This is not advice
that comes to you directly from me (although I would wholeheartedly
agree with it all!) This is advice comes to you from your peers
- from the 100s of successful OSPRE Part I candidates I have surveyed
over the past eight years regarding their methods of study. One
question in all my surveys asks is: 'What advice would you give
to a colleague taking the Ospre Part I examination?' What you see
below is the top ten responses to that question. There is no doubt
that this advice will assist you in your study.
Paul Connor.
Recommendations (in no order of preference)
Take some annual leave immediately before the examination.
A large number of candidates took annual leave before their examination.
This ranged in length from 1 day to 28 days (I personally know of
a candidate who has taken two months off prior to the examination).
The average amount of leave taken was 9 working days per candidate.
Start your revision
as early as possible.
The majority of candidates began their revision 4 to 6 months in
advance of the examination.
Set yourself a
target for hours of revision.
Candidates stated that is helps to have a clear goal for revision
and assists to constantly monitor time revised.
Plan your revision.
Many candidates identified that the construction and use of a revision
plan assisted them. Some identified flaws in plans that were provided
to them as the provided plans were out of date and had little or
no true structure. Plans with a clearly defined and explained methodology
were favoured. Some candidates created their own timetable and would
identify what particular subjects they would cover at a certain
time. However, the majority simply set a time that they would study
for and broad subject coverage as this was less prescriptive.
Sit the examination
for the 'right' reason.
Candidates stated that the task of studying for the examination
was one requiring discipline, effort, commitment and purpose. Many
felt that a lack of these qualities would have meant studying becoming
an impossible task and that a half-hearted approach to revision
would have led to failure. Candidates stated that they accomplished
their task because they were serious about promotion and this motivation
was vital to success.
Practice multiple-choice
questions (MCQ'S).
Candidates stated that testing their knowledge by answering multiple-choice
questions had proved extremely valuable. These questions were obtained
from a number of different sources. The preferred source was the
Blackstone's Q & A (Online resource) followed by the Blackstone's
Q & A books written by Huw Smart and John Watson. Candidates
reported that these questions were far superior to other resources.
Many other Q & A resources were extremely poor in terms of question
quality, contained numerous legal and technical faults and were
difficult to utilise.
Use 'crammer'
style study aids.
Crammer books were very popular with candidates. The two most used
resources and recommended books were:
Barron's 'Made Simple' series
Jane's Police Review Crammer
These books were the preferred choice as candidates highlighted
their brevity and portable nature as important and desirable features.
Attend a 3-day
crammer course.
The Checkmate Training crammer course was the most popular course
to attend.
Use the Blackstone's
Police Manuals.
A large number of candidates reported that whilst crammer books
and MCQ's were an effective way to assist and test their knowledge
and application of the law, there was no substitute for reading
the actual syllabus. Many candidates stated that answers to MCQ's
in their examination were only provided by reading the appropriate
subject matter in the manuals; the answers were not provided anywhere
else. This was particularly evident in respect of the 'Keynote'
areas of the manuals. This is a particularly noticeable trend in
the recent examinations.
Do not be tempted
by guarantees of/shortcuts to success.
Candidates stated that they were successful because they worked
hard and utilised a variety of resources to prepare for the examination.
Many reported that colleagues who had attempted the quick or lazy
fix were unsuccessful. Hard work cannot be substituted with self-deception
and/or procrastination.
Real
Knowledge - Real Experience - Real
Credibility - Real Results
