Black or Blue ink? - Writing in exams

Poll

Black or Blue?

Black - to write inBlue - to write inBlack - to readBlue - to read

So which is better, black ink or blue ink?
Which do you prefer writing in?
Which is easiest for an examiner to read?

Please select black / blue for writing and black / blue for reading

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

*~vicki~*

to be honest i wouldnt think it matters all that much- as long as it is black or blue because thats what they ask for. I personally write in black- but i write in black ALL the time... im a bit odd like that :biggrin:

Reply 2

Jason_K

Pencil, I want to write in pencil!

Reply 3

kellywood_5

It really doesn't matter, as long as the blue is dark blue and not a turquoise type colour.

Reply 4

q1w2e3r4t5y

Starsurfer

Pencil, I want to write in pencil!

me too!

Reply 5

cutey1988

I always prefer writing in blue

Reply 6

Ana

Starsurfer

Pencil, I want to write in pencil!

Me three

What's worse is, there is actually a reason for it - it's not just exam setters being stubborn.

Reply 7

brimstone

Princess Ana

Me three

What's worse is, there is actually a reason for it - it's not just exam setters being stubborn.

What is the reason? I'd assume it'd be something to do with the fact that it can be rubbed out, and changed by the examiner or whatever.

Reply 8

q1w2e3r4t5y

I should get one of those erasable pens (hmmm....)

Reply 9

Ana

brimstone

What is the reason? I'd assume it'd be something to do with the fact that it can be rubbed out, and changed by the examiner or whatever.

Partly that it can be rubbed out, partly because pages written in pencil have a remarkable tendency to smudge against each other between the exam being taken, and the script landing on an examiner's doormat. I had a teacher who was a GCSE examiner, and he used to really moan about having to decipher that sort of stuff.

Reply 10

Cataclysm

I think there is another reason, because Edexcel and AQA have started doing e-marking, the black/blue pen shows up nicely on the computer screen where as pencil might not but pencil does make math easier.

Reply 11

Ana

Cataclysm

*spot the oldie*

Yes, that might well be a problem as well :smile:

Reply 12

danniella

Hello!

I'm definitely a black ink girl...

love danniella

Reply 13

Lauradee88

I've heard that blue ink makes the examiners tired, and so you should always write in black ink. But i don't know how true it actually is. I always write in black ink...just in case.

Reply 14

x---Emz

I prefer to read black, as its a dark colour. I've never tried it but I think reading blue would put me off as it is an actual colour. As for writing I don't really mind, but voted for black as its what i usually use

Reply 15

walalang

i prefer to use black.

Reply 16

Mustardseed

I write exclusively in blue and have done since we graduated from pencil in Year 3. (First blue Berol Handwriting fine felt tip pens, then Parker fountain pens with blue cartridges...) It freaks me out if I have to write in black!

Reply 17

FireDeuce

I write in whatever the mood takes me.
I always take into the exam 34983290483209 pens so that I can pick out the one which I feel comfortable writing with for that exam.
Sometimes it's blue, sometimes it's black. Essays I usually write in blue though

Reply 18

SaccerZD

berol pens... I used to compulsively steal them at primary school... once had over a hundred in 2 pencil cases! They wrote nice but used to go flat really quickly. And you could always bite the top off, take out the 'ink sponge' and throw it at people!

Nostalgia... It ain't what it used to be...