preparing for assessments · •operations management in supply chains. core units •leadership in...
TRANSCRIPT
A guide for candidates
Preparingfor assessmentsCertificate in procurement and supply operationsAdvanced certificate in procurement and supply operations
1
CIPS has produced two new guides to assist you
in preparing for each of the assessment formats
you are likely to encounter when taking CIPS
qualifications. Hints and techniques for each
format are covered in each guide, and you
should use the relevant guide for the
qualification or unit you are about to take. Don’t
forget that everyone works in different ways, so
these guides can only offer you some helpful
advice – it is not intended that everyone should
follow the advice, or prepare for their
assessments in the same way.
CIPS 2013 suite of professional awards provides
a ladder of learning opportunities to suit all the
different stages of a procurement career. Our
qualifications are available worldwide, and are
mapped against qualification frameworks
around the world to ensure that they are
recognised wherever you are based.
Unit content guides, giving further detail of the learning
outcomes for each unit, can be found on CIPS’ website.
Preparing forassessments
CORE UNITS
• Procurement
and supply
principles
• Procurement
and supply
functions
• Procurement
and supply
processes
• Procurement
and supply
administration
• Procurement
and supply
stakeholders.
CORE UNITS
• Procurement
and supply
environments
• Procurement
and supply
operations
• Procurement
and supply
workflow
• Inventory and
logistics
operations
• Procurement
and supply
relationships.
CORE UNITS
• Contexts of
procurement
and supply
• Business needs
in procurement
and supply
• Sourcing in
procurement
and supply
• Negotiating and
contracting in
procurement
and supply
• Managing
contracts and
relationships in
procurement
and supply.
CORE UNITS
• Management in
procurement and
supply
• Managing risks in
supply chains
• Improving the
competitiveness
of supply chains.
OPTIONAL UNITS
• Category
management in
procurement and
supply
• Sustainability in
supply chains
• Operations
management in
supply chains.
CORE UNITS
• Leadership in
procurement
and supply
• Corporate and
business
strategy
• Strategic supply
chain
management.
OPTIONAL UNITS
• Supply chain
diligence
• Programme and
project
management
• Legal aspects in
procurement
and supply
(UK).
Certificate in
procurement and
supply operations
Advanced certificate
in procurement and
supply operations
Diploma in
procurement
and supply
Advanced diploma
in procurement
and supply
Professional diploma
in procurement
and supply
www.cips.org 03
Improving your assessments technique could be the difference between a pass and a fail, so it’s
important to spend sometime thinking about what you should be doing correctly.
Preparing for assessments:Diploma in procurement and supply operations Advanced diploma in procurement and supplyProfessional diploma in procurement and supply
• Section 1 – Preparing for essay questions
• Section 2 – A guide to preparing for unseen case study and questions
• Section 3 – A guide to preparing for pre-released case study and questions.
Preparing for assessments:Certificate in procurement and supply operations Advanced certificate in procurement and supply operations
• Section 1 – Answering multiple choice questions
• Section 2 – Practical written assessment preparation guide (AC3).
ASSESSMENT GUIDE 1
ASSESSMENT GUIDE 2
then gradually lengthen the revision time, but
keep the break-times the same. Make extra
time for revision during the day by getting up
earlier, or shortening your lunch break.
On the day of the exam:
• Eat properly before the examination to keep
your blood sugar and energy levels up. Make
sure you drink plenty of water to keep you
hydrated.
• Try to remain relaxed. Take deep breaths and,
if possible, try to stretch. This can help clear
your mind and relieve any build-up of
tension.
• If you have a sudden ‘mental block’ during
the exam, try not to panic - this is quite a
common problem! If it happens to you, some
of the following techniques may help:
Leave space and move to the next
question. This will give you confidence and
give you time to clear your head
Answer questions you feel confident about
first – just remember to clearly show the
question numbers
Try to recall the information using one of
the memory aids above. If you have used
these methods during revision. You can
make notes in your answer booklet once
the examination has started. Jot down
thoughts as they occur to you when you
read through the paper, to see if this
triggers recall
• Pace yourself – make sure you know how
much time to allocate to each question or
section (we have given you some
recommended timings at the end of each
section of this guide) and stick to your plan.
Tip and hints
• Use the unit content learning outcomes as a
check-list of all the things you need to know.
• Make your own notes, rather than relying on
books, or notes provided by lecturers. You
may like to summarise your notes on cards
that you can carry round with you. If you are
a ‘visuals’ person, make mind-maps instead of
linear notes. Use highlighters and coloured
pens to focus on important things.
• Use your mobile phone or an online voice
recorder (there are lots of free voice
recorders online) to record your voice. Record
yourself reading your notes or summaries
and then listen to the recordings.
• Use past papers and/or exemplar material
from CIPS website to gain an understanding
of how the assessors design questions on the
topics you have studied, but remember that
the examination formats changed in 2013, so
you should treat pre-2013 past papers with
caution. Exemplar material for each unit of
the 2013 qualifications can also be found on
CIPS website.
• Read any assessor reports and guidance
provided by CIPS.
• Get as much practice as you can: make sure
you can concentrate for 2-3 hours at a time,
try to get used to writing in time-constrained
conditions, and practise extended writing if
you are preparing for essay-type assessment.
• Revise with a friend. Explain things to each
other and ask each other some questions. Go
for a walk with a friend and test each other
while you are walking.
• Take regular breaks, perhaps of around ten
minutes, to avoid revision-fatigue. Start by
revising for short periods between breaks,
Whatever the format, the purpose of the questions is for you to:
A demonstrate your knowledge and understanding about the subject area, and
B show that you can adhere to instructions when answering questions
It is important to consider both of these aspects when preparing for and during assessments. If
you are taking an assessment involving essays or case studies, always remember to demonstrate,
what you know throughout your answers. The person marking your essay does not know you, so
you need to show your knowledge in a similar way to approaching a job interview – you have to
help them to recognise that you know your material, and if you don’t, the assessor will not make
any allowances for what you missed out!
General advicefor allassessmenttypes
Revising for CIPS assessments
www.cips.org 05
Memory aids for revision, and to improve recall during the exam:
1 Many people claim to have a ‘bad memory’, but often the problem is that they don’t give the information sufficient
attention to commit it to their memory in the first place. If the information never made it to your memory, then you have
no hope of getting it out again. So the most important aid to memory is to PAY ATTENTION:
• focus on what you are learning or revising, and don’t let your mind wander. Many people find that certain types of
music (often instrumental music) help concentration, but most people cannot concentrate properly with the TV playing.
• make sure you understand the concepts you are learning – if you don’t understand them, you will not remember them
• re-phrase or re-state the information, so that you are forced to think about what it means
• if you have to remember lists, repeat the items enough times to lodge them in your memory
2 Use a mnemonic to help you remember lists, theories, or staged processes.
For example, recognised management theorists include: Mullins, Brech, Armstrong, Fayol, Mintzberg, Drucker
You can devise a simple mnemonic to help you remember their names using their initial letters:
Most British Accountants Find Maths Difficult
If you devise your own mnemonics, they are usually easier to remember than someone else’s. If you can make them funny
or personal to you, they are easier still to remember.
3 Visual memory often helps to support recall of information for an exam. If this works for you
• make charts, mind-maps, tables or pictures while revising – you may find you can recall these better during the exam
than sections of text
• use coloured highlighters in your revision notes, choosing different colours for different topics or related concepts. If a
question on one of these topics comes up in the exam, you may be able to recall relevant information by remembering
the items that you had highlighted in the same colour.
4 Research shows that re-creating the circumstances you were in when you were revising helps you to recall better in the
exam. Clearly, you can’t take your classroom or bedroom into the exam room, but one tip you might try is to wear a
particular perfume or aftershave whilst revising. Wear it again on the day of the exam, and the smell may help you to recall
the information you need.
Stick pieces of
paper around
your room
with notes and
look at them
regularly.
Plan a
timetable for
revision and
break up each
area into
manageable
chunks
Be prepared. If
you feel
confident and
know what to
expect it can
have a really
positive effect
on your state of
mind and level
of nerves.
Studying for multiple choice questions (MCQ) requires a special method of preparation distinctly
different from an essay question. MCQ assessments ask a student to recognise a correct answer
among a set of options that include 3 or more wrong answers (called distracters ), rather than
asking the student to produce a correct answer entirely from his/her own mind. The first part of
this guide provides you with useful techniques when answering MCQs.
MCQs are used in all five units of the
Certificate in procurement and supply
operations, and in four out of the five units in
the Advanced certificate in procurement and
supply operations.
In the Certificate in procurement and supply
operations, questions will be focused on
testing your awareness, recognition and
knowledge of basic transactional processes.
In the Advanced certificate in procurement and
supply operations, questions will focus on
testing your knowledge of specific processes
(such as typically asking how things are done),
and your ability to identify associated models
or theories.
The assessment for each unit is two hours. There
are five units in the Certificate and Advanced
certificate qualifications.
Each MCQ assessment is presented in a
booklet divided into separate sections, with
15-20 MCQs per section. All questions are
compulsory and carry equal marks. A
separate answer sheet is provided (see
example on page 7).
What will the MCQs look like?
• In multiple-choice assessments you must
select one correct answer from a choice of
four options for each question
• Some questions will begin with a scenario or
statement. This provides you with some
additional information to enable you to
answer the question
• You may see a straightforward question
ending with a question mark (‘?’), or it could
be an incomplete statement, which requires
you to complete it
• There will be only one correct answer for
each question so you should try to eliminate
the other answers using your knowledge of
the topic area. The process of elimination is
very important in terms of MCQs so you
must apply logic and sense along with your
knowledge of the subject.
Example
Q Which of the following is a recognised definition of ‘quality’?
A Percentage of poor quality products produced
B Conformance to specification
C Proven life of the equipment
D Use of standard materials in the product
Process of elimination immediately tells you that option A is
incorrect. It is not in itself a definition of the term ‘quality’.
You can also eliminate C, because if something is of good quality it
might last for a long time, but quality is something much greater
than this.
And you can eliminate D: just because the materials used are all of
the same standard, this does not mean that they are of the agreed
standard.
Quality can be defined as ‘conformance to specification’. If the
builder/manufacturer of goods/products works to a specification
and conforms to the specification at all stages, then it is likely that
quality will be at the centre of the output. It allows for
standardisation of the product and consistency of quality in the
product build.
07
1 Multiple choice questionspreparation guide
What should I expect in the exam?
Certificate
in procurement &
supply operations.
Two hours duration
NC1: Procurement and supply principles.
NC2: Procurement and supply functions.
NC3: Procurement and supply processes.
NC4: Procurement and supply administration.
NC5: Procurement and supply stakeholders.
Four sections of 15 MCQs totalling 60 MCQs
for the whole assessment - NC1 and NC5.
Three sections of 20 MCQs totalling 60 MCQs
for the whole assessment - NC2, NC3 and NC4.
Advanced certificate
in procurement &
supply operations.
Two hours duration
AC1: Procurement and supply environments.
AC2: Procurement and supply operations.
AC4: Inventory and logistics operations.
AC5: Procurement and supply relationships.
Three sections of 20 MCQs totalling 60 MCQs
for the whole assessment.
*Unit AC3: Procurement and supply workflow uses different assessment methods, see section 2
practical written exam preparation guide.
Recommended time to spend on MCQ assessments (two hours duration)
Reading rubric (instructions) on question booklet and answer sheet, filling in name etc. Two minutes.
Reading, thinking, and choosing option A – D (per question) by circling it in you answer booklet. No more than 90 minutes.
Returning to difficult/unsure questions to check, re-think, and amend where necessary.
(per section).
No more than 15 minutes.
Complete the answer sheet by marking the correct answer box with a cross. Two minutes.
How should I prepare for anassessment using MCQs?
Do not assume that MCQs are easier than
other formats. Whilst it is true that the correct
answer is guaranteed to be among the possible
responses (so it is possible to gain marks from
a lucky guess), nevertheless multiple choice
exams can actually be very difficult!
• Multiple choice assessments contain many
questions, so they require you to be familiar
with a very broad range of material
• Multiple choice exams expect you to be
familiar with facts, definitions and details: it
is not easy to "bluff" in a multiple choice
assessments.
To prepare for a multiple choice assessment,
try the following:
• Begin studying early and you may find you
cannot retain many details effectively in
short-term memory. If you learn a little bit
each day and allow plenty of time for
repeated reviews, you will build a much
more reliable long-term memory
• Pay particular attention to fundamental
terms and concepts. These are the items
that most commonly appear in MCQs
• Look for similarities and differences that
might be used to distinguish correct choices
from alternative options in MCQs
• If the CIPS course book highlights specific
vocabulary or key definitions, be sure that
you understand them. Do not simply
memorise these definitions. Most assessors
will rephrase things in their own words as
they write MCQs, so you must be sure that
you really know what the definitions mean
• If you can, brainstorm possible questions
with several other candidates who are also
taking the course
• Practice on available exemplar questions
www.cips.org/study-support
Tips and hints for answering MCQs
• Read through the assessment quickly and
circle the questions you know first in the
questions booklet. Mark those you think you
know in some way. Do not mark the answer
sheet
• Read through the assessment a second time
and answer more difficult questions
• Always cover up the possible responses with
your hand while you read the body of the
question. If you know the correct answer –
then reveal the options and hopefully yours
will be there. If it is, circle it and then check
to be sure that none of the other responses
are better
• Watch your timing as you have 60 questions
to answer in 120 minutes. If you cannot
answer within a minute or less, skip it and
come back to it later. Spending too long on a
few questions could throw you off track in
terms of time. Look at the table that
recommends time to spend on MCQ papers
• Do not try to find a pattern of answers
throughout the paper – our assessors will
not have set a paper where (for example) ‘B’
is the correct answer all the way through, or
where the correct answers follow any
pattern
• When you have answered most of the
questions by circling your chosen answer in
the booklet, then you are ready to transfer
all your answers to the answer sheet at the
same time, towards the end of the exam.
Saving the completion of the answer sheet
to the end reduces the probability of making
silly errors, and avoids too many corrections
on your answer sheet. But do not leave this
to the last minute! Ensure you leave
sufficient time – we recommend you allow
15 to 20 minutes.
The answer sheet will look like this:
• Make sure you have made your
choice clear – if you have changed
your mind once or twice, make sure
that only your final choice is clearly
indicated
• If time allows, review both questions
and answers: it is possible you mis-
read questions the first time
• Take the time to check your work
before the exam ends
• Finally, remember that the best way
to ensure you select the correct
option is to know the right answer!
www.cips.org
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANDIDATES
1 Before you begin, check your candidate number and
unit title is correct at the top of this answer sheet.
Your name must not appear anywhere on this answer
sheet.
2 All answers must be written in blue or black ink.
3 Mark only one answer to each question.
4 Make a cross in the box in order to mark your
answer: n n n5 n
5 If you wish to change an answer; completely fill in the
incorrect answer you wish to change, and complete
your new answer with a cross: n n5 n n
6 Any questions with more than one cross will be
considered null and void:n n5 n5 n
7 Do not make any other marks on this sheet.
8 At the end of the examination, hand this answer sheet
to the invigilator.
09
Activity before the invigilator starts the exam
Reading the front of the question booklet and answer sheet.
Check your candidate ID and unit title are printed correctly on the answer sheet.
Check the unit title is printed correctly on your question booklet.
Read the instructions on the front of the question booklet and answer sheet.
The practical written assessment comprises four
sections presented in a booklet which includes
the questions and spaces for answers. The
questions are broken down in to a number of
parts each testing a different learning outcome
from the unit content, such as Q1 tests learning
outcome 1 and so on.
You must pass each question in order to achieve
an overall pass grade. Make sure you pace
yourself and answer all of the questions.
The questions are designed to simulate tasks
which might be undertaken in the work
environment. They will focus on testing your
understanding of specific processes (such as
how things are done) and your ability to use
information provided in order to answer the
questions.
What will the practical written assessments
look like?:
• Each question will be worth a total of 25
marks, but it will be broken down in to
several parts. The marks value for each part
will be clear. There will be a range of question
types and styles. Review the exemplar
questions Workflow Workbook.pdf, in order
to gain a better understanding of the types of
questions you can expect
• You may be given sample materials, such as
purchase orders, requisition forms, or balance
sheets, and asked to fill in the gaps, or
comment on the completeness of the
information they contain
• You may be asked to calculate prices, profits,
or margins, based on the information provided
• You may be asked to assume a role within an
organisation and to write an appropriate
communication to colleagues or customers
based on the information provided
• You may be asked to use your theoretical
knowledge to comment on the adequacy of a
fictitious company’s processes or
documentation.
In most cases you will not be asked to do
extended pieces of writing in the booklet itself.
However this means that you will need to spend
some time analysing the information you have
been given and you will need to watch your
timing, as the booklet may contain a number of
different tasks to be completed within the two
hours. The table Recommended time to spend
on practical written assessments right suggests
how you might plan your time.
How should I prepare for a practical
assessment?
Where ever possible, try to relate what you have
learned in your studies to real organisations. You
may be able to do this in your own organisation
but an excellent way to do this is to read
relevant magazine, newspaper or online articles,
such as Supply Management magazine and
online you can also sign up for daily email news
alerts, an excellent source for examples of
procurement practice, problems and solutions.
www.cips.org 11
2 Practical written assessmentpreparation guide
Ensure you understand the 'so what'.
For example knowing how to calculate
something is not enough. You need to be
able to use the information so you need to
be able to explain what the calculated value
means or indicates.
Can you suggest any hints and tips for
answering practical written assessments?
• Read through the whole booklet first.
Start by completing the sections you are
confident about and return to the more
difficult sections later.
• Write your answers in the booklet – use
the space provided and the marks
allocated to each question or part of a
question as a guide to the amount of
detail expected in the answer.
• Make sure you note how many pieces of
information or comments are asked for.
This will be clearly written within the
question, and often the correct number of
spaces to be completed will be provided.
You may be given a blank space to use for
your answer so check how many points
you are required to make and include the
right number. If the question asks for 5
items and you include 8 or 9 the assessor
may only mark the first 5 so there is no
advantage in providing more than the
required amount in the hope that at least
some of your answers will be correct.
• If you have to correct an answer, make
sure that you have clearly indicated the
answer you wish the assessor to mark.
• Watch the time! You have 4 questions with
several parts to work through in 2 hours -
you can see how spending too long on a
few questions could throw you off track in
terms of time.
• Try to allow some time at the end to check
that you have competed every part of
every question. The layout of a workbook
can sometimes be difficult to check for
completeness. If necessary, list the
question numbers and their parts on a
spare space in the book and tick them off
once you have checked they are all
complete.
What should I expect in the assessment
Advanced certificate in
procurement & supply
operations.
Two hours duration
AC3: Procurement and supply
workflow.
There are 4 questions per work book. Each
question is worth 25 marks. Each question is
broken down into a number of parts. The pass
mark is 50% for each question.
Recommended time to spend on practical written assessments (Two hours duration)
Reading the front of the examination booklet: Check your candidate ID and
unit title are printed correctly. Read the instructions on the front of the
booklet.
Before the invigilator starts
the exam
Two minutes
Reading, thinking and completing the answer for each question in your examination
booklet.
Four minutes per question
Returning to difficult/unsure questions to check, re-think, and amend where
necessary (per section).
Four minutes per section
Checking that you have correctly followed the instructions, provided an answer for
every question in the workbook, any corrected answers are clearly shown, and last-
minute amendments (per assessment).
Two minutes
The workbook is designed to assess your ability to apply your knowledge and understanding of the
unit content to practical applications likely to be encountered in the workplace.
Finally, make sure you have read and understood the list of command words below.
These words will appear in the questions, and they tell you exactly what the assessor wants you to
do. Although you do not need to learn the words and their definitions, you should make sure you
have read and understood the different requirements of each command word.
Definitions of Command words
Explain Give reasons for, or account for something, so that it is clear or easy to understand.
IdentifyMention items separately in number order or by using bullet points. Compare
with Enumerate, List
Illustrate Clarify or explain something by using examples or diagrams
Interpret Use your own ideas to explain the significance of something. This may be
qualitative or quantative
JustifyShow good reasons for decisions or conclusions, perhaps by referring to other
texts or evidence with a case study
List Mention items separately in number order or by using bullet points. Compare
with Enumerate, Identify
Outline Give the main features, facts or the general idea of something, omitting minor details
Propose Put forward (for example, a point of view, idea, argument, suggestion) for
consideration or action
Reconcile Show how two apparently conflicting things can appear similar or compatible
Relate Establish a connection or association between things to show how they effect
each other or how they are alike
Review Examine and assess a subject critically
Show Explain thoroughly or prove something so that the truth can be established
State Put something into words clearly and briefly
Suggest This means that there may be more than one answer. You must give the most
appropriate answer or answers
Summarise Give a brief, concise account of the main points of something, leaving out details
and examples
Command words
13www.cips.org
Definitions of Command words
AnalyseAssess a topic together with thoughts and judgments about it, by dividing the
topic into its separate parts and looking at each part in detail
Appraise Evaluate, judge or assess something, giving views based on strengths and
weaknesses of a given situation
ArgueProvide reasons for or against something, clearly and in proper order, using or
citing evidence so that a case can be proven. Also, compare with Discuss
Assess Evaluate or judge the importance of something, referring to the special
knowledge of experts where possible. This may involve quoting from other texts
Comment
on
Write notes explaining your own criticism and observations of the issues. Base
your comments on a balance of fact versus personal views. Often involves
evaluation
Compare Assess one thing in relation to another thing so that points of similarity or
difference become evident
Contrast Emphasise the differences between two opposite or dissimilar things. This may
include approaches to a particular aspect of procurement
Criticise Give your judgments about the good or bad qualities of theories or opinions,
supporting your decision with evidence and where appropriate, literature
Define Explain the exact meaning of a word or phrase
Describe Give a full account or a detailed representation of something
Discuss Consider something by writing about it from different points of view. Compare
with Argue or evaluate
Enumerate List and mention items separately in number order. Compare with List, Identify
Evaluate Calculate or judge the value of something; include your personal opinion in
your evaluation. Often includes an assessment of strengths and weaknesses
CIPS Group Easton House, Easton on the Hill, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 3NZ, United Kingdom
T +44 (0)1780 756777 F +44 (0)1780 751610 E [email protected]
CIPS Africa Ground Floor, Building B, 48 Sovereign Drive, Route 21 Corporate Park, Irene X30, Centurion, Pretoria, South Africa
T +27 (0)12 345 6177 F +27 (0)12 345 3309 E [email protected]
CIPS Asia Pacific 31 Rochester Drive, Level 24, Singapore, 138637
T +65 6808 8721 F +65 6808 8722 E [email protected]
CIPS Australasia Level 2, 520 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
T 1300 765 142/+61 (0)3 9629 6000 F 1300 765 143/+61 (0)3 9620 5488 E [email protected]
CIPS MENA Office 1703, The Fairmont Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, PO Box 119774, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
T +971 (0)4 311 6505 F +971 (0)4 332 8810 E [email protected]
CIPS™ is a registered trademark of the
Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply
www.cips.org