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Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies (May/June) Official Thread

Hey Everyone!

I made this thread for my fellow CIE students who are writing their exams in May/June. I hope we can all discuss our exam techniques and share resources together!

If anyone has any resources they can send me a message or post them below and I will add then to this section!

Past papers WITH MARK SCHEMES: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzumkDfi9230VHJ3T1AzRFNFU2M&usp=drive_web

GOOD LUCK!
(Us CIE students have got to stick together! :wink: )

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Hi! I moved this thread to the Business Exam forum - you're more likely to get some responses there :parrot:
Where did you find all of those google drive folders with the past papers?
I'm just wondering about some other subjects that I do which I don't have enough past papers for, now that xtremepapers is down :frown:
Anyone got any other good resources?
I found this website: http://igbusinesss.blogspot.com/ which seems to be pretty good.
Reply 4
i use this website: http://businessigcsehelp.blogspot.pt/p/business-activity.html it has notes for our syllabus and they are pretty good :smile:

do you also have the exam on the 16th and 23rd? What are you doing to prepare for it?

:smile:
Original post by ndk123
i use this website: http://businessigcsehelp.blogspot.pt/p/business-activity.html it has notes for our syllabus and they are pretty good :smile:

do you also have the exam on the 16th and 23rd? What are you doing to prepare for it?

:smile:


Looks like quite a good site.

Yep, paper 1 on the 16th and paper 2 on the 23rd.

I've just been going through the syllabus, the textbook for parts that I need to, and doing some past paper questions.
I also made a massive mind map on everything on the whole syllabus.
Anyone have any paper 1 tips? I seem to do okay on what I do answer, but I always run out of time. Anyone know how it's marked?
Original post by get_in_the_robot
Anyone have any paper 1 tips? I seem to do okay on what I do answer, but I always run out of time. Anyone know how it's marked?


I've never really had an issue with time for paper 1.
You've pretty much got one mark per minute with an extra ten minutes at the end to spare. I just remember to keep 20 minutes per question (as in, the whole double page spread) which leaves you with ten minutes to play with.
I think the key for both papers is to remember what you get your marks for on each question.

2 mark questions - 2 knowledge marks

4 mark questions - if it says 'for the business' then it's 2 knowledge 2 application
- if it's just general then it's 2 knowledge and 2 explanation/analysis

6 mark questions - if it's divided into two parts then it's 1 knowledge 1 application 1 explanation/analysis each
- if it's divided into three parts then it's 1 knowledge and 1 application or explanation/analysis each.
- if it's just blank then I always do 'yes because application, no because application, give an opinion and then say however it depends on...'

It's a bit more tricky for paper 2 since there are 8 and 12 mark questions too, but I can post my advice on those closer to the date.

Also, the format for the questions is always the same for each question. 2 marks (usually a definition), 2 marks, 4 marks (usually divided up), 6 marks(usually divided up), 6 marks (usually just one part for all the marks) = 20 marks x4 = 80 marks.

(Note: in exams before 2015 it was 1 hour 45 mins with 5x 20 mark questions to answer. In 2015 they changed it to 1 hour 30 minutes with 4x 20 minute questions)
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
Hi guys! I actually did Paper 1 on Thursday 12, and i´m doing paper 2 tomorrow, which is basically finance. I think i am zone 3, so i do paper 12 (for paper 1 i think). How do you guys prepare for finance? :s-smilie:
Original post by lauuu19
Hi guys! I actually did Paper 1 on Thursday 12, and i´m doing paper 2 tomorrow, which is basically finance. I think i am zone 3, so i do paper 12 (for paper 1 i think). How do you guys prepare for finance? :s-smilie:


What do you mean paper 2 is basically finance? Anything can come up on paper 2.

I just prepared for finance the same as all the other topics, flash cards, revision videos, making notes, going through the syllabus, going through the text book, making mind maps, etc.

Also, I'm quite surprised that the zones are spaced apart so much.
(And if you did paper 12 then you are zone 2. The first number is the paper, and the second number is the zone).
Reply 10
Original post by TheBirder
What do you mean paper 2 is basically finance? Anything can come up on paper 2.

I just prepared for finance the same as all the other topics, flash cards, revision videos, making notes, going through the syllabus, going through the text book, making mind maps, etc.

Also, I'm quite surprised that the zones are spaced apart so much.
(And if you did paper 12 then you are zone 2. The first number is the paper, and the second number is the zone).


Oh thanks, i didn´t know about zone 2. I´ll study then using mind maps and notes hahaha Well, i say it´s basically finance because my teacher told us that and in the past papers i´ve done the subject is always finance, and maybe operations (inventory...) or some other topic but it only appears for a really short question or not at all.
Original post by lauuu19
Oh thanks, i didn´t know about zone 2. I´ll study then using mind maps and notes hahaha Well, i say it´s basically finance because my teacher told us that and in the past papers i´ve done the subject is always finance, and maybe operations (inventory...) or some other topic but it only appears for a really short question or not at all.


I really hadn't noticed that finance came up a lot, but I guess it does come up more than most others.
Though any of the six parts can come up, and even if it's just a short question, the shortest questions on paper 2 are six marks so...
Reply 12
Original post by TheBirder
I've never really had an issue with time for paper 1.
You've pretty much got one mark per minute with an extra ten minutes at the end to spare. I just remember to keep 20 minutes per question (as in, the whole double page spread) which leaves you with ten minutes to play with.
I think the key for both papers is to remember what you get your marks for on each question.

2 mark questions - 2 knowledge marks

4 mark questions - if it says 'for the business' then it's 2 knowledge 2 application
- if it's just general then it's 2 knowledge and 2 explanation/analysis

6 mark questions - if it's divided into two parts then it's 1 knowledge 1 application 1 explanation/analysis each
- if it's divided into three parts then it's 1 knowledge and 1 application or explanation/analysis each.
- if it's just blank then I always do 'yes because application, no because application, give an opinion and then say however it depends on...'

It's a bit more tricky for paper 2 since there are 8 and 12 mark questions too, but I can post my advice on those closer to the date.

Also, the format for the questions is always the same for each question. 2 marks (usually a definition), 2 marks, 4 marks (usually divided up), 6 marks(usually divided up), 6 marks (usually just one part for all the marks) = 20 marks x4 = 80 marks.

(Note: in exams before 2015 it was 1 hour 45 mins with 5x 20 mark questions to answer. In 2015 they changed it to 1 hour 30 minutes with 4x 20 minute questions)


Hi,

For part, c, the 4 mark questions, what you have said is not necessarily true. There are lots of examples in the past where the question has asked in context to the business, but the mark scheme has only rewarded knowledge and application. My teacher recommends me to use K, Ap and An for all 4 mark questions, as it is impossible to tell. Basically, treat them as 6 markers (the ones that are split into two parts) to ensure full marks.

Screen Shot 2016-05-15 at 19.03.12.png
Original post by ajf99
Hi,

For part, c, the 4 mark questions, what you have said is not necessarily true. There are lots of examples in the past where the question has asked in context to the business, but the mark scheme has only rewarded knowledge and application. My teacher recommends me to use K, Ap and An for all 4 mark questions, as it is impossible to tell. Basically, treat them as 6 markers (the ones that are split into two parts) to ensure full marks.

Screen Shot 2016-05-15 at 19.03.12.png


Oh, ok, thanks.
Reply 14
I always find application hard and I always loose my marks in application. Do you have any tips?
The analysis mark is adding on what you have said right?

Thanks
Original post by TheBirder
x


thank you very much :biggrin:

good luck everyone!
Reply 16
Guys I wrote outside the lines for the questions will I get marked down
Original post by Athena99
Guys I wrote outside the lines for the questions will I get marked down


It depends, if you wrote outside the lines but in the white space that is well inside the paper you won't get marked down. However if you wrote on the blank pages, in the margins or in the areas at the edges where the numbers and barcodes are you will lose marks since none of that stuff gets scanned so the examiners won't see it. Also, if you actually wrote in the barcode itself your paper won't get sent properly.
Reply 18
Original post by TheBirder
It depends, if you wrote outside the lines but in the white space that is well inside the paper you won't get marked down. However if you wrote on the blank pages, in the margins or in the areas at the edges where the numbers and barcodes are you will lose marks since none of that stuff gets scanned so the examiners won't see it.
Also, if you actually wrote in the barcode itself your paper won't get sent properly.


Yes, I wrote in the white space under the lines. i have a feeling I wrote over one barcode should I tell my examiner tomorrow?
Original post by Athena99
Yes, I wrote in the white space under the lines. i have a feeling I wrote over one barcode should I tell my examiner tomorrow?


If you wrote over the barcode you definitely should tell your exams officer. That might be quite a big problem...

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