15pm

Reading: 15 minutes

Writing: 2 hours

Worth: 50 per cent of study score