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APICS Test Preparation

Some tips for taking APICS Certification Exams

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Study Suggestions

Review the Exam Content Manual carefully.Review the outline - do you understand

everything in the outline? What don't you understand? Review that material.

Review the vocabulary - make sure you know the APICS definitions - from the APICS dictionary. Are there exceptions to the APICS definitions given in the Exam Content Manual? Know those definitions, too.

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Study Suggestion (Cont.)

Attend class – Participate!Take the Sample TestReview Exam questions in the

Participant GuideGo to the References!Additional readingStudy Notes by Brian Wilcox

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Steps to Better Test TakingDo a memory dump as soon as you

sit down : formulas, dates, etc.Read the question and answers and

make a tentative selectionDon’t pick the first “good” answer;

select the BEST answerReread the question and answers

to confirm your selection

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Steps (Cont.)Use the “Mark-It” option for each

question you are unsure ofAfter the “first pass,” go back to

the marked itemsAfter reviewing marked items,

review everything else until you run out of time or you are satisfied you have done your best!

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Special HintsAPICS likes answers that suggest

empowerment, information sharing, speed, flexibility, feedback, partnerships, JIT, quality, etc.

(Almost) Never say “never” — nor “always”

Watch out for “EXCEPTS”Beware the obvious

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Special Hints (Cont.)Every item has four answer choices.

Two are usually “throwaways,” one is almost right, and one is “best”

You want the “best” answerSometimes, you must pick the

“least obnoxious answer”Leave no question unanswered —

even if you don’t have time to read it!

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Special Hints (Cont.)On “Roman Numeral” questions,

review the I,II,III,IV statements and select the “true” response(s). Then pick the a,b,c,d answer that matches your selection. If there isn’t an answer that matches your selection, attack the problem logically. Sometimes you get lucky!

Don’t let experience get in the way!

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Be Prepared Have a light snack before starting If you use prescription glasses for

computer work be sure to bring them If you have a cold bring tissues, cough

drops, etc. Come early and stay calm! You don’t need pencils, calculators, etc.

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Sentence Structure

men were eaten

in woods

the

Three by bear

aSubject Predicate

Adjective

Prepositional phrase Prepositional phrase

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Student’s Top Four Problems

Not studying the Exam Content Manual or sample questions

Not knowing underlying conceptsTrying to predict test questionsCarelessness—not paying

attention to the WORDS in questions

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Most Common Errors During the Test

Not setting a schedule. You have about 2-½ minutes for each question; allow about 1-½ minutes for the “first pass.” Use the extra time (about an hour) for review.

Not knowing the considerations when changing your answer (and second guessing yourself out of a right answer!)

Not checking the last step or comparing your scratch calculation to the answer selected

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The Feeling of Relief After Successfully Completing the Test!

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Prepared by:

Bob Johnson CFPIM, CIRMAPICS Course Content ExpertPresidentRobert D. Johnson ConsultingSt. Louis, MO USA

With input from the following instructors: Bob Collins, CFPIM, CIRM Bill Latham, CFPIM, CIRM Jam Steiner, CPIM