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Analysing short-answer questions
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When analysing a short-answer question, it is helpful to identify the number of parts to the question and the steps required to answer those parts.
The sample exam question below requires students to demonstrate a good understanding of transmission media. Marks are not deducted for poor English expression as long as the answer is clear and mentions all the important elements.
Name 3 common transmission media used in LANS and compare their important characteristics. (4 marks)
There are three steps to answering this question. You need to go through each of these steps to answer the question completely. Can you identify the key words which indicate these steps?
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Responding to the question
Name 3 common transmission media used in LANS and compare their important characteristics. (4 marks)
Three different responses to the sample question are provided below. Read these responses and answer the following questions.
Answer 1:
twisted pair, coaxial cable, and optic fibre
1 mark
Look at Answer 1. Why do you think this answer was only given 1 mark?
b. Some of the information is incorrect.
c. Only part of the question was answered.
d. The presentation is poor.
Check your answer
Answer 2:
twisted pair, coaxial cable, and optic fibre.
Optic fibre is faster, twisted pair has worse interference problems
2 marks
Look at Answer 2. Why do you think this answer did not receive full marks?
b. It does not mention and compare all of the important characteristics of the media.
c. Some of the information is incorrect.
d. It mentions all of the important characteristics of the media but does not compare them.
Check your answer
Answer 3:
twisted pair, coaxial cable, optic fibre
Bandwidth: High to low - optic fibre, coaxial cable, twisted pair.
Cost: High to low - optic fibre , coaxial cable, twisted pair.
Transmission impairments: Twisted pair is the worst, followed by coaxial cable, optic fibre is immune to electrical interference.
Coaxial cable is heavier and larger than the other two.
4 marks
Look at the comprehensive response in Answer 3 above, which received full marks. What are the five important characteristics that are noted and compared in this answer?
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Which words in Answer 3 indicate the difference between these important characteristics?
Comments
Comments
The correct answer is C.
Only part of the question was answered
The transmission media are named, but there is no mention of the important characteristics of each one and there is no comparison.
Comments
The correct answer is b.
It does not mention and compare ALL of the important characteristics of the media.
A full discussion of the important characteristics of the three media would describe the important characteristics of each one, and compare each of these characteristics with those of the other media. Twisted pair has worse interference than what? Optic fibre is faster than what? This answer needs to be more specific as the meaning is unclear.
Comments
- twisted pair, coaxial cable, optic fibre
- bandwidth: highest to lowest - 1. optic fibre, 2. coaxial cable, 3. twisted pair
- cost: highest to lowest - 1. optic fibre, 2. coaxial cable, 3. twisted pair
- transmission impairments: least to most - 1. optic fibre is immune to electrical interference, 2. coaxial cable, 3. twisted pair
- weight and size: coaxial fibre is heavier and larger than optic fibre and twisted pair
(4 Marks)
Comments
For bandwidth and cost: highest to lowest
For transmission impairments: least to most, immune to
For weight and size: heavier and larger than
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Comments
For full marks, you would need to:
HINT: It is useful to make notes to organise your ideas first before responding on the exam paper.