CCST Exam Info-٢

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Exam Preparation Overview

Completed the CCST Review

What Next ?

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How CCST Exam relates to TS00 Review Course

• TS00 uses the same knowledge and skills to develop specific content
areas.
• These topics are taught to the same level specified in the knowledge
and skills list.
• The CCST exam is not taught. CCST course topics are
approximately the same weighting as exam domain areas.
• ISA cannot use actual CCST questions in the course without violating
the integrity and validity of the exam.
• The CCST exam is an evaluation of your education and experience,
not a set of questions to be memorized, used, and discarded.

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To Become CCST Certified

Individuals must:

• Complete Application: Document education, training and/or


experience as a skilled technician:

The CCST Program offers three levels of certification based upon a


technician’s experience, education and training. Technicians can
begin testing directly at the level for which they can meet the
requirements.

• Remit the testing/application fee.


• Take and pass the certification examination.

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Exam Development Background
• New exam questions are added to the item bank on an ongoing basis
by a convened group of qualified Subject Matter Experts (SME)
• The exam writing sessions are led by a psychometrician (one who
specializes in test and measurement)
• Psychometrician also monitors statistical performance of all exam
questions on an ongoing basis – questions that do not perform well
statistically are pulled from the item bank.
• All exam questions must be referenced to a credible source (technical
publication) and this documentation stored for future reference.
• All exam questions are reviewed by a pool of SMEs and rated on
difficulty level and categorized in the subject area before being placed
in the item bank.

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Questions

• 150 total questions (Level I & III), 125 questions (Level II)
• Multiple choice, four choices
• No “all of the above” type
• All answers to a question have similar format
• Location of correct answer has been shuffled
• No trick questions
• Passing score developed by team of professionals and adjusted for
problem questions
• New questions developed continuously
• Time allotted: Level I and III exam is four hours. Level II is 3 hours

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Scoring

• The CCST exam is scored by a third party, as ISA is not legally


permitted to know the actual passing score, just the pass or fail status
of any particular individual.
• If you take the computer administered test (at a testing center) you
will be notified immediately as to whether you passed the exam or
not.
• You will either receive a statement stating you met the examination
requirements, or you did not, and the areas where you had difficulty.

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Prepare for the CCST Exam

• Here are some of the many resources to help you prepare for the CCST
exam:

• Study Guides
• Study Guide Level I
• Study Guide Level II
• Study Guide Level III

• Training Resources
• Instructor-Led Courses
• Online and CD Courses

• Publication Resources
• Publication Resources

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Steps in the Exam Process
• Apply online or download the application form by selecting https://www.isa.org/isa-
certification/certified-control-systems-technician/ and choosing “Apply”.
• Submit your completed application and fees to ISA by the appropriate Testing Window
application deadline date.
• If your application is deficient, you will be contacted by ISA and given an opportunity to
complete the application.
• When your application is approved, you will be mailed a testing eligibility code.
• Go to www.prometric.com/ISA to locate a Prometric electronic testing center near you,
enter your testing eligibility code, and schedule your exam date and location.
• You will receive an email from Prometric confirming your test date and testing location.
• Report to the testing center at the scheduled time, carrying a valid, government issued
form of identification with a photo and signature, and the exam confirmation letter you
received from Prometric.
• You will receive your pass/fail results immediately after testing at the Prometric test
center.
• Those that passed the exam will appear on the CCST search pages on the ISA
program website.

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Take the CCST Exam

• After submitting application, paying fee and being approved, you will
receive a confirmation letter with an access code to go online to
schedule your exam at a Prometric Testing Center on a date/time that
is convenient for you.

• All ISA CCST exams are closed book. No reference material may be
brought into the test site.

• You may use a non-programmable calculator. You will also have


access to the Microsoft on-line calculator during the electronic exam
and a common conversion formula referral sheet.

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Test Center Environment FAQ’s

• When should I plan to arrive at the testing center?


– You should arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes before the test is
scheduled to begin.

• What type of identification must I bring to the test center?


– ID requirements vary for many exams; unfortunately we cannot list each on
this page. It is the examinee's responsibility to review the ID requirements for
the exam you are taking before making your appointment.

• In general, most exams require the following:


– For IT exams, you must have two valid forms of ID, one with a photo and both
with signature.
– For Academic or Professional Licensure & Certification exams, you must have
one valid government-issued ID bearing photo & signature. If the ID does not
have either the photo or signature, a secondary ID must be presented that
does.

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Test Center Environment FAQ’s (cont’d)

• What are acceptable forms of identification?


– Acceptable forms of photo identification include:
– Driver's license
– Passport
– Military identification
– Employee identification card
– Acceptable forms of non-photo identification include:
- Credit card
– Check cashing card
– Social Security cards are not considered acceptable forms of identification

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Test Center Environment FAQ’s (cont’d)

• Can my exam be taken on my PC, or do I have to go to one of your


centers to test?
– The exams we schedule must be administered at authorized testing sites.
• Are there lockers? Can I keep my purse with me?
– Because the only item allowed into the testing area is identification, we
encourage test takers to leave personal items at home. To accommodate
those items that cannot be left behind (such as purses), the testing
centers may have small lockers available.

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Test Center Environment FAQ’s (cont’d)

• I am on medication. May I bring drinks/food into the testing room?


– Food and drinks are not permitted in the testing rooms. Many of the
exams that we administer do allow you to take a break. The exams that
do not offer break time will allow you to leave the testing area to get a
drink or take medication. However, the amount of time designated for that
exam is not stopped when you are away from your computer.
• Do you provide special conditions equipment?
– Special equipment is available if requested and approved in advance by
your test sponsor. This request is then forwarded to the testing center to
implement the day of the exam. Please contact your test sponsor to
discuss your special testing needs.

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Test Center Environment FAQ’s (cont’d)

• How crowded are the testing rooms? I need to be in a quiet


environment.
– Many of the testing labs are set up with as many as 16 workstations,
although the number of candidates on a daily basis may vary. The aim is
to provide a quiet and comfortable environment for all test takers. Noise
reducing headsets are available for an even quieter environment. These
headsets are not to be confused with our audio headsets, which are used
for exams that contain audio sections, and are also available at each
testing station.

• Can I choose my testing computer?


– Testing computers are predetermined. Our systems are set to provide the
next available computer to accommodate the length of the exam for which
you are scheduled.

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Prometric Testing Center Regulations

• You will be continuously monitored by video, physical walk-


throughs and the observation window during your test. All
testing sessions are video and audio recorded.

• You are required to sign out on the test center roster each time you
leave the test room. You must also sign back in and show your ID to
the (TCA) in order to be re-admitted to the test room

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Prometric Testing Center Regulations
(cont’d)

• You are prohibited from communicating, publishing, reproducing, or


transmitting any part of your test, in any form or by any means, verbal
or written, for any purpose.

• You must not talk to other candidates or refer to their screens, testing
materials, or written notes in the test room.

• You must not use written notes, published materials, or other testing
aids, except those allowed by your test sponsor.

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Prometric Testing Center Regulations
(cont’d)

• You are allowed to bring soft ear plugs or center-supplied tissues in the
test room.

• You must not bring any personal/unauthorized items into the testing
room. Such items include but are not limited to: outerwear, hats, food,
drinks, purses, briefcases, notebooks, pagers, watches, cellular
telephones, recording devices, and photographic equipment.

• Any clothing or jewelry items allowed to be worn in the test room must
remain on your person at all times. Removed clothing or jewelry items
must be stored in your locker.

• Weapons are not allowed at any Prometric Testing Center. You will be
asked to empty and turn your pockets inside out prior to every entry
into the test room to confirm that you have no prohibited items.

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Prometric Testing Center Regulations
(cont’d)

• You must return all materials issued to you at the center at the end
of your test.

• You must comply with the policy of your test sponsor regarding the
use of phones during scheduled breaks in your test.

• You may have either scheduled or unscheduled breaks which are


determined by your test sponsor.

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Prometric Testing Center Regulations
(cont’d)

• Repeated or lengthy departures from the test room for unscheduled


breaks will be reported.

• If you need access to an item stored in the test center during a break
such as food or medicine, you must inform the center administrator
before you retrieve the item.

• You must conduct yourself in a civil manner at all times when on the
premises of the testing center. Exhibiting abusive behavior towards
the TCA, or any other staff member of the test center, may result in
criminal prosecution.

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Prometric Testing Center Regulations (cont’d)

• To protect the privacy of all testers, the test center administrator can
neither confirm nor deny if any particular individual is present or
scheduled at the test center.

• Persons not scheduled to take a test are not permitted to wait in the
test center.

For more information:


• Visit the Prometric FAQ Page
• Visit the Prometric Testing Center Regulations

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General CCST Exam Strategies

• For multiple choice, answer all the questions you know FIRST!
• Read the QUESTION, FORMULATE an answer, THEN read the
ANSWERS before moving forward …
– Eliminate answers you suspect are wrong
– Select from the remaining answers
• If a question seems too easy, it probably is
• Postpone multiple choice questions requiring extra time to analyze.
• For those you cannot recall or just don’t know, GUESS -- *

* However, the number of questions you need to guess should be a small


percentage of the test. If this is not so then (unfortunately) you may be
either unprepared or unqualified for the testing level.

GOOD LUCK !!

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