Re: AS/400 RPG Certification Test

> I agree with Charlie that the current certificate tests have value, however
> the current tests have been written (on purpose IMHO) to be tricky.  The
> problem is that we need skills.  I would rather have more people able to
> pass a reasonable test, than have IBM identify for me the people with
> exceptional skills who are good test takers.
> 
> Al

  Al, (And other complainers...)

  As one who helps write these tests, I must assure you that the
questions are NOT written to be tricky.  The primary rule for each
question is that the correct answer stands out to the qualified
candidate, while all answers appear correct to the unqualified
candidate.  As much as possible the answers are written so that none can
be eliminated out of hand, thus improving the odds of guessing a correct
answer from the remaining ones.

  For example we could not ask: 'What is the preferred method of turning
off your AS/400?' and have answers like: 'The PWRDWNSYS command, Pull
the plug, Turn off the circuit breaker, Press the emergency power off
button outside the computer room.'  Nearly everyone with ANY computer or
electrical knowledge would rule out the last three answers simply
because the word 'Preffered' in the question would rule out those
drastic actions. Additionally the first answer is a system command (even
if you were AS/400 clueless, it LOOKS like a computer command) and the
other three are physical actions.  Correctly formatting all the answers
has the effect (to the unqualified candidate) of making no correct
answer stand out.

  If a question appears tricky, might I suggest the taker did not know
the correct answer thus making the question appear to be tricky?

  Larry Bolhuis
  Arbor Solutions, Inc
  lbolhui@ibm.net
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