R.S. Examination

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 48, 10 June 1932, Page 6

R.S. Examination

Bemerous Sidelights

AREKING examination papers evi,dently has its humorous | side, though it must be a most monotonous ‘and uninteresting job taken on the whole. The other day the writer was speaking with one of the examiners in the ‘radio serviceman’s examination, and in passing some of the amusing points were mentioned. One candidate. asked how he would test a valve, replied that he didn’t know anything about it and would send:them out to 2 qualified serviceman, of course forgetting that he was aiming to become a qualified serviceman himself. Another remarked after he had done about one question in the second section that, as he had passed in this section last time. he had concentrated on the first section Would the examiners be lenient? Another, in not attempting to answer any of the questions, said he considered the paper grossly unfair. It was many years since he had left school, and he had forgotten how to take the square root and work fractions, at the same time implying that what he did nol know about radio wasn’t worth knowing. Many commented that there was not sufficient time to finish, which, by the way, is quite a superfluous remark, as the examiner takes no notice of it. A eandidate is asked to do the paper in 2 certain time, and if he cannot, it is only an indication that he has not seen immediately the point of the question. Incidentally, the examiner said that one candidate had taken a sheet and a half, and in that space had put down all the essential points in each question. His was about the second highest paper marked so far. Another candidate took a whole book and failed to get half marks. In one way and another the writer jas been subjected to a few examinations, and it seems to him that the essential points when doing an examination are :- 1. Read the paper right through first. 2, Pick out the questions you know best and do them first. 3. Think about each question before you start to write about it. See if you ean see the point that the examiner has in mind, Usually each question has two or three vital points. Get them down in a minimum of words and don’t "pad." By "padding" is meant writing round the subject in bringing in extraneous matter. It only annoys the examiner and possibly some of the points you made are so covered by padding that they are not seen. 4. If you really cannot see the point of & question, and realise it is beyond you, do not attempt it. ff vou have done a good paper, the examiner may possibly be lenient, thinking that it is a matter of time which has crowded out the last question. And furthermore, by the time he gets to it, he hag already a high opinion of your work.