ISA offers a variety of resources to help you prepare for the Certified Automation Professional (CAP®) exam.
A Guide to the Automation Body of Knowledge is the primary text resource for the CAP test and provides a complete overview of all technical topics. Order the Guide to the Automation Body of Knowledge.
The CAP Study Guide is a comprehensive self-study resource that contains a list of the CAP domains and tasks, 75 review Questions and Answers complete with justifications. References that were used for each study guide question are also provided with the question. The Study Guide also includes a recommended list of publications that you can use to do further study on specific domains. Order the CAP Study Guide.
A CAP review course is available in several formats as preparation for taking the certification exam. This course is offered by ISA and can also be offered at your location.
ISA also has a variety of training courses that would be helpful in preparing for CAP. Visit the Automation Professional Training page for a complete list.
Questions on the test were derived from the genuine practice of automation professionals as outlined in the CAP Role Delineation Study and job task analysis. Using interviews, surveys, observation, and group discussions, ISA worked with automation professionals to delineate critical job components to develop test specifications to determine the number of questions related to each domain and task tested. This rigorous program development and ongoing maintenance process ensures that CAP certification accurately reflects the skills and knowledge needed to excel as an automation professional.
The following six questions were taken from the CAP test question item bank and serve as examples of the question type and question content found on the CAP exam.
Question Number | Correct Answer | Exam Content Outline |
---|---|---|
1 | A | Domain 1, Task 4 |
2 | C | Domain 2, Task 2 |
3 | B | Domain 3, Task 3 |
4 | B | Domain 4, Task 7 |
5 | C | Domain 5, Task 5 |
6 | A | Domain 6, Task 2 |
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For session- and end-of-semester examinations the following applies:
An test registration until the end of the fourth week of the semester (generally through myStudies or in case of problems by email to the Examinations Office) is free of charge.
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The examination schedules for session examinations will be published in three phases:
As soon as the de-registration deadline has passed (Sunday, 15 January 2023, at midnight) the examination schedules of the examiners will be optimized in order to fill gaps that have occurred due to deregistrations of oral exams.
The published examination dates are fixed – only the starting times of oral examinations might change within the days on which the exams will take place.
Exception: Examination blocks that had to be discontinued in the previous examination session due to compelling circumstances. In such cases, a registration is automatically processed for the next examination session.
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Detailed information about study deadlines can be found here: Study terms
Links to annotated files are included next to the corresponding test below. Detailed solutions are provided directly in the files for National test Parts 2 and 3.
Detailed solutions are provided directly in the files for National test Parts 2 and 3.
To suggest corrections to past solutions, please submit them in the USNCO Preparation Hub.
Solutions are kindly annotated by our volunteers, view all acknowledgments. Sign up as a volunteer to annotate past exams.
Procedures for taking exams (whether during the semester or final exams) are established by professors and the Registrar’s Office. Each final test period the Registrar’s Office publishes the procedures for examinations. Students are responsible for knowing and following these procedures.
Breaches of examination procedures include, but are not limited to:
The following pledge must be written and signed on every test before it is handed in for grading:
“I promise neither to deliver nor receive any aid on this examination.”
Students must complete final examinations in designated rooms, unless otherwise specified by the professor. The test (both questions and answers) must be returned to the Exam Center staff, sealed in the envelope with the Honor Pledge signed.
The Honor Code applies to all students enrolled at the College.
Additional information about taking exams at Connecticut College can be found here.
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All courses require a final paper, final project, final exam, or other equivalent final piece of work. At least one portion of this assignment must be due during the examination period. It is preferred that papers or other take-home assignments are due at the end of the examination period.
The instructor is responsible for administering and/or collecting materials for take-home examinations, papers in lieu of examinations, or other equivalent work. Final test equivalents should not be given during the last week of classes or on a review day.
In courses for which there is a pedagogical need for a single examination period, instructors may pre-schedule their examinations through the Registrar's Office. The instructor is responsible for proctoring the exam.
If a take home examination, an equivalent project/work, or a scheduled examination will not be offered, instructors must make arrangements for self-scheduled exams.
Students should direct questions regarding final assignments or examinations to their class dean.
So you’ve decided you want to become a certified public accountant (CPA). If you've taken all the undergraduate and graduate-level classes in accounting, business law, and general studies that your state requires, and have logged some work experienced (as required in all but a few states), you’re ready to take the Uniform CPA Examination. This is a substantial undertaking. Let’s review what’s involved.
The CPA test has 276 multiple-choice questions, 28 task-based simulations, and three writing portions. These are divided into four main sections:
Candidates have four hours to complete each section, with a total test time of 16 hours. Each section is taken individually, and candidates can choose the order in which they take them. Candidates must pass all four sections of the test within 18 months. The beginning of the 18-month time frame varies by jurisdiction.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) develops and scores the test, grading each part on a scale of zero to 99. You must score at least 75 to pass each section. For the AUD, FAR, and REG sections, your total score is a weighted combination of scaled scores from multiple-choice questions and task-based simulations. Multiple-choice questions count for 50% of the total score and tasked-based simulations count for the other 50%.
Your total score for the BEC section is a weighted combination of scaled scores from multiple-choice questions, task-based simulations, and written communication tasks. Multiple-choice questions count for 50% of the total score, tasked-based simulations count for 35%, and written communication tasks count for 15%.
The test sections employ multi-stage testlets for the multiple-choice questions. The first testlet is always of moderate difficulty. Depending on your performance, the next testlet will be of the same level or slightly more difficult.
Let's look at what each section covers.
The FAR section tests knowledge and understanding of the financial reporting framework used by business enterprises, not-for-profit organizations, and government entities. It includes 66 multiple-choice questions as well as eight task-based simulations that use real-life work situations to test your skill.
This section deals with standards for financial statements, what needs to be included in statements, and how to account and report for government agencies, non-profits, and other types of organizations. Test takers are expected to prepare financial statements, including balance sheets, income statements, statements of retained earnings, equity, comprehensive income, and cash flows. They also must review source documents and enter data into subsidiary and general ledgers.
Test takers must show they understand the process by which accounting standards are set and the roles of various governmental and industry groups such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
For most people, FAR is the toughest section of the overall CPA exam. You have up to four hours to take it.
The AUD section is a bit easier, especially if you’ve tackled FAR first. It has 72 multiple-choice questions and eight task-based simulations. It covers the planning and reviewing of engagements, internal controls, obtaining and documenting information, and communications preparation.
As with FAR, test-takers need to demonstrate knowledge of international accounting standards, in particular, the difference between International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) and U.S. auditing standards. They must identify situations that might be unethical or a violation of professional standards and determine the appropriate action to these situations. In addition, they must identify key risks in a financial information technology environment.
AUD also covers standards for preparing reports on audited financial statements, government auditing standards, compliance with laws, regulations, and internal control, along with other communication standards accountants must know. This section will also test your knowledge of the ethics and independence required by the AICPA, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Government Accountability Office, and the Department of Labor.
The REG section covers ethics and professional responsibility, business law, tax procedures and accounting, and federal taxation for individuals, entities, and property transactions. This section has 76 multiple-choice questions and eight task-based simulations.
Test-takers must show that they understand the professional and legal responsibilities of certified public accountants, as well as the legal implications of business transactions as they relate to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting. This section deals with federal and widely adopted state laws. You must show you understand the rights, duties, and liabilities of debtors, creditors, and guarantors as well as the audit and appeals process employed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This section also covers the alternative minimum tax and both estate and gift taxation.
BEC is arguably the easiest section, and most candidates pass it on their first attempt. The BEC section has 62 multiple-choice questions, four task-based simulations, and three written communication tasks, wherein test takers must respond in a letter or memo format to a work scenario. This is used to assess candidates’ writing skills as well as their organization, clarity, and conciseness.
This section addresses business structures, economic concepts, financial management, and information technology. You must show you understand corporate governance, financial risk management, financial management processes, strategic planning, and operations management. This section also tests your understanding of the economic concepts of global business and how they impact an entity’s business strategy.
Test-takers are called to assess the impact of business cycles on an entity’s operations and evaluate operations and quality control initiatives to measure and manage performance and costs.
Expect to be tested on the rights, duties, and ethics of an entity’s board of directors, officers, and other employees. Questions will also cover information systems and technology risks, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), as well as corporate responsibility and financial disclosures necessitated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Even without the required schooling and work experience, CPA test takers have their work cut out for them. But the reward is a respected professional designation that most often comes with a significantly higher rate of pay. To deliver yourself the best chance possible when taking the exam, taking one of the best CPA prep courses might be worth considering.
Life insurance provides economic security for you and your loved ones in the event of your death. By making a payment to the insurance company each month, depending on your billing schedule, you can ensure that your beneficiaries will receive compensation.
While putting a life insurance policy into place (and maintaining it) is relatively simple, there are some important steps you will need to take to finalize the plan. For example, a medical examination may be required. While not always mandatory, many insurance companies will want to have the results of an test reviewed before signing off on your plan.
If you're currently in the market for life insurance, or just want to increase the coverage you already have, now is a good time to do so. You can start by getting a quote today.
It's important to understand how to prepare properly to obtain the life insurance policy you desire. Read on to learn more.
Medical exams are conducted by life insurance companies to ensure they have an accurate picture of who they're insuring (and for how much). It's easy to lie or exaggerate about your health and well-being when applying for a policy. But the company won't just take your word for it and let you automatically pay lower premiums. They'll want to confirm your health status. This will likely be done in two ways:
You likely won't get immediate approval or rejection on the spot. The results of the test need to be returned to the insurance company for that to happen.
If you're ready to start a new policy or want to supplement the life insurance you already have, speak to a provider and get a price estimate.
If you don't want to take a medical test to get life insurance, you don't necessarily need to. Some providers may not require one. You can explore those right now and expedite the approval process.
Here are some common reasons why you may not have to get a medical test for life insurance:
It's important to note that these guidelines don't apply across providers. The necessity of a medical test is specific to all of the above factors - and the provider you are submitting an application with.
The insurance you would get without submitting to an test is different than the traditional types you may receive should you agree to the standard vetting process. That doesn't mean one type is better than the other, but it's something to be aware of.
No-exam life insurance policies, for instance, are popular if you fall into one or more of the above categories. This type of coverage is guaranteed and is easier to finalize since you're not taking an exam.
Despite its benefits, however, this insurance type also has some drawbacks. For example, the death benefit may be limited. It also may come with higher monthly premiums than other, more traditional insurance types. This is because the insurer has no real record of your medical history or health status and is therefore taking on additional risk by approving you for coverage.
When determining whether a medical test is needed - and what kind of protection you can apply for - it's best to go directly to the provider to review your options.
If you're well then a medical test can help ensure that you pay a low rate for life insurance coverage. Conversely, if you're unhealthy the test will demonstrate this, likely leading to a more substantial cost. But your performance on a medical exam, should you choose to take one, is only one factor that affects life insurance rates. Here are a few others to know:
In our intensive and evening courses, which run over the course of several weeks and build upon one another, you can systematically work towards achieving a certain language level. The course content of the individual sub-levels is designed such that, by combining the applicable courses, the learning goals of a complete level are covered.
The difference is that our one-week Exam preparation in a group course focuses on targeted preparation for your German exam.
Yes, once you have completed the Exam preparation in a group course, you receive a certificate of attendance.
Yes, to attend an Exam preparation in a group course, you need previous knowledge of German to the level of the applicable course. This means, to do the Exam preparation in a group at level B1, you will need knowledge of German at level B1. To do the Exam preparation in a group at level B2, you will need knowledge of German at level B2. To do the Exam preparation in a group at level C1, you will need knowledge of German at level C1. To do the Exam preparation in a group at level C2, you will need knowledge of German at level C2.
One-week Exam preparation in a group costs EUR 369.
A professor at Wharton, University of Pennsylvania has given a theoretical B-grade pass to ChatGPT after marking the answers it generated for a final test in a typical MBA course.
Christian Terwiesch, a professor of operations management at Wharton, said ChatGPT does an "amazing job at basic operations management and process analysis questions."
"Not only are the answers correct, but the explanations are excellent," he writes in a new white paper.
Also: How to get started using ChatGPT
But he added the chatbot makes "surprising mistakes in relatively simple calculations at the level of 6th grade Math," and that it currently can't handle more advanced process analysis questions. On the other hand, the current version of ChatGPT can modify its answers in response to human hints to arrive at the correct solution.
"Considering this performance, Chat GPT3 would have received a B to B- grade on the exam," writes Terwiesch.
Several of Terwiesch's questions aimed to test whether ChatGPT could identify a bottleneck in a processing operation with multiple machines that have different throughput capacities.
ChatGPT, however, "made a significant mistake of a massive magnitude" when calculating with medium level arithmetic.
Interestingly, ChatGPT initially incorrectly answered one of Terwiesch's question regarding queuing analysis. He prompted it with a hint for a better answer and ChatGPT improved its answer. The following day, the professor asked it the same initial queuing question without the hint -- and ChatGPT answered correctly on its first attempt.
"It either is capable of learning from past feedback or I just got lucky," he notes, adding that there seemed to be some randomness in the quality of its answers.
Terwiesch also found ChatGPT was able to formulate clever and humorous questions that he could use in future exams. However, the chatbot also introduced subtle flaws in some questions that made them impossible to answer.
Also: ChatGPT 'lacked depth and insight,' say prestigious science journal editors
Terwiesch warns others to be mindful of ChatGPT's capabilities and limitations. He says he "fell in love" with ChatGPT after practicing its answer to his first question, but warns it "made major mistakes in some fairly simple situations."
"We are still far from an A+ for complex problems and we still need a human in the loop," he writes.
"In my view of education, an elementary school student still needs to learn that 7 x 7 = 49 and that the capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg, even though calculators have been widely used for over 50 years and students can use Google Wikipedia to find answers for most factual questions. It is the nature of foundational skills that they are required to comprehend more advanced topics."
Terwiesch agrees that educators should be concerned that K-12 students might use ChatGPT to cheat on assignments and exams. For example, New York City Department of Education recently banned the chatbot because reliable tests are important in teaching, while skill certification shouldn't be compromised because of new technology. A student using ChatGPT is like being able to call a friend with "average academic competence" to complete the test for them, he notes.
But he also argues ChatGPT and similar technologies have the ability to play the role of a "smart consultant" -- one who produces elegant but oftentimes wrong answers, which he believes is the "perfect training ground" for developing skills among MBA students who need to critically evaluate suggested alternatives.
Similar to licensure exams for doctors, certified public accountants, nurses and pilots, the purpose of the bar test is to ensure that law school graduates are prepared to competently and ethically serve the public.
"It's basically public protection and some sort of stamp of approval, if you will, for the public," says Judith A. Gundersen, CEO and president of the not-for-profit National Conference of Bar Examiners, which develops bar test content for 54 U.S. jurisdictions. "So the public can have confidence in a professional's proven ability to show proficiency to represent them."
For decades, there has been debate about whether the current bar test – which relies heavily on memorization – actually measures competency for legal practice, says Marsha Griggs, associate professor of law and director of academic enrichment and bar passage at Washburn University School of Law in Kansas.
In 2018, the NCBE's board of trustees decided it was time to reevaluate the test, prompting development of the next generation of the bar exam. As part of the multiyear project, the board used focus groups and conversations with stakeholders to analyze the knowledge lawyers needed to successfully represent their clients, Gundersen says. This information was used to make changes to the current bar exam.
"For a lot of our clients, the work we do as lawyers is life or death," says Hemanth C. Gundavaram, associate dean for experiential education at Northeastern University School of Law in Massachusetts and a volunteer for the development of NextGen content. "Whether your business stays open, whether you stay out of prison or whether you aren't deported, there's so many ways in which the work we do is so important. When I think of it that way, and tell students that, I think it's an important thing to remember of why we have an entrance exam."
Here's what incoming law school students should know about the NextGen bar exam.
Compared to the current bar exam, the legal concepts and principles – including civil procedure, contract law, evidence, torts, business associations, constitutional law, criminal law and real property – will stay largely the same. The NextGen test will not test subjects related to conflict of laws, family law, trusts and estates, or secured transactions. The difference is mostly in test structure.
The current bar test has three sections consisting of 200 multiple-choice, essay and performance test questions. But in the NextGen exam, test-takers will instead be given scenarios that have elements of different knowledge areas and skills. Multiple-choice, short-answer and essay questions are then tied to those scenarios.
Overall, the NextGen bar test is more skills-based than reliant on memorization, which was a major point of stress for test-takers, experts say.
"I remember for me, that was one of the hardest parts of the exam," says Gundavaram, who is also director of legal clinics and co-founder and director of Northeastern's Immigrant Justice Clinic. "I don't have a great memory. I think I'm a great lawyer and I don't think you need to have a photographic memory to be a good lawyer."
Another challenge with the current test is length – it's typically 12 hours, spread over two days. The goal is for the NextGen bar test to be shorter and to ensure that test-takers have access to accommodations, if needed, Gundersen says.
The cost of taking the bar test varies per jurisdiction and can often be a barrier for test-takers. NCBE officials have not stated the cost of the new exam, but say they are committed to keeping it "affordable for all."
Additionally, the new test will be completely computer-based, eliminating the current paper question booklet.
The Supreme Court or highest court in each jurisdiction will decide whether to adopt the NextGen exam, which can be administered as early as July 2026 following pilot testing and tweaks, according to the NCBE.
During the phased rollout, both the current and NextGen exams will be administered. And like the current bar, NextGen will be administered twice a year, in February and July.
Jon J. Lee, an associate professor of law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law and another volunteer for the development of NextGen content, says the changes will free up time for law schools to focus on skills courses because "currently there is a lot of doctrine that students must know for the bar exam."
"Some schools, at least, feel as though they need to cover all of that in their coursework," he says. "And so with this change, this is an opportunity for law schools to think critically about the curriculum."
There may be slight adjustments, but full curricular changes may not be necessary because most of the same Topic knowledge is required, says Marilyn Wellington, chief strategy and operations officer at NCBE.
If curricular adjustments are needed, however, Griggs emphasizes that they should start with the 2023 incoming class, since those students would be the first graduates to take the new exam.
"The NCBE hasn't fully informed us on what this test will entail. And I understand they are in their process of testing and vetting it," she says. "So I'm sure they will once they have the information ready. ... We have been trying to impress upon the NCBE the urgency of ... giving us this information now so that we can make informed decisions for the benefit of students."
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