Time Crunch on ASQ's More Analytical Exams

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CertifiedDataJunkie

With the number of questions and time for the following exams,

CQE - 160 questions, 5 hours or 1.875 minutes/questions:notme:
CRE - 150 questions, 4 hours or 1.6 minutes/questions:whip:
CSSBB - 150 questions, 4 hours or 1.6 minutes/questions:bonk:
CSQE - 160 questions, 4 hours or 1.5 minutes/questions:truce:

Which exam provides the most difficulty in obtaining closure?:read: Which exam is most difficult to complete in the time allowed?:frust:

I am an ASQ certified CQE, CRE, and CSSBB and found the time crunch for the CRE much more difficult than the CQE and CSSBB.:2cents: However, from the information above, the CSQE could present more problems. What is the experience of others who have taken these exams?:argue:

:magic::thanx:
 
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Mark R.

CDJ:

Comparing exams in relative terms, you have a point. However, you're not taking into account the overall degree of difficulty of the exam, or the cognitive skills necessary to achieve mastery.

Analytical questions doesn't necessarily make an exam harder. In fact, if the analytical questions are simple, it can make the exam easier.

Refering to Benjamin Bloom's Taxonomy (congitive levels), the most difficult questions are those that require evaluation, followed by synthesis, then by analysis (knowledge questions are the easiest).

The above being said, I don't was time on any math questions my initial "run-through" on an exam. Answer the questions you know, then the questions you have to think about, then do the math questions, and finally, guess on any remaining questions during the final few minutes. Each question is worth the same amount of points, so I intentionally avoid getting "hung-up" on any analytical questions until all others were answered.

I honestly think that exam sucess is half knowledge and half strategy. Time is important, but I don't think that there's really a "crunch" on ASQ's more analytical exams.

Hope this helps,

Mark
ASQ CQA, CQE, CRE, CQM, CSSBB
 
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CertifiedDataJunkie

CDJ:

Analytical questions doesn't necessarily make an exam harder. In fact, if the analytical questions are simple, it can make the exam easier.

I honestly think that exam sucess is half knowledge and half strategy. Time is important, but I don't think that there's really a "crunch" on ASQ's more analytical exams.

Mark, I appreciate your response. I agree with your comments regarding time management as an important feature of these exams. In general, most exams challenge a candidate through time pressure to some extent and I have found that these testing intervals present students some difficulty and frustration in fundamental quality college courses (such as quality statistics).

I have seen where ASQ indicates that some of its exams, such as the CQT, require about 20% calculations. Because of the fundamental nature of a Technician Body of Knowledge (BOK) versus an Engineer BOK (i.e., technicians may be required to submit to more tedious and detailed calculations), some sources indicate that an exam like the CQT may be more difficult to pass than the CQE.

However, I believe that the CRE's 1.6 minutes per question does indeed present a time crunch compared to the CQE's 1.875 minutes per question without even factoring in the belief that the CRE BOK is more difficult and rigorous than the CQE BOK.

As it turns out (and stated previously), I am already certified in the CRE, CQE, and CSSBB. I was interested in insights into the time management on the CSQE as it is the ASQ exam which allows less than the 1.6 minutes per question requirement with the CRE. However, from my studies, the level of calculations for the CSQE appear to be much, much less than the CQE, CSSBB, and CRE.

As a result, is the CSQE better compared to a CQA or CMQ/OE with a more rigorous, challenging time per question requirement? It seems to consist of possibly 5-10% calculations with the reading comprehension challenges of the auditor/manager exams?

I will definitely know better if I stay on course to sit for the CSQE on June 7.
 
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Wes Bucey

Prophet of Profit
Each of the ASQ Sections to which I belong have a number of individuals who have attained ALL the ASQ certifications. Each year they operate a "master class" for Section members and others to prepare them for the skill of taking an ASQ certification exam (not the knowledge, experience, or skill of the actual content - just the strategy of assessing one's own skills and experience and then applying them to a strategy of time management, reference juggling, which type of questions to work at, which to guess at, which to pass by until the end so time is not wasted struggling over one problem which the test taker may get wrong anyway, while leaving others which could have been answered correctly blank because of the time crunch.)

Among the points which have arisen in such master classes is each individual may need a slightly different strategy in tackling the exam simply because of personal skills and experience. For example, some folks have an exaggerated fear of solving math problems while others LOVE them and spend much of their spare time working them in games and puzzle books. Obviously, those with the phobia will be better served with a different strategy in tackling math than the math lover.

Another helpful tip is "timed practice" - actually working the problems in practice tests under test conditions of time, seating, references, bathroom breaks, etc. It's surprising how much stress can build up to mimic the real thing when an alarm clock is ticking off the minutes. For some who have been away from school tests a LONG time, that alarm can be as scary as a heart attack! More and more practice and familiarity will ease some of that stress when the real thing is at hand.

One thing ALWAYS stressed is managing the references one brings with to the test site. Too many references may cause "analysis paralysis" and eat up precious time checking multiple sources. The test taker should be intimately familiar with his references, sometimes adding post-it tabs for rapid access to certain sections sure to be included in the test.

If you bring a calculator, be certain you are familiar with its use and that it will work (maybe bring a backup battery in case of failure?) throughout the test time. This is NOT the time to be leafing through an instruction book to figure out how to set up a multi-part equation!

Get plenty of rest before the exam. Consider spending the extra money for a nearby motel/hotel so you are not making a long, stressful drive to get to the test site.

The combined experience of my fellow Section members emphasizes that most folks who fail the exam realized part way through the exam they were not knowledgeable enough about the subject matter to answer the questions in the time alloted. A typical comment was "I thought knew that and so didn't study or practice it and found myself wasting time looking through my references for an answer."

These test pros usually close the master class session with the three most important things to do in preparing for an ASQ certification exam:
  1. PRACTICE!
  2. PRACTICE!
  3. PRACTICE!
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
Each of the ASQ Sections to which I belong have a number of individuals who have attained ALL the ASQ certifications. Each year they operate a "master class" for Section members and others to prepare them for the skill of taking an ASQ certification exam (not the knowledge, experience, or skill of the actual content - just the strategy of assessing one's own skills and experience and then applying them to a strategy of time management, reference juggling, which type of questions to work at, which to guess at, which to pass by until the end so time is not wasted struggling over one problem which the test taker may get wrong anyway, while leaving others which could have been answered correctly blank because of the time crunch.)

For the life of me, I can't undestand how such a class can be helpful unless there's something wrong with the tests themselves. Practically everyone has taken many standardized tests before sitting for an ASQ exam, and the strategy is always the same: if you come to a question you're not sure of, skip it and move on. After you've answered all of the questions for which you're reasonably confident in your answers, go back over the others.

Having taken only one ASQ test myself (Technician, 18 years ago) I think it's most useful to look at sample questions and try to figure out what answers the designers of the test were looking for. I recall there being several questions for which I could have reasonably defended more than one answer.
 

Wes Bucey

Prophet of Profit
For the life of me, I can't undestand how such a class can be helpful unless there's something wrong with the tests themselves. <snip>
Different strokes for different folks! Some folks can quit smoking, go on a diet, or do rigorous exercise on their own and others have more comfort and success doing the same things in a group setting.

As you, yourself, often point out, Jim, it is often NOT probative to argue one's personal experience is the paradigm for everyone else to follow. As much as I like golf, I'll never be able to go back in time to when I was three and start learning and playing as Tiger Woods did. Therefore, I have to make some adaptations and compromises to play the game at a level consistent with my age and physical skill combined with course strategy.

Similarly, I happen to be absolutely phenomenal at test taking. I can shut out all distractions and concentrate on the test, instantly deciding whether to answer, guess, or pass to return, often finishing timed tests in less than half the alloted time. Conversely, I have been in test rooms where some others engage in deep sighs, muttered curses, and furious erasing as they stumble and struggle through the same test I'm breezing through. That doesn't mean I'm smarter - only more comfortable in the test atmosphere. Truth is, that same person struggling could possibly score higher than I.

Bottom line:
It's not nice to denigrate the efforts of others to find some way to improve their chances merely because you, personally, don't feel the need for such advice or help.
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
It's not nice to denigrate the efforts of others to find some way to improve their chances merely because you, personally, don't feel the need for such advice or help.

I wasn't denigrating the efforts of people who are nervous about taking tests; I was denigrating the idea that a whole class (for which a fee is charged, no doubt) is allegedly needed to tell people what they probably already know. There's this from ASQ that covers the subject pretty well.

Wes Bucey said:
As you, yourself, often point out, Jim, it is often NOT probative to argue one's personal experience is the paradigm for everyone else to follow.
You say this while suggesting that it is probative for people to avail themselves of the personal experience of the people who conduct the classes you're touting. Not only that, I wasn't proposing a "paradigm," I was expressing an opinion.

My advice to would-be certification test-takers is to (as I said earlier) look at some of the sample questions, and also to talk one-on-one with people who've taken the test in question and find out what reference materials were (and weren't) useful. Attending a few local chapter meetings is good for this sort of thing. Test-taking anxiety isn't going to be cured by taking a class. You either know the material (and/or how to find it) or you don't.
 

Wes Bucey

Prophet of Profit
I wasn't denigrating the efforts of people who are nervous about taking tests; I was denigrating the idea that a whole class (for which a fee is charged, no doubt)
You are making an assumption not in evidence. The class is one-session and it is FREE!
is allegedly needed to tell people what they probably already know. There's this from ASQ that covers the subject pretty well.
If they already know, they probably don't attend the class, even though it is free.
You say this while suggesting that it is probative for people to avail themselves of the personal experience of the people who conduct the classes you're touting. Not only that, I wasn't proposing a "paradigm," I was expressing an opinion.
It certainly seemed you were stating explicitly that since you couldn't "undestand how such a class can be helpful unless there's something wrong with the tests themselves." they were NOT helpful and the only way they could be helpful was if the tests, themselves, were flawed.
My advice to would-be certification test-takers is to (as I said earlier) look at some of the sample questions, and also to talk one-on-one with people who've taken the test in question and find out what reference materials were (and weren't) useful. Attending a few local chapter meetings is good for this sort of thing. Test-taking anxiety isn't going to be cured by taking a class. You either know the material (and/or how to find it) or you don't.
Actually, a lot of folks HAVE reported less anxiety after hearing the group experience of folks who have actually taken EVERY test as opposed to talking one-on-one with isolated individuals who may not represent the same attitude and aptitude of the questioner. At least in the group situation, folks have an opportunity to see there is a range of attitudes and aptitudes and that success can be achieved even though they may not be completely comfortable taking a test under timed conditions.

Given my own "druthers," I'd rather take the opportunity to profit by the experience of MANY spanning a period of years than of one who is not a member of ASQ as they are, has not taken part in devising one or more of the tests as they have, and hasn't taken and passed one in years. But, of course, that's just my OWN opinion,and I don't counsel anyone to adhere to my opinion slavishly. I merely offer the information so people can be aware there are choices and there are altruistic folk who want to see others succeed in achieving certification .
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
You are making an assumption not in evidence. The class is one-session and it is FREE!
I'm glad to hear that. The assumption wasn't baseless, however.

This isn't worth arguing about. If people feel better and more confident after one of these classes, good for them, and good for the people who conduct them.

Wes Bucey said:
Given my own "druthers," I'd rather take the opportunity to profit by the experience of MANY spanning a period of years than of one who is not a member of ASQ as they are, has not taken part in devising one or more of the tests as they have, and hasn't taken and passed one in years.
I said it would be a good thing to talk to other people who had taken the same test, and that local ASQ meetings would be a good place to do that. I freely disclosed that it's been 18 years since I've taken a certification test, and wasn't trying to pass myself off as an authority in an area where I have no experience.
But, of course, that's just my OWN opinion,and I don't counsel anyone to adhere to my opinion slavishly.
And I do? Please.
 

Stijloor

Leader
Super Moderator
CDJ:<snip> I honestly think that exam sucess is half knowledge and half strategy. Time is important, but I don't think that there's really a "crunch" on ASQ's more analytical exams.

Mark,

Please help me understand. If a very competent person participates in an ASQ exam, and does not "strategize" well, wouldn't it be unfair to penalize the candidate for this? Competence is about being able to apply knowledge and skills... If 50% of your success depends on "strategizing", I would be very worried.

Stijloor.
 
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