Page 346 - Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies

Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies 27: Exam technique

All the information is provided in a separate insert. A short introduction gives
background details about the business – including what it does and its current

business circumstances. There are normally three appendices. Each appendix
provides additional information either in a numerical, written or picture format.
This paper has four compulsory questions. Each question is split into two parts.

Part (a) questions are worth up to 8 marks, and are similar in style to (d) questions
on Paper 1. Part (b) questions are worth up to 12 marks each. Th ese questions
usually require you to discuss options and make decisions or recommendations
about issues.
There are fewer questions to answer on Paper 2, but each question is worth more

marks than the questions on Paper 1. This means you will need to explain points
made in more detail.

Which skills are assessed in each paper?
Both papers assess all four skills. However Paper 1 is more
focused on knowledge while Paper 2 is designed to assess the
higher order skills of analysis and evaluation.

The assessment objectives

Your teacher might have referred to these in class. Assessment objectives are just
statements about what will be tested in examination. Business Studies is a skills-
based subject, so knowledge alone is not enough to do well. Across the two papers
344 in the Cambridge examination, only 30% of the available marks are given for
knowledge. To be successful, you will need to show a range of skills.

The four skills that are assessed are:
■ AO1 Knowledge and understanding
■ AO2 Application
■ AO3 Analysis
■ AO4 Evaluation.

AO1 Knowledge and understanding: this involves showing your knowledge and
understanding of terms, concepts, theories and techniques.

This means being able to give clear and precise definitions of basic terms

and concepts such as ‘market research’. You might be asked to show that you
clearly understand what the term means by using it appropriately or describing
it in detail.
Knowledge is also identifying relevant points in a variety of diff erent business
situations. You could be asked to identify key features or state the implications of
market research for a particular business. For example small businesses will not

be able to afford to undertake a large scale customer survey. A large business
(like a smaller rival) may not gain the information required if the wrong questions
are asked.

The important thing to remember about definitions is to make your explanation

as clear and precise as you possibly can. It doesn’t have to be the same wording as
the textbook as long as what you mean is clear.