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Beta takers: Do the Survey!

 
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Hi Guys!
Did you know that when you take the beta there is a short survey before the test starts? This survey is a VERY important part of the beta process - it helps Sun determine which questions are saved and which are tossed out, and it also helps to determine the passing score. The software that presents the exam, records the amount of time you spend on the survey, and in recent beta's, many of the participants skipped through the beta without really reading it. This can really screw up the process, and Sun is considering disqualifying beta candidates that do not really 'take' the survey. So please, take 5 or 10 minutes to read the survey and fill it out accurately.
There have been several concerns about the survey, so let's dispel a few myths:
1 - Doing the survey takes away valuable exam time.
Answer: Evelyn has extended the testing period so that candidates shouldn't have time pressure.
2 - The testing software will alter the question set I get because of the survey answers I give.
Answer: Nope! There are only two sets of questions in the beta - each covering about 60% of all the candidate questions (so there's a little overlap). No matter how you answer the survey, you will get the same set of questions!
3 - If I say I'm an expert I'll be graded more harshly.
Answer: No again - the grading is entirely objective, your answers are either right or wrong.
So don't worry, be happy, take the survey and appreciate that you're getting a free chance to be certified!
Bert
[ April 15, 2004: Message edited by: Bert Bates ]
 
pie sneak
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Speaking of surveys, I was rather disappointed that the SCMAD did not give us a chance to make comments at the end. I imagine the SCDJWS will not have it either.
Wouldn't it be useful to let the beta takers give opinions of how the test met expectations? It would be a cheap way of finding errata and misleading questions.
And the beta takers SHOULD fill out that quick survey at the beginning... it's the least we could do for a free cert!
By the way, Bert, will you have a book to cover this topic? The acronym is a bit garbled; Advice Guy says the book should be Head First Jibba Jabba.
 
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Hi Bert,
I did take the survey when I took the SCWCD exam but didn't know that the survey time was part of the Exam time.. Lost few minutes on it. But glad to note that extra time has been added off late to ease that pressure.. Survey Time should not be a problem for SCJDWS Beta Exam :roll: .. Can you keep the survey short & sweet
 
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actually if I am given the choice, I prefer to take the survey after submitting all the answers. After finishing the test, all the stress and worries would have all gone, and hence can better concentrate on the survey without worry what kind of questions would be expected.
 
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If the survey questions are so important, why not make it mandatory instead of optional? If someone tries to get to the questions without answering the survey questions, can't the software just popup an alert saying that the test-taker has not answered the questions, like in numerous web forms that reminds one of required fields?
That way, even if some have accidentally forgotten to answer the questions, they might just take a couple of minutes to answer them.

Regarding comments, I think that we can easily give feedback by clicking the 'comment' button on every question (at least for beta, i think).
Unfortunately, I don't think this is obvious to first-time beta testers, though. It should probably be made very clear (like in bold letters in a single page without extra garbage) to the beta tester that the 'comment' button is there for that purpose.
 
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Originally posted by Sathya Srinivasan:
If the survey questions are so important, why not make it mandatory instead of optional? If someone tries to get to the questions without answering the survey questions, can't the software just popup an alert saying that the test-taker has not answered the questions, like in numerous web forms that reminds one of required fields?
That way, even if some have accidentally forgotten to answer the questions, they might just take a couple of minutes to answer them.

Regarding comments, I think that we can easily give feedback by clicking the 'comment' button on every question (at least for beta, i think).
Unfortunately, I don't think this is obvious to first-time beta testers, though. It should probably be made very clear (like in bold letters in a single page without extra garbage) to the beta tester that the 'comment' button is there for that purpose.



Hi Sathya
Your notes helped me A LOT in SCMAD. When do you plan to release your notes for SCJDWS?
Jerry
 
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