2015 Exam Feedback

[StrongLifts5x5]

Sat Mod 1 in Dublin

Layout and structure of the questions seemed different to previous years past papers maybe other candidates will comment, I'm wondering due to the recent increased number of candidates have the papers been tweaked?? I was shocked at the layout, question style and questions for probably the 10 minute reading time and i was sitting panicking a little, however I did get it together and was able to answer 3 questions. 

 ....I had to make assumptions for every question stating why I was answering it this particular way, I was basically moving it in a direction I knew I could get down safety procedures that I was familiar with.

I very much doubt that the question style has changed because of any anticipation re the number of candidates for the following reasons
a) examiners would not know at the time of setting (although of course they may have anticipated a trend from last year, but I believe that even quite late in June the number of bookings was quite a bit down from what was expected- the internet booking regime may perhaps be more subject to a last minute surge),
b) they gave no clue at the previous Exam Review
However it may well be that there is a new examiner, or they have rotated around modules, and I believe typically that each examiner for a module (except mod2) tends to contribute a proportion of the questions that can get discussed, refined, tweaked by the whole group.  It is possible that you have detected a new original author for some of the questions perhaps.

Absolutely fine to state assumptions, providing you were not doing so excessively to attempt to flavour the question to change it to match what you wanted to talk about!  Worries me a little bit that your answers may have been to narrow and specific quoted detail than as broad as they should have been.

Peter the question style is definately different not the usual flowing style, both exam invigilators- who are both full members- passed comment after that the layout was different.

As for my assumptions I basically related to the practise my company adopts and I gave some safety example ie explanation of handsignalling and emergency barrier operation under degarded working so fingers crossed :-)

Intriguing; I'll probably have to wait a while (hopefully not as long as candidates for their results) before I can get a copy of the questions to look at.  I am perfectly prepared to accept that they are different, but I wonder if any change that has been made in the wording of questions in an attempt to simply the English phrasing to make it more internationally accessible.  
I'd be interested to know if anyone else detected a change; for example perhaps Arnut who also did module 1, but in Thailand, might be able to tell us if he noticed anything different.

I did not notice anything different in the English phrasing of the question papers compared with other years.

Maybe Peter your right they have simply tried to simplify the language, which confused me!!

Anyway the postman will let us know!!!