The Student Room Group

General Exam Question Query.

I have always thought that when exam questions such as this one: "State two ways in which photosynthesis uses light energy" that you should only give TWO reasons and no more. But my friend believes that it is perfectly ok to give 3. But ive always believed that if the question states exactly how many answers to give (and AQA always put it in bold like the example ive shown) then you must not exceed this or you'll get zero marks.
Now I am unsure because of my friend saying he sometimes puts more than the question asked for without a worry, but surely if the question asks for a exact amount i.e "Desribe three factors affecting...." then you should read and obey what the question is asking for?
Reply 1
you won't get zero marks for putting extra ones down, but they won't give you any extra marks either. I have been told by teachers that if they ask for two and you put down three, they will simply ignore the last one, even if that would get you a mark and your first one wouldn't.
If they tell you to state two ways and they even put two in bold, it seems pretty clear that's what they want you to do, so I'd just follow the instructions of the question and ignore what your friend does. Why waste your time coming up with extra material that won't even be marked?
Reply 3
Thankfully, no exam board, unless they state it specifically, will ever deduct marks for wrong answers.
Reply 4
The advantage of putting '3 instead of 2' would be more chance of obtaining the 2 marks available. But i agree that if it asks for two, then just give 2.
Vazzyb
Thankfully, no exam board, unless they state it specifically, will ever deduct marks for wrong answers.


It'll be up to the examiner
I've been told that most examiners will only mark the first two, regardless of which ones are correct. I've also been told that the odd kindly examiner may mark the two correct ones, regardless of in what order you wrote them.

Curiously enough, you know those english GCSE papers, where you choose to answer question 1 OR question 2, and you have to write an essay? My english teacher told us that examiners will mark both essays, and give you whichever one yields the best marks.
Reply 7
Revd. Mike

Curiously enough, you know those english GCSE papers, where you choose to answer question 1 OR question 2, and you have to write an essay? My english teacher told us that examiners will mark both essays, and give you whichever one yields the best marks.

I guess they'd have no choice - can't see them penalising you for doing both questions. However, doing two essays in the time allocated for one is not something most people can do (unless you can write with both hands simultaneously- essay one to the right, two to the left).