In Parts I, II & III, we looked at the
content and design of Microsoft exams. To summarize, there is no one-to-one
correspondence between the courseware and the exams. Exams either appear to or
in fact do ask questions that test on material not found in the courseware for a
particular product. There are a number of reasons for this, but the primary
reasons are how Microsoft determines the exam objectives and how Microsoft
designs the items so that they test the candidate's ability to analyze,
synthesize, integrate, and evaluate information. Knowing how Microsoft exams are
created and the sorts of questions you are likely to encounter will help you to
determine effective strategies for studying for these exams. In this final Part IV of the Series, we will look at some strategies that will help you prepare, in
particular, for a Microsoft exam, but can be applied to any vendor exam.
1) Treat the courseware as just another resource
Exams are not developed from the courseware, nor do the
exams test you on your knowledge of the courseware. To study for a Microsoft
exam, you should begin the process by finding the Exam Preparation Guide on the
Microsoft web site at
www.microsoft.com.
For every exam, the guide will provide you with a list of the exam objectives.
Use this list to study for the exam. Learn everything you can about the exam
objectives from a variety of sources, such as 3rd-party books, the CramSession Study Guides, the Microsoft web
site, product help files, and the courseware. Often, the courseware will be the
most important resource you use, but it should not be the only one.
2) Try to use Mind Maps for note taking
A mind map is a very effective way to show relationships
among topics, ideas, or concepts. A mind map consists of a single concept,
expressed as a single word or short phrase, placed in the center of a page. The
concept is linked to 5 - 10 child concepts that relate to the central concept.
These child concepts are then linked to 5 - 10 other child concepts. Mind maps
assist recall and understanding because they force you to reduce concepts to
single words and because they represent relationships visually.
3) Be selective about what you need to memorize
Because of the kinds of questions you are likely to see
on a Microsoft exam, you need to focus on capabilities and processes. For
example, if you were trying to become familiar with Network Address Translation
(NAT) in Windows 2000, you don't need to memorize everything about NAT. But, it
would be a good idea to memorize information related to capabilities of NAT,
such as the fact that NAT modifies IP header information. If you are using a
Mind Map, you might also be able to note visually the protocols and applications
that don't work with NAT because they modify the IP header.
4) Practice with the product
Many of the courses you take will come with the
software. Set up a lab at home and play with the product. While playing with the
product, focus on the steps you need to go through in order to create specific
configurations. Look for multiple ways to achieve the same goal.
5) Write your own exam items
There is probably no better way of achieving mastery of
a particular subject than by writing exam items for it. In writing exam items,
try to emulate the style of the MS exam. Don't invent interfaces or bogus
commands. Make sure that your questions require you to do something more than
recall concepts. If they are good questions, you might even be able to sell them
to a company that manufactures test preparation software. You might also gain an
insight into how difficult it is to write good questions.
6) Don't use brain dumps
Aside from the ethical problems associated with
memorizing a list of questions people have stolen from the exams themselves,
brain dumps do not help you in any significant, long-term way. The problem is
that, while brain dumps might get you through the exam, their value is almost
nothing when you have to do a technical interview 6 months to a year after you
have passed the exam. Brain dumps do not enhance your understanding of the
product, nor do they give you the kind of knowledge you need to use and support
a product for the long-term. Don't forget, in your job you may actually have to
install, configure, and troubleshoot services like WINS, DNS, DHCP,
and RRAS.
7) Find a good Instructor/Training Center
If you are taking courses from a CTEC, shop around. Ask
tough questions of the people who are trying to sell the courses to you. Find
out whether the CTEC will allow you to re-take courses (most of the good ones
do). Determine the...
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