<![CDATA[Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper]]>

jedamum:
Joke about deduct marks on next paper reminds me that I like the idea of bonus questions giving extra marks. My son school has kids getting more than max marks for getting bonus questions correct. That marks can be used for next term's test....a buffer in case one slip as sometimes, you just perform below average on a bad day. Just saying.

Haha! There is also cultural marks for having won certain type of competitions

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/84371/discussion-do-away-with-time-limit-set-for-an-exam-paperRSS for NodeWed, 22 Apr 2026 18:31:59 GMTFri, 06 Nov 2015 14:41:39 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 14:13:09 GMT]]>Joke about deduct marks on next paper reminds me that I like the idea of bonus questions giving extra marks. My son school has kids getting more than max marks for getting bonus questions correct. That marks can be used for next term’s test…a buffer in case one slip as sometimes, you just perform below average on a bad day. Just saying.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602226https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602226Fri, 06 Nov 2015 14:13:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:17:26 GMT]]>

pirated:
MrsKiasu:

[quote=\"pirated\"]Word limits apply to essays only


Does not apply to me

No la..not you ...University. .see if I write short essay I will get 0 marks liao

After deduction for errors you owe examiner marks[/quote]
Luckily they don't have this system. .wait need deduct marks from my next paper.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602193https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602193Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:17:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:13:47 GMT]]>

MrsKiasu:
pirated:

Word limits apply to essays only


Does not apply to me

No la..not you ...University. .see if I write short essay I will get 0 marks liao

After deduction for errors you owe examiner marks

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602188https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602188Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:13:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:10:22 GMT]]>

pirated:
Word limits apply to essays only


Does not apply to me
No la..not you ...University. .see if I write short essay I will get 0 marks liao

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602186https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602186Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:10:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:03:10 GMT]]>Word limits apply to essays only


Does not apply to me

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602184https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602184Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:03:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:02:25 GMT]]>

pirated:
Many pages won't ensure scoring


Key points and right to the point will get the marks.

Also, as in all exams, the rule of diminishing return for each extra minute spent on the question applies.
The words limit applied to primary and secondary or all the way to U?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602182https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602182Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:02:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:59:55 GMT]]>Many pages won’t ensure scoring


Key points and right to the point will get the marks.

Also, as in all exams, the rule of diminishing return for each extra minute spent on the question applies.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602179https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602179Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:59:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:56:02 GMT]]>

ngl2010:
It's better to have time limit otherwise teachers may have to mark 8 pages of essay for each question! :faint:

They actually do.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602174https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602174Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:56:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:46:41 GMT]]>:rotflmao: probably limit by words is better..

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602170https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602170Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:46:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:40:44 GMT]]>

ChiefKiasu:
Administratively, I don't think we can ever do away with enforced limits for examinations. It is just not possible to run a never ending exam.


However, what we can do is to analyse whether time limits are too short for specific exams. That would boil down to what examiners are trying to test. If the intent is to test speed and accuracy of response, then short time limits are necessary. If the intent is to test depth of knowledge, then short time limits might do injustice to students being tested.

With regards to essays, what we can do is to allow students to have more time to write essays, but limit the number of pages their answer can have. This would force students to plan their answers more carefully so that every single line of their essay is fully relevant to what the question is asking. From my personal experience... shorter essays are much harder to write than long ones 🙂 Most students simply use the \"scatter gun\" approach where they just list all the points they can think of, leaving it to the examiner to decide which point is relevant. I normally fail students who use this approach, even if they list all the relevant points in their essay. They are simply not answering the question.
If limit the number of pages, then the students will write small small 😉

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602166https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602166Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:40:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:30:08 GMT]]>I don't think mine was so far away from the questions asked 😉 just that I like to elaborate to make sure they understand the message I wanted to convey or in another word long winded 😆

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602161https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602161Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:30:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:23:57 GMT]]>Yup agree, I wouldn't want to get 'detoured or lost' from the main reason that makes me want to attend a certain talk 😂

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602159https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602159Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:23:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:22:17 GMT]]>

ChiefKiasu:
Administratively, I don't think we can ever do away with enforced limits for examinations. It is just not possible to run a never ending exam.


However, what we can do is to analyse whether time limits are too short for specific exams. That would boil down to what examiners are trying to test. If the intent is to test speed and accuracy of response, then short time limits are necessary. If the intent is to test depth of knowledge, then short time limits might do injustice to students being tested.

With regards to essays, what we can do is to allow students to have more time to write essays, but limit the number of pages their answer can have. This would force students to plan their answers more carefully so that every single line of their essay is fully relevant to what the question is asking. From my personal experience... shorter essays are much harder to write than long ones 🙂 Most students simply use the \"scatter gun\" approach where they just list all the points they can think of, leaving it to the examiner to decide which point is relevant. I normally fail students who use this approach, even if they list all the relevant points in their essay. They are simply not answering the question.
Haha, it actually happened to my DS once. He was puzzled why his essay scored so low marks in a test when he had included all the points (he knew this because teacher went through in class after the test). I was curious so I looked at his essay and noticed that he had used the \"scatter gun\" approach for that essay. I explained to him that his teacher was being lenient, I would have failed him if I was marking, because he was supposed to answered the question, not expecting the teacher to pick and choose the relevant points.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602158https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602158Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:22:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:07:58 GMT]]>

MrsKiasu:
I find that sometimes when we write, we just have too many ideas flowing..hand not fast enough..and when the language is not as powderful, elaboration of points will help?

While we might think that putting lots of points is important to impress the examiner, sometimes, it ends up doing the opposite. It is much better to directly address the question first before delving into details.

It is the same as when we are giving presentations. If we really want our audience to get the message, we need to strip away all the details and zoom right down to the core message we want to leave the audience with.

Here's a great video by Carmine Gallo on how to give presentations like Steve Jobs:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q-wvAIeUgk][/youtube]

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602155https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602155Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:07:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:00:28 GMT]]>

ngl2010:
MrsKiasu:

If me, I wouldn't want to leave the exam hall..I will write and write hoping that I will hit some points. It can be a torture for the people who marks the scripts.


Also, I think it is also to test on the time management?

You are one of those students that will write 8 pages of essay for each question! 😆 :spank: :rotflmao:


Nah, essay should have a word limit.

The student is welcome to add illustrations and pictures :rotflmao:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602152https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602152Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:00:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:00:07 GMT]]>

ChiefKiasu:
MrsKiasu:

Chief Kiasu used to be an educator?


Used to be?? I have always been... or at least would like to think that I am one... 😂



:rotflmao: ya hor...I m too (to my girls) though not really a good one :razz:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602151https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602151Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:00:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:58:34 GMT]]>I find that sometimes when we write, we just have too many ideas flowing…hand not fast enough…and when the language is not as powderful, elaboration of points will help?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602150https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602150Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:58:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:57:39 GMT]]>

MrsKiasu:
Chief Kiasu used to be an educator?

Used to be?? I have always been... or at least would like to think that I am one... 😂

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602149https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602149Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:57:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:55:56 GMT]]>Chief Kiasu used to be an educator?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602147https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602147Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:55:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:51:32 GMT]]>Administratively, I don't think we can ever do away with enforced limits for examinations. It is just not possible to run a never ending exam.


However, what we can do is to analyse whether time limits are too short for specific exams. That would boil down to what examiners are trying to test. If the intent is to test speed and accuracy of response, then short time limits are necessary. If the intent is to test depth of knowledge, then short time limits might do injustice to students being tested.

With regards to essays, what we can do is to allow students to have more time to write essays, but limit the number of pages their answer can have. This would force students to plan their answers more carefully so that every single line of their essay is fully relevant to what the question is asking. From my personal experience... shorter essays are much harder to write than long ones 🙂 Most students simply use the \"scatter gun\" approach where they just list all the points they can think of, leaving it to the examiner to decide which point is relevant. I normally fail students who use this approach, even if they list all the relevant points in their essay. They are simply not answering the question.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602144https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602144Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:51:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:40:56 GMT]]>Write the view points from different angles...some will be out and hopefully some are relevant :razz:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602141https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602141Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:40:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:35:15 GMT]]>

MrsKiasu:
If me, I wouldn't want to leave the exam hall..I will write and write hoping that I will hit some points. It can be a torture for the people who marks the scripts.


Also, I think it is also to test on the time management?
And priority management?
Write too much for essay sekali get out of point.. 😓
i know my kids' Chinese essays would definitely be 多写多错。。
All those 错别字扣到来分数就所剩无几 liao..

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602139https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602139Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:35:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Discussion: do away with time limit set for an exam paper on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:33:07 GMT]]>

MrsKiasu:
If me, I wouldn't want to leave the exam hall..I will write and write hoping that I will hit some points. It can be a torture for the people who marks the scripts.


Also, I think it is also to test on the time management?
You are one of those students that will write 8 pages of essay for each question! 😆 :spank: :rotflmao:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602137https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1602137Fri, 06 Nov 2015 11:33:07 GMT