Tips on IGCSE Accounting

EXAMINER TIPS for IGCSE Accounting 0452 Before the examination • Make sure you have covered all the topics on the syllabus in your revision. Check this with your teacher if you are unsure. • Study the past examination papers to get an idea of the sort of questions and the styles of paper that are set. • Work through as many examples and past examination papers as possible. • Practice answering narrative questions as well as practical questions. On the day of the examination • Make sure you know exactly where the examination is taking place. • Allow plenty of time to get to the venue • Remember to take a few pens, pencil, ruler and calculator. In the examination • Read each question very carefully so that you really do understand what is being asked. • Take particular note of the command word in each question e.g. state, explain etc. • Look at the number of lines provided: if only one or two lines are provided a short answer if obviously expected. But remember that you do not necessarily have to use all the lines which are provided. • You do not have to attempt the questions in the order in which they appear so you could start with the question which you feel most confident about. • Allocate the time according to the marks per question e.g. a 20 mark question on a paper with a total of 120 marks should take about 1/6 of the time.

• Try not to over-run on the time per question: you can always re-visit the question after you have attempted the others. • It is far better to attempt all the required questions and only partly complete them than to do one or two questions perfectly. • If there is an item within a question that you are not familiar with, do not abandon that question just omit that item and continue. That way you can still earn some of the available marks. • Do not be tempted to omit the narrative questions as this can seriously reduce your possible grade. • Do not do more than is required. For example, if two reasons are required, do not provide four. You will not lose marks but you will lose time. In such a situation the examiner will usually take the first two answers: the examiner will not select the correct answers from your list. • Do show calculations where appropriate. This may mean that you gain some of the available marks even if the final answer is incorrect. • If you wish to re-attempt an answer do not cross out the original until you have completed the new version. If the second attempt is on another page remember to put a note indicating where the answer may be found. • If you finish the examination early, do not leave the room until you have checked all you work thoroughly.