How to Study ABE

ABE produces a variety of resources to make studying easier, and this article should tell you what each of them is for, what form it takes, and where you can find it. Most of the resources detailed below are available in the Members Area of the ABE website, which you can log into at www.abeukmembers.com

The various links you will need to follow to access the resources are shown in italics.

Syllabuses

Members>Member login>Tuition Resources> QCF Resources>QCF Syllabuses

Syllabuses set out the knowledge and skills that you will be assessed on in ABE’s examinations. They are available to both members and non-members under the relevant subsection of the Qualifications tab on the ABE website (www.abeuk.com). For example, if you wish to view a syllabus for a unit in the Business Management programme, you would select ‘Business Management’ from the ‘Qualifications’ drop-down menu, and then scroll down until you see the list of units, which can be selected to reveal the relevant syllabus. Members can also access syllabuses in the Members Area using the above series of links.

Each syllabus includes between 4 and 8 Learning Outcomes. These set out what you are expected to know as a result of taking the unit. You should revise for each learning outcome, as they will all be tested in the examination.

The Learning Outcomes all contain one or more Assessment Criteria. These describe how you will demonstrate in the examination that you have met the Learning Outcomes. The Assessment Criteria are further broken down into Indicative Content, which indicates some of the range of detail covered by the Assessment Criteria.

At the top of each syllabus you will see, among other things, the following information:

Guided Learning Hours (GLH) – this is the recommended amount of time that a student should spend learning the particular unit under the teacher’s direction, both in the classroom and in their own time, before the examination. It is only a guide and colleges may choose to timetable significantly less than the GLH.

Level – this is the level at which the unit has been recognised by OFQUAL, the regulator of qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It is a measure of the demand or complexity of the unit, so a Level 5 unit would be more demanding than a Level 4 and so on.

Number of Credits – this is the amount of credits the unit is worth on the UK’s QCF framework. One credit equals 10 hours of learning time (which unlike GLH includes private study not directed by the teacher). Credits can be transferred to other qualifications on the QCF.

Lecture Guides

Members>Member login>Tuition Resources> QCF Resources>QCF Lecture Guides

ABE’s lecture guides offer advice from examiners on how the syllabus for each unit should be taught – for each syllabus, there is a corresponding lecture guide, available to ABE Members by following the above series of links on the ABE website. The lecture guides add important detail to each of the Learning Outcomes presented in the syllabus, giving you an insight into what examiners are looking for, and are therefore particularly helpful when studying for the examination. Our blog entry ’Lecture Guides: Who are they for?’, provides more insight into this particular resource.

Past Questions and Suggested Answers

Members>Member login>Tuition Resources> QCF Resources>Questions and Answers

Answering past questions as though you are in a real exam is useful for practising your exam technique, and for testing your knowledge of a particular unit, and so exam papers from previous examination sessions are available for ABE members to use as part of the learning and revision processes. ABE also supplies suggested answers for questions from each paper in the Members Area of the ABE website, so it’s easy to check how close you are to achieving full marks.

Recommended reading lists

Members>Member login>Tuition Resources> QCF Resources>QCF Reading Lists

ABE’s reading lists contain all the details of the various publications that the examiners recommend you read to fully understand the syllabus. These publications are often referred to in the lecture guides, and reading them will give you a more rounded knowledge of the topic covered in the syllabuses. Where appropriate, the reading list will also direct you to where you can purchase the publication.

Study Manuals

Members>Member login>Tuition Resources> QCF Resources>QCF Study Manuals

Study Manuals are textbooks which have been written specifically for particular ABE units. Each manual deals with each of the learning outcomes in the appropriate syllabus and so comprehensively covers all the topics you will need to learn in order to have a chance at passing that examination.

ABE publishes Study Manuals for all units in the BM Pathway of the Business Management stream, and the common BM units in the HRM, MM and TTHM streams. There are also ABE Study Manuals for the specialist units in the Level 4 and 5 HRM Diplomas.

ABE students are able to purchase the BM Study Manuals in PDF format, on CD-ROM, or as printed books either by making an online payment or by downloading and returning the appropriate form. These can be found by following the above series of links on the ABE website. The HRM specialist Study Manuals are available as printed books via BPP Learning Media at http://www.bpp.com/learning-media , and also from a number of bookshops across the world. A list of these, as well as more information about the HRM Study Manuals is available at http://abeuk.com/hrmmanuals.php .

Study Tips

Members>Member login>Tuition Resources>QCF Resources>QCF Study Tips

Study Tips is a series of articles written for ABE students by ABE staff and examiners. Some of the articles cover examination technique such as how to improve your essay writing skills, whilst some address how to study for and write exams in a particular ABE unit. As well as being available in ABE’s quarterly student publication Student Focus, the articles can also be found in the Members Area by following the above series of links, or at www.abeukmembers.com/c_qcfStudyTips.asp.

‘Changes to ABE Examinations’ Document

Members>Member login>Tuition Resources>QCF Resources>Important changes to ABE examinations under QCF

Following the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) in the UK, ABE has taken the opportunity to revise its qualifications in order to provide the most relevant and focused learning experience for students. The new QCF qualifications were examined by ABE for the first time in December 2011, and the various changes to ABE’s examinations under this framework are detailed in the ‘Changes to ABE examinations’ document. It is important to read this document as a starting point to familiarising yourself with the structure and requirements of ABE’s examinations under the QCF.

If you sat ABE examinations before December 2011 you should also consult the Transition Arrangements on the ABE website (www.abeukmembers.com/c_transarrangements.asp) to find out how you can use your previous ABE passes to complete your QCF qualification.

Student Focus

Members>Member login>Benefits>Student Focus

Student Focus is a quarterly publication, received free by all ABE members. Its content is specifically for ABE students. It contains relevant information about examinations, courses and colleges, plus articles, news, competitions and study tips from examiners, and is available in PDF form from the Members Area of the ABE website.

Business Executive

Business Executive is a quarterly magazine received by students with current membership who hold a QCF (or NQF) Level 5 Diploma, and its stimulating articles are relevant to anyone with an interest in business or management. It can therefore be a valuable source of information for students taking a Level 6 Diploma with ABE.

Quick tips for landing a job

The biggest question lingering the minds of those who have just completed a qualification is often ‘Will I be able to find a job?’

Yes, it is true that competition is fierce no matter where in the world you are based, especially when considering the current economic conditions, but on the bright side we should always stay optimistic and be very prepared in order to get that job!

Here are the essential steps you should take in order to get the job!

1.    Write your Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Be sure to follow a layout that will allow you to sell your experience, skills and education in a manner that is attractive to prospective employers. Remember that the CV is the first point of contact that employers have with potential candidates, and therefore your CV needs to stand out!  

Recruiters and human resource departments get inundated with CVs, and they will literally skim through them in order to shortlist the few strong candidates that get invited to an interview. That being said, you must make sure that your grammar is impeccable, that your layout is tidy and that your experience is relevant to the job you are applying for.

It is always a good idea to tweak your CV for each job that you are applying for as you always want to show that your experience matches the job’s requirements. Researching the company and position you are applying for is crucial as this will allow you to tailor your CV appropriately. This may mean you will end up with multiple versions of your CV but it will increase your chances of being invited for an interview.

Here are some helpful links that will help you create your CV:

CV Advice Link 1 

CV Advice Link 2  

2.    Write a cover letter

Now that you have a great CV in your hands, the next step is mastering the art of writing a cover letter.

The cover letter should be both an introduction to your CV and should also give employers some insight into who you are, so simply regurgitating the contents of your CV is not the way to go. You should seize the opportunity to give employees a snippet of your personality and impress them with your writing style. Remember that you must come across as very professional and therefore you must write in a style that is business appropriate. This means using the sort of language you would for a business letter or report, not a letter, text or facebook message to your friend.

Be sure to write about why you want to work for the particular organisation that you are applying to, and also why you would be suited for the job (this means fitting the requirements of the job description). This is where your initial research about the company and job becomes useful. Another good idea is to personalise the cover letter with the name of the hiring manager or the recruiter. This may require a bit of research but it makes a huge difference as it will show employers that you took the extra steps to find this information out.

The cover letter can also allow you to explain anything that is unclear from your CV like, for example, gaps in employment. Your grammar, style and tone are very important, as recruiters will disregard CVs that are accompanied by a cover letter full of grammatical mistakes. Poor grammar and writing style will make you look very unprofessional, and will also tell employers that you don’t pay attention to detail and ultimately give off a bad first impression.

3.    Prepare for the interview

Once you have reached this stage, you should feel very proud as you now have solid proof that your CV and cover letter was impressive enough to get you a step closer to getting the job!

The first thing you should do before an interview is further research the company and prepare a few questions you may have about the company and position for the interview.

Here is a list of things you should know about a company before you attend an interview:

·         Industry/nature of the business

·         Competition

·         History

·         Recent news

Here is a list of general things you should know before the interview:

·         The job description for the job you are applying

·         Your CV (you should know this inside and out, and be prepared to answer questions about it during the interview)

·         You should prepare answers to the typical interview questions – click here for examples.

Once you have reviewed all this information and prepared for the interview, you should make sure that you dress to impress. It is advisable to have a suit ready, since looking as professional as possible will not only impress the employer but will also help build your confidence during the interview. Please click here for tips on what to wear for an interview, for both men and women.

On the day of your interview be sure to eat before the interview, review the location of your interview and give yourself enough time for any delays in travel in order to arrive at least 20 minutes before the scheduled time.

Please click here for further interview advice, and good luck!

Lecture Guides - Who are they for?

By Rob Hollamby, Editorial Assistant

As a student, it’s easy to see or hear the term ‘lecture guide’ and dismiss it without much thought. After all, you’re not giving the lectures – why would you need a guide on how to teach them?

It’s true that ABE’s lecture guides are used by your tutors as a teaching aid. The lecture guide for each unit shows where the examiner places the focus in each learning outcome, and so lets your tutor know which areas of a unit to place emphasis on when teaching. In turn, this will help you, the student, to pass your exams. But in this sense, lecture guides can be just as useful as a study aid as a teaching aid. Attending lectures is important for stimulating your mind and encouraging debate, allowing you to develop original thought on a subject, but reading a lecture guide outside of lecture time will provide you with a concrete example of the detail that you need to be concentrating on in each unit.

No doubt you will have looked at the syllabus for each unit you’re studying, in order to get an idea of what the learning outcomes for each unit are, how these outcomes will be assessed, and what sort of information you’ll need to cover when learning the unit. The lecture guides go hand in hand with the syllabuses for each unit, expanding on the indicative content to give a more fully-developed idea of what the examiners are looking for when they mark your exams.

Let’s use Introduction to Business as an example. Looking at the syllabus, you can see that by the end of studying Learning Outcome 1, you will be able to ‘understand the objectives of a business, what resources they need and to whom they are accountable.’ Assessment Criterion 1.1 lets you know the first step you need to take to demonstrate that understanding, that you need to be able to ‘define and show an understanding of the important business terms related to corporate objectives.’ In turn, Indicative Content 1.1.1 is even more specific, stating some of those terms as ‘corporate aims’, ‘corporate objectives’ and ‘corporate strategy’.

This is as far as the syllabus goes, since by definition it aims only to provide a summary of a unit’s content. A lecture guide, however, goes even further; the Introduction to Business lecture guide then details what is meant by the above terms, advising that you ‘distinguish between aims (long term intentions often expressed in qualitative terms, e.g. to become the world’s largest airline); objectives (medium to long term goals expressed in quantitative, terms e.g. increase sales in Asia by 10% in the next four years) and strategy (the plan for achieving the objectives including the resources required).’ From the lecture guide, you’ll know where to focus further reading on the subject, for example in ABE’s Study Manuals or a text from one of our recommended reading lists. Look out for blog posts on these in the near future!

So don’t be fooled into thinking that ABE lecture guides are only for lecturers – they’re for students, too! Lecture guides for each unit are available for students to download from the Members Area of the ABE website, which you can log into by clicking here.

Putting students first

By Jon Swindell, Head of Publishing

ABE has always strived to support its global network of students as effectively and efficiently as possible. As a not-for-profit organisation, ABE reinvests any surplus into the services and resources it provides to its members.

The number of resources has gradually increased over the years and the quality continues to improve as ABE seeks new ways of communicating and delivering them to its members.

Apart from the Syllabus documents themselves which break down the learning outcomes on which you will be assessed, you can also access Lecture Guides which offer tips from the examiner as to how the units should be taught and studied, and where the focus is for each learning outcome.

ABE prides itself on its range of Study Manuals. These books are tailored specifically to cover the learning outcomes of the respective syllabuses and are essential reading for all students studying these subject units. Currently, students can purchase Study Manuals for all subject units in the Business Management programme as well as for subject units in the Diploma Level 4 and Diploma Level 5 of the Human Resource Management programme. The Business Management Study Manuals can also be used by students who are studying other ABE programmes where the subject unit is common to their programme.

To prepare students for the exams themselves, ABE offers Past Question Papers and Suggested Answers. These allow students to ensure they are learning and revising effectively and that they are familiar with exactly how the exam will be structured.

As a member of ABE, a student will automatically receive a copy of Student Focus magazine. This quarterly magazine is written specifically for ABE students and so contains essential news and information about ABE programmes and examinations as well as useful Study Tips and fascinating Special Features.

When a student completes their ABE Diploma Level 5, they automatically achieve Associate status. In so doing, they become eligible to receive Business Executive magazine by post. This magazine, which is also published on a quarterly basis, contains interesting articles from expert writers from the fields of industry and commerce. The magazine aims to help you contextualise your learning with case studies from around the world, and to broaden your further reading.

ABE’s new-look website contains information on how students can access these benefits and many more – most of which are stored in the Members Area.

Do you have any comments on ABE’s resources or any suggestions as to how we can improve them?

How important is a website for modern business?

As of 31 December 2011, 32.7 %* of the world’s population is using the internet. With the number of internet users around the world growing at such a rapid rate it is imperative for businesses both big and small to mark their presence in the World Wide Web. A business website is usually the first encounter a customer has with a given business. It is like any first impression, so therefore it must be impressive, clean, clear and user friendly.

The internet in today’s competitive business world is treated as a business directory where consumers expect to find all information pertaining to a service and/or product before making a sound purchasing decision. A well designed business website serves as a point of reference where both existing and potential customers can find all information relevant to a business and its offerings.  It is therefore wise for a business to use their website as a space to educate their potential customers and also use it as a support for existing customers.

Bearing this in mind and celebrating the launch of ABE’s website and blog. What do you think about ABE’s new website?

* www.internetworldstats.com