Institution of Civil Engineers, the CPR & IPR Written Exercise

The Written Exercise Eur Ing Ian Jenkinson BSc MBA CEng FICE FIMechE CMgr MCMI

ICE West Mids G&S, Sept 2014

What’s it all about ?!?

“a test of your knowledge and ability to communicate”

• “two questions from within the context of your experience as set out in your application and submission documents”

• “specific to (your) experience, background and responsibility to answer them with confidence”

• “a ‘tidy first draft’ in acceptable English”

• “supported by reasoned opinion”

So, no trick questions

Not like this ... ... more like this

• Discuss

• Compare

• Contrast

• Comment

• Explain

• Assess

• Examine

A few ‘typical’ questions

• Discuss the challenges associated with managing multidisciplinary teams.

• What issues should be addressed when preparing a feasibility report for the development of a new sports pitch and its associated facilities?

• Discuss the Health and Safety at Work Act and the CDM Regulations as they apply to your own work environment. How might the CDM Regulations be improved?

Writing about what you know

Spend some time thinking

Put it a logical order

Write a Report/Letter/Essay

No lists, battle orders or ...

Just write a professional report

Well laid out, but no need for a cover

If short, then content must be good

“Do not … cut and paste material from others”

Laptop versus hand-written

Readability is critical

Its hard to write legibly under pressure

What is the standard ?

Pass or Fail ?????

“Not an additional technical test”

• Simply ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ for:-

• Knowledge & Relevance

• Grammar & Syntax

• Clarity & Presentation

• But, a poor essay after a marginal interview...

Who marks it, and how ?

What if I upset the Reviewer ?

PRIZES

• Candidates who have excelled are named in NCE and eligible for:-

• Renee Redfern Hunt Memorial Prize £100

• Patterson Prize (Wales only) £250

An ICE3051 ‘prize’ nomination

• 1042 words that addressed the set question. • The WE was submitted in the form of an essay. It addressed the set

question in that the candidate clearly explained some of the major causes of contract delay and used examples from her own experience to illustrate the answer.

• Her answer was divided into 3 parts: delays that were the responsibility of the employer, the contractor and those outside of the control of any party.

• The WE contains some unusual grammatical and sentence

constructions but it is acceptable as a first draft as these could be easily rectified.

Ian Jenkinson

• jenkinsonian

• ianjenkinson@btopenworld.com

• @jenko51