CSS/PMS are the most competitive exams taken by FPSC/PPSC and they are also considered as the toughest exams to crack. What if I say they can be made easy for you to crack? What if say that you will not need to read tons of different books ? What if I say that your performance in written exams plays a constructive role in your allocation by giving you high scores in your subjects? Yes, this is true but for this, you will need hard work and practice in the form “SMART PAPER PRESENTATION PRACTICE” for your written exams. Today, I am sharing a few tips with you to get high scores in your written exams:

1 – “Count and Divide Your Pages Equally Before You Start Attempting Your Paper”

This technique is very beneficial if you want to manage your time well, and you want the length of your answers to be balanced equally to get good scores. It prevents you from attempting your first question on 10 pages and the last question on 4 pages only because you run out of time. When your every question consists of balanced pages (7 or 8 per question), it makes your paper unique from other students.

2 – “Learn the Technique of Holding & Balancing Use of Markers and Pen/Ball-Point to Create a Decent Visual Impression of Your Paper.”

Holding : It is a very crucial aspect of your presentation especially when people face trouble in frequent opening and closing of their markers to use them in headings, highlighting important words and quotations or drawing charts,flow-sheets and maps. When you start your paper, hold all the marker “opened” in your left hand and start writing. This saves your time but in this case, you will need to use new markers every next day because the markers can get dry but not very quickly. It helped me a lot.

Balanced Use : For creating an impressive visual impression of your paper, use three different things :

• Black Marker (605/604/ simple)
• Blue Marker (605/604/simple)
• Ball Point / Pen/Pointer (the one you are comfortable with)
• Ruler/Scale

Start your paper by drawing margin lines with the “Black” marker. Give the main headings with the “Black” marker and sub-headings with the “Blue” marker. Write your content with “Ballpoint/Pen/Pointer” but highlight important words, facts, figures and quotations with the “Blue” marker. Draw the charts, graphs, maps and flow sheet diagrams with the combined use of a “Black” and “Blue” marker. After completing your whole paper, underline your headings with the “Black” marker.

3 – “Make Self-Explanatory and Crispy Headings”

Headings play an important role in grabbing the attention of your paper checker. For this, pay special attention to the words you are using in your headings. Plan and organize your headings properly on a rough page before writing them neatly in your answers. For learning this trick, start noticing the headings used by writers in newspaper articles and books.

4 – “Write Relevant and Unique Introduction and Conclusion”

Introduction : Relevant introduction is the most required thing for scoring high in an answer. Tell in your introduction about the sequence your answer whole will follow. Generally, there are 4 types of introductions :

• Funnel : Reveals background information leading to a focused thesis statement
• Quotation : Unrolls as an eye-witness account.
• Dramatic : Uses a quote to lead to the thesis statement.
• Turn About : Starts with the opposite idea and then moves to the focus.

Conclusion : It is a time when you are going to close your answer. Give two or three brief sentences about what your answer was about in the conclusion. End your answer with optimistic words and use a quotation in it as well. It has 3 main parts :

• Answer : the thesis statement, revisited.
• Summary : main points and highlights from the body paragraphs
• Significance : the relevance and implications of the essay’s findings

5 – “Learn the Art of Using and Drawing Maps, Charts and Flow Sheets Wisely”

First, you need to learn how to draw maps, charts and flow sheets creatively using your own knowledge and then how to have their decent and balanced use in your answers. They are very useful in clinching high scores especially by making your paper attractive and highlighting important ideas and knowledge, facts and figures. They can be used as:

• Maps : For telling locations of cities, countries or disputes etc (Pakistan + World)
• Charts : For economy, comparisons etc
• Flow Sheets : Can be used anywhere creatively

If you follow these steps, you’ll start improving your answer writing skills gradually.
CSS/PMS is easy and you can do it. Best of luck…!