Meaning of "Avoid Overlap Between Answers"? or "Avoid overlap between questions"

In all of the LSE philosophy exam papers I have seen, one of these two phrases appears on the instructions. Yesterday I did an exam (PH213 if anyone knows it). I had never even noticed that phrase on the front of any of my other exam papers (I am a second year) and did not notice it on the exam paper until after I did the exam.

I had to answer one question from section A (of a choice of two) and two from section B (of a choice of 8). In section B, there were some questions that were paired and we were EXPLICITLY told that we can answer one or the other, not both. However, there were instances of questions on the same topic (bear in mind that in this course, each topic can cover from 4-6 weeks of the course) and it was not made explicit that we could not answer both of them. I answered two questions form section B on Darwin's theory of evolution, although they focused on entirely different aspects of the topic.

But the "Avoid Overlap Between Questions" phrase has got me worried. I don't know if it was instructing me that I could not in any circumstance answer two questions on the same topic. IF it was, I would find it unfair because in some instances it was made explicit which questions we could not do together. So if they made it explicit in some cases, why not do it in all?

Also, the topics were huge and there was only about five possible topics (one of which was mandatory). So it's not as if there was a huge choice selection or that I repeated the same argument for both.

But if they decide not to mark one of my essays, I'll be struggling to pass the module, let alone get a 2:1. Given what I've said, is it likely that I've broken the examination rules?

Reply 1

username1958995

any findings on this issue? I'm going through a similar concern right now

London School of Economics

London

Reply 2

You!Me!Dancing!

I would guess it just means you can't use chunks of the same essay for both answers. If as you say they were on different aspects of the topic you should be fine provided you don't write repeat yourself between answers. Seems like an odd rule in my opinion.

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Reply 3

andragonous

Original post by jasper s

any findings on this issue? I'm going through a similar concern right now

It's vague. I think it should be clarified but I would say as a rule of thumb, just don't make points or allude to concepts in a repetitive manner.

In the exam I was worried about I did two questions from the same very broad topic (spanning maybe 4-6 weeks). I got a 65 I think so it can't have been a massive problem.