Taking paper with info into an exam.

Reed · 25 Jun 2010 at 17:46

willhub said:
I'll take some paper in then, seems the majority thinks it's OK.

It's an exam on ITIL.

It would be silly not to take the paper in with you as you are immediately giving yourself a disadvantage compared to everyone else.

greywolf · 25 Jun 2010 at 17:46

Wow, you read exams are getting easier but this easy...

jp_bl_68 · 25 Jun 2010 at 17:47

Strife212 said:
Do it.

Agreed. Take every advantage you can. Worry about what they do at uni when you get there.

Glaceon · 25 Jun 2010 at 17:48

I knew people on my Geology degree that wrote all the important facts and figures and such on their legs, and would go to the toilet (accompanied) if they were stuck on a question. Obviously they could only go once per exam without drawing attention, but they could leave it toward then end when they knew what they needed. No idea how they chose what info to put on their legs, but meh...

div0 · 25 Jun 2010 at 17:48

redeye_uk said:
We had to memorise equations and stuff then frantically write them all down when the exam started.

But this is a terrible way of learning. It places very little importance on understanding where concepts or formulas come from, or why/how they come about.

I've always been good at memorising things because I was able to think past what I was being told to memorise and understand why it was something worth memorising.

Teaching people to purely memorise something, simply because they're told they'll need it in the exam, is a waste of time for many students. As, when it comes to the exam, they haven't truly understood what they are memorising, and so have no idea how to adapt and apply it to the exam in front of them.

I get around · 25 Jun 2010 at 17:54

Wow, you weren't allowed to do this at our college. I find exams tremendously easy in comparison to coursework though.
I'd do it, why put yourself at a disadvantage to the competition?

Abraham · 25 Jun 2010 at 18:14

willhub said:
I'll take some paper in then, seems the majority thinks it's OK.

It's an exam on ITIL.

Seriously what did you expect? for people to suggest that you actively tried to make an exam harder for yourself?

Each exam is different, and at the end of the day you will only be marked against your peers doing the same exam, UMS for a-level or exam boards at uni are there to ensure this.

Aedus · 25 Jun 2010 at 18:16

Back in my day, exams meant something!

Abraham · 25 Jun 2010 at 18:18

I get around said:
Wow, you weren't allowed to do this at our college.

It's not something that a college can just allow, it's a style of exam, like an open book exam. I've had several technical exams where you're allowed a sheet of notes (which can be checked at any point, just to ensure you've not actually got specific answers on there). The paper will be written taking this into account, and will maybe have less detailed questions or require you to show your understanding in another way rather than testing your memory for a formula.

ITIL is all about doing things in the right way, in real life you can always have access to the framework saying how to do things, but what you're tested on in the foundation/practitioner exams is how you apply the framework to real life situations. So it makes sense that the OP's exam lets you take in notes.

Lashout_UK · 25 Jun 2010 at 18:25

We could do it at uni on our engineering course, we had several exams that allowed us to take in a crib sheet with worked examples, formulas, etc.

I think there were exceptions in certain instances about what you could put on it but I can't really remember

Glaucus · 25 Jun 2010 at 18:27

You would be mad not to use it.

Always use all resources to your advantage. Even at uni some modules you can take written stuff in and other modules require it. Like big scenarios you have to work on before the exam.

andy85 · 25 Jun 2010 at 18:47

Seize the day! Forget about the uni.

Dark_Angel · 25 Jun 2010 at 18:56

AcidHell2 said:
You would be mad not to use it.

Always use all resources to your advantage. Even at uni some modules you can take written stuff in and other modules require it. Like big scenarios you have to work on before the exam.

This.

It's like saying would you prefer to run home, or cycle home!

Sure, the cycle is still work, but a hell of a lot easier and faster!

loopstah · 25 Jun 2010 at 21:37

I did some invigilation at a university the other month and was surprised to see one set of students were allowed to take in a sheet of A4 paper covered in notes.

Some of them wrote really, really, small and had a ton of stuff on them.

Don't disadvantage yourself, if they are letting you use notes then go for it.

Stewy · 25 Jun 2010 at 21:38

At uni you have open-book and even multiple choice exams, so this might even be more challenging

Aero · 25 Jun 2010 at 22:31

As people have said its more about applying your knowledge not memorising stuff. I've had these kind of exams in uni and always do well in them, however its my memory that lets me down somethimes

Shakeel · 25 Jun 2010 at 22:38

Lakeland said:
Just notes not answers.

if you cant convert the notes into answers then there is something wrong with you.

Stewy · 25 Jun 2010 at 22:42

Shakeel said:
if you cant convert the notes into answers then there is something wrong with you.

True, provided you've done the revision, a simple reminder of the topic should set you off.

JBod · 25 Jun 2010 at 23:33

take an iPad and claim Steve Jobs said it was ok.

dane3388 · 25 Jun 2010 at 23:35

You should always take full advantage of every opportunity you have. You will actually be putting yourself at a disadvantage by not doing it if everyone else is! Also at uni you will probably have some open book exams and multiple choice exams as well so its pretty easy.