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Can you afford to give away four marks in your 1 Letter (December 2007 Q1 (d))
In this article, we’ll look at a past exam question and review an
see how the examiner chose to answer it and look for what we
Paper P1 exam? Members of the marking A letter should start with the sender’s address
team have reported that few candidates gain details (put the company name and follow with
all of the available four professional marks in ‘Address line 1, Address line 2’, etc below it) and
the compulsory question 1, which could be the the date. The letter should commence with ‘Dear
difference between a pass and a fail. XXXXX’ as specified in the requirements.
There are professional marks available in all ACCA Throughout the text of the letter, write in the
Qualification Professional level papers. On P1, first person, using phrases such as ‘I’, ‘we’, ‘your
these marks will be found in the Section A scenario board’, and ‘our company’ to personalise this.
question. In each of the three exams to date for Keep the audience and their interests in mind
Paper P1, there have been four marks awarded. throughout, and refer to them on occasions to make
These marks are worth approximately seven it clear how your answer is still clearly focused.
minutes of your exam time (4% of 180 minutes), Conclude with a suitable sentence, thanking
which should give you some idea of how much the reader for their interest or time. Use ‘Yours
investment to make in earning these marks. faithfully’ where the addressee is anonymous,
So, what must you do to earn these marks? In such as ‘shareholders’. Use ‘Yours sincerely’ if the
this article, we’ll look at a past exam question and addressee is named.
review an example of how not to approach the 2 Presentation (June 2008 Q1 (d))
professional marks, and then see how the examiner If you are required to write a presentation that
chose to answer it and look for what we can learn should be delivered, ensure it can be read out.
from his approach. Writing for the spoken word takes practice, so try
reading out your own answers. You will soon learn
Paper P1, June 2008, Q1 (d) [excerpt] which phrases or sentence structures do not work
Prepare the statement for Mr Markovnikoff to read when spoken.
out at the AGM. The statement you construct should Again, write your answers in the first person.
can learn from his approach.
marks
think of the technical content of your answer but you will also
example 1: how not to answer Paper P1, June 2008, Q1 (d) [excerpt]
DD-MM-YY
example 2: how to answer Paper P1, June 2008, Q1 (d) [excerpt from examiner’s answer]
Can you afford to give away four marks in your Paper P1 exam? Members of
the Paper P1 marking team have reported that few candidates gain all of
professional structure
Combine this with the fact that many scripts are marginal fails (betweeen 46%
report) December 2008 Q1 (c)) points of your answer in a
The best way to gain a feel for management logical manner will enhance
reporting narratives is to review the annual their flow and persuasiveness.
and 49%), and you can see that the four professional marks could be the
report of any major company. These can usually Cover key points first, and group similar
be found in the investor relations section of a points together.
corporate website. – Establish who you are in the requirement,
This narrative should be written in the third along with who your audience is, and be clear
person (as described for briefing notes). whether you are writing in the first (‘I’ or ‘we’)
5 Press statement or third person (‘it’ or ‘the company’).
A press statement consists of clear short ¤ Use headings, and space between
paragraphs written in the third person. It is likely your paragraphs.
to have an opening paragraph, delivering the key – These will enhance your presentation marks
message with background information and data and create a professional-looking answer.
provided in sections below. ¤ In most professional responses, bullet points are
Reviewing the press section of a major company’s inappropriate, so avoid their use.
website will provide examples. ¤ Insert linking narratives between the sections
6 Memo of your answer, particularly if you are writing a
A memo is generally written to a particular person speech or statement.
or persons (such as a board committee or the ¤ Include an explanatory introduction or overview,
CEO). A memo format will need to be headed and a summary to draw points together.
‘Memorandum’ and have the To/From/Date/ ¤ Refer to your audience throughout the
Subject information at the top. answer, keeping the answer personal to the
The style of writing will be precise and factual, intended reader and their interest.
leaving little room for interpretation. It will be ¤ Ensure that your answer clearly presents
written in the first person, directly addressing the the points required by the question, to
person at whom it is aimed (‘you’) and identifying earn the marks available for demonstrating
the author as ‘I’. persuasiveness and to enable your answer to
7 Report sound convincing.
difference between a pass and a fail.
The purpose of a report is usually to inform, ¤ Be prepared to answer the question from a
occasionally providing recommendations or perspective that may differ from your own (for
suggestions for future action. It will have a wider example, in the December 2008 exam Q1, the
circulation than a memo and is hence more formal requirement was to write from two differing
in style and wording. Like a memo, it will be written ethical perspectives), regardless of whether you
in the first person.. agree with it or not. It’s not about your opinions
The initial structure of a report is similar to – just use the facts of the scenario and the
that of a memo, although the heading would relevant theories.
be ‘Report’. It is good practice to provide an
introduction or ‘Terms of Reference’ section at the Conclusion
start, stating exactly what the report aims to cover, You cannot afford to throw away professional
and to finish with a summary or conclusion. marks; they could make all the difference to your
Use of headings and sub-headings will not only success in this paper. Spend some time reviewing
improve presentation but also add to the ease of real-life examples of press statements and annual
reading by the audience of the report (and the reports, and practise writing speeches that can
marker of your exam). be read out. You should then be well-prepared to
meet the format requirements presented in the
Style tips to help you earn professional marks next Paper P1 exam. It is important to remember
¤ Plan your answer before you start writing: for whom you are writing on behalf, and who your
– This will allow you to ensure you are clear audience is, at all times.
about the format required, so that
you include the relevant headings and Sarah Condon is the content specialist for ACCA
introductory paragraphs. Paper P1 at Kaplan Publishing