SERG Course - Evening 2

Panel Evening

South Eastern Counties Regional Group – Exam Preparation Course

 Examiners Perspective

Speaker(s):
Chris O’Regan – Associate Director @ AECOM
Michael Chung– Partner @ Hurst Peirce & Malcolm
Introduction

• What we mark
• How we mark
• How to make the examiner’s life easier
• What to do
• What not to do
What we mark

• All sections with a pool of marks

• Marks allocated based on content and correctness
• Clarity is important and has marks allocated to it
• Deviation from brief resulting in ‘failure marks’
How we mark

• 2 examiners mark the same script

• All scripts are scanned and marked electronically
• Pass mark is 40/100
• Where marks deviate from one another, examiners
review their respective marks and if cannot agree the
script enters arbitration
• Chief examiner reviews all scripts that are subject to
arbitration
• Examiners have no more than 40 scripts to mark
How to make an examiner’s life easier

• Put sketches for schemes in the A4 notebook, not the A3

paper
• Describe design criteria
• Demark sections clearly
• List elements you are designing in Section 2
• For method statement focus on unique aspects of
building
• Load path diagrams assist with understanding proposed
schemes
What to do

• Read the question after you have selected it

• Appreciate that the pictures of the buildings are
diagrams that are not to scale
• There is normally only one substructure solution, do not
attempt to create others for schemes
• Be robust with scheme appraisal
• Add sketches to letter (if appropriate)
• Attempt all of the sections
What not to do

• Scan the question briefly

• Have calculations in Section 1
• Have no appraisal of schemes
• Boiler plate method statement
• Ambitious duration of tasks in programme
 Candidates Perspective

Speaker(s):
Harvey Mistry – Senior Engineer @ Entuitive
Alexander Baker – Senior Engineer @ Elliott Wood
Introduction

• What to Expect
• Preparation & Practice
• The Folder & Useful Tips
• What We Used
• Our Experience
What to Expect

• Exam length
• Lunch
• Reading the question (takes longer than you think)
• Panic
Preparation - Alexander

• Finished folder early

• Spent weekends doing Part 1 (mainly a)
• 6 weeks before exam – Part 2’s
• Group marking sessions
• ~8 full papers, 3 timed before exam
• Took pages out of folders (~half)
• Made a pocket book – very useful
• Quick, concise information to copy without thinking
Preparation – Harvey (Attempt One)

• Started revision ~ 5 months beforehand

– (weekends and evenings)
• 80% of the time on the folder
• Majority Part 1 (mainly ‘a’) practice
• Group revision sessions
• After folder complete started on full papers
• No timed complete practice papers
Preparation – Harvey (Attempt Two)

• Started revision ~ 2 months beforehand

– Weekends
• Spent time slimming folder
• Majority Part 1 practice (timed)
• Practiced with a friend
• No timed complete practice papers
The Folder

• Lookup tables
• Span/depth ratios
• Letter template
• Past papers
The Folder

• Prepared statements
– Drawings notes
– Disproportionate Collapse
– Robustness / Fire
– Basements
– Loading Diagrams
• Examples:
– Calculations
– Drawings & Details
– Method statements & Programmes
Useful Tips

• People will give contradictory advice – find a method that

suits you
• Timetable – make it, and stick to it
– You might not finish each section
• Group revision / review
• Pre-prepare thoroughly (think as little as possible)
• Get at least one paper marked
• At least one fully timed session (including lunch)
• Tombow dual brush pens
• Practice the drawings- borders and grid lines
What we took - Alexander

• Structural Engineers Pocket Book (Cobb)

• Blue Book (A5 and Condensed)
• Economic Concrete Frame Elements
• Concrete Scheme Design Manual
• 1No Folder
• 1No Pocket Book
What we took - Alexander

• Structural Engineers Pocket Book (Cobb)

• Blue Book (A5 and Condensed)
• Economic Concrete Frame Elements
• Concrete Scheme Design Manual
• 1No Folder
• 1No Pocket Book
What we took - Harvey

• Structural Engineers Pocket Book (Cobb)

• SCI Structural Steel Handbook (P201E)
• 2No Folders
• 1No Condensed booklet
• Stencils
• Compass
• Drawing pens
What we took - Harvey

• Structural Engineers Pocket Book (Cobb)

• SCI Structural Steel Handbook (P201E)
• 2No Folders
• 1No Condensed booklet
• Stencils
• Compass
• Drawing pens
Our Experience - Alexander

• Panic
• Timetable issues
• Prepared information invaluable
• Prepared calculations can be confusing
• Didn’t finish / rushed ending
Our Experience - Harvey

• Failure
• Prepared information used throughout
• Instructions unclear (first time)
• Condensed folder saved a lot of time
• Goes quicker than you think