It is easier to bake a stunning cake if you follow the recipe, rather than just knowing what the ingredients are. This also applies to the regulatory exams (REs).
I received the following enquiry from a training service provider:
I hope you can help me with this. A number of representatives at my workshops tell me that they received more than 5 level 4 examination questions. Some even tell me that they counted about 10. Now, I doubt that they did, especially as they generally do not know how to identify the 4 different levels. Can you confirm that there are indeed only 5 level 4 questions in the RE5?
Hallo Yolande
I agree with you that it would be difficult for anyone but an expert to determine whether a question is a level 1, 2, 3 or 4. The link below may be of some value to you. It provides a thorough overview of the regulatory exams. Page 12 actually shows exactly how each exam is made up.
http://www.faisexam.co.za/plist/lt.php?id=LUwGB1cAUwACBxkBBUQMWVU%3D
Not only will you be able to know how many questions of each kind there are, you will also be able to tell exactly where they are placed. This is the standard recipe for all representative papers
(RE 5).
In an article we published on 7 June, we covered this subject in detail. It also contained the breakdown for Key Individuals. For ease of reference, we publish it below for those who may have missed it.
RE 1 and RE 5 Question Placement
If you read the preparation guide issued by the FSB, you will know that there are four levels of questions:
- Knowledge
- Comprehension
- Application
- Analysis
The first two are mostly shorter, requiring less time to complete, while the last two involve some thinking, and is mostly more time consuming.
The RE papers are all set in a specific layout, based on the fact that one’s concentration levels are higher towards the middle of the exam.
In RE 5, for representatives, questions 1 to 18 consists of knowledge and comprehension questions, as are questions 35 to 50. The longer type questions are found from question 19 to 34.
The formula for RE1, (Key Individuals) is: questions I to 23 and 53 to 80 contain shorter questions, with the longer ones being found from 24 to 52.
All correct answers have the same value. There are no “long” questions counting 3 or five points – a correct answer gives you one point, no matter how short or long the question.
Many readers indicated that they elected to do all the shorter questions at the beginning of the exam. This has several advantages:
- You get to complete all the questions to which you should know the answers, provided that you adequately prepared.
- Those who get stuck on the middle questions, find themselves rushing to finish in time, and not able to give a proper account of their real knowledge towards the end.
- Knowing that you did well in the shorter questions, boosts your confidence in tackling the longer, more intricate ones.
This information is but one of many examples provided in the DVD recording of the FSB’s satellite broadcast on preparing for the regulatory exams. Please note that the DVD is not a training session, but rather an aid, with information like the above, to help you prepare and write the RE in the correct and intelligent manner.
Dit is in Afrikaans en Engels beskikbaar.
Please click here if you wish to purchase a copy of the DVD.
