C Factor—Kenneth Enlow

C FACTOR Examine Your Test-Taking Skills

Kenneth Enlow President, FWPCOA

Greetings, everyone. I hope you all are doing well. Here we are, moving into November as we approach the end of 2020. This has been a trying and difficult year. There are many distractions associated with our work environment, and COVID-19 may have gotten in the way of your professional advancement. Locating training and exam refresher classes has been difficult, with restrictions on gathering in groups and concerns with protecting ourselves and our families.

In this month’s column I would like to go over some tips on how to prepare to take certification exams.

First of all, I must say there is no substitute for studying for your exam. If you are taking a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) state exam, you can find all the approved texts and recommended study material listed in the FDEP operator certification program (OCP) handbook. The following link will take you directly there: https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/ocp_ handbook%20April%202020_0.pdf

Copy this link into your computer internet browser.

When taking an exam there are no absolute methods on how to succeed in passing it, but there are some basic concepts that are commonly applied. This is what I am referring to as testmanship.

Testmanship Skills

When taking an exam there are three methods you can use to analyze a question: read, remember, and reduce.

Read

Read the entire question to the very last word. Don’t just glance at the question; often the clue to the correct answer can be in a single word in the question.

Read all of the answers completely. Again, a single word may be the clue to the correct answer.

Remember

Review the question! Read all parts of the question and then remember.

After reading the question, ask yourself: S What/where did I read or study the material that will help me answer the question? S What do I remember from my studies?

Reduce

Reduce (eliminate) the obvious answers that are not correct. Often, two out of the four choices should be easily eliminated. This is where your studying pays off. Going into an exam with a good understanding of your study material will help you eliminate obviously incorrect answers.

Once you have reduced your answer to two, you now have given yourself a 50 percent chance to select the right answer.

Don’t dwell on a single question too long. If you’re not sure of your answer, you can move on to the next question, but make sure you keep track of the ones you skipped so you can go back and answer them later. Never leave the answer to a question blank.

Try these tips for the questions you are not sure about: S Turn back to the abandoned questions and answer them. You may get clues from other questions or you may just remember the answer. S Estimate the answer rather than leave it unanswered.

When guessing an answer, use the A-C-E Technique: Avoid absolute words: never, always, none, not all, only, and every. Nonabsolute words are usually, seldom, some, most, sometimes, many, few, and often. Choose the longest and most detailed choice; three to four words. Eliminate similar choices. There can only be one correct answer; if two choices are the same or similar, eliminate both.

Survey

Finally, survey to ensure all questions are answered. Change an answer only if you are sure.

When finished, ask yourself the following questions: S Did I answer all the questions? S Did I erase all stray marks if using answer sheets? S Did I only change an answer if I marked it by mistake first or if I’m completely sure another choice is better?

Here are some final tips to help make your test-taking experience successful: S Be prepared. There is no substitute for studying. S Study the materials recommended in the

OCP handbook and don’t forget to go over the Florida Administrative Code specific to your exam. S Don’t try to memorize formulas or constants. These are provided by the exam proctor. S Allow time to study—do not “cram.” Practice math calculations. Math questions are often the downfall of a successful exam; they usually take more time to answer and often cause the most anxiety during the exam. S Again, never leave a question blank. S Generally, the first answer that comes to mind is correct. S Be methodical and deliberate. S Stay calm and relaxed. S Arrive at the test site well ahead of the starting time. S Read each question carefully. S Answer all the easy questions first. S Don’t waste valuable time on a question that has you stumped. Best of luck to you with your exam!

FWPCOA Training Update

We are still looking for venues that can and will accommodate our training classes. Since school has resumed, we do have some venues opening up, but we still need to follow social distancing and classroom limits.

We will continue following the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for conducting training and are willing to follow any guidelines required by the facility, including off hours, like nights and weekends.

The training office is in need of proctors for online courses in all regions. If you are available to be a proctor please contact the training office at 321-383-9690.

In the meantime, and as always, our online Training Institute is up and running. You can access our online training by going to the FWPCOA website at www.fwpcoa.org and selecting the “Online Institute” button at the upper right-hand area of the home page to open the login page. You then scroll down to the bottom of this screen and click on “View Catalog” to open the catalog for the many training programs offered. Select your preferred training program and register online to take the course.

Attention Stormwater System Operators!

The FWPCOA is now offering a revised stormwater “C” online course for operators desiring to enter into the first level of the FWPCOA certification program. The course tuition fee is $275 and includes the online course, the new FWPCOA stormwater “C” coursebook, a proctored certification examination, and a 12-month membership in the association.

For more information, contact the Online Institute program manager at OnlineTraining@fwpcoa.org or the FWPCOA training office at training@fwpcoa.org.

That’s all I have for this C Factor. Everyone take care and, as usual, keep up the good work!