CI5512-U - Secrets to Preparing and Passing the AutoCAD...

CI5512-U - Secrets to Preparing and Passing the AutoCAD® Civil 3D® Certification Exams Rick Ellis - Cadapult Software Solutions, Inc. Curt Moreno - www.kungfudrafter.com

CI5512-U Autodesk certification demonstrates and validates your knowledge and skills as a design professional. Becoming certified can lead to accelerated professional development, improved productivity, and enhanced credibility for you and your employer. Knowing the exam topics and objectives is only the first step in determining your readiness for becoming certified. Having an effective study and test-taking strategy will improve your chance of success. In this unconference session, you will learn about Autodesk product exams and specific strategies to help you prepare for and pass them. You will also gain valuable tips for successfully using AutoCAD Civil 3D to solve specific performance-based drawing problems for the AutoCAD Civil 3D Professional Certification Exam. Don't guess! Learn the most effective preparation methods and test-taking strategies for the certification exams, plus evaluate your expertise before you attempt any exam.

Learning Objectives At the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Take the certification exams with a plan and with confidence

• Study effectively for the certification exams

• Describe effective test-taking strategies

• Identify the different types of certification exams and resources available

About the Speakers Rick Ellis is the founder and President of Cadapult Software Solutions, Inc., where he provides training and consulting services to clients around the country, helping them get the most out of their design software investment. Rick specializes in AutoCAD® Civil 3D®, AutoCAD® Map 3D, AutoCAD® Land Desktop, and AutoCAD® Raster Design. He is a member of the Autodesk Developer Network, author of several books including A Practical Guide to AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012, A Practical Guide to AutoCAD Map 3D 2012, Digging Into AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011, Digging Deeper Into AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011, Digging Into Autodesk Land Desktop 2006 and Digging Into AutoCAD Map 3D 2011, co-author of Introducing Autodesk Civil 3D, a select author for CAD Digest, an instructor for the AUGI® training program and a member of the national speaker team for the AUGI CAD Camps.

[email protected]

Curt Moreno is the owner and editor of Kung Fu Drafter, a blog that is CAD centric and geek peripheral. He is an active contributor to Cadalyst, is the AutoCAD Content Manager for AUGIworld and a Certified AutoCAD Professional. Curt currently lives in Houston where he is the CAD manager for a Texas-based engineering firm, is a public speaker and trainer, and enjoys spending time with his dog and horses. Visit his blog at www.kungfudrafter.com, follow him on Twitter at @WKFD, or search for him on Google+.

CI5512-U: Secrets to Preparing and Passing the AutoCAD® Civil 3D® Certification Exams

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Introduction As AutoCAD Civil 3D users, we may not always have the well-rounded skill set we would like when using Civil 3D on a daily basis. Most CAD professionals agree that it would be helpful to assess knowledge and skills. However, until now, there has been no recognized exam system to determine the strengths and gaps in one’s Civil 3D knowledge. Autodesk’s Certified User Exams helps to validate your knowledge skills in Civil 3D.

The Autodesk Certification program enables experienced Civil 3D users to receive special recognition for their knowledge at two levels of expertise: AutoCAD Civil 3D Certified Associate and Certified Professional. Autodesk provides this industry-recognized Certification to help identify professionals who meet a high standard in both knowledge and skills.

This class will cover two aspects of preparing for the Civil 3D Certified Associate and Certified Professional exams.

1. You will get a complete overview of the Certification testing process, the Civil 3D topics within the exam, and a look at the testing engine itself.

2. You will learn many of the techniques and secrets necessary for passing the Civil 3D practical portion of the exam.

Exam Overview Who should attempt Certification?

The Certified Associate and Certified Professional credentials are for any CAD professional seeking to validate their knowledge of Autodesk software. The design and visualization industries are competitive environments, where only the best stand out. Anyone who uses Autodesk software for professional reasons can benefit from the program by emphasizing their skills and knowledge with an official Certification from Autodesk. An Autodesk Certified Associate or Certified Professional has validated their knowledge and skills of the performance tasks specified for the specific examination.

Where do I take the test?

Autodesk Certification examinations are available at Authorized Autodesk Certification Centers. All examinations are computer-delivered in a proctored environment. While taking the exam, you may not use calculators, books or other electronic equipment. You may use Civil 3D 2012 software and the help system only for the Certified Professional exam. A calculator is available online within the exam. Upon completion of the examination you must consent to the Autodesk Certification Program Agreement. You may preview this document at http://www.autodesk.com/certification

http://www.autodesk.com/certification


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Certified Associate Exam Overview How long is the test?

The AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 Certified Associate examination includes 14 sections and 30 questions. The maximum time allowed to complete this examination is 60 minutes. The passing score is 80%. It is a knowledge-based proctored exam. You will NOT be allowed access to the AutoCAD Civil 3D software while taking this exam. Topics and questions are based on the following:


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What types of questions are on the AutoCAD Civil 3D Certified Associate exam?

Associate level exams are made up of a variety of question types including multiple-choice, multi select, matching, and point and click questions, which are detailed below.

• Multiple-choice – a traditional, familiar form of test question type, which requires you to select the single best answer from several available choices.

• Select all that apply – a form of test question type, which requires you to select all applicable answers from several available choices.

• Point and click – a form of test question is accompanied by a graphic, then the correct area of the graphic is selected as the correct answer.

What happens if I do not pass?

All test takers will receive a Diagnostic Score Report, indicating your score and areas for improvement. You may immediately retake the examination and do so as many times as you wish. Please note that additional attempts to pass the exam are not free.

Once granted, does Certification last forever?

Your Autodesk Certification validates your knowledge and skills using a specific version of an Autodesk application. Although your Certification for a particular version of an application never expires, Certification is not considered “current” unless you have passed the latest recertification examination, and the full examination for the prior release.

Is there a recertification examination for newer releases?

If you are currently a Civil 3D 2011 Certified Professional you may become a Certified Professional for Civil 3D 2012 by taking ONLY the Certified Associate Exam for Civil 3D 2012. You will NOT be required to take the Certified Professional Exam to become recertified for the current release. Future recertification exams will be offered for the release of each Autodesk application.

How much does each exam cost and how do I pay?

The costs for the examinations are:

Assessment Test $20 USD per attempt

Professional Practice Test $30 USD per attempt

Associate Examination $75 USD per attempt

Professional Examination $125 USD per attempt


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To purchase you AutoCAD Civil 3D Certification examination visit http://autodesk.starttest.com. Click the Purchase Exams: Professional Products link to see the available Certification products for Autodesk applications. You may purchase an examination by first establishing a candidate profile and paying by credit card.

Where can I take an examination and how do I schedule my session?

You can take the examination at any participating Autodesk Authorized Certification Center. When you purchase your Certification examination you have the option of scheduling your examination at the time of purchase, or any time in the future. To schedule your examination at the time of purchase click the Schedule link and then use the Center Search function to locate an Authorized Test Delivery Facility in your country or area. After you locate a list of potential centers, select a center and click the option to continue your appointment. If the center has open appointments, you will have the option of selecting a time that is convenient for you. To schedule an appointment after the time of purchase, visit http://autodesk.starttest.com, log in to your profile, and then click the link for your unscheduled appointment. You will then be able to schedule your appointment by locating a center.

How do I prepare for the Associate Certification examination?

The Associate Certification examination assesses your knowledge of the Autodesk application. For most Certification examinations, Autodesk offers an Autodesk Official Certification Courseware (AOCC) book, available for purchase. The courseware provides a detailed listing of the knowledge and skills covered on a Certification examination, as well as instructional lessons and exercises for the skills assessed on the examination. AOCC books also include a CD with the exercise files, and a 30-day trial CD of the application.

There are also online video tutorials based on each of the exam objectives from http://certification.cadlearning.com

The Certification examination objectives are also listed on the Autodesk Test site. Visit http://autodesk.starttest.com and click the Purchase Exams: Professional Products link. Locate the examination in the list of available products, and click the Details link. Click the link to view the examination objectives.

You may also review the Certification examination objectives from http://www.autodesk.com/certification. From this page click the link for a specific Autodesk certification, and then download or open the Adobe Acrobat Examination Overview document.

http://autodesk.starttest.com/


http://certification.cadlearning.com/




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What do I receive when I become certified?

When you obtain your Autodesk Certified Associate or Certified Professional status, you obtain the right to use the official Autodesk Certified logo. This logo may be used in marketing your Autodesk skills (on business cards, websites, résumés and so forth) as specified in the logo usage guidelines. You will also have access to your electronic Certificate, and if you choose (when establishing or modifying your candidate profile), you elect to have your Certifications public in the Autodesk Certified Users database.

You will need to log in to your profile to view your Certification history and access your score reports, certificates and any associated Certification logos. To log in, visit the Autodesk Test Site (http://autodesk.starttest.com).

How can I determine my knowledge and skill set strengths and deficiencies?

You may validate your knowledge on the current release of AutoCAD Civil 3D by taking the AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 Assessment Test. This is a non-proctored, 90-minute timed exam delivered directly to your desktop. The Assessment Test consists of 35 questions that assess your knowledge of the tools, features and common tasks in Civil 3D. The exam is available 24/7 through the Autodesk Test Site and will help you assess your readiness for certification.

When you complete the exam, you will receive a score report that relates directly to the section exam objectives.



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Certified Professional Exam Overview How long is the test?

The AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 Certified Professional examination includes 11 sections and 20 questions. The maximum time allowed for completion is 90 minutes. The passing score is 80%. It is a proctored exam. Topics and questions are based on the following:


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What types of questions are on the Professional exam?

Professional level exams are made up of skill-based questions that require you to perform certain tasks in AutoCAD Civil 3D and then query the data to obtain the answer. The answer may be in the form of text or numerical data.

Because the answer is obtained from the file, it will be necessary for you to master the ability to toggle between the examination window and the Civil 3D application by pressing the Alt and Tab keys simultaneously.

You will also be necessary for you to copy and paste answers. This is to ensure that there are no transcription errors. To copy data from the Civil Text window, press the Ctrl and C keys simultaneously. To paste data into the examination window, press the Ctrl and V keys simultaneously.

How do I prepare for the Professional Certification examination?

The Professional Certification examination assesses your skills of specific tasks using an Autodesk application. For most Certification examinations, Autodesk offers an Autodesk Official Certification Courseware (AOCC) book, available for purchase. The courseware provides a detailed listing of the knowledge and skills covered on the Certification examination, as well as instructional lessons and exercises for the skills assessed on the examination. AOCC books also include a CD with the exercise files, and a 30-day trial CD of the application.

There are also online video tutorials based on each of the exam objectives from http://certification.cadlearning.com

The Certification examination objectives are listed on the Autodesk Test site. Visit http://autodesk.starttest.com and click the Purchase Exams: Professional Products link. Locate the examination in the list of available products, and click the Details link. Click the link to view the examination objectives.

You may also review the Certification examination objectives from http://www.autodesk.com/certification. From this page click the link for a specific Autodesk certification, and then download or open the Adobe Acrobat Examination Overview document.

There is also a Professional practice exam that you can take. It is a timed, non-proctored exam.

http://certification.cadlearning.com/




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Top 10 Secrets for Passing the Civil 3D Certified Professional Exam 1- Read the question completely!

This is just plain old good test-taking technique. Read the question, read it again and then look at the answers. Don’t answer until you’re confident you understand what the question is about. There are many questions that are written to intentionally trigger your first response.

2- Use the Help menu.

Hey! Can I use the help menu to search for the answer using the keywords in the question? Yes! In fact, you could even search for the keywords in the answers to help you determine the most correct response. Being a competent user of AutoCAD is not just knowing the answer but knowing how you can find the answer.

3- Thou shalt only draw what thou art asked to draw.

Don’t waste time drawing geometry that you don’t need! When you approach a drawing problem, there is always the tendency to set the drawing up with the layers, color, linetypes and standards you are accustomed to. Don’t! Read the question and only draw what is necessary to complete the drawing problem. In many cases, the figure in the exam will show more geometry than what is needed to get an answer to the question. Don’t draw that geometry either.

4- Draw the geometry accurately!

Spend that little extra effort to ensure that the geometry you create is accurate. Use Object Snaps, Object Snap Tracking and Polar Tracking along with Dynamic Input to create and modify your geometry. If you rush the geometry creation step, you’ll waste time back-tracking to try and figure out where you went wrong.

5- Draw your geometry using the method described in the question.

Many of the questions are designed to test your knowledge and skills on particular methods and techniques. As users, we tend to construct geometry using the methods we are most comfortable with. But these methods are not always the most efficient, nor are they the most practical for certain tasks. Make sure you approach the problem and question keeping this in mind.


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6- Know your Inquiry commands like the back of your hand!

Almost all the drawing problems will require you to use inquiry commands. ID, List and Distance commands will make up the majority of answers needed for the practical portion. Make sure you read the question completely and respond exactly to what the question is asking you. The test is designed to trigger your first response, which is usually the wrong answer.

7- Mark a question and come back later.

If you’re completely unsure of a question, possibly because it’s something you haven’t seen before, mark it and move on. You can then come back to it later, instead of wasting time trying to figure it out. Since the exam is timed, you don’t want to waste any time on questions you can come back to later.

8- Use all the time the exam gives you, but be careful.

If you have extra time go back and double check your answers, make sure you’ve answered all the questions, and that your answers are correct to the best of your ability. However, don’t fall into the trap of second guessing your answers, if you the answer to question and you believe it’s correct, leave it!

9- Be aware of duplicate and overlapping objects.

Any drawing file that you open as a file provided for the exam will have objects placed in a manner to provide inaccurate readings. Overlapping objects and multiple objects will be placed to provide additional object snap errors. Be aware that not all geometry is created perfectly…just like in the real world. Watch out for it.

10- Use Saveas at each major step of a drawing problem.

A good working habit is to save our work every 10-15 minutes. We do that on any project or file we work on. But when taking an exam, you’ll want to track your progress so you can reopen the drawing problem at any major step. One of the hardest aspects of taking a practical exam is that you’ll want to check your work. After the exam, if you have time remaining, you’ll want to go back and double check your answers for your completed drawing problems. If you’ve saved a history of each major step you can then reopen each file in a progressive manner. Typically, an error will occur in the middle of the process. This will help you track it.


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Summary As Civil 3D users, we want to distinguish ourselves and highlight our knowledge, skills, and abilities. Obtaining the Civil 3D Certified User credentials will allow you to validate your knowledge and skill in the use of Civil 3D.

With the competitive environment of today’s design industry only the best will truly stand out. The Autodesk Certification program enables experienced Civil 3D users to receive that special recognition for their knowledge of Civil 3D.

Finally, once you’ve successfully completed the exam you can register yourself as a Certified User through the Autodesk Certified Users Search. You can access the search through www.autodesk.com/certification to find and contact Certified Users around the world who are also registered and recognized in the Autodesk database of Autodesk Certified Users and Experts.

Our goal in this session has been to provide you with the necessary insight to the AutoCAD Civil 3D Certified Associate and Certified Professional examinations as well as a strategy to successful prepare, take and pass the exams. Here is to your success!


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