Student Handbook 2024/25 (Cert IP / Cert Trade Mark Law and Practice AND MSc Management of IP)

27.2. General Comments

Questions are designed to give students the opportunity to display their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter covered in the module.  Students are not expected to answer questions outside the stated scope of the module.

The rubric at the front of the paper will clearly specify the number of questions in the paper and the number of questions a student is required to answer (e.g., ʻthree out of five questionsʼ).  Unless clearly stated otherwise, each question has the same weight.  Therefore, students should endeavour to divide their time equally between each answer.

Different types of exam questions call for different approaches.  The primary distinction is between essay and problem questions.  Some assessments use a mixture of both; others rely exclusively on one question type or the other.  The following outlines how these typically differ and how students are generally expected to respond.

Regardless of the type of question, the answer should be written clearly.  Poor spelling and grammar can undermine the clarity of an answer and thereby affect marking.  They should also be clearly structured, with separate paragraphs, headings or sections, where appropriate, to deal with separate issues.  Where possible, time should be allocated for reviewing the answer before submission.