Common misconceptions about the case study exams

The CIMA case study exams are unlike the objective tests that come before them. There are no multiple-choice questions and no single right answer, and the skills that got you through the objective tests are only part of what you need. That gap is where most misconceptions come from.

Here are the ones we see most often, at Operational, Management and Strategic level alike, and what to do instead.

1. "The pass mark is 80%"

It isn't. Your case study result is a pass or fail, with a scaled score from 0 to 150, where 80 or more is a pass, and feedback by core activity. A scaled score is not a percentage of marks available, and CIMA doesn't publish how raw marks convert to it, so don't try to work backwards from it to a number of marks per task.

What matters in practice is simpler: you need to perform reasonably well across the whole exam. There is no minimum in any one core activity, but a strong answer to one task rarely makes up for a missing answer to another. Check CIMA's results guide for how results are reported, as it can change.

2. "If I study the pre-seen hard enough, I can predict the exam"

The pre-seen is released at least six weeks before the exam, and in practice about seven. It describes the company, its industry, its people and its recent results. Studying it carefully is essential, and it does tell you which themes are likely to matter.

But the tasks in the exam are built on new information you have not seen before: the unseen. Each section gives you a trigger, such as an email, a news item or a set of figures, and asks you to respond. The trigger is the reason the task exists.

Students who prepare answers in advance tend to write them out whatever the trigger says. Those answers score poorly, however well written they are, because they don't answer the task that was set. Know the pre-seen well enough that you don't need to look things up, then respond to what is in front of you.

3. "More words mean more marks"

Markers reward points that are relevant and developed, not volume. A developed point has three parts: the issue, why it matters for this company, and its impact (the "so what"). Three or four of those beat ten one-line points every time.

Padding also costs you time you need for the next task. Skip introductions, don't restate the question, and don't write a conclusion that repeats what you have just said.

4. "Definitions and textbook theory earn marks"

In the objective tests, knowing the definition is often enough. In the case study, markers want to see you use the knowledge. A definition of a balanced scorecard earns little. Using it to suggest measures for this company, with a reason for each, earns marks.

A useful test for every paragraph: does it mention the company, a figure or a fact from the case? If not, it is probably theory that could have been written about any business.

5. "It's a numbers exam"

CIMA's tasks don't require specific calculations. Figures support a written answer, and there are no marks for arithmetic on its own. Markers place each part of your answer at Level 1, 2 or 3, judged on four elements: technical understanding, communication, use of the information and application to the scenario.

Many students who are strong at the numbers lose marks because they stop once the calculation is done. A number on its own doesn't tell a manager anything. Say what it means, what might have caused it and what should happen next.

We explain the levels and the four elements in more detail in How case study answers are marked.

6. "I can come back to a section later"

You can't. The exam is divided into sections, and each section is timed separately. You can finish a section early and move on, but you can't go back, and unused time doesn't carry over. When a section's time ends, the exam moves on by itself.

That changes how you should manage your time. Each sub-task shows a percentage: its share of the section's time and of its marks. Split your time the same way, and stick to it. A partial answer to every sub-task almost always scores more than a perfect answer to one and nothing for the other. If you are running out of time, write short, clear points for the rest of the task rather than polishing what you have.

7. "Every answer should end with a recommendation"

Only when the task asks for one. If a task asks you to explain two variances and one link between them, an unrequested recommendation earns nothing and uses time you could spend elsewhere.

Read the verb. "Explain", "discuss", "evaluate", "analyse", "recommend" and "advise" each ask for something different. "Evaluate" needs both sides and a judgement. "Recommend" needs a clear decision, the reasons, the risks and next steps. When a task does ask for a recommendation, make one. Discussing both options without choosing is a common way to stay at a lower level, especially at Strategic level.

8. "Reading and making notes is enough preparation"

Reading the pre-seen and revising the syllabus feel productive, and they are necessary. But the exam tests something else: writing good answers under time pressure, on a computer.

That is a skill, and it only improves with practice. Start timed practice early, not in the last week. Write full answers to tasks in the time allowed, then review them honestly. Sit at least one full mock in exam conditions so you know how your timing and concentration hold up over three hours.

Our 80 Method sets out one way to build up to that, from short lessons to full mocks.

9. "A good practice mark means I'll pass"

Practice marks are useful, but they are not your result. Your real exam is marked by CIMA's markers, and no practice mark, from us or anyone else, can predict it.

Our own AI marks follow CIMA's published marking approach and are a practice estimate on the same 0 to 150 scale, with the pass line at 80, so you can track progress against it. They are a guide to what to improve, not a CIMA mark. Look at the pattern across many answers rather than any single score: if your application to the scenario is consistently weak, that is worth fixing, whatever your total says. You can read more about how our marking works.

What to do instead

If you take one thing from this article, make it this: answer the task that was set, for this company, in the time you have.

In practice, that means:

• Underline the verb, the subject and any limits in each task ("TWO benefits", "for the board").
• Use the trigger. It is the reason the task exists.
• Tie every point to the company, with a fact or a figure.
• Develop fewer points fully, with the impact spelled out.
• Think about the people affected, and recommend clearly when asked.
• Split your time by the percentage shown for each sub-task, and keep moving.
• Practise writing, under time, early and often.

The planning step is where most of this happens. We cover it in How to plan a task answer in five minutes.

Try it on a real task

The quickest way to find out which of these habits you have is to write an answer and get it marked. Every task we set is in your pre-seen company, with a new trigger. Each part of your answer is placed at Level 1, 2 or 3 in about a minute, and you see your own answer rewritten to the next level up, with the reason for each change.

Your first task is free, with no card needed. To see what each level involves, go to the Operational, Management or Strategic page.