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    Cima Verb Level Hierarchy

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    Bathina Srinivasa Rao
    The document discusses the importance of understanding the verb hierarchies used in CIMA strategic level exam questions. It provides definitions and examples of level 3, 4, and 5 verbs that commonly appear. Level 3 verbs involve applying knowledge, while level 4 verbs focus on analysis and level 5 verbs require evaluation to make recommendations or advise. Common verbs that cause confusion, like "apply" and "analyse" are explained in more detail. The document emphasizes the need for exam candidates to closely follow the verb used in order to provide the appropriate type of response required.

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    Cima Verb Level Hierarchy

    Uploaded by

    Bathina Srinivasa Rao
    480 views8 pages
    The document discusses the importance of understanding the verb hierarchies used in CIMA strategic level exam questions. It provides definitions and examples of level 3, 4, and 5 verbs that commonly appear. Level 3 verbs involve applying knowledge, while level 4 verbs focus on analysis and level 5 verbs require evaluation to make recommendations or advise. Common verbs that cause confusion, like "apply" and "analyse" are explained in more detail. The document emphasizes the need for exam candidates to closely follow the verb used in order to provide the appropriate type of response required.

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    The document discusses the importance of understanding the verb hierarchies used in CIMA strategic level exam questions. It provides definitions and examples of level 3, 4, and 5 verbs that commonly appear. Level 3 verbs involve applying knowledge, while level 4 verbs focus on analysis and level 5 verbs require evaluation to make recommendations or advise. Common verbs that cause confusion, like "apply" and "analyse" are explained in more detail. The document emphasizes the need for exam candidates to closely follow the verb used in order to provide the appropriate type of response required.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    480 views8 pages

    Cima Verb Level Hierarchy

    Uploaded by

    Bathina Srinivasa Rao
    The document discusses the importance of understanding the verb hierarchies used in CIMA strategic level exam questions. It provides definitions and examples of level 3, 4, and 5 verbs that commonly appear. Level 3 verbs involve applying knowledge, while level 4 verbs focus on analysis and level 5 verbs require evaluation to make recommendations or advise. Common verbs that cause confusion, like "apply" and "analyse" are explained in more detail. The document emphasizes the need for exam candidates to closely follow the verb used in order to provide the appropriate type of response required.

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    chapter

    CIMAverbhierarchy strategiclevelexams
    Chapter learning objectives
    CIMA VERB HIERARCHY CIMAplacegreatimportanceonthechoiceofverbsinexam questionrequirements.Itisthuscriticalthatyouanswerthequestion accordingtothedefinitionoftheverbused.

    CIMA verb hierarchy - strategic level exams

    1CIMA verb hierarchy strategic level


    Instrategiclevelexamsyouwillmainlymeetverbsfromlevels3,4and5. Examinershavecommentedonmanyoccasionsthattheyaskalevel5verb andgetalevel2response.Itisvitalthatthehigherlevelverbsare understoodandrespondedto.Veryoccasionallyyouwillalsoseelevel1 and2verbsbuttheseshouldnotaccountformorethan510%ofthemarks intotal. Level 3 APPLICATION Howyouareexpectedtoapplyyourknowledge VERBS USED Apply Calculate DEFINITION Puttopracticaluse. Ascertainorreckonmathematically.

    Demonstrate Provewithcertaintyorexhibitbypracticalmeans. Prepare Reconcile Solve Tabulate Makeorgetreadyforuse. Makeorproveconsistent/compatible. Findananswerto. Arrangeinatable.

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    chapter 1

    Level 4 ANALYSIS Howyouareexpectedtoanalysethedetailofwhatyouhavelearned. VERBS USED Analyse Categorise Compare and contrast Construct Discuss Interpret Prioritise Produce DEFINITION Examineindetailthestructureof. Placeintoadefinedclassordivision. Showthesimilaritiesand/ordifferencesbetween. Builduporcompile. Examineindetailbyargument. Translateintointelligibleorfamiliarterms. Placeinorderofpriorityorsequenceforaction. Createorbringintoexistence.

    Level 5 EVALUATION Howyouareexpectedtouseyourlearningtoevaluate,makedecisionsor recommendations. VERBS USED Advise Evaluate DEFINITION Counsel,informornotify. Appraiseorassessthevalueof.

    Recommend Proposeacourseofaction.

    KAPLAN PUBLISHING

    CIMA verb hierarchy - strategic level exams

    2Further guidance on strategic level verbs that cause confusion


    Verbsthatcausestudentsmostconfusionatthislevelareasfollows: Level 3 verbs

    The verb "to apply" Giventhatalllevel3verbsinvolveapplication,theverb"apply"israre intherealexam.Insteadoneoftheothermorespecificverbsisused instead.

    The verb "to reconcile" Thisisanumericalrequirementandusuallyinvolvesstartingwithoneof thefigures,adjustingitandendingupwiththeother. Forexample,inabankreconciliationyoustartwiththerecordedcash atbankfigure,adjustitforunpresentedcheques,etc,and(hopefully!) endupwiththestatedbalanceinthecash"Taccount".

    The verb "to demonstrate" Theverb"todemonstrate"canbeusedintwomainways. Firstlyitcouldmeantoprovethatagivenstatementistrueorconsistent withcircumstancesgiven.Forexample,theFinanceDirectormayhave statedinthequestionthatthecompanywillnotexceeditsoverdraftlimit inthenextsixmonths.Therequirementthenasksyoutodemonstrate thattheDirectoriswrong.Youcoulddothisbypreparingacashflow forecastforthenextsixmonths. Secondlyyoucouldbeaskedtodemonstratehowastatedmodel, framework,techniqueortheorycould be usedintheparticular scenariotoachieveaspecificresultforexample,howaprobability matrixcouldbeusedtomakeaproductiondecision.Ensureinsuch questionsthatyoudonotmerelydescribethemodelbutuseitto generatethedesiredoutcome.

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    chapter 1

    Level 4 verbs

    The verb "to analyse" Toanalysesomethingistoexamineitindetailinordertodiscoverits meaningoressentialfeatures.Thiswillusuallyinvolvebreakingthe scenariodownandlookingatthefinedetail,possiblywithadditional calculations,andthensteppingbacktoseethebiggerpicturetoidentify anythemestosupportconclusions. Forexample,ifaskedtoanalyseasetoffinancialstatements,thenthe endresultwillbeasetofstatementsabouttheperformanceofthe businesswithsupportingevidence.Thiscouldinvolvethefollowing: (1) Youcouldbreakdownyouranalysisintoareasofprofitability, liquidity,gearingandsoon. (2) Undereachheadinglookatkeyfiguresinthefinancialstatements, identifyingtrends(e.g.salesgrowth)andcalculatingsupporting ratios(e.g.margins). (3) Trytoexplainwhatthefiguresmeanandwhytheyhaveoccurred (e.g.whyhastheoperatingmarginfallen?) (4) Startconsideringthebiggerpicturearetheratiospresentinga consistentmessageordotheycontradicteachother?Canyou identifycommoncauses? (5) Finallyyouwouldthenseektopullallthisinformationtogetherand interpretittomakesomehigherlevelcommentsaboutoverall performance. Themainerrorstudentsmakeisthattheyfailtodrawoutanythemes andconclusionsandsimplypresentthemarkerwithacollectionof uninterpreted,unexplainedfactsandfigures.

    The verb "to discuss" Todiscusssomethingisverysimilartoanalysingit,exceptthat discussionusuallyinvolvestwoormoredifferentviewpointsor argumentsasthecontext,ratherthanasetoffigures,say.Todiscuss viewpointswillinvolvelookingattheirunderlyingarguments,examining themcritically,tryingtoassesswhetheroneargumentismore persuasivethantheotherandthenseekingtoreachaconclusion. Forexample,ifaskedtodiscusswhetheraparticulartechniquecould beusedbyacompany,youwouldexaminetheargumentsforand against,makingreferencetothespecificcircumstancesinthequestion, andseektoconclude.

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    CIMA verb hierarchy - strategic level exams

    The verb "to prioritise" Toprioritiseistoplaceobjectsinanorder.Thekeyissuehereisto decideuponthecriteriatousetoperformtheordering.Forexample, prioritisingtheexternalthreatsfacingafirmcouldbedoneby consideringthescaleoffinancialconsequences,immediacy, implicationsfortheunderlyingbusinessmodelandsoon. Themainmistakestudentsmakeisthattheyfailtojustifytheir prioritisationwhyisthisthemostimportantissue?

    Level 5 verbs

    The verb "to evaluate" Toevaluatesomethingistoassessitwithaviewtoplacingavalueon it.Inmanyrespects"evaluate"shouldbeseenasahigherlevelversion of"analyse"and"discuss"andcouldincludequalitativeandquantitative factorswithinyourcriteria.Yourresultingargumentswillneedtobe prioritisedandweighedagainsteachothertoformaconclusion. Forexample,supposeyouareaskedtoevaluateaproposedstrategy inpaperE3.Atitssimplestyouranswercouldcontainaseriesof argumentsforandagainstthestrategy.Eachargumentshouldbe discussedtoassessitsimportance.Theargumentscanthenbe weighedupagainsteachothertoformaconclusion.Youarethus evaluatingthefactorswithineachargumentandthenevaluatingthe argumentsagainsteachother. Withsuchquestionsmanystudentsstruggletogenerateenoughpoints orarguments.Partofthesolutionistoproducementalchecklistswhen studyingthepaperconcerned.Thesegivecriteriatouseforvaluingthe matterathand.Withtheaboveexampleonstrategyevaluation,criteria couldincludeanyofthefollowing: Arethereanyusefulcalculationse.g.NPV,impactonprofit? Doesthestrategyresolveanymajorthreatsfacedbythefirm? Doesthestrategycapitaliseonthefirm'sstrengthsordo weaknessesneedresolvingfirst? Doesthestrategyenhancethefirm'scompetitivestrategy? Doesthestrategyleadtoabetter"fit"withtheenvironment? Whataretherisksandaretheyacceptable? Whataretheimplicationsfordifferentstakeholdersandwoulditbe acceptabletothem? Whataretheresourceimplicationshowfeasibleisthestrategy?

    KAPLAN PUBLISHING

    chapter 1
    Useofsuchachecklistwillensureyouhaveenoughpointstopass. Insomequestionsyoumayhavetodomorepreliminaryworkbefore youcanevaluate.Forexample,ifaskedtoevaluateafirm'sapproach tochangemanagementyouwouldstartbyidentifyingwhattypeof approachtheyaretaking(referencingtodifferentmodelsofchange management)beforeyoucanevaluateit.

    The differences between the verbs "to evaluate", "to advise" and "to recommend" Allthreelevel5verbsinvolveamixtureofidentifyingrelevantissues, analysingthem,evaluatingthemandthenfinishingwithsomeformof conclusion.Somewritersseethisasathreestepapproach: (1) What?Identifyrelevantissues. (2) So what?Whyaretheissuesrelevant?Howsignificantarethey? (3) What now?Whatresponseisrequiredbythefirmbeing considered? Thedifferencebetweenthelevel5verbsliesinwherethemain emphasisisinthesethreesteps.With"advise"and"recommend"the examinerwillbelookingformoredetailinstep3.Recommendationsin particularcouldinvolveformulatingaplanofactionthatincludesboth shortandlongertermaspects.

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    CIMA verb hierarchy - strategic level exams

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