This may seem like a silly question to y'all but.......

**Gotti** · 28-07-2008, 04:58 AM

.....are we allowed to write freely on the question paper? and do we have to erase what we write afterwards because i heard that we have to write a specific question book number on our answer sheet so i was just wondering whether it was possible to be discriminated against for writing too much rough working out....

sounds silly, i know :$

thanks in advance, much love

-G

**Jul!eT** · 28-07-2008, 08:31 AM

Hi, you're allowed to write anything you want on the question paper and no, you don't have to erase anything afterwards. You write your number on the book so they know you gave it back and didn't take it with you. Other than that, apart from section 2, a computer checks your answers and it only sees if you put the dots where you should on your answer sheet. So don't worry, nobody will discriminate. Good luck!

**Gotti** · 28-07-2008, 08:49 AM

Hiii

thanks for that Juliet, it's put my mind at rest somewhat.

Cheers

**Gotti** · 28-07-2008, 08:52 AM

oh and one more thing, lol, is it true we have to shade in the dots really hard so as there isn;t even a single speck of un-shaded area in the answer, as i heard that the marking system fails to recognise such answers? :s

**Jul!eT** · 28-07-2008, 02:39 PM

I don't even remember how I shaded - most probably with a very shaky hand.

Don't worry, just use B or 2B pencil and shade your answer normally - if you do it too hard you'll tear the paper; THEN you'll have a problem.

Also remember to take a ruler so you're sure you're shading the corresponding answer. Mark your answers on the question paper first and put a ? or something to the answers you're not so sure about. Then, every 10 or so questions, transfer the answers to the answer sheet, leaving empty the ones you're not sure about. If you have time towards the end, go back to them and try to figure them out. If you see you can't, take a lucky guess and then mark your paper. If you fill a spot and then decide to change it, you might run the risk of not being able to erase the black mark you made so try to avoid it.

**couldntgetaname** · 28-07-2008, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Jul!eT

Mark your answers on the question paper first and put a ? or something to the answers you're not so sure about.

This I think is a bad idea - I saw way too many people on my test day frantically trying to answer near the deadline. Far better [IMHO - this won't suit everyone] to mark an answer for each question on your first go through the paper, and mark on the question book your level of confidence. Go back afterwards and have a second look at anything tricky - there are no marks on offer for blank spaces if you don't get finished, but a 1 in 4 hit rate for guessing if you can't figure it out.

The key to this is a nice new white Staedtler rubber, and a proper new soft *branded* pencil. These together actually let you *erase* any trace of a mark should you want to change it, rather than just change a black circle into a potentially disastrous grey smudge.

Actually, ignore my first suggestion - the Staedtler/new pencil combo is my best bit of advice. Whatever way you approach the MCQ papers, do it having spent a little bit more in the stationery shop first and it will be a whole lot easier. I saw lots of people with crappy little primary school geometry set rubbers and pencils, and they didn't have an easy time of it at all.

The ruler is a good idea, especially for the sections on the form where you need to mark in your name and reference numbers - messing up a question might not be the end of the world, but messing up that part pretty much means game over.

**Gizmo says -** · 28-07-2008, 10:10 PM

usually i dab some round, friendly faces in the margin of every exam i do.

i am sure it elps in some fine way, macca.

**Gotti** · 28-07-2008, 11:07 PM

thanks so much for the helpful advice, Juliet and Couldn'tgetaname, it's muchh appreciated! will definitely look for that quaity eraser and pencil, didn't realise the importance of that!

oh and, just wondering what you mean by this?

The ruler is a good idea, especially for the sections on the form where you need to mark in your name and reference numbers - messing up a question might not be the end of the world, but messing up that part pretty much means game over.

knowing me i'll find some way to stuff it up, so just wondering what exactly is required when marking in names and ref numbers?

p.s. lol gizmo, that could work i guess!

**couldntgetaname** · 29-07-2008, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by Gotti

so just wondering what exactly is required when marking in names and ref numbers?

The whole form is machine readable, so you enter your GAMSAT number and so forth by shading boxes. If you mess that part up, you've pretty much had it unless one of the invigilators gets bored and checks to make sure the forms are right.

So ruler it is

**Gotti** · 29-07-2008, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by couldntgetaname

The whole form is machine readable, so you enter your GAMSAT number and so forth by shading boxes. If you mess that part up, you've pretty much had it unless one of the invigilators gets bored and checks to make sure the forms are right.

So ruler it is

ohhh ok, got'cha! cheers. i'll be triple-checking that then for sure, and won't forget the ruler either lol