Question about exam questions (1 Viewer)

[pigas]

I was wondering something today about when an exam question asks for a specific amount of 'reasons' or features or whatever. Ok let's take agriculture for example.

If the questions asks:

"Name THREE features of a monocot plant"

If you put down four features instead because you are not sure of some of your answers, will they add marks on ALL that you got right, including the fourth one?
Basically if it specifically asks for x amount of reasons/features/whatever, and you put more, will all the right ones count? EXCEPT even if all 4 are right of course, you will only get the maximum marks, i.e 3 marks, obviously you can't get extra marks. I hope this makes sense lol.

Maybe this is more simply put:

if they ask to name x amount of something, and you put more than they ask (in case you weren't sure on your answers), will they consider all the answers you gave or just the first x required?

 

[Queenroot]

If the question is specific, then be specific. Only name three.
Although your marks shouldn't be taken away if you have outlined more than 3 reasons correctly, it is sort of like writing "this or this could be the answer".

 

[pheelx3]

In the HSC, and in this case, they will always look at the first three answers. Any more provided after third one will simply be crossed out with their bold red pen, and regardless if its wrong or right they will not consider it in their marking criteria. It's like multiple choice and you circle A B C D. lol...

Its really up to you if you want to overshoot, but there's no point if it clearly says three...

Hope I have provided you some insight haha.

 

[MrsA]

Different subjects have different ways of marking so you should definitely check with your teachers to work out the different attitudes.

Agriculture markers are *nice* markers - they read everything you write and are always trying to give you more marks rather than taking marks off. Do not bother crossing out material you have written - if it is still legible an effort will be made to try and read/mark it anyway. Wanting you to get marks!

In your example the Agriculture marker would read the whole answer and then pick the best three reasons/features to mark. This means that if you are not sure if an answer is good it might be advantageous to include an extra one. The big disadvantage of this is, of course, that it will take more time that you could spend elsewhere and you may be better off just providing more detail on three. Disclaimer: This does not apply when you write the equivalent of yes AND no.

Also, HSC markers never use a red pen on the papers - no writing on them at all. There is little point really as the red pens your teachers use are to give feedback and very few students will ever see their marked HSC paper (and it is really too late then for feedback anyway).