PAU Technical Drawing II (Aragón) exam-day guide
PAU Technical Drawing II (Aragón) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID
Bring the original document (DNI, passport, or equivalent). Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether a photocopy is valid - do not assume. Keep it in a place you can reach without unpacking everything.
Exam admission/registration confirmation
Print or download the confirmation showing your assigned seat, room, and time. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory or a digital copy on your phone is accepted.
Several sharpened pencils (HB and 2H) plus a good eraser and sharpener
Technical drawing rewards clean construction lines. Use 2H or H for construction and guide lines, HB or B for final outlines. Bring at least three of each so you never stop to sharpen mid-exercise.
Ruler, set squares (30-60 and 45-45), and a protractor
Check that edges are un-nicked and the markings are legible. A 30 cm ruler and a pair of set squares cover most perpendicular, parallel, and angle constructions; a protractor handles the rest.
Compass with spare leads and a small screwdriver or lead-sharpener
Test the compass hinge tension the night before; a loose hinge ruins arcs. Bring spare leads in at least two hardnesses and a fine sandpaper block or lead sharpener if your compass uses graphite rods.
Scale ruler or architect's scale
Confirm with the provider whether scaled drawing is required in the paper and which scales are permitted. If allowed, a triangular scale saves time on reduction/enlargement exercises.
Black and coloured fine-liners or pens
Some marking schemes reward clear differentiation of construction lines versus final solution. Check the instructions on the paper for permitted ink colours; if unsure, confirm with the provider.
Clear pencil case or transparent bag
Many venues require transparent storage so invigilators can check contents quickly. Confirm with the provider whether non-transparent cases are removed from the desk.
Analogue watch (no smart features)
Room clocks may be absent or hard to see. A simple wristwatch lets you pace the exercises. Confirm with the provider whether any watch is permitted, as some centres ban all watches.
Water bottle with label removed
Stay hydrated during a long drawing paper. Clear bottles with no label are the usual requirement; confirm with the provider whether drinks are allowed at the desk at all.
Review the paper's instructions and marking allocation on arrival
Before writing, read the cover: number of exercises, whether all are compulsory, whether there is a choice, and the marks per exercise. Allocate time proportional to marks, not to how interesting each exercise looks.
Plan a rough time budget per exercise
Write the budget on the corner of your answer sheet. If the paper has, say, four exercises of equal weight, give each a quarter of the time minus 10 minutes for final checking and labelling.
Plan the day
Do a full timed mock under exam conditions: same tools, same paper size, no phone. Mark it yourself against the official scoring criteria if available, or against the published solutions. Identify the two exercise types where you lost the most marks and spend the remaining days on those only.
Re-read the official exam structure and instructions for your region (number of exercises, duration, whether drawing instruments are permitted, any choice of questions). Confirm with the provider any detail you are unsure about, including permitted materials and ID requirements.
Do a focused drill on constructions you can execute without thinking: perpendiculars, parallels, angle bisectors, tangents to a circle from an external point, regular polygons inscribed in a circle, and simple conic constructions. Speed here buys time for the harder problems.
Practise reading and setting scales, and practise transferring a dimension accurately from a given figure. Errors in scale cost whole exercises, not just a mark.
Lay out every instrument on the desk and test each one: compass hinge, set-square edges, protractor clarity, pencil sharpness. Replace anything broken now, not in the morning.
Confirm the venue, room, and start time, and plan the route including a buffer for transport delays. Check the weather forecast and pack accordingly.
Do a light review only: a one-page summary of construction steps and a single easy exercise to keep your hand in. Stop early and sleep a full night.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue with time to spare. Re-check that your ID, admission confirmation, and instruments are in your bag before leaving.
Do not start new topics. If you review anything, review the time budget and the checklist of what each exercise type typically asks for.
Read the whole paper. Note which exercises are compulsory, which are optional, and the marks for each. Write your time budget in the margin and stick to it.
Start with construction lines in light pencil, label points and dimensions as you go, then ink or darken the final solution. Keep construction lines visible if the instructions require them; erase only where told.
Stop drawing. Check that every exercise has a final answer, that scales and units are stated, that labels are legible, and that nothing is left in construction pencil where a final line is required.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID required by the provider and keep it on the desk for inspection. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day; do not rely on a photocopy or a photo on your phone.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on what may be on the desk. Typically only permitted instruments, ID, and a clear water bottle; confirm with the provider whether pencil cases, watches, or calculators are allowed.
Electronic devices, including phones and smart watches, must normally be switched off and stored away. Confirm with the provider the exact rule and the consequences of a device sounding during the exam.
Breaks are usually not permitted during the exam, though some centres allow supervised exits. Confirm with the provider whether toilet breaks are allowed and how they affect your time.
Scoring depends on the official marking criteria: construction accuracy, correct use of scales and units, clarity and labelling, and the final solution. Show construction lines where required; an unlabelled correct figure can lose marks.
Work only on the paper or answer sheets provided. Do not write on question papers if the instructions forbid it, and do not remove any material from the room.
If you believe a question is ambiguous or a figure is misprinted, raise your hand and ask the invigilator rather than guessing silently. Confirm with the provider in advance how such queries are handled.
Academic honesty rules apply: no communication with other candidates, no unauthorised notes, and no sharing of instruments during the exam unless the invigilator permits it.