C A R I B B E A N E X A M I N A T I O N S C O U N C I L REPORT ON CANDIDATES’ WORK IN THE SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION MAY/JUNE 2004 TYPEWRITING Copyright © 2004 Caribbean Examinations Council St Michael, Barbados All rights reserved. - 2 - TYPEWRITING GENERAL AND BASIC PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION JUNE 2004 GENERAL COMMENTS The members of the Examining Committee would like to encourage students to prepare themselves adequately before attempting the Examination. While there were a number of good scripts it was evident from the type of errors being made, that many students were inadequately prepared and were not ready for the examination in Typewriting. Candidates need to read and follow instructions given in each question. While language skills were not tested in the examination, the performance of some candidates was affected by their inability to discern that what they had typed ‘just did not make sense’. Candidates are encouraged to take up reading as a regular habit or hobby. Also, they should remember that the use of a dictionary is permitted during the examination and they should practice using it as often as possible. The examination consists of standard business documents with slight variations each year. Application of typing rules and principles and the ability to proofread are tested. DETAILED COMMENTS General Proficiency Paper 02 Question 1 This was the usual copy typing exercise in which only the Accuracy and Speed profile dimensions were tested. Candidates were advised to spend five minutes on this question at the beginning of the examination. It was worth 5 marks. Performance on this question was good with 57 per cent of the candidates gaining full marks. However, a number of words in the passage were frequently misspelled. They included: ‘reffered’ for ‘referred’; ‘recycable’ for ‘recyclable’; ‘friut’ for ‘fruit’; ‘aluminum’ for ‘aluminium’ and ‘dishwasher’ for ‘dishwater’. Other errors included: (a) Use of two single inverted commas instead of the double quotation marks required in the text. (b) Incorrect word division - leaving two letters on the top line with the remainder on the next line. (c) Failure to allow two spaces after the full stop and one space after the comma. Question 2 This question was a memorandum, presented in manuscript form, with printers’ correction signs and ballooned inserts. Candidates were asked to type this memorandum on the printed form, which was provided. - 3 - The question tested candidates’ ability to align information to be typed with printed information; to inset text, and to type the body of the memorandum in an acceptable style. The question was worth 19 marks. Performance on this question was good. Eighty-four per cent of the candidates gained more than 50 per cent of the marks awarded. Weaknesses observed were: (a) Failure to block information in heading 2 or 3 character spaces from the longest sub heading or 2 or 3 character spaces from each heading consistently. (b) Inability to align information to be typed with the printed heading. (c) Failure to insert correct information after printed subheadings. (d) Failure to type the subject heading in either closed capitals or in initial capitals and underscored. (e) Failure to type the date in an acceptable style. (f) Failure to inset information as instructed. Question 3 This question required candidates to type a two-page letter using the letterhead provided. Candidates were also required to prepare an envelope. The question was presented in manuscript form with printers' correction signs and ballooned insertions. The question tested candidates ability to inset enumerations; type shoulder headings and text; type second page headings; follow instructions and proofread. It was worth 33 marks. Performance on this question was satisfactory with 56 per cent of the candidates gaining more than 50 per cent of the marks awarded.. The examiners noted improvement in neatness from previous years. Several other areas presented little or no difficulty for the candidates. These included the use of letterheads to type the question, inclusion of the enclosure notation, treatment of enumerations and line spacing. As in previous years, the main weaknesses were the inability of candidates to type accurately and failure to adequately proofread their work and correct errors. Other weaknesses observed were: (a) Omission of subject heading. (b) Not placing the subject line in the correct position and not leaving appropriate clear line spaces before and after the subject line. (c) Failure to type shoulder heading properly. (d) Inability to end page one appropriately. (e) Inability to head second page correctly - consistent with the style used. (f) Inability to position the address on the envelope. - 4 - Question 4 This was a six-column tabular exercise, which was presented in manuscript form with printers’ correction signs. Candidates were instructed to type the table on a full sheet of A4 paper; to arrange the table in alphabetical order and place zeros before decimal points in the columns. The question tested candidates’ ability to centre tabular information vertically and horizontally; to centre main and columnar headings; to arrange material alphabetically; to follow instructions and proofread carefully. The question was worth 32 marks. Performance on this question was satisfactory, with 49 per cent of the candidates gaining more than 50 percent of the marks awarded. Weaknesses observed were: (a) Inability to centre vertically and horizontally. (b) Inability to centre headings over columns. (c) Inability to interpret printers' correction signs such as transposition. (d) Inability to type footnotes. Question 5 This question was an advertisement presented in manuscript style with printers' correction signs. Candidates were instructed to type the advertisement on a full sheet of A4 paper, use side margins of 2" each and follow the layout indicated in the question. The assignment tested candidates' ability to apply the rules for centring lines, and to follow instructions regarding layout as well as to proofread and correct errors. The assignment was worth 25 marks. Candidates’ performance on this question was good, with 70 per cent obtaining 13 or more marks. The main areas of weakness observed were the inability to inset text and interpret correctly printers' correction signs. Question 6 This was a two-page document presented in typescript and manuscript form. It contained ballooned insertions, printers’ correction signs, main and sub-heading, shoulder headings and paragraph headings. Candidates were asked to type the document as a left-bound manuscript in double line-spacing using blocked paragraphs. The question tested candidates’ ability to interpret printers’ correction signs, and demonstrate knowledge of the rules for typing manuscripts with shoulder and paragraph headings. The question was worth 36 marks. - 5 - Performance on this question was good, with 71 per cent of the candidates gaining more than 50 per cent of the marks awarded. Weaknesses observed were: (a) Failure to allow adequate space for left-bound margin. (b) Inability to type paragraph headings correctly. (c) Failure to divide words correctly at the end of a line. (d) Inability to interpret printers’ correction signs for insertion of sentences and paragraphs. (e) Failure to allow appropriate line spacing between heading and body and between blocked paragraphs. (f) Failure to proof-read and correct typographical errors. DETAILED COMMENTS Basic Proficiency Paper 02 Question 1 This was the usual copy typing exercise where only the Accuracy and Speed profiles were tested. Candidates were required to do this question first and were advised to spend five minutes on this task. The question was worth 5 marks. Most candidates attempted the question with approximately 74 per cent gaining full marks. The main area of weakness was in accuracy. Question 2 This question required candidates to produce a letter on letterhead paper, which was supplied. Candidates were also required to produce a carbon copy and an envelope. The assignment was presented in manuscript form with printers’ correction signs. The question tested candidates’ ability to interpret printers’ correction signs, lay out the parts of a letter using the fully-blocked style, produce a clean, clear carbon copy and address an envelope in the correct way. The question was worth 25 marks. The main weaknesses observed were: (a) Failure to type the subject line in closed capitals, or with initial capitals and underscore. (b) Omission of the subject heading. (c) Typing the subject heading above the salutation. The subject heading should be typed one clear line space after the salutation. - 6 - (d) Inability to type the address in the correct position on the envelope. The address should be positioned approximately 4 inches from the left and 2 inches from the top of the envelope. (e) Inability of candidate to type accurately. (f) Failure to proof-read and correct errors, or to correct errors neatly and cleanly. (g) Leaving insuficient clear line spaces between complimentary close and name. Candidates, however, had a sound grasp of letter layout in the open punctuation, fully blocked style. Question 3 This question was a memorandum presented in manuscript form, with printers’ correction signs. Candidates were required to type the memorandum on A4 size paper. The question tested their ability to design an acceptable layout for memorandum headings, interpret simple printers’ correction signs and in typing information in the body of the memorandum accurately and neatly. The question was worth 15 marks. The exercise was generally well-produced with approximately 87 per cent of the candidates gaining over 8 marks. The main areas of weakness were: (a) Inability of candidates to type accurately (b) Failure to leave 2 or 3 spaces consistantly after the headings TO, FROM, DATE, REF., SUBJECT or to block the information 2 or 3 character spaces from the longest line (usually the word SUBJECT) before typing the information. (c) Failure to type the subject heading in closed capitals or with initial capitals and underscore. (d) Typing a dash instead of the hyphen in compound words such as “well-known”. Question 4 This was a tabulation exercise which required candidates to type and rule a table on A4 size paper, centring the exercise vertically and horizontally. The question was presented in manuscript form with printers’ correction signs. The question tested candidates’ ability to display tabular work in double-line spacing with equal top/bottom left/right margins and centring headings over columns. It was worth 26 marks. Performance was good with 79 per cent of the candidates gaining 13 or more marks. Weaknesses observed were: (a) Inability to centre column headings over columns. (b) Inability to centre table vertically and horizontally. (c) Inability to rule table neatly, without lines protruding or short. (d) Failure to plan the exercise before beginning to type. - 7 - Question 5 Question 5 was a display advertisement presented in manuscript form with printers’ correction signs. It tested candidates' ability to centre text vertically and horizontally in double-line spacing on A4 size paper. The question was worth 17 marks. Performance was very good with 91 per cent of the candidates gaining 9 or more marks. The areas of weakness were, inability to centre the advertisement horizontally and vertically and failure to leave 3 character spaces between the words in the second line which were typed in spaced capitals. Question 6 The manuscript in question 6 was presented in typewritten form. Candidates were required to type the manuscript in double-line spacing on A4 paper with equal left and right margins of one inch. The question tested candidates’ ability to interpret printers’ correction signs, and to type shoulder headings. It was worth 27 marks. Performance was good with 81 per cent of the candidates gaining 14 or more marks. The majority of candidates produced a satisfactory standard of work in typing the manuscript in double- line spacing with correct margins and the headings centred. However, some weaknesses were noted: (a) Inconsistency in typing the shoulder headings in either closed capitals or with initial capitals and underscored. (b) Incorrect word division - leaving two letters before or after the hyphen, and not dividing between syllables. Candidates should also know that one-letter or two-letter syllables should not be placed on the line before or after the hyphen. (c) Incorrect spelling e.g. “favor” for “favour”, “manufactures” for “manufacturers”. (d) Inability to type accurately and to proof-read and correct errors. - 8 - SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT GENERAL COMMENTS At both the Basic and General Proficiencies, candidates were required to type three Production Assignments. Most Assignments were neat and clear and were typed on the appropriate stationery. During the moderation of the samples submitted by teachers, slight variations were observed between the marks awarded by the teachers and the marks awarded by the moderators. Teachers should note the following discrepancies: (a) On a number of scripts submitted, teachers failed to record the marks awarded for the Assignment. (b) It was evident that at a few centres, candidates typed their letter from the key rather than from the Production Assignment. Students may be penalised in such instances. (c) The scripts of a number of candidates appeared to have been unmarked, yet marks were available for them on the moderation sheets. (d) For a few centres, the candidates’ marks entered on the Moderation sheet did not correspond with the marks recorded by the teacher on the assignment. (e) In centres where there are more than five candidates, a sample of FIVE sets of SBA assignments should be submitted. Insufficient assignments were submitted by some centres. (f) For certain centres, the registration numbers on scripts were not the same as those on the envelope. SPECIFIC COMMENTS General Proficiency SBA Production Assignment (Letter) The following weaknesses were observed during the moderation of samples: (a) Failure to differentiate between shoulder and paragraph headings. (b) Incorrect spacing between headings. (c) Failure to use initial caps and to underscore headings. (d) Failure to differentiate between ‘full’ and ‘open’ punctuation style. (e) Use of incorrect heading and spacing on continuation page. (f) Non-adherence to one inch requirement for right hand margin. (g) Incorrect placement of attention line. Enumeration was well done, in blocked/indented style allowing at least two spaces after numbers. - 9 - Production Assignment (leaflet) The following weaknesses were observed during the moderation of the leaflet: (a) In the vertical placement there was failure to allow equal top and bottom margins. (b) There was inconsistent spacing between designs. (c) There was inconsistent spacing between words in headings. (d) Candidates failed to adhere to the instruction given for spaces after ‘speaker’. The paper was generally correctly folded and the majority of candidates accurately followed the instructions. Basic Proficiency Production Assignment (letter) The following weaknesses were encountered during the moderation of the letter in the production assignment. (a) Incorrect placement/position of letter on letterhead. (b) Inappropriate spacing around Ref., Date, Inside address, complementary close and signatory. (c) Incorrect position of address on envelope. Production Assignment (Display) The most common errors made by candidates in this assignment were the misinterpretation of the correction symbols and failure to correctly follow the instruction. Recommendations to Teachers (a) Production Asignments and Reference Manuals should be packed separately and clearly labelled on the envelopes. (b) Students who did not type assignments should be recorded as absent. They should not be awarded zero. (c) Each Production assignment should be clearly labelled.