nicklawford Wrote:Having not sat anything since 1982, exam technique is big on my mind - and up to 1/3 marks of the whole is quite significant.
Indeed it is a large element. For modules 2 and 3 Control Tables you basically have no choice of questions but they are probably the most severe speed tests. Absolutely essential to practice to shave off a few seconds here and there; it all adds up. For the written questions in the other modules then allocating your equally time to each question and then subdividing your time to the available marks within each question is key. Making sure you are answering the question asked is essential. For module1 in particular, choice of questions (Seeing there are just the two) is especially important.
Quote:I am not really saying *any* of them are easy.
When I initially investigated IRSE past papers, I felt confident enough to tackle minimum one question of every Module 1 paper right away without needing more study.
A very good sign; a lot of people "don't know where to start" so at least you feel that the exam is do-able. It's a pure guess of course but I think in your case you are probably right, but just a note of caution. I helped someone with mod3 Control Tables some years ago; initial knowledge extremely basic. Meanwhile they studied for mod1 by themselves; far more familiar territory. They did exam and I got very apologetic email: knew they had muffed mod 3, but the better news was that "hoping for at least a credit" for mod1. Results came out: mod3 Pass; mod1 Fail. I think one of the factors is that I probably was teaching at the high Credit/ low Distinction level and they knew they had fallen well short. For mod1 they perhaps fif not have a yardstick. Can I suggest that the do really write an answer for a question that you think you can do reasonably, get feedback from this website or elsewhere in order to get some "calibration".
Quote:Then I joined this forum - and found Module 1 regarded as the difficult one, which kind of sounded alarm bells of confidence.
There are alarm bells with good reason. You are perhaps rather different to many and it may well be that not applicable to your circumstances. However you may share the problem of being "new"; you may have seen an example of something but as yet have no way of knowing whether it represents "typical" or one extreme or the other of something- danger of over-generalising from the particular. You may see a question and THINK you know what it is asking because you know about one facet of a multi-faceted problem; you might then do a good answer in your terms but "not have seen the half of it".
Quote:I have no pressure from my employer or managers in respect of which modules, nor when I take them - it is my choice through a personal development program, and not a ''must do''. However, this does mean zero study time, its all in my time, which I don't have a problem with.
My idea, for now, remains one module in 2009 and one or two (depending on how the first one goes) more in 2010; but that all might slip to 2010 and 2011 respectively.
Agreed- you are more in control rather than responding to external pressure. I definitely suggest 2009 is good year to study for Module 1 particularly as you must be London based. Take advantage of what Paul Cheeseman and Doug Young are organising- it may well be a "one-off" for this year. Even if don't intend to sit any of the others then I'd start learning for one (perhaps mod5) since not only will it get you started on something more "siganlling technical" but it will help support mod1 re railwway signalling domain knowledge which presumably is a weak area otherwise.
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Nick
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PJW