Two Further Written: Same-Section Answers in the Second Exam of the Day
A candidate sits two further written examinations on the same day: History (3 hours) in the morning and Biology (2 hours 30) in the afternoon, with a 45-minute gap. In Biology, after 75 minutes, she has written two full answers, both from Section A, each worth 30 marks. The rubric on the cover says: 'Answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B.' She has not read it carefully. Section B contains four questions; she has solid knowledge of one, on osmoregulation, but would need about 10 minutes to plan it. Seventy-five minutes remain. Her second Section A answer is strong but irrelevant under the rubric. She considers asking the invigilator whether she can substitute it, erasing it, or starting Section B immediately.
1. What should she do in the first two minutes, including whether to consult the invigilator? Explain.
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She should reread the rubric on the cover and then ask the invigilator only to confirm the wording and the procedure for extra answers-not to advise which question to choose. The invigilator can clarify whether answers must be in separate booklets or whether extra answers are marked, but cannot give subject guidance. She should not argue that the second Section A answer should count; the rubric is explicit. In the first two minutes she should also locate the Section B question on osmoregulation, check its command words, and begin planning. Asking for clarification is low-cost and prevents a second procedural error. Erasing the second Section A answer is not a good use of the first two minutes: it earns nothing and destroys work that might be ignored anyway. The priority is to start the required Section B answer with 75 minutes remaining.
2. Construct a time plan for the remaining 75 minutes that maximises marks under the rubric.
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0–10 minutes: choose the osmoregulation question and plan it-define the key terms, select the required examples, and note the command words. 10–55 minutes: write the answer, using clear paragraphs and labelled diagrams where they earn marks. 55–65 minutes: add or improve diagrams, include specific terminology such as 'osmoregulation', 'water potential', and 'active transport', and ensure the answer addresses the exact question. 65–72 minutes: review the answer against the rubric and the question’s command words; add one or two missing links rather than rewriting. 72–75 minutes: check that the Section B answer is clearly numbered and placed in the correct booklet. Do not spend time trying to convert the second Section A answer into a Section B answer; the topics are different. The goal is one complete, well-labelled Section B answer worth 30 marks.
3. What should she do with the second Section A answer-leave it, cross it out, or label it? Justify in terms of exam regulations and risk.
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Leave it in place and do not cross it out unless the invigilator explicitly instructs otherwise. Crossing out consumes time, destroys evidence, and does not create a Section B answer. If extra answers are ignored under the rubric, the second Section A answer is simply not credited; if the examiner sees two Section A answers, the required Section B answer will be the one that matters. She should label the new answer clearly as Section B and follow any booklet instructions. If she has used a separate answer booklet, she should write 'Section B' on the cover. She should not attempt to disguise the second Section A answer as Section B; that would be a serious procedural error. The calculated risk is that the second A answer is wasted, but that is already sunk time. The remaining 75 minutes must be invested in the required answer.