A guide for candidates

Preparingfor assessmentsCertificate in procurement and supply operationsAdvanced certificate in procurement and supply operations

1

CIPS has produced two new guides to assist you

in preparing for each of the assessment formats

you are likely to encounter when taking CIPS

qualifications. Hints and techniques for each

format are covered in each guide, and you

should use the relevant guide for the

qualification or unit you are about to take. Don’t

forget that everyone works in different ways, so

these guides can only offer you some helpful

advice – it is not intended that everyone should

follow the advice, or prepare for their

assessments in the same way.

CIPS 2013 suite of professional awards provides

a ladder of learning opportunities to suit all the

different stages of a procurement career. Our

qualifications are available worldwide, and are

mapped against qualification frameworks

around the world to ensure that they are

recognised wherever you are based.

Unit content guides, giving further detail of the learning

outcomes for each unit, can be found on CIPS’ website.

Preparing forassessments

CORE UNITS

• Procurement

and supply

principles

• Procurement

and supply

functions

• Procurement

and supply

processes

• Procurement

and supply

administration

• Procurement

and supply

stakeholders.

CORE UNITS

• Procurement

and supply

environments

• Procurement

and supply

operations

• Procurement

and supply

workflow

• Inventory and

logistics

operations

• Procurement

and supply

relationships.

CORE UNITS

• Contexts of

procurement

and supply

• Business needs

in procurement

and supply

• Sourcing in

procurement

and supply

• Negotiating and

contracting in

procurement

and supply

• Managing

contracts and

relationships in

procurement

and supply.

CORE UNITS

• Management in

procurement and

supply

• Managing risks in

supply chains

• Improving the

competitiveness

of supply chains.

OPTIONAL UNITS

• Category

management in

procurement and

supply

• Sustainability in

supply chains

• Operations

management in

supply chains.

CORE UNITS

• Leadership in

procurement

and supply

• Corporate and

business

strategy

• Strategic supply

chain

management.

OPTIONAL UNITS

• Supply chain

diligence

• Programme and

project

management

• Legal aspects in

procurement

and supply

(UK).

Certificate in

procurement and

supply operations

Advanced certificate

in procurement and

supply operations

Diploma in

procurement

and supply

Advanced diploma

in procurement

and supply

Professional diploma

in procurement

and supply

www.cips.org 03

Improving your assessments technique could be the difference between a pass and a fail, so it’s

important to spend sometime thinking about what you should be doing correctly.

Preparing for assessments:Diploma in procurement and supply operations Advanced diploma in procurement and supplyProfessional diploma in procurement and supply

• Section 1 – Preparing for essay questions

• Section 2 – A guide to preparing for unseen case study and questions

• Section 3 – A guide to preparing for pre-released case study and questions.

Preparing for assessments:Certificate in procurement and supply operations Advanced certificate in procurement and supply operations

• Section 1 – Answering multiple choice questions

• Section 2 – Practical written assessment preparation guide (AC3).

ASSESSMENT GUIDE 1

ASSESSMENT GUIDE 2

then gradually lengthen the revision time, but

keep the break-times the same. Make extra

time for revision during the day by getting up

earlier, or shortening your lunch break.

On the day of the exam:

• Eat properly before the examination to keep

your blood sugar and energy levels up. Make

sure you drink plenty of water to keep you

hydrated.

• Try to remain relaxed. Take deep breaths and,

if possible, try to stretch. This can help clear

your mind and relieve any build-up of

tension.

• If you have a sudden ‘mental block’ during

the exam, try not to panic - this is quite a

common problem! If it happens to you, some

of the following techniques may help:

Leave space and move to the next

question. This will give you confidence and

give you time to clear your head

Answer questions you feel confident about

first – just remember to clearly show the

question numbers

Try to recall the information using one of

the memory aids above. If you have used

these methods during revision. You can

make notes in your answer booklet once

the examination has started. Jot down

thoughts as they occur to you when you

read through the paper, to see if this

triggers recall

• Pace yourself – make sure you know how

much time to allocate to each question or

section (we have given you some

recommended timings at the end of each

section of this guide) and stick to your plan.

Tip and hints

• Use the unit content learning outcomes as a

check-list of all the things you need to know.

• Make your own notes, rather than relying on

books, or notes provided by lecturers. You

may like to summarise your notes on cards

that you can carry round with you. If you are

a ‘visuals’ person, make mind-maps instead of

linear notes. Use highlighters and coloured

pens to focus on important things.

• Use your mobile phone or an online voice

recorder (there are lots of free voice

recorders online) to record your voice. Record

yourself reading your notes or summaries

and then listen to the recordings.

• Use past papers and/or exemplar material

from CIPS website to gain an understanding

of how the assessors design questions on the

topics you have studied, but remember that

the examination formats changed in 2013, so

you should treat pre-2013 past papers with

caution. Exemplar material for each unit of

the 2013 qualifications can also be found on

CIPS website.

• Read any assessor reports and guidance

provided by CIPS.

• Get as much practice as you can: make sure

you can concentrate for 2-3 hours at a time,

try to get used to writing in time-constrained

conditions, and practise extended writing if

you are preparing for essay-type assessment.

• Revise with a friend. Explain things to each

other and ask each other some questions. Go

for a walk with a friend and test each other

while you are walking.

• Take regular breaks, perhaps of around ten

minutes, to avoid revision-fatigue. Start by

revising for short periods between breaks,

Whatever the format, the purpose of the questions is for you to:

A demonstrate your knowledge and understanding about the subject area, and

B show that you can adhere to instructions when answering questions

It is important to consider both of these aspects when preparing for and during assessments. If

you are taking an assessment involving essays or case studies, always remember to demonstrate,

what you know throughout your answers. The person marking your essay does not know you, so

you need to show your knowledge in a similar way to approaching a job interview – you have to

help them to recognise that you know your material, and if you don’t, the assessor will not make

any allowances for what you missed out!

General advicefor allassessmenttypes

Revising for CIPS assessments

www.cips.org 05

Memory aids for revision, and to improve recall during the exam:

1 Many people claim to have a ‘bad memory’, but often the problem is that they don’t give the information sufficient

attention to commit it to their memory in the first place. If the information never made it to your memory, then you have

no hope of getting it out again. So the most important aid to memory is to PAY ATTENTION:

• focus on what you are learning or revising, and don’t let your mind wander. Many people find that certain types of

music (often instrumental music) help concentration, but most people cannot concentrate properly with the TV playing.

• make sure you understand the concepts you are learning – if you don’t understand them, you will not remember them

• re-phrase or re-state the information, so that you are forced to think about what it means

• if you have to remember lists, repeat the items enough times to lodge them in your memory

2 Use a mnemonic to help you remember lists, theories, or staged processes.

For example, recognised management theorists include: Mullins, Brech, Armstrong, Fayol, Mintzberg, Drucker

You can devise a simple mnemonic to help you remember their names using their initial letters:

Most British Accountants Find Maths Difficult

If you devise your own mnemonics, they are usually easier to remember than someone else’s. If you can make them funny

or personal to you, they are easier still to remember.

3 Visual memory often helps to support recall of information for an exam. If this works for you

• make charts, mind-maps, tables or pictures while revising – you may find you can recall these better during the exam

than sections of text

• use coloured highlighters in your revision notes, choosing different colours for different topics or related concepts. If a

question on one of these topics comes up in the exam, you may be able to recall relevant information by remembering

the items that you had highlighted in the same colour.

4 Research shows that re-creating the circumstances you were in when you were revising helps you to recall better in the

exam. Clearly, you can’t take your classroom or bedroom into the exam room, but one tip you might try is to wear a

particular perfume or aftershave whilst revising. Wear it again on the day of the exam, and the smell may help you to recall

the information you need.

Stick pieces of

paper around

your room

with notes and

look at them

regularly.

Plan a

timetable for

revision and

break up each

area into

manageable

chunks

Be prepared. If

you feel

confident and

know what to

expect it can

have a really

positive effect

on your state of

mind and level

of nerves.

Studying for multiple choice questions (MCQ) requires a special method of preparation distinctly

different from an essay question. MCQ assessments ask a student to recognise a correct answer

among a set of options that include 3 or more wrong answers (called distracters ), rather than

asking the student to produce a correct answer entirely from his/her own mind. The first part of

this guide provides you with useful techniques when answering MCQs.

MCQs are used in all five units of the

Certificate in procurement and supply

operations, and in four out of the five units in

the Advanced certificate in procurement and

supply operations.

In the Certificate in procurement and supply

operations, questions will be focused on

testing your awareness, recognition and

knowledge of basic transactional processes.

In the Advanced certificate in procurement and

supply operations, questions will focus on

testing your knowledge of specific processes

(such as typically asking how things are done),

and your ability to identify associated models

or theories.

The assessment for each unit is two hours. There

are five units in the Certificate and Advanced

certificate qualifications.

Each MCQ assessment is presented in a

booklet divided into separate sections, with

15-20 MCQs per section. All questions are

compulsory and carry equal marks. A

separate answer sheet is provided (see

example on page 7).

What will the MCQs look like?

• In multiple-choice assessments you must

select one correct answer from a choice of

four options for each question

• Some questions will begin with a scenario or

statement. This provides you with some

additional information to enable you to

answer the question

• You may see a straightforward question

ending with a question mark (‘?’), or it could

be an incomplete statement, which requires

you to complete it

• There will be only one correct answer for

each question so you should try to eliminate

the other answers using your knowledge of

the topic area. The process of elimination is

very important in terms of MCQs so you

must apply logic and sense along with your

knowledge of the subject.

Example

Q Which of the following is a recognised definition of ‘quality’?

A Percentage of poor quality products produced

B Conformance to specification

C Proven life of the equipment

D Use of standard materials in the product

Process of elimination immediately tells you that option A is

incorrect. It is not in itself a definition of the term ‘quality’.

You can also eliminate C, because if something is of good quality it

might last for a long time, but quality is something much greater

than this.

And you can eliminate D: just because the materials used are all of

the same standard, this does not mean that they are of the agreed

standard.

Quality can be defined as ‘conformance to specification’. If the

builder/manufacturer of goods/products works to a specification

and conforms to the specification at all stages, then it is likely that

quality will be at the centre of the output. It allows for

standardisation of the product and consistency of quality in the

product build.

07

1 Multiple choice questionspreparation guide

What should I expect in the exam?

Certificate

in procurement &

supply operations.

Two hours duration

NC1: Procurement and supply principles.

NC2: Procurement and supply functions.

NC3: Procurement and supply processes.

NC4: Procurement and supply administration.

NC5: Procurement and supply stakeholders.

Four sections of 15 MCQs totalling 60 MCQs

for the whole assessment - NC1 and NC5.

Three sections of 20 MCQs totalling 60 MCQs

for the whole assessment - NC2, NC3 and NC4.

Advanced certificate

in procurement &

supply operations.

Two hours duration

AC1: Procurement and supply environments.

AC2: Procurement and supply operations.

AC4: Inventory and logistics operations.

AC5: Procurement and supply relationships.

Three sections of 20 MCQs totalling 60 MCQs

for the whole assessment.

*Unit AC3: Procurement and supply workflow uses different assessment methods, see section 2

practical written exam preparation guide.

Recommended time to spend on MCQ assessments (two hours duration)

Reading rubric (instructions) on question booklet and answer sheet, filling in name etc. Two minutes.

Reading, thinking, and choosing option A – D (per question) by circling it in you answer booklet. No more than 90 minutes.

Returning to difficult/unsure questions to check, re-think, and amend where necessary.

(per section).

No more than 15 minutes.

Complete the answer sheet by marking the correct answer box with a cross. Two minutes.

How should I prepare for anassessment using MCQs?

Do not assume that MCQs are easier than

other formats. Whilst it is true that the correct

answer is guaranteed to be among the possible

responses (so it is possible to gain marks from

a lucky guess), nevertheless multiple choice

exams can actually be very difficult!

• Multiple choice assessments contain many

questions, so they require you to be familiar

with a very broad range of material

• Multiple choice exams expect you to be

familiar with facts, definitions and details: it

is not easy to "bluff" in a multiple choice

assessments.

To prepare for a multiple choice assessment,

try the following:

• Begin studying early and you may find you

cannot retain many details effectively in

short-term memory. If you learn a little bit

each day and allow plenty of time for

repeated reviews, you will build a much

more reliable long-term memory

• Pay particular attention to fundamental

terms and concepts. These are the items

that most commonly appear in MCQs

• Look for similarities and differences that

might be used to distinguish correct choices

from alternative options in MCQs

• If the CIPS course book highlights specific

vocabulary or key definitions, be sure that

you understand them. Do not simply

memorise these definitions. Most assessors

will rephrase things in their own words as

they write MCQs, so you must be sure that

you really know what the definitions mean

• If you can, brainstorm possible questions

with several other candidates who are also

taking the course

• Practice on available exemplar questions

www.cips.org/study-support

Tips and hints for answering MCQs

• Read through the assessment quickly and

circle the questions you know first in the

questions booklet. Mark those you think you

know in some way. Do not mark the answer

sheet

• Read through the assessment a second time

and answer more difficult questions

• Always cover up the possible responses with

your hand while you read the body of the

question. If you know the correct answer –

then reveal the options and hopefully yours

will be there. If it is, circle it and then check

to be sure that none of the other responses

are better

• Watch your timing as you have 60 questions

to answer in 120 minutes. If you cannot

answer within a minute or less, skip it and

come back to it later. Spending too long on a

few questions could throw you off track in

terms of time. Look at the table that

recommends time to spend on MCQ papers

• Do not try to find a pattern of answers

throughout the paper – our assessors will

not have set a paper where (for example) ‘B’

is the correct answer all the way through, or

where the correct answers follow any

pattern

• When you have answered most of the

questions by circling your chosen answer in

the booklet, then you are ready to transfer

all your answers to the answer sheet at the

same time, towards the end of the exam.

Saving the completion of the answer sheet

to the end reduces the probability of making

silly errors, and avoids too many corrections

on your answer sheet. But do not leave this

to the last minute! Ensure you leave

sufficient time – we recommend you allow

15 to 20 minutes.

The answer sheet will look like this:

• Make sure you have made your

choice clear – if you have changed

your mind once or twice, make sure

that only your final choice is clearly

indicated

• If time allows, review both questions

and answers: it is possible you mis-

read questions the first time

• Take the time to check your work

before the exam ends

• Finally, remember that the best way

to ensure you select the correct

option is to know the right answer!

www.cips.org

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANDIDATES

1 Before you begin, check your candidate number and

unit title is correct at the top of this answer sheet.

Your name must not appear anywhere on this answer

sheet.

2 All answers must be written in blue or black ink.

3 Mark only one answer to each question.

4 Make a cross in the box in order to mark your

answer: n n n5 n

5 If you wish to change an answer; completely fill in the

incorrect answer you wish to change, and complete

your new answer with a cross: n n5 n n

6 Any questions with more than one cross will be

considered null and void:n n5 n5 n

7 Do not make any other marks on this sheet.

8 At the end of the examination, hand this answer sheet

to the invigilator.

09

Activity before the invigilator starts the exam

Reading the front of the question booklet and answer sheet.

Check your candidate ID and unit title are printed correctly on the answer sheet.

Check the unit title is printed correctly on your question booklet.

Read the instructions on the front of the question booklet and answer sheet.

The practical written assessment comprises four

sections presented in a booklet which includes

the questions and spaces for answers. The

questions are broken down in to a number of

parts each testing a different learning outcome

from the unit content, such as Q1 tests learning

outcome 1 and so on.

You must pass each question in order to achieve

an overall pass grade. Make sure you pace

yourself and answer all of the questions.

The questions are designed to simulate tasks

which might be undertaken in the work

environment. They will focus on testing your

understanding of specific processes (such as

how things are done) and your ability to use

information provided in order to answer the

questions.

What will the practical written assessments

look like?:

• Each question will be worth a total of 25

marks, but it will be broken down in to

several parts. The marks value for each part

will be clear. There will be a range of question

types and styles. Review the exemplar

questions Workflow Workbook.pdf, in order

to gain a better understanding of the types of

questions you can expect

• You may be given sample materials, such as

purchase orders, requisition forms, or balance

sheets, and asked to fill in the gaps, or

comment on the completeness of the

information they contain

• You may be asked to calculate prices, profits,

or margins, based on the information provided

• You may be asked to assume a role within an

organisation and to write an appropriate

communication to colleagues or customers

based on the information provided

• You may be asked to use your theoretical

knowledge to comment on the adequacy of a

fictitious company’s processes or

documentation.

In most cases you will not be asked to do

extended pieces of writing in the booklet itself.

However this means that you will need to spend

some time analysing the information you have

been given and you will need to watch your

timing, as the booklet may contain a number of

different tasks to be completed within the two

hours. The table Recommended time to spend

on practical written assessments right suggests

how you might plan your time.

How should I prepare for a practical

assessment?

Where ever possible, try to relate what you have

learned in your studies to real organisations. You

may be able to do this in your own organisation

but an excellent way to do this is to read

relevant magazine, newspaper or online articles,

such as Supply Management magazine and

online you can also sign up for daily email news

alerts, an excellent source for examples of

procurement practice, problems and solutions.

www.cips.org 11

2 Practical written assessmentpreparation guide

Ensure you understand the 'so what'.

For example knowing how to calculate

something is not enough. You need to be

able to use the information so you need to

be able to explain what the calculated value

means or indicates.

Can you suggest any hints and tips for

answering practical written assessments?

• Read through the whole booklet first.

Start by completing the sections you are

confident about and return to the more

difficult sections later.

• Write your answers in the booklet – use

the space provided and the marks

allocated to each question or part of a

question as a guide to the amount of

detail expected in the answer.

• Make sure you note how many pieces of

information or comments are asked for.

This will be clearly written within the

question, and often the correct number of

spaces to be completed will be provided.

You may be given a blank space to use for

your answer so check how many points

you are required to make and include the

right number. If the question asks for 5

items and you include 8 or 9 the assessor

may only mark the first 5 so there is no

advantage in providing more than the

required amount in the hope that at least

some of your answers will be correct.

• If you have to correct an answer, make

sure that you have clearly indicated the

answer you wish the assessor to mark.

• Watch the time! You have 4 questions with

several parts to work through in 2 hours -

you can see how spending too long on a

few questions could throw you off track in

terms of time.

• Try to allow some time at the end to check

that you have competed every part of

every question. The layout of a workbook

can sometimes be difficult to check for

completeness. If necessary, list the

question numbers and their parts on a

spare space in the book and tick them off

once you have checked they are all

complete.

What should I expect in the assessment

Advanced certificate in

procurement & supply

operations.

Two hours duration

AC3: Procurement and supply

workflow.

There are 4 questions per work book. Each

question is worth 25 marks. Each question is

broken down into a number of parts. The pass

mark is 50% for each question.

Recommended time to spend on practical written assessments (Two hours duration)

Reading the front of the examination booklet: Check your candidate ID and

unit title are printed correctly. Read the instructions on the front of the

booklet.

Before the invigilator starts

the exam

Two minutes

Reading, thinking and completing the answer for each question in your examination

booklet.

Four minutes per question

Returning to difficult/unsure questions to check, re-think, and amend where

necessary (per section).

Four minutes per section

Checking that you have correctly followed the instructions, provided an answer for

every question in the workbook, any corrected answers are clearly shown, and last-

minute amendments (per assessment).

Two minutes

The workbook is designed to assess your ability to apply your knowledge and understanding of the

unit content to practical applications likely to be encountered in the workplace.

Finally, make sure you have read and understood the list of command words below.

These words will appear in the questions, and they tell you exactly what the assessor wants you to

do. Although you do not need to learn the words and their definitions, you should make sure you

have read and understood the different requirements of each command word.

Definitions of Command words

Explain Give reasons for, or account for something, so that it is clear or easy to understand.

IdentifyMention items separately in number order or by using bullet points. Compare

with Enumerate, List

Illustrate Clarify or explain something by using examples or diagrams

Interpret Use your own ideas to explain the significance of something. This may be

qualitative or quantative

JustifyShow good reasons for decisions or conclusions, perhaps by referring to other

texts or evidence with a case study

List Mention items separately in number order or by using bullet points. Compare

with Enumerate, Identify

Outline Give the main features, facts or the general idea of something, omitting minor details

Propose Put forward (for example, a point of view, idea, argument, suggestion) for

consideration or action

Reconcile Show how two apparently conflicting things can appear similar or compatible

Relate Establish a connection or association between things to show how they effect

each other or how they are alike

Review Examine and assess a subject critically

Show Explain thoroughly or prove something so that the truth can be established

State Put something into words clearly and briefly

Suggest This means that there may be more than one answer. You must give the most

appropriate answer or answers

Summarise Give a brief, concise account of the main points of something, leaving out details

and examples

Command words

13www.cips.org

Definitions of Command words

AnalyseAssess a topic together with thoughts and judgments about it, by dividing the

topic into its separate parts and looking at each part in detail

Appraise Evaluate, judge or assess something, giving views based on strengths and

weaknesses of a given situation

ArgueProvide reasons for or against something, clearly and in proper order, using or

citing evidence so that a case can be proven. Also, compare with Discuss

Assess Evaluate or judge the importance of something, referring to the special

knowledge of experts where possible. This may involve quoting from other texts

Comment

on

Write notes explaining your own criticism and observations of the issues. Base

your comments on a balance of fact versus personal views. Often involves

evaluation

Compare Assess one thing in relation to another thing so that points of similarity or

difference become evident

Contrast Emphasise the differences between two opposite or dissimilar things. This may

include approaches to a particular aspect of procurement

Criticise Give your judgments about the good or bad qualities of theories or opinions,

supporting your decision with evidence and where appropriate, literature

Define Explain the exact meaning of a word or phrase

Describe Give a full account or a detailed representation of something

Discuss Consider something by writing about it from different points of view. Compare

with Argue or evaluate

Enumerate List and mention items separately in number order. Compare with List, Identify

Evaluate Calculate or judge the value of something; include your personal opinion in

your evaluation. Often includes an assessment of strengths and weaknesses

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