Difference between revisions of "Exam 6-US Intro"

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{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px;"
 
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|- style="background-color: gold;
 
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| While BattleActs for Exam 6-US currently has significant useful content for Spring 2019 candidates, our system is still <span style="color: red;">'''''under construction'''''</span>. We are releasing a beta-version <span style="color: red;">'''''for free'''''</span> during development so we can gather feedback and make improvements. Although the basic structure of the BattleActs system will not likely change very much, we'll be '''adding content on a continuous basis''' from now ''(November 2018)'' through to the Spring 2019 exam. At that point ''(or sooner)'' we expect the system content to be complete.
 
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|}
 
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==How Exam 6 is Different==
 
==How Exam 6 is Different==
  
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Many of you have already taken Exam 5 so you're familiar with an upper level exam. The main difference is that the upper level exams are essay-style, not multiple choice. You have to write out your answers in full. In addition, Exam 6 has these differences:
+
Many of you have already taken Exam 5 so you're familiar with an upper level exam, but Exam 6 is different:
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# It has a '''huge''' memorization component ''(versus calculation)''
 
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# People generally find that Exam 6 takes about 15% more study time than Exam 5.
 
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For an essay-style exam, you have to learn to write quickly and to cover the essential points with as few words as possible. Regarding memorization, the split between essay & calculation problems is roughly 70/30. You still have to practice the common types of calculation problems ''(with our randomly generated practice templates)'' but as actuaries we're already pretty good at that. The '''number 1 reason''' people fail this exam is ''insufficient time spent on memorization''. As you study, you have to be very aware of the following:
 
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* What have you covered?
 
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* How good is your retention?
 
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* When, and how often, do you need to review material you've already studied?
 
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Because of the volume of material on the syllabus, it's difficult to keep track of all this without a good system. BattleActs was designed largely to address this issue. Our unique scoring & tracking system, the <span style="color: red;">'''BRQ'''</span> ''(Battle-Readiness Quotient)''  is updated continuously and measures your progress through the syllabus. When you're in the main part of the site (versus the wiki or forum) your '''overall BRQ''' is always visible in the navigation bar next to your name. There is also a more detailed breakdown of your scores available in the the subsections of the main BattlePlan page. You'll quickly see how this works once you begin using the system.
 
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Using data we've collected on BattleActs users from past sittings, we've created a '''preliminary profile''' of a <u>successful Exam 6 candidate</u>. See the wiki article [[BattleActs Analytics]] for more details.
 
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==The BIG Picture==
 
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It’s tempting to jump in and immediately start studying but if you take a little extra time up front to read our introductory articles, you'll save yourself some headaches. ''(And also $$$ for those bottles of aspirin you won't have to buy!)''. The wiki article [[BattleActs Analytics]] highlighted a few characteristics of successful candidates. Here a couple of other ''big picture'' items to also keep in mind:
 
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* '''Accept that you cannot learn everything.''' There are 2,500 pages of material on the syllabus and nobody can learn all that. But our '''Study Hacks''' ''(see below)'' will guide you to <u>efficient</u> study using a sensible study <u>plan</u> and study <u>schedule</u>.
 
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* '''Manage your time on exam day:''' This is NOT a little thing. We have awesome '''Exam Hacks''' that will get you over the hump! ''(See also [[Nearing BattleDay]] and [[On BattleDay]].)''
 
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Note that the BattleActs system <u>ranks the readings from 1 to n</u> ''(where n = current number of readings on syllabus)'' based on points-per-exam for each reading across recent exams. That way, if you run out of time by exam day, you'll at least have covered the most important stuff. This ranking is the most the significant factor in organizing your study. Check the [[BattleBriefings]] wiki page for the precise ordering.
 
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And don't forget to check out [[BattleActs Analytics]], which summarizes what we've learned from observing user behavior on the website.
 
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==The BattleActs System==
 
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The most important part of the BattleActs system is the '''ranking''' of the readings according to '''points-per-exam''' on recent exams. The first time you look at the Exam 6-US syllabus, you won't have any idea of which readings are important and which are a total waste of time. We calculated the ranking by entering past exams into a database. It was a lot of work but the idea was simple. We could then see which readings were <u>heavily tested</u> and which readings were <u>never tested</u>. Take a quick look at the [[BattleBriefings]] page to see the ranking.
 
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Notice that we separated ''Odomirok'' and ''Porter'' into separate chapters. That way, we could pinpoint for you specifically which chapters you should spend the most time on. Now, you'll be studying many of the chapters from ''Odomirok'' out of order but that is not a big deal. ''(It isn't like Exam 5 where each chapter builds on the one before. For Exam 5, you really do have to the chapters in order.)''
 
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:{| class="wikitable"
 
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|-
 
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| '''Concept''': Study the readings in order according to the ranking on the [[BattleBriefings]] page.
 
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|}
 
  
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: This way, you cover the high-value topics '''first''' and have plenty of time for review. Also, if you run out of study time before the exam, it's not that big a deal because the topics you didn't cover would be near the bottom of the ranking and probably wouldn't be tested anyway.
+
* As with Exam 5, it's an essay-style exam (versus multiple choice)
 +
* Unlike Exam 5, the emphasis is on memorization vs calculation
 +
* People generally find that Exam 6 takes about 15% more study time than Exam 5
 +
* You have to have a well-rehearsed, time management strategy for the day of the exam. ''(See [[On BattleDay]] for more on this.)''
  
−
==Study Hacks!==
+
==The BattleActs Philosophy==
  
−
'''Observation 1''' ''(important papers)''
+
Our recommended approach to studying for Exam 6 differs from what you might expect. Here are a few things you should keep in mind:
  
−
:{| class="wikitable"
+
* There's no way you can memorize the vast amount of material ''(roughly 2,500 pages)''
−
|-
+
* We analyzed prior exams and have identified many topics and specific questions that are repeated from year to year. This material is your fundamental <u>base</u>. We’ve highlighted all of this for you, and you need to know it REALLY, REALLY well.
−
| The '''top 24 readings''' on the syllabus (out of 60+) account for about '''85%''' of the points on the exam. ''(This is based on points-per-exam over recent exams.)''
+
* Once you feel confident with this fundamental base, you can move on to less frequently tested material ''(time permitting.)''
−
|}
 
  
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:{| class="wikitable" style="background-color: lightgreen;"
+
This is all just common sense.
−
|-
 
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| '''Study Hack 1''': <br> <ul><li>Spend 85% of your time on these top 24 readings. ''(Learn them thoroughly)''</li>
 
−
      <li>Spend 15% of your time on the remaining readings.</li>
 
−
  </ul>
 
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|}
 
  
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This is the '''single-most''' important observation in guiding your studying: ''Study the exam topics <u>in order of importance</u>''. Now, spending 15% of your time on the bottom 40-plus readings/chapters may not seem like enough, but using the wiki articles, you can learn the relevant material on each of these low-ranked papers often in just an hour or two. Then use the BattleQuizzes to review as necessary. Check the [[BattleBriefings]] wiki page for the precise ordering.
+
==Getting the Most of out BattleActs==
  
−
Note that your BRQ gradually ''decreases over time'' to reflect the fading of memory. So, when you see your score for a particular paper going down, that's your signal to review it.
+
You may want to jump right in and start studying. '''Tip''': Don’t do this. Take a little extra time up front to get organized and you will save yourself a lot of time.
  
−
'''Observation 2''' ''(new papers)''
+
# '''Understand our ranking table'''. This table ranks readings based ''(primarily)'' on points-per-reading across recent exams. You should study the readings in rank order, and allocate time and effort accordingly.
 +
#* The top 24 readings on the syllabus (out of 60+) account for about 80% of the points on the exam.
 +
#: &nbsp;&nbsp; &rarr; Spend <span style="color: green;">'''80%'''</span> of your time on these top 24 readings. ''(Learn them thoroughly)''.
 +
#: &nbsp;&nbsp; &rarr; Spend <span style="color: red;">'''20%'''</span> of your time on the rest.
 +
# '''Look at a calendar'''.See how much time you have until exam day. Based on the study tip above, draw up a study schedule. Leave the last few weeks for review and practice exams. See an example of a study schedule below with the last 20 days left for review and practice.
 +
#: '''readings #1-6''': <u>35</u> days for a 4-month study schedule ''(<u>45</u> days for a 5-month schedule)''
 +
#: '''readings #7-12''': <u>25</u> days for a 4-month study schedule ''(<u>30</u> days for a 5-month schedule)''
 +
#: '''readings #13-18''': <u>10</u> days for a 4-month study schedule ''(<u>15</u> days for a 5-month schedule)''
 +
#: '''readings #19-24''': <u>10</u> days for a 4-month study schedule ''(<u>15</u> days for a 5-month schedule)''
 +
#: '''readings #25-60+''': <u>20</u> days for a 4-month study schedule ''(<u>25</u> days for a 5-month schedule)''
 +
#: &rarr; <span style="color: green;">'''review and practice exams: 20 days'''</span>
 +
# '''Start studying'''. Most people will want to start with the #1 ranked paper, which is ''[[OSFI.MCT]]''. That's a great idea and here's what we recommend:
 +
#: <u>Read the wiki article first</u>
 +
#:* Many of the source readings are long, boring, and hard to understand. Our wiki articles are short and sweet. They are also are written in ''plain English'', and will help you grasp the main ideas much more quickly.
 +
#: <u>Scan the source reading</u>.
 +
#:* The time you spend on the source reading will be more efficient if you already have a basic understanding.
 +
#: <u>Go back to the wiki article</u>:
 +
#:* Do the quizzes, begin memorizing, and work the practice templates for the calculation problems. ''(These tasks constitute the longest step in the study process. You will be switching between the wiki article, the source reading, and the examiner's reports as your brain absorbs the information.)''
 +
# '''Battle Table''' and '''Top Questions Button'''. These features tell you explicitly what is most important based on past exams. Remember – you can’t memorize everything, but you must know the answers to these frequently tested exam questions, and you must know them really well. Practice writing out clear, concise answers so that on exam day, the answers will come to you quickly and automatically. You won’t have the time on exam day to figure out appropriate answers.
 +
# '''Quizzes''': These are flash cards, but we call them Battle Cards ''(just to maintain the fun Battle theme!)'' And this is how you memorize. Read the question, memorize the answer, and for best memory retention, write out the answer. As you work through the quizzes, note your BRQ (Battle-Readiness Quotient) in the navbar next to your name. This provides you with an objective measure of how well you know the material. It starts at 0% and rises as you work through the quizzes. Keep track of your weak areas.
 +
# '''Leaderboard''': This page is in the main part of the BattleActs website ''(not a wiki page)'' and is part of how BattleActs keeps you motivated. It's a ranked listing of everyone's BRQ so you can see how you're progressing versus everyone else. Crush your friends! ''(You can appear anonymously if you wish.)''
  
−
:{| class="wikitable"
+
==Helpful Links==
−
|-
 
−
| The CAS has '''added xxx papers''' to the syllabus for <span style="color: red;">'''Spring.2019'''</span>. Where do these new papers fall in the rankings?
 
−
|}
 
  
−
Since these new papers have not appeared on prior exams, they would be be ranked at the bottom by points-per-exam over recent exams. That may not reflect their true importance, and it is a judgment call on how much time to spend on them.
+
* When you're doing the quizzes, your retention is improved by '''writing out the answers'''. For details on this, see ''[https://www.battleactsmain.ca/wiki6c/BattleActs_Analytics#Common_Reasons_for_Not_Passing Common Reasons for not Passing]''.
  
−
New readings for <span style="color: red;">'''Spring.2019'''</span> and their tentative rank:
+
* Note that some BattleCards are actually old exam questions. Anywhere you see <span style='font-size: 12px; background-color: yellow; border: solid; border-width: 1px; border-radius: 5px; padding: 2px 5px 2px 5px; margin: 5px;'>E</span>, you can click to see the indicated exam question ''and'' examiner's report answer, just for that question.
  
−
: ''[insert links to wiki articles for new readings]''
+
* There is more information on ''[https://www.battleactsmain.ca/help_BattleCards.php how the BattleCards work]'' that you should read at least once. It's short.
  
−
:{| class="wikitable" style="background-color: lightgreen;"
+
* <u>Combat Score vs BRQ</u>: You may notice your Combat Score listed on the ''[https://www.battleactsmain.ca/BattlePlan.php Main Page]'' is slightly higher than your BRQ.
−
|-
+
: &nbsp;&nbsp; &rarr; Your Combat score is your score from the <u>quizzes</u> in the wiki articles. Your individual quiz scores are available on the ''[https://www.battleactsmain.ca/BattlePlan_CombatTraining.php Combat Training]'' page.
−
| '''Study Hack 2''': Pay attention to new readings even though they currently have a low rank. ''(They can't be properly ranked until they've been on the exam for a few more sittings.)''
+
: &nbsp;&nbsp; &rarr; Your BRQ scores includes low-probability questions and some older exam problems. You can access these non-quiz problems with the ''[https://www.battleactsmain.ca/BB_byReading.php Battlecard filtering function]''.
−
|}
 
  
−
'''Observation 3''' ''(outdated papers)''
+
==Last 3 Weeks Before Exam==
  
−
:{| class="wikitable"
+
Use this time to review and do at least one practice exam, ideally two. We keep the most recent exam as a hold-out sample from the BattleCard database, so you can use this exam for fresh practice .
−
|-
 
−
| Papers are periodically removed from the syllabus, but the corresponding questions are not removed from the old examiner's reports.
 
−
|}
 
  
−
If you are studying the material for the first time, you have no way of knowing when a particular question from an old exam is no longer relevant. I often get questions from students about this so we strive to clearly identify such within the BattleActs system.
+
* Use your overall BRQ score to gain confidence but also use your ''[https://www.battleactsmain.ca/BattlePlan_CombatTraining.php quiz subscores]'' to identify your weak areas. You can also use the ''[https://www.battleactsmain.ca/BB_byReading.php Battlecard filtering function]'' page for this and to filter and display questions you need to practice more. ''The color-coding of BattleCatds is a popular feature!''
  
−
:{| class="wikitable" style="background-color: lightgreen;"
+
* If you do a BattleCard on one day then come back to it the next day, you'll see that you score ''(and overall BRQ)'' has gone down a little bit. This is intentional: It simulates the fading of memory over time. But the system keeps track of what you've done and the more times you do a BattleCard, the more slowly your BRQ will go down, and the faster it will go back up. The theory is that once you've learned something well, you don't have to review it as often. And it's all built into the BRQ scoring algorithm
−
|-
 
−
| '''Study Hack 3''': Don't won’t waste time studying questions from outdated syllabus readings.
 
−
|}
 
  
−
==Most Important Exam Hack!==
+
* When doing a practice exam, you will want to duplicate the exam situation as closely as possible. Go somewhere where you will have 4 hours of uninterrupted time. Time management for this exam is KEY. Even if you know the material 100%, but don’t manage your time on exam day, you will put yourself at a huge disadvantage. Make sure you analyze your mistakes and find your knowledge gaps.
 +
* Read the ''[[On BattleDay]]'' article. These are simple tips, yet will save you a lot of precious time on exam day.
  
−
'''Candidate Observation''' ''(time pressure)''
+
'''''If you are a returning user, take a short detour to''''' ''[https://battleactsmain.ca/pdf/returning_users.pdf check changes to syllabus]''.
  
−
:{| class="wikitable"
+
'''''Now you are ready! Go to the''''' ''[[BattleBriefings | Ranking Table]]'' '''''and start reading / studying / calculating!'''''
−
|-
 
−
| If you're well-prepared, you will be under time pressure to finish the exam.
 
−
|}
 
  
−
:{| class="wikitable" style="background-color: gold;"
+
==Disclaimer==
−
|-
 
−
| '''Most Important Exam Hack''': You must have a time management plan for exam day. ''(See [[On BattleDay]] for details.)''
 
−
|}
 
−
 
 
−
==Bloom's Taxonomy==
 
−
 
 
−
Bloom’s taxonomy is not a new idea. It was created in 1956 by psychologist Dr. Benjamin Bloom to promote higher order learning versus simple memorization.
 
−
* In light of this, the CAS is moving away from exam questions that can be answered with simple memorization. Newer exam questions, while still based on facts, often require further interpretation, and/or synthesis of facts from more than one reading.
 
−
* Such interpretive questions are indeed better questions, but they take longer to answer and open the door to '''multiple interpretations.''' There are instances where a valid answer may be different from the answer in the examiner’s report.
 
−
* Time-permitting, '''dump anything & everything''' you think might be relevant into your answer.
 
−
 
 
−
==Note on Retrieving Previous Exam Questions==
 
−
 
 
−
{| class="wikitable"
 
−
|- style="background-color: lightgreen"
 
−
|Note that many BattleCards (or flash cards) are actually old exam questions. To see the actual '''question and answer''' from the examiner's report, click <span style='font-size: 12px; font-weight: ; background-color: yellow; border: solid; border-width: 1px; border-radius: 5px; padding: 1px 5px 1px 5px; margin: 5px;'>E</span> in the left-hand column when you're viewing a BattleCard page.
 
−
|}
 
−
 
 
−
==DISCLAIMER==
 
  
 
The BattleActs study system is designed to help you focus on what we believe to be the most important and most frequently tested topics on the exam. Questions may come up from material not covered in our study system. We suggest that you use your own judgement where to use your time when reading the source material.
 
The BattleActs study system is designed to help you focus on what we believe to be the most important and most frequently tested topics on the exam. Questions may come up from material not covered in our study system. We suggest that you use your own judgement where to use your time when reading the source material.
−
 
−
==Next Steps...==
 
−
 
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# Make a big pot of coffee. :-)
 
−
# Keep calm and carry on...
 
−
# Back to [https://www.battleacts6us.ca/BattlePlan_BootCamp.php BootCamp]
 

Revision as of 20:17, 29 April 2019

How Exam 6 is Different

Many of you have already taken Exam 5 so you're familiar with an upper level exam, but Exam 6 is different:

  • As with Exam 5, it's an essay-style exam (versus multiple choice)
  • Unlike Exam 5, the emphasis is on memorization vs calculation
  • People generally find that Exam 6 takes about 15% more study time than Exam 5
  • You have to have a well-rehearsed, time management strategy for the day of the exam. (See On BattleDay for more on this.)

The BattleActs Philosophy

Our recommended approach to studying for Exam 6 differs from what you might expect. Here are a few things you should keep in mind:

  • There's no way you can memorize the vast amount of material (roughly 2,500 pages)
  • We analyzed prior exams and have identified many topics and specific questions that are repeated from year to year. This material is your fundamental base. We’ve highlighted all of this for you, and you need to know it REALLY, REALLY well.
  • Once you feel confident with this fundamental base, you can move on to less frequently tested material (time permitting.)

This is all just common sense.

Getting the Most of out BattleActs

You may want to jump right in and start studying. Tip: Don’t do this. Take a little extra time up front to get organized and you will save yourself a lot of time.

  1. Understand our ranking table. This table ranks readings based (primarily) on points-per-reading across recent exams. You should study the readings in rank order, and allocate time and effort accordingly.
    • The top 24 readings on the syllabus (out of 60+) account for about 80% of the points on the exam.
       → Spend 80% of your time on these top 24 readings. (Learn them thoroughly).
       → Spend 20% of your time on the rest.
  2. Look at a calendar.See how much time you have until exam day. Based on the study tip above, draw up a study schedule. Leave the last few weeks for review and practice exams. See an example of a study schedule below with the last 20 days left for review and practice.
    readings #1-6: 35 days for a 4-month study schedule (45 days for a 5-month schedule)
    readings #7-12: 25 days for a 4-month study schedule (30 days for a 5-month schedule)
    readings #13-18: 10 days for a 4-month study schedule (15 days for a 5-month schedule)
    readings #19-24: 10 days for a 4-month study schedule (15 days for a 5-month schedule)
    readings #25-60+: 20 days for a 4-month study schedule (25 days for a 5-month schedule)
    → review and practice exams: 20 days
  3. Start studying. Most people will want to start with the #1 ranked paper, which is OSFI.MCT. That's a great idea and here's what we recommend:
    Read the wiki article first
    • Many of the source readings are long, boring, and hard to understand. Our wiki articles are short and sweet. They are also are written in plain English, and will help you grasp the main ideas much more quickly.
    Scan the source reading.
    • The time you spend on the source reading will be more efficient if you already have a basic understanding.
    Go back to the wiki article:
    • Do the quizzes, begin memorizing, and work the practice templates for the calculation problems. (These tasks constitute the longest step in the study process. You will be switching between the wiki article, the source reading, and the examiner's reports as your brain absorbs the information.)
  4. Battle Table and Top Questions Button. These features tell you explicitly what is most important based on past exams. Remember – you can’t memorize everything, but you must know the answers to these frequently tested exam questions, and you must know them really well. Practice writing out clear, concise answers so that on exam day, the answers will come to you quickly and automatically. You won’t have the time on exam day to figure out appropriate answers.
  5. Quizzes: These are flash cards, but we call them Battle Cards (just to maintain the fun Battle theme!) And this is how you memorize. Read the question, memorize the answer, and for best memory retention, write out the answer. As you work through the quizzes, note your BRQ (Battle-Readiness Quotient) in the navbar next to your name. This provides you with an objective measure of how well you know the material. It starts at 0% and rises as you work through the quizzes. Keep track of your weak areas.
  6. Leaderboard: This page is in the main part of the BattleActs website (not a wiki page) and is part of how BattleActs keeps you motivated. It's a ranked listing of everyone's BRQ so you can see how you're progressing versus everyone else. Crush your friends! (You can appear anonymously if you wish.)

Helpful Links

  • Note that some BattleCards are actually old exam questions. Anywhere you see E, you can click to see the indicated exam question and examiner's report answer, just for that question.
  • Combat Score vs BRQ: You may notice your Combat Score listed on the Main Page is slightly higher than your BRQ.
   → Your Combat score is your score from the quizzes in the wiki articles. Your individual quiz scores are available on the Combat Training page.
   → Your BRQ scores includes low-probability questions and some older exam problems. You can access these non-quiz problems with the Battlecard filtering function.

Last 3 Weeks Before Exam

Use this time to review and do at least one practice exam, ideally two. We keep the most recent exam as a hold-out sample from the BattleCard database, so you can use this exam for fresh practice .

  • Use your overall BRQ score to gain confidence but also use your quiz subscores to identify your weak areas. You can also use the Battlecard filtering function page for this and to filter and display questions you need to practice more. The color-coding of BattleCatds is a popular feature!
  • If you do a BattleCard on one day then come back to it the next day, you'll see that you score (and overall BRQ) has gone down a little bit. This is intentional: It simulates the fading of memory over time. But the system keeps track of what you've done and the more times you do a BattleCard, the more slowly your BRQ will go down, and the faster it will go back up. The theory is that once you've learned something well, you don't have to review it as often. And it's all built into the BRQ scoring algorithm
  • When doing a practice exam, you will want to duplicate the exam situation as closely as possible. Go somewhere where you will have 4 hours of uninterrupted time. Time management for this exam is KEY. Even if you know the material 100%, but don’t manage your time on exam day, you will put yourself at a huge disadvantage. Make sure you analyze your mistakes and find your knowledge gaps.
  • Read the On BattleDay article. These are simple tips, yet will save you a lot of precious time on exam day.

If you are a returning user, take a short detour to check changes to syllabus.

Now you are ready! Go to the Ranking Table and start reading / studying / calculating!

Disclaimer

The BattleActs study system is designed to help you focus on what we believe to be the most important and most frequently tested topics on the exam. Questions may come up from material not covered in our study system. We suggest that you use your own judgement where to use your time when reading the source material.

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