The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Well-presented answers hold the key TEACHING & LEARNING

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Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Well-presented answers hold the key TEACHING & LEARNING

Meera Srinivasan

A neatly written, clear answer sheet can make a difference to the marks scored

CHENNAI: Imagine the plight of teachers who have to carefully evaluate bundles of answer sheets of board examinations. If students try and see the monotony and challenge involved in their work, they might realise the need to present their answers well.

A neatly written, clear answer sheet can make a difference to the marks scored by students.

Asha Ganesan, who topped the State in the higher secondary examinations two years ago, says students have to pay extra attention to presentation of answers.

“Particularly in theory papers and those such as second language or English, it is a good idea to underline the important points, as few teachers will have the patience to read through the whole answer,” says the second year student of engineering.

Asha’s strategy back then involved giving subheadings in long answers and splitting them into introduction, main points and then the conclusion, with the main points highlighted with a different coloured ink. “Depending on the rules of the board, students could neatly underline with a pencil or a different coloured ink,” she says.

“Using additional quotes in answers is also likely to impress the examiner. Leaving sufficient space between two answers is vital,” Asha adds.

Students have to get into these practices well ahead of the board examinations, say school heads.

According to S. Srinivasan, principal, Corporation Higher Secondary School, Kodandaramar Koil Street, West Mambalam, students in the “board examination years” [classes X and XII] usually get trained in these aspects well in advance.

“Even in their revision examinations, teachers insist that students underline, highlight or draw diagrams where necessary. But handwriting is something that has to be cultivated right from primary school.” Supplementing answers with related sketches, tables and rough diagrams would add value, he notes.

Striking out a wrong answer completely is also important to avoid ambiguity, teachers note.

S. Badhrinarayanan, director, projects and publications, St. John’s International Residential School also feels sufficient preparation would help students present their answers better.

“The CBSE provides additional time for students to read the question paper. This time could be used to plan and organise their answers in their minds. A good understanding of the blue prints will also help students know the weightage for each chapter,” he adds.

As S. Mathangi, who topped her school a few years ago, puts it, “It’s all about letting your examiner know how much you know, in a clear way. And that would impact our final scores.”

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