is css a test of memory or a test of knowledge and skills?

[superior6106]

AOA fellow members!

I want to ask from seniors and qualified CSP's that whether the CSS is a test of memory or knowledge? As i read in another thread that quotes and facts and figures yield more marks in while answering a question. So my question is how much does this matter, as i am a sort of person who is not good at dates and exact reproduction of texts. I can remember year or even month of an event but will most probably forget exact date. Similarly i most of the time am unable to write the quote as it was.

So how would all seniors analyze this matter. If i mention the month of an event instead of exact date and rephrase the quote in my words and refer it to the originator as an abstract from his/her saying?


Awaiting replies.

[Umer]

Both of them.
If you can't remember what you read, can't use it, can't describe it when needed, how are you going to claim that you are a knowledgeable and informed person?
You need to express your abilities of critical evaluation and critical analysis in an academic way to get good scores, while you describe them in paper.

Regarding your problem of not remembering the exact dates: Not everyone is blessed with such a sharp memory. There are a lot of tricks to learn how to remember the dates precisely and develop this ability. Search internet thoroughly in order to learn those tricks. This ability in certain papers like Current affairs, Pakistan affairs and history based subjects becomes very handy and can give you competitive advantage over many other candidates.

[Arslan Shaukat]

Dear!

CSS is a test of calibre of candidates and FPSC has set certain standards for it. Now calibre is a combination of knowledge and skills. Knowledge is what you read and memorized, while skill is the thematic expression of what you memorized in a more eloquent way.

Now suppose if a person is very knowledgeable, i.e he remembers a lot of quotations and idioms. But in paper he can not express his throughts properly and reproduces the bookish matter as it is then he cannot score good marks. This is because the examiner is not looking for bookish matter, he is looking for some genuine thoughts and command over the subject from the aspirant. The ones who express the knowledge in a different and more impressive way are blessed with good marks and other do suffer.

So what we can conclude from above is that a sound knowledge blended with good expression and manipulation skills would make a perfect recipe for CSS.

Regards,

[Bilal Hassan]

well CSS is certainly not the test of one's memory but whatever we study, we have to retain it and must be able to demonstrate our knowledge on a certain topic as best as we can..
you have to take things analytically if you want to shine in CSS, it means just get an idea about a certain topic and then explore it according to your knowledge which can be in the form of quotes and anecdotes so all you ned is grasp the spirit of a topic and then analyze the same.... thats it...

[sidogar]

In my views CSS is the test of your physiology and analysis power