Isaca Cisa Success Guide

1000 Your Guide to Success 1010 Product Introduction 1020 System Requirements 1030 Backing Up 1040 References 1050 Getting Started 1060 Answering and Studying Questions 1070 Emergency Study Procedures 1010 Product Introduction 1011 License and Technical Support Procedures 1011.01 During the installation process, review the license agreement in the software that

explains your usage rights and responsibilities. (Reminder: This software cannot be installed on more than one (1) computer.)

1011.02 The study materials contained in your CISA Review are current as of the purchase

date. 1011.03 We are here to offer technical support should you encounter any difficulties.

Please be at your computer and have your software disks and serial number available when calling. Service is a priority with ISACA. Technical support is available between 9:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., U.S. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday at 1-877-272-7277 (1-303-799-1177 outside the U.S. and Canada) or e-mail at [email protected].

1011.04 Please note that the screen shots presented in this Success Guide are

representative and are provided for informational purposes; the current version of the CISA Review may vary in terms of data displayed, content of questions shown, etc.

1020 System Requirements 1020.01 The system requirements are as follows:

a. 400 MHz Pentium processor or equivalent (minimum); 1GHz Pentium processor or equivalent (recommended)

b. Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7

c. 256MB RAM (512MB RAM recommended) d. One hard drive with 250MB free space e. Mouse f. CD-ROM drive

1030 Backing Up 1030.01 Backups of your data are made automatically by the software. If you have any

data problems, please call Technical Support at 1-877-272-7277. If you try to restore your own data, you may lose your study progress.

1040 References 1040.01 Your ISACA CISA Exam Review contains an itemization of Task Statements by

Content Area and a list of acronyms used in the review. 1040.02 To access the reference materials:

1. Go to the Tools menu in the lower left-hand corner of the main screen and select “References”:

2. Select the reference item from the list:

3. When you click on the CISA Task Statements link, an Adobe Acrobat document will appear containing the Content Areas with Task Statements, as shown below:

4. When you click on the CISA Acronyms link, an Adobe Acrobat document

will appear containing a list of acronyms used in the review:

1050 Getting Started 1051 Classroom for One™ (CFO) 1051.01 On your desktop, select Start, All Programs, ISACA, then click on the CISA

selection, or simply click on the course icon from your desktop. This will take you to the main screen.

1051.02 Click on “Start Session” underneath the drop-down menus in the center of the

main screen to begin the most effective study method for the CISA Exam.

1051.03 The Classroom for One™ (CFO) will default to 30 questions or approximately one

hour of study. Part of your success on the actual exam is to remain focused during the exam. Your endurance capabilities are very important, so if you have the time, build your endurance by studying longer sessions to the point where you feel comfortable answering questions for four hours at a time.

Throughout your study you will notice the options will change at this screen. This is because the CFO will have you concentrate in your weak areas. For example, periodically you will be reviewing questions you missed previously.

1051.04 Click on the Stop button at the top of the question or answer screen to leave any study session.

1052 Reports 1052.01 Course Contents From the lower left-hand corner of the main screen, choose "Contents" from the

Tools menu to access this feature. The Contents dialog box displays the ISACA CISA Content Areas categorization with the question count for each subcategory.

1052.02 The Progress Report and Reference Report are accessed from the Reports menu in the lower left-hand corner of the main screen:

Progress Report This report gives you the status of how well prepared you are for the examination.

You may see a Progress Report for the following:

• Summary report • Detailed report

Reference Report This report directs you to the task statements to study based on your previous

scoring history and learning needs. You may see a Reference Report for the following:

• All questions • New questions • Missed last time seen • Trouble questions • Last x sessions

1053 Self-Guided Study (Customize Session)

You can choose self-guided study by selecting “Customize Session” in the center of the main screen (below the drop-down menus). We recommend that you use this method only under special circumstances. One such instance is if you are taking a class that references the CISA Review for homework assignments. You might use this option if you do not have enough time before the exam to utilize the Classroom for One™ (CFO). See section 1070 for suggestions of what to do in this case.

We recommend that you let the CFO guide you on the most efficient and effective route to passing the CISA Exam. If you have chosen “Customize Session” and later decide to let the software develop your study sessions for you, exit the Customize Session dialog box by clicking "Cancel", return to the main screen, and click on “Start Session” to return to Classroom for One™ (CFO) for the easiest, fastest way to study for the CISA Exam.

Note: The menu options outlined on the following pages will be listed in the order we recommend you use them, not necessarily in the order they appear on screen.

1053.01 Simulated Exam

The Simulated Exam generates questions without answers in a timed situation. During the Simulated Exam, any questions unanswered will be marked wrong. This method should be used to determine exam readiness and to practice working within the time frame allotted for the actual exam.

Warning: If you move too quickly through the questions, you are apt to make careless mistakes. Plan to use all the time you are given on the actual examination.

To access the Simulated Exam, click on "Customize Session" in the main screen and then click on "Simulated Exam" in the upper left-hand corner of the Customize Session dialog box. Click on "Start Session" at the bottom of the dialog box to begin the timed test.

1053.02 Session Duration

The “Session Duration” drop-down menu allows you to determine the length of each study session by selecting either the amount of time or the number of questions to work.

This time option enables you to fit long and short sessions into your schedule at

your convenience.

By Number of Questions … Enables you to work short and long sessions, from 5 to 200 questions. In

addition, many users like to set a daily goal of a certain number of questions to be worked.

By Time...

Enables you to work short and long sessions based upon your schedule, from 5 to 120 minutes, or for an unlimited amount of time. You can still take advantage of the course features regardless of the length of time you decide to use. We encourage you to attempt to study every day, even if it is only for 15 minutes.

Note: The software translates time into a specific number of questions, e.g., one question equals two minutes.

The “Unlimited” selection in the drop-down menu is highly effective to review questions missed previously. It allows you to see a high concentration of questions which have previously given you difficulty. If you are choosing your own sessions, you should plan to work an “Unlimited” session at least every two weeks to review questions missed. This is a flexible feature of the software that allows you to work all questions missed at least “x” times. To see all of the possible questions that meet your criteria, you must select these options:

Categories: All Categories Questions selected from: Missed last time seen Session duration: Unlimited

1053.03 Categories

The “Categories” drop-down menu allows you to select your study based on your

individual needs by selecting all categories or those where you have had more difficulty:

All Categories

Provides powerful features for each study session by generating questions based upon the ISACA CISA Content Areas weights. Begin your study with this option to determine your strong and weak areas. Use your Progress Report to determine your overall scores.

The CFO will keep you in ALL categories until you are achieving an 85% score in a particular category. Users tend to find studying all categories less monotonous than studying one category at a time. In addition, if you study only one category at a time, you may not finish all of them before the examination. By studying all categories until your strong and weak areas are identified, you will be assured of being exposed to all subjects before sitting for the examination, even if you do not see all questions.

Trouble Categories Enables you to reach questions in categories in which you have had the greatest

difficulty. For users designing their own study sessions, plan to use this feature at least once a month.

Hint: Use the “Questions Selected From…” drop-down menu to choose

the New questions to see any remaining unseen questions in your difficult categories.

Selected Categories... Used to study weak areas as shown in your Progress Report. Live courses that use the ISACA CISA Review will normally assign homework by category. This option enables you to choose specific subcategories. Be aware that not all subcategories may have questions. To use this option, choose "Selected Categories…" from the "Categories" drop-down menu, and then click on the "Select" link that appears to the right of the menu:

You may then choose which categories or subcategories you wish to study by checking the appropriate boxes, and then clicking "OK".

1053.04 Questions Selected From…

The “Questions Selected From…” drop-down menu provides the flexibility to allow you to create study sessions to funnel your study to your weak areas:

New questions

Accesses questions you have not seen before. Choose this option until you have worked at least 30% of the questions in your database. We recommend that you see every question one time before sitting for the examination.

Missed last time seen Enables you to see questions that were missed the last time you worked them in previous sessions. It is a good idea to go back over missed questions at least once every 60 questions. The CFO will automatically take you to this option.

Missed at least x times “Funnels” you to your weaker areas based upon the number of times you have missed a question. Many users like to review these types of questions during the last two weeks before the examination. Select “Unlimited” duration and “All Categories” to obtain a complete review of all questions that meet your criteria. (Variations of this option will appear as your work in the review progresses.) Trouble questions Trouble questions are questions answered incorrectly more than 50% of the times attempted. All questions Generates questions regardless of whether you have seen or missed them previously. Once you are ready for the examination, use this option as a daily drill up to the examination.

Seen fewer than x times… Many users find that the flexibility of the ISACA CISA Review gives them more time to study than they anticipated. Therefore, it is not uncommon to review all

questions at least once. If you have seen every question at least one time, use this option to start over by asking to see questions seen less than two (2) times, four (4) times, etc. (The variations of this option will increase as your work in the review progresses.)

By number… When you want to review a particular question, this option enables you to access the question quickly.

Warning: This option provides quick access only and is not meant to be a study session.

1060 Answering and Studying Questions You may use your mouse or, in most instances, your keyboard to answer a question.

1061 Question Screen Options

You must always select your answer on screen and then press ENTER via mouse or keyboard for the software to record your answer. To select your answer by keyboard, type the appropriate letter for your choice (e.g., A, B, C, or D) and press ENTER. If you are using your mouse, the “Enter” button is on the top left-hand corner of the question screen.

On the actual exam, you will occasionally be forced to guess on an answer. Use this button to practice your guessing technique. The software will mark you wrong on the question even if you answer it correctly. This will ensure that you review this question later in your study.

Press the Stop button to quit the session and save scores for study up to the current question.

1062 Answer Screen Options

You will notice you have the original question with the response options in the upper

window and the lower window contains the explanation for the correct answer. A question that has been answered correctly will include a green bar across the screen. A question that has been answered incorrectly will include a red bar across the screen. A question where you have selected the “mark wrong and guess” option will have a yellow bar across the screen.

At the bottom of the answer screen is the job practice task statement number that is

associated with the question. For your reference, a complete list of task statement numbers and descriptions is accessible via the Task Statement button at the top of the screen. Please be aware that if you are using the CISA Review Manual as a study aid, the task statement numbers DO NOT correspond to the content numbering sequence used in the printed review manual.

Takes you to the next question. Do not leave the screen until you are finished studying the question you are on.

Press the Stop button to quit the session and save scores up to the prior question.

The Glossary button gives you a glossary of auditing/information technology terms to support your study. This is a good remedial tool. Accessing the Glossary gives you help in two ways:

1. Look up content term definitions from the Answer Screen. 2. From the main screen, select the “Glossary” option on the “Tools” menu,

and then use the letters to search for specific terms contained within the Review.

The Acronyms button opens up the Adobe Acrobat document listing acronyms used in the questions.

The Task Statement button opens the Adobe Acrobat document containing Content Areas with Task Statements.

Print Question prints a copy of the question, response options, and explanation.

1063 Session Results Screen Options

After you end a session, this screen gives you the specific score for the session just completed.

Note: These scores will automatically add to your overall cumulative history, which is presented in your Progress Report.

There are four options for this screen:

• Review All: Review all questions from this study session.

• Review Missed: Review the questions you missed in the study session. It is especially helpful to review them when you have scored very low in a session. Do not worry if you choose not to review these questions, since the software has noted that you have missed them and in future sessions will have you attempt them again.

• Print: Prints out a copy of the Session Results.

• Done: Completes this session and returns to the main screen Sessions Results for previous study sessions can be accessed from the main screen through the Reports menu in the lower left-hand corner.

1070 Emergency Study Procedures The Classroom for One™ (CFO), given your time and dedication, will help you to pass the exam. If you are absolutely set on taking the next exam and the software indicates that you are not ready, the following suggestions are from users who have started using their software for the first time with less then two weeks remaining before the exam:

1. Study in one-hour increments. 2. Once you have an average score of 60% in each Content Area, pick the Content

Area with the highest weighting and focus your study in that area until you are averaging at least 85% (weightings are shown below). Once you have achieved this goal, select the next highest weighted Content Area and continue this process until you have moved through all Content Areas.

CISA Job Practice Areas Effective 2011

CISA Job Practice Area % of Exam

1 The Process of Auditing Information Systems 14 2 Governance and Management of IT 14 3 Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation 19 4 Information Systems Operations, Maintenance and Support 23 5 Protection of Information Assets 30

3. “Cramming” each day is definitely important. Spend every minute you can

studying. 4. Your attitude on exam day must be a positive one.

Isaca Cisa Success Guide

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