SE Exam Review--Test Taking Tips and Exam Overview.pdf

SE Exam review test taking tips

1. _ A

NCSEA/Kaplan Structural Engineering Exam
Review Course

Exam Test Taking Tips and
SE Exam Format Overview

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

2. —_— «A
Exam Test Taking Tips and SE Exam
Format Overview
« Agenda
— Overview

— Test taking hints and highlights

— Reference notebooks and materials
— NCEES SE Exam specific information

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

3. = a
Exam Test Taking Tips and SE Exam
Format Overview
« The Vertical Forces exam is offered on a Friday
in April and October.
» The Lateral Forces exam is offered on a

Saturday in April and October.

« You can take the exams in the same exam cycle
or different cycles.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

4. Exam Test Taking Tips
The Obvious
Decide if you will:

— Take both 8-hour sessions back-to-back in the same
weekend

or

— Divide into a Spring and Fall event of eight hours
each

or

— Divide into a two-year endeavor

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

5. Exam Test Taking Tips
The Obvious

« Always spend more time on your areas of
strength than your area of inexperience

« Pick one or two new areas to learn that are most

closely related to your daily workload and
strengths

— Use to improve your job skills

— Use to expand your technical interests and expertise

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

6. >
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead

« Plan ahead

— Start study/prep at least six months ahead
— Use a calendar to set study topics by date

— Outline study plan with target dates to move from
topic to topic by set

dates and stick to it

— Don't stay with one subject too long

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

7. >
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead

» Plan ahead
— Start a study group
+ Local
+ Virtual
+ Social network
+ Blog

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

8. >
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead

There is motivation, feedback, and support in
numbers

Establishes group study times that you are

expected to attend
Prevents procrastination

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

9. _— Az
Exam.Test Taking Tips
The Obvious

« Do not get run down during the last month of
preparation

— Eat healthy (more fruit, less carbs)

— Exercise, exercise, exercise for energy, stamina, and
endorphins

— Get a good night's sleep every night possible,
including the night before the exam

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

10. _— Az
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead
« Plan ahead

— Read every PDF and web link at
http://www.ncees.org/

— Know the rules. There are many.

— Read the Candidate Agreement

— Bring only approved items in an approved format
« References, books, calculators, etc.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

11. a <<
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead
« The week before

— All detailed studying should be behind you
— Review all the materials and notebooks you have

prepared:
* In order to find things quickly
« To make sure you have everything
« Verify materials are approved/approved format
* Cull and purge items that are borderline resources
+ Streamline

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

12. >
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead

« The week before, verify:

— No pencil marks/writing in reference books/codes that
are not highlighted over or in ink. (You are not
allowed to write with your provided pencils in anything

but your exam book).

— Spiral bound books are secure and not overstuffed
and not prone to opening.

— No stapled or loose materials
— See NCEES site for other restrictions

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

13. >
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead

« The week before

— Finalize remaining travel plans to test location

— Pre-visit test site and locate parking

— Arrange for hotels, meals, and other
necessities prior to exam day

— Eradicate all unknowns relative to the physical
conditions under your control. You must not
be late or you will not participate.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

14. a <<
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead
« Assemble tools the night before

— A non-beeping watch or clock to monitor time
— Two approved calculators or spare batteries

— Straight edges to draw details/look at reference line
items

— Bound design notebooks

— Tabbed reference books. Tab at example
problems/reference. Tape tabs down.

— High energy snacks/fruit — but you need to move
away from exam book to eat/drink.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

15. >
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead

« Assemble tools the night before

— Bring layered clothes for hot/cold test environments or
changing conditions.

— Site location can change on consecutive days. Find

new building before you leave day 1.

— No headphones, ipods, music, or recording devices
(study under similar conditions to test).

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

16. a <<
Exam-Test Taking Tips
Plan Ahead
» Morning of

— Leave the cell phone behind
— Eat a good breakfast

— Arrange for or bring lunch for a relaxed break

— Move all prepackaged boxes of reference materials to
car

— Arrive 30 minutes earlier than you think you need to
do so

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

17. >
Exam Test.Taking Tips and SE Exam
Format Overview

« Agenda
— Overview of the obvious
— Test taking hints and highlights

— Reference notebooks and materials
— NCEES SE Exam specifics

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

18. > dé
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights
« Exam is to test knowledge
— Not to ask trick questions — don't go there

— Not to confuse you — exam has been taken by pre-
testers

— Not to “anything else”. Examiners want you to pass if
you are qualified.

« Always assume the most straightforward
solution is the correct one

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

19. Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

« Bring multiple knowledge areas together
— Material design will be combined with force
development
— Anchorage forces and designs will be combined with
material component reactions
— Drag strut designs will be combined with wall or roof
designs of materials
« Most problems will look for overall code
knowledge and the combination of sections—not
stand alone chapters.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

20. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

« Always find a flow of forces first (4F)

— Outline entire load path (gravity or lateral) before
starting to generate calculations

— If the load path is correct and code compliant, all
pieces of the solution will fall into place.

— Practice this ahead of time on example problems.
Look for the 4F solution within all problem solutions.

— Account for connections at force transfer locations

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

21. Test-Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

Listen to additional instructions carefully

Do not tear out or remove loose papers from
exam book or references during test

Do not write in ANYTHING but the exam book.
Keep pencil away from references.

Nothing should be able to shake out of any of
your reference materials.

Know the rules on the NCEES site and

in the agreement and follow them to the letter

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

22. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Morning questions either day

— Multiple-choice format

— 40 questions

— Questions on both building and bridge topics
« Quickly skim all questions and rate them

1. Area of strength

2. Some knowledge

3. Little knowledge

4. No clue

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

23. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Morning questions either day

— Work rated problems in order of YOUR strength of
knowledge and experience and leave “No Clue”
problems to last

— Check remaining time after each area of strength, 1
through 4, not after every problem

— Adjust your pace accordingly

— Only grade is by computer on selected answer. So no
partial credit.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

24. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Morning questions either day
— Read each current question twice
+ Once for what you think you see
* Once for what they are specifically asking for

— Determine what they are testing. Don’t make
assumptions. Don't reinterpret question.

— Look for multiple parts to the question/answer that
combine for one multiple choice answer

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

25. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Morning questions either day
— Read the question before you look at the answers.

— Overview the question for code requirements that are
obvious or can be looked up.

— Eliminate answers that are obviously incorrect, wrong

order of magnitude, non-code compliant or do not
need calculations to eliminate.

— Check units if your answer is not a choice.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

26. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Morning questions either day
— If selection in answers includes "All of the above”:
If you are certain one of the answers is incorrect,
don't choose "All of the above".
— If selection in answers includes “None of the above”:
If you are certain one of the answers is not correct,
don't choose "None of the above”.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

27. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

Morning questions either day
Notate each problem as you finish it
. Confident answer is correct
. Confident answer is possibly one other choice

. Moderately confident solution is correct but some
concern

. Guessed/low confidence in solution

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

28. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

Morning questions either day
If you have time left:
— Look over the questions/answers

— Make sure that you have answered all the questions
— Only change an answer if you misread or

misinterpreted the question. The first answer is
usually the correct one.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

29. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Morning questions either day
« If you have time left:

— Look over your test and revisit in order:

+ A rated: Skip entirely. Chances are you first selection is
correct

+ B rated: Look at it a different way. Check math, units, or
assumptions to change it to A rated if possible.

+ C rated: Revisit: Do B above plus: Can anything be narrowed
down to get it to A or B rating.

+ D rated: Don't revisit-skip. First guess has more change of
being correct.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

30. > dé
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights
Morning questions either day
Pure hints

— A positive choice is more likely to be true than a
negative one

— Usually the correct answer is the choice with the most
information

www. testtakingtips.com

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

31. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Afternoon essay problems either day
« Most of the morning tips apply including:
— Quickly skim all questions and rate them
1. Area of strength
2. Some knowledge
3. Little knowledge
4. No clue

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

32. Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

essay problems either day

« Work rated problems in order of YOUR strength of

knowledge and experience
work entire problems in your areas of

strength versus doing partially, intending to come
back, and then run out of time. Demonstrate full
knowledge in each area possible versus a scattering
of knowledge in more areas. You will demonstrate
knowledge and competency if you complete entire
problems.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

33. Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

essay problems either day
Really understand the design and analysis requested
Quickly outline the steps of the solution based on the
problem statement
Do not overlook parts of the question asking you to:
— Find things in the codes and state requirements
— Demonstrate you know where things are in the codes
— Apply or reference a particular code paragraph
At end of problem, check off outline list to make sure
you did not miss an easy reference or lookup

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

34. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Afternoon essay problems either day
« Do not use time to:
— Rewrite the problem or its requirements
— Write an introduction or executive summary
— Write a conclusion unless asked for
« Do draw all requested sketches.
« Draw a quick non-requested sketches if it will
demonstrate knowledge of requested information.
« Do include the following, where applicable:
— Load diagrams

— Moment and shear diagrams
©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

35. >
Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Afternoon essay problems either day
Closely budget your time
Check time after you are half complete within each
problem
Do not erase. Neatly draw through areas you wish to
delete with a straight edge.
Concentrate on factual code compliant approaches
— Do not give opinions on relevancy of design
— Experienced-based assumptions may be required
— Make reasonable assumptions and justify

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

36. Test-Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

+ Afternoon essay problems either day

« State where your information/parameter was obtained
when not obvious
References and Tables — so they can be looked up and
checked
IBC. ASCE 7. AASHTO. Referenced material codes
Text book commonly used table or formula
Short cut tables in codes versus equations — unless stated
that you must use equations
» Use the solution method you are most familiar with
whenever possible (equation versus table or vice

versa)
©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

37. — A
Exam Test-Taking Tips and SE Exam
Format Overview

Agenda
+ Overview

» Test taking hints and highlights
« Reference notebooks and materials
« NCEES SE Exam specific info

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

38. Test Taking Tips

Hints and Highlights

« Reference materials and organization

— Prepare a “Design Notebook” for each area of the
exam such as Steel, Masonry, Foundation Design,
Wind Forces, Seismic Forces

Spiral bind or comb bind so no loose pages

Notate in highlighter or pen so apparent that nothing was
penciled in during the exam

Replace lots of text books with consolidated design

notebook pages. (Keep updated and use to make you more
efficient at work in the future.)

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

39. Test Taking Tips

Hints and Highlights

« Reference materials and organization

— Design Notebook: Bind materials in similar
organization for each book:

« Frequently used formulas

« List of reference book pages by name and topic
« Favorite example problems

« Lists of common assumptions for design

» Problems that you have worked ahead that are
likely to be on the exam (Xerox, no pencil)

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

40. Test Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights
« Reference materials and organization

— Take all relevant codes
— Morning session

« Building designers should take AASHTO code and
principle references/lookups

« Bridge designers should take IBC, ASCE 7 and
any material codes in their area of strength
— Morning questions are short enough that cross
designing bridge/buildings is worth
the effort and results

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

41. Test-Taking Tips
Hints and Highlights

« Reference materials and organization
— Take all relevant codes
+ Take only edition allowed on NCEES web site

¢ Take IBC, ASCE 7, AASHTO, Steel, Concrete,
Masonry, and Wood, Cold Formed, codes at a
minimum. Manuals such as PCI valuable.

« Limit text books that may have one or two
problems that might occur. Put worked version in
design notebook instead.

« Take exam prep texts that are relevant

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

42. Test Taking Tips

Hints and Highlights

« Reference materials and organization
— Don't take too many references

« Limit text books that may have one or two
problems that might occur. Put worked version in
design notebook instead.

« Take exam prep texts with examples that are
relevant and that you understand

* Consolidate into streamlined design notebook

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

43. — A
Exam Test-Taking Tips and SE Exam
Format Overview

Agenda
« Overview
« Test taking hints and highlights

» Reference notebooks and materials
+ NCEES SE Exam specific info

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

44. >

PE Exams-in Structural Engineering

Effective 2011
« Two 8-hour exams
— Vertical Forces (Gravity/Other) and Incidental Lateral
— Lateral Forces (Wind/Earthquake)
Must pass both exams to obtain licensure

Each exam
— 4-hour breadth exam in the morning

— 4-hour depth exam in the afternoon

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

45. Design Standards for April and
October 2011 Exams

AASHTO AASHTO LRPFD Bridge Design Specifications, 4th
edition, 2007, with 2008 Interim Revisions, American
Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials,
Washington, DC.

IBC International Building Code, 2006 edition (without

supplements), International Code Council, Falls Church, VA.
ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other
Structures, 2005, American Society of Civil Engineers,
Reston, VA.

ACI 318 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete,
2005, American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

46. Design Standards for April and
October 2011 Exams

» ACI 530/530.1-053 Building Code Requirements and
Specifications for Masonry Structures (and related
commentaries), 2005; American Concrete Institute, Detroit,
MI; Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of
Civil Engineers, Reston, VA; and The Masonry Society,

Boulder, CO.

AISC4 Steel Construction Manual, 13th edition, American
Institute of Steel Construction, Inc., Chicago, IL.

AISC Seismic Design Manual, 2nd printing, October 2006,
American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc., Chicago, IL.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

47. Design Standards for April and
October 2011 Exams

+ AISI North American Specification for the Design of Cold-
Formed Steel Structural Members, 2001 edition, with 2004
supplement, American Iron and Steel Institute, Washington,
DC.

NDS National Design Specification for Wood Construction

ASD/LRFD, 2005 edition & National Design Specification
Supplement, Design Values for Wood Construction, 2005
edition, American Forest & Paper Association (formerly
National Forest Products Association), Washington, DC.
PCI PCI Design Handbook: Precast and Prestressed
Concrete, 6th edition, 2004, Precast/Prestressed Concrete
Institute, Chicago, IL.

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

48. Be
Need.More Information?

The NCEES Web site provides additional details
on the following:

« Exam topics, policies, and dates
Design standards
Permitted calculators and other items
Exam scoring

We strongly recommend you visit:
www.ncees.org

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.

49. Questions?

Take the time to organize
Study efficiently

Stay healthy

Stay relaxed during test

— Deep breathing as a fall back
Good luck

©2011 Kaplan, Inc.