cleveland division of police candidate …cpd promotion to sergeant examination – candidate...

All rights to the information contained herein reserved by EB Jacobs, LLC. No part of this booklet may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from EB Jacobs, LLC.

Prepared by:

EB Jacobs, LLC

State College, PA

November 2007

CLEVELAND DIVISION OF POLICE

Candidate Preparation Guide for the

2008 Promotion to Sergeant Examination

CPD Promotion to Sergeant Examination – Candidate Preparation Guide Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................1

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMINATION COMPONENTS ..........................................................2 I. Description of Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge ........................................2

A. Date, Time, and Location .....................................................................................2 B. Content..................................................................................................................2

1. Closed-Book, Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge .....................2 2. Open-Book, Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge........................2

C. Administrative Logistics ........................................................................................3 D. Evaluation of Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge ...............................3 E. Challenge Process …………………………………………………………………… 3 II. Description of Oral Board Test ........................................................................................4 A. Date, Time, and Location......................................................................................4 B. Content..................................................................................................................4

1. Incident Supervision .................................................................................4 2. Subordinate Performance.........................................................................4

C. Administrative Logistics ........................................................................................5 III. Evaluation of Oral Board Tests.......................................................................................6 A. Assessors..............................................................................................................6 B. Evaluation Procedure............................................................................................6 C. Assessment Abilities .............................................................................................6 D. Feedback to Candidates.......................................................................................7

PREPARATION STRATEGIES FOR EXAMINATION COMPONENTS ..............................8 I. Preparation Strategies for Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge .....................8 A. How to Study.........................................................................................................9

1. Focus Your Attention ...................................................................................9 2. A Method For Studying (SQ3R)...................................................................9 3. Open-Book versus Closed-Book Formats.................................................12

B. General Multiple-Choice Test-Taking Strategies ...............................................13 1. Make sure you understand the test format and requirements ..................13 2. Make sure you understand the question ...................................................13 3. Proceed through the questions strategically .............................................13 4. Use extra time wisely .................................................................................14

C. Error Analysis......................................................................................................15 1. Marking the wrong space on the answer sheet.........................................15 2. Misreading a question or answer by overlooking a key word or phrase ...15 3. Not knowing the meaning of one or more key terms.................................15 4. Difficulty understanding complex or difficult questions .............................15 5. Comparing combinations of information....................................................16 6. The alternative you chose looked correct..................................................16

II. General Oral Board Test-Taking Suggestions..............................................................17

CPD Promotion to Sergeant Examination – Candidate Preparation Guide Table of Contents

III. Specific Preparation Strategies for Oral Board Tests..................................................18 A. Oral Expression ..................................................................................................18

1. Definition .................................................................................................18 2. Preparation/Strategy...............................................................................18 3. Practice ...................................................................................................19

B. Information Analysis............................................................................................20 1. Definition .................................................................................................20 2. Preparation/Strategy...............................................................................20

C. Judgment and Decision Making .........................................................................21 1. Definition .................................................................................................21 2. Preparation .............................................................................................21 3. Examples ...............................................................................................21

Summary of Abilities and Preparation Strategies...................................22 D. Interpersonal Relations.......................................................................................23

1. Definition .................................................................................................23 2. Examples ................................................................................................23

E. Planning and Organizing ....................................................................................23 1. Definition .................................................................................................23 2. Preparation/Strategy...............................................................................24 3. Examples ................................................................................................24

F. Resource Management ......................................................................................24 1. Definition .................................................................................................24 2. Preparation/Strategy...............................................................................24

EXAMINATION COMPONENT SAMPLES ........................................................................25 I. Sample Multiple-Choice Technical Knowledge Examination Questions ......................26 A. Sample Closed-Book Questions.........................................................................26

1. Departmental Sources ...............................................................................26 2. Textbook ....................................................................................................27

B. Sample Open-Book Questions ...........................................................................28 C. Answers to Sample Closed- and Open-Book Questions ...................................29 II. Sample Oral Board Exercise .........................................................................................30 A. Sample Subordinate Performance Exercise ......................................................30 B. Possible Responses ...........................................................................................31

CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................34

CPD Promotion to Sergeant Examination – Candidate Preparation Guide Page 1

INTRODUCTION

The examination for promotion to the rank of Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) Sergeant will consist of the following examination components and will be weighted as indicated below: Examination Component Weight

1. Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge 50% (Closed-Book and Open-Book)

2. Oral Board Test 50%

Note that the Technical Knowledge Test consists of two parts: Closed-Book and Open-Book. These two parts are scored and weighted as one test component, the Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge. The examination will be designed on the basis of information obtained from a job analysis of the position of CPD Sergeant. The job analysis provided a description of the duties performed by incumbents in this position and identified the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform each of these duties effectively. The separation of the examination into multiple components is intended to more closely mirror the actual requirements of the position. This guide is being distributed to assist candidates in preparing for the examination process. We are providing this information in recognition that a considerable amount of the concern associated with participation in examinations is related to the novelty of the procedures that candidates encounter. This guide is divided into three sections. The first section provides information about:

� examination component content

� administrative logistics

� evaluation methods The second section provides suggested study, test-taking, and preparation strategies. To give you an opportunity to practice the suggestions presented in the second section, the third section provides sample questions and exercises. From the information presented in this guide, candidates should be able to get a good feel for the examination components, testing situation, types of materials, and exercises they will encounter, and suggested preparation strategies. We encourage candidates to review this guide carefully and to take advantage of any and all opportunities to prepare for the examination.

GOOD LUCK!

NOTE: In this guide, an effort has been made to provide as much information as is available at this time about the intended format, content, logistics, and evaluation of the examination. However, it is possible that minor alterations may be made in the examination procedures between the time this guide is distributed and the examination administration. We will work with the Division of Police and the Civil Service Commission to provide you with any updates that may be required.


DESCRIPTION OF EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

I. Description of Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge

A. DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION: The multiple-choice test of technical knowledge will be

administered to all Sergeant candidates on Saturday, January 19, 2008 at the Cleveland Convention Center Complex at 8:30 a.m. It is strongly suggested that candidates arrive at 8:00 a.m. when the Convention Center will open for check-in. Candidates should bring all reference materials with them when they check-in. Candidates should be prepared to be at the test site for most of the day up until between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. There will be a 1-hour lunch break during which time candidates will be permitted to leave the building. However, we advise candidates to bring lunch/snacks and drinks to be sure they have sufficient time to

eat during the break.

B. CONTENT: Specific information about the content and nature of each of the multiple-choice tests

is provided below.

1. Closed-Book, Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge: The closed-book test will consist of approximately 50 traditional, multiple-choice items with four response alternatives each. These items will be designed to assess candidates' understanding of job-related technical knowledge that the job analysis indicated must be memorized, so no reference materials will be available for use during this test. Items on this test will be drawn only from reference materials identified on the reading list as closed-book. Items on this test will be organized by overall knowledge source (e.g., GPOs, Manual of Rules and Regulations).

Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes will be allotted for the Sergeant closed-book test.

2. Open-Book, Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge: The open-book test will consist of approximately 75 multiple-choice items with four response alternatives each. These items will be designed to assess candidates' understanding of job-related technical knowledge that the job analysis indicated need not be memorized but can be referenced when needed. Therefore, all reference materials included on the reading list can be used during this open-book test. However, items on this test will be drawn only from reference materials identified on the reading list as open-book. Items on this test will be presented in random order; they will not

be organized by source. Approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes will be allotted for the

Sergeant open-book test.

A Word about Preparing for Each Portion of the Multiple-Choice Test of Technical

Knowledge: The reading list separates the materials you need to study into the two separate categories of open-book and closed-book. When reviewing your reading list, pay attention to the distinctions made between open- and closed-book materials, because they will affect how you study. If a particular section is on the closed-book test, it will mean that you have to memorize the material in that section. If the material is on the open-book test, you will not need to memorize the material, but you should become extremely familiar with it so that you are able to locate material easily. Becoming extremely familiar with the open-book material will enable you to find a fact quickly when you need it. Of course, if you become so familiar with the open-book material that you have large sections of it memorized, or practically memorized, you will be able to answer the questions you know quickly and will have more time to spend on the questions that you are not sure of. Note that this is similar to how these materials are actually used on the job. Just because you have the opportunity to reference information doesn't mean that you always will. Instead, on the job, you usually reference only the things you are not sure of. In any case, the better you know the material, the better your performance will be on the tests.


C. ADMINISTRATIVE LOGISTICS: Candidates are advised to arrive at the test site promptly at the

time specified in the test announcement to ensure that all necessary administrative procedures

can be conducted prior to the scheduled start time and to avoid potential disqualification. Each

test will be preceded by a set of instructions. Specific guidelines for the use of reference material

during the Technical Knowledge Examination were presented in the Reading List that

accompanied the Civil Service test announcement and are presented again below:

�� All items on the closed-book portion of the Technical Knowledge Examination will be drawn

from sections identified on the reading list as “CLOSED”. Candidates will NOT be permitted to use any reference sources on the Reading List or other documents of any kind during the Closed-Book Test.

�� All items on the open-book portion of the Technical Knowledge Examination will be drawn from

sections identified on the reading list as “OPEN”. Candidates WILL be permitted to use any references sources on the Reading List or other documents during the Open-Book Test.

�� Only hard copies of reference sources/documents may be brought to the Technical Knowledge

Examination site. No electronic equipment will be allowed at the examination site, including pagers, telephones, laptops, etc.

�� Candidates must obtain and bring their own copies of reference sources/documents to the

Technical Knowledge Examination site. No documents will be provided to candidates at the examination site. No sharing of any documents or materials will be allowed.

�� Where possible, candidates may reorganize the Open-Book sections of their reference

sources into separate binders to facilitate their efforts during the Open-Book part of the Technical Knowledge Examination.

�� Candidates will be responsible for all revisions made to the reference sources (e.g., General

Police Orders) appearing on the Reading List up until (and including) October 12, 2007. �� Candidates will only be responsible for information contained within reference sources included

on the Reading List. Any other documents that are referenced within sources appearing on the Reading List, but are not actually included on the Reading List themselves, will not be tested.

�� Writing in reference sources or other documents brought to the Technical Knowledge

Examination site is NOT permitted. However, writing in test booklets during the Examinations is permitted and encouraged (pen, pencil and highlighter are allowed).

D. EVALUATION OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST OF TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE: All items on the

closed and open-book sections of the technical knowledge examination component will be worth one point each. Therefore your raw score on the Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge will be the number of questions you answer correctly on the closed- and open-book sections of the examination combined.

E. CHALLENGE PROCESS: Please see section 4.50 of the Civil Service Sergeant promotional

examination announcement for information regarding the challenge process.


II. Description of Oral Board Test A. DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION: The Oral Board test will be administered on dates to be

announced at a later time. Each candidate will report on one day during the assessment period for the Oral Board test at an individually scheduled time. Candidates will be provided with notification regarding the time and place to report for the Oral Board test.

B. CONTENT: Candidates will be presented with two exercises designed to elicit behaviors

pertaining to the ability areas outlined in this guide. Since the Oral Board test will be conducted over several days, parallel or alternate forms of the exercises will be used as described below. While every form of each exercise will involve the same type of problem situation, the specific details of the situation will vary across the different forms.

Candidates will be given approximately 30-35 minutes to review materials and prepare their

responses to the two situations. They will then be given approximately 10-15 minutes to orally present each exercise response to a board of three assessors. A different board of assessors will be assigned to observe and evaluate each of the two exercises. After the completion of the preparation time and the first exercise, candidates will have approximately 3-5 minutes to proceed to the next room of assessors and get ready for the next exercise. In all, the total Oral Board assessment session for each candidate will last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. This time includes an approximate 15-minute check-in period.

Candidates' oral responses will be rated with respect to the abilities that the exercises are

designed to reflect. Any problem situation presented to candidates will specify the form in which candidates are to respond.

A brief explanation of each type of Oral Board exercise is presented below. The order in which the

exercises are listed is likely to be the order of participation during the Oral Board test. Notification will be provided if any changes are made in exercise order. In both cases, candidates will be instructed to assume the role of a newly promoted Sergeant.

1. Incident Supervision: This exercise will simulate the kinds of activities involved in planning,

coordinating and assuming responsibility for incidents/operations. This exercise is designed

to be a formal presentation, not an interactive role-play. Candidates will be given some

general parameters regarding one or more situations within which to frame their responses.

Following their initial response, candidates may be presented with updates and/or additional

questions. A flipchart and podium may be available for candidates' optional use during this

exercise. Parallel or alternate forms of this exercise will be used during the Oral Board

testing period. Candidates will be given approximately 10-15 minutes to conduct this

exercise.

2. Subordinate Performance: This type of exercise requires candidates to conduct a face-to-

face meeting with one or more individuals regarding subordinate problems or disciplinary

issues. For this exercise, one or more assessors will play a specific role (e.g., subordinate,

peer, superior) and interact with the candidate in a relatively informal manner. This exercise

is designed to be an interactive role-play, not a formal presentation. This is the only exercise

that will involve an interactive role-play. As with the Incident Supervision Exercise, parallel or

alternate forms of this exercise also will be used. Candidates will have approximately 10-15

minutes to conduct this exercise.


C. ADMINISTRATIVE LOGISTICS: Each candidate will report on one day during the assessment

period for the Oral Board test at an individually scheduled time. Candidates should ensure that

they arrive at the test site on the correct day and time as indicated in their admission letters. Upon

arrival, candidates will check in and receive some general instructions. Then they will be given a

detailed written description of each exercise and will prepare their responses in a special

preparation area where they will not be observed by the assessors. Specific guidelines for the use

of reference material during the Oral Board Examination were presented in the Reading List that

accompanied the Civil Service test announcement and are presented again below:

� Any of the references sources appearing on the Reading List may be of relevance to the Oral

Board test even though the focus of this test is on abilities. Candidates will NOT be permitted

to bring any reference sources on the Reading List or other documents to the Oral Board test

site. However, any reference sources or other documents needed to respond to the Oral Board

exercises will be made available to candidates at the Oral Board test site.

Candidates should keep in mind that these simulation exercises are designed to allow for the

assessment of abilities underlying effective job performance and that technical knowledge is not

the primary focus. Therefore, candidates must balance any time spent with any reference

documents that are made available during the preparation period with the time needed to prepare

for the exercises to the best of their ability.

Candidates may only bring exercise materials and notes prepared at the test site (i.e., exercise

scenarios, notes taken during the preparation period) into the assessor boardrooms. Any violation

of this guideline may be cause for disqualification from eligibility.

Candidates will be permitted to take notes on the exercise materials or on notepaper provided

during the preparation period and may use the notes while participating in the actual exercises.

Candidates will also be permitted to take notes while participating in each exercise. Candidates

should be aware, however, that any notes prepared or used during the exercises will not be

considered by the assessors when making evaluations. Nevertheless, any notes will be collected

and secured following each candidate's participation to ensure they cannot be made available to

candidates who have not yet participated in the Oral Board test.

While participating in the exercises, the administrator and assessors will provide instructions and

answer any procedural questions that may be raised before each exercise begins. Candidates will be

given cues indicating when each exercise is to begin and end, but it will be the responsibility of the

candidate to work within the specified time frame.

Once each exercise begins, no interaction will occur with assessors other than that which is

required as part of the exercise. Specifically, during the Subordinate Performance Exercise, only

designated role-players will interact with each candidate. Candidates will be permitted to make

comments and ask questions of any role-players. Likewise, role-players will make comments and

respond to questions raised by the candidate. Again, no communication will occur with any non-

role-playing assessors during this exercise. During the Incident Supervision Exercise, assessors

will not comment except to present the candidate with updates or follow-up questions to which the

candidate will be asked to respond.


III. Evaluation of the Oral Board Test A. ASSESSORS: Three-member assessor panels will be trained by EB Jacobs to evaluate

candidate performance in each Oral Board exercise. All Oral Board assessors will be sworn officers at a level equivalent to Sergeant or above from police departments outside of the CPD.

All assessors will participate in extensive training. During this training session, assessors will be familiarized with the job duties and responsibilities of the CPD Sergeants. Assessors will review the exercises and be trained to observe, record, and evaluate candidate behaviors with respect to the assessment dimensions. Finally, assessors will practice evaluating candidate behavior by participating in "mock" assessment exercises.

B. EVALUATION PROCEDURE: Candidates will be evaluated on a series of abilities for each exercise. Assessors will independently rate candidates on each of these abilities using a 9-point scale where 9 is high and 1 is low. After finalizing their independent ratings for each exercise, assessors will work together to complete a feedback checklist to describe the areas of strength and needed improvement displayed by the candidate in that exercise. None of the assessors’ independently-derived ratings will be modified once their feedback discussion begins.

C. ASSESSMENT ABILITIES: The Oral Board test is designed to assess abilities found to be critical to effective job performance in the context of typical situations encountered by Sergeants. Based on our ability analysis of the CPD Sergeant position, the critical abilities that will be assessed during the Oral Board test are defined below:

Oral Expression: Ability to organize information or ideas and to express them in a clear and

logical manner through oral means.

Information Analysis: Ability to understand, interpret, relate, and compare information from

various sources to identify issues and evaluate their relevance and importance, as well as seek

out needed information.

Interpersonal Relations: Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and constructive

working relationships as well as to demonstrate consideration for the feelings, needs, and

views of others through words or actions.

Judgment & Decision Making: Ability to generate alternative approaches to situations,

consider their implications, and make appropriate and timely decisions, based upon a critical

analysis of available information.

Planning & Organizing: Ability to define the objectives which must be accomplished, develop

a strategy for accomplishing these objectives, anticipate obstacles that might be encountered

and develop contingency plans to overcome anticipated obstacles.

Resource Management: Ability to identify and make efficient use of needed resources by:

allocating resources based on priorities and personnel capabilities; allocating authority and

responsibility as warranted; clearly explaining assigned tasks, objectives, and performance

expectations; minimizing duplication of effort; and monitoring the progress and quality of work.


The matrix below identifies which ability areas are likely to be evaluated in each of the Oral Board exercises and also illustrates the scoring process:

EXERCISES

Abilities

Incident

Supervision

Subordinate Performance

Oral Board

Average

Oral Expression

X

X

X

Interpersonal Relations

N/A

X

X

Information Analysis

X

X

X

Judgment & Decision Making

X

X

X

Planning & Organizing

X

X

X

Resource Management

X

X

X

Oral Board

Total

A total score will be derived for the Oral Board test by computing average ability scores across the two Oral Board exercises (i.e., Incident Supervision, Subordinate Performance) and adding those average ability scores together. To derive candidates' overall promotional examination scores, the total scores from the multiple-choice test of technical knowledge and the Oral Board test will be standardized, weighted by their assigned weights (see page 1) and added together. As just noted, to ensure the weights for each part of the examination process are applied in a fair manner, the total scores on each component will be standardized prior to being weighted. Standardization is used when tests are of different lengths (have different numbers of questions), have different average scores, and/or have differences in standard deviations (the spread or range of scores). By standardizing the total scores, the test components are placed onto the same measurement scale so that they can be added together. This is accomplished by looking at how far a particular score deviates from the average score for that test (either above or below) and dividing by the standard deviation for that test. Although this may seem complicated, it is a procedure that is used quite frequently and is well accepted in the testing field. Tests such as the SAT use a type of standardized score.

D. FEEDBACK TO CANDIDATES: Candidates will be provided with a written report describing their performance on each examination component. Within these feedback reports, candidates will receive information regarding their individual exam component and overall examination scores, as well as breakdowns of their ability ratings overall and within each Oral Board exercise. Candidates also will receive a description of their strengths and areas of needed improvement for each Oral Board exercise, with developmental recommendations, based on the framework of ability areas assessed.


PREPARATION STRATEGIES FOR EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

I. Preparation Strategies for Multiple-Choice Test of Technical Knowledge Multiple-choice tests are designed to test your knowledge of a particular subject area. You can

improve your performance on multiple-choice tests in three different ways. The first and most obvious

way is to have a command over all of the relevant material that will be covered on the exam. The

second is to know and understand the test situation so that you can avoid making mistakes caused by

a failure to understand the meaning of the test questions, the test format, or the test procedures.

Finally, you can try to gain an understanding of your own test-taking behavior. If you become aware of

the kinds of errors you commit on multiple-choice tests, you can try to avoid these errors in the future.

This guide provides suggestions for improving your performance in each of these areas:

• How to Study: Understanding the material covered on the test

This section provides some strategies to assist you in preparing for the examination. A method

for studying, based on well-established learning principles, is included. Many of the

suggestions are directed toward enhancing your ability to recall information by requiring you to

do more than simply read the material. Some suggested strategies include: (a) surveying the

material to be read in order to break it down into reasonable study "chunks", (b) formulating

questions to be answered after each section has been read, and (c) reciting the main points of

each section. Finally, this section presents some pointers for applying the "how to study"

suggestions to open-book vs. closed-book material.

• General Multiple Choice Test-taking Strategies: Understanding the test situation

This section provides some strategies that you can apply when taking the examination. These

strategies are of relevance when taking any multiple-choice test. They include such

suggestions as marking questions in a way that will make them easier to understand and

answering easier questions first.

• Error Analysis: Understanding your own test-taking behavior

This section provides information about common test-taking errors, as well as strategies for

avoiding such errors. You are encouraged to identify the kinds of errors you tend to make

when taking multiple-choice tests. In this way, you will be more aware of the tendency toward

these errors when you actually take the tests and can determine what steps you can take to

avoid these errors.


A. HOW TO STUDY: The study strategies provided here should be helpful in preparing for the

multiple-choice tests. They can be applied to CPD reference sources as well as any external

documents or textbook.

1. Focus Your Attention: You must focus your attention on the material you are studying if you

expect to remember it. There are three things you can do that will help you focus your attention

on the material you read.

First, since you tend to pay closer attention to things that interest you than to things that don't,

you can try to make the material more meaningful or interesting. One way to do this is to apply

it to yourself. Try to think of examples of the material that can be tied to your work.

The next thing you can do is to eliminate distractions from your environment. These

distractions compete for your attention and affect your memory of the material that you are

trying to study. It is difficult to pay attention to several things at the same time. Instead, people

usually switch back and forth, paying attention first to one thing and then the other.

Unfortunately, you will not remember any material that did not receive attention. This means

that listening to the radio while you are studying, or studying in a noisy area, will leave gaps in

your memory of the material you are trying to learn.

Finally, you should avoid trying to learn or memorize material when you are tired. Fatigue

reduces the amount of material that you can remember. This means that it might be better to

get a good night's sleep and study in the morning rather than staying up a few extra hours and

sleeping late. Surely, you must have noticed how your attention wanders if you go without

sleep for long periods of time.

2. A Method for Studying - SQ3R: SQ3R stands for survey, question, read, recite, and

review. These five elements make up a set of study habits that almost guarantee success.

SURVEY

"Survey" means to find the limits or borders of an area. Survey the material you have to study

to get a rough idea of the content and organization of the material before beginning in-depth

study efforts.

To survey a body of information, scan it from start to finish. By skimming over the pages, you

will get an idea of what is to come. In most documents, this type of survey is made much

easier through the use of headings. Bold, large, or major headings introduce big or important

elements; smaller headings introduce sub areas of these important elements. Another helpful

overview of the material can be found in summaries such as chapter summaries, overviews, or

statements of objectives. By looking over such summaries, you can get a quick view of the

important parts or pieces of the material covered.

Surveying the study material gives you an idea of how long it will take to cover the material.

This will help you to break the assignment down into reasonable time blocks. Material should

be read in chunks of a reasonable size. You should carve out a specific section that you will try

to understand before moving on. A chunk might be all of the material under a major heading. If

the material under the heading runs for many pages, you might want to reduce the material to

be understood to each of the minor headings, taking one at a time.


QUESTION

Most people need a reason to do things. In studying text material, a question becomes a reason. If you have some questions to begin with, the material that you are reading will take on more life and be more meaningful.

Before beginning each study session, look over the material you intend to cover. Develop some questions that you expect to be answered in the material. There are several ways to develop these questions. One way is to begin with the list of headings from the chapter or document outline. Write a question for each major and minor heading. Developing questions can provide a reason for reading the material and can help the information become more meaningful to you.

READ

For most people, reading means the same thing as studying. When they say that they have studied material, they often mean that they have read it through several times. Reading is important, but it will be done more effectively when the survey and question steps have been completed.

The most effective way to pace yourself is to decide on the number of chunks that will be read and understood in a given study session. You can use the questions you developed through the previous step as your definition of understanding. Once you can answer these questions, you can move on to the next section. A good time to take breaks is between these sections, not in the middle of them. This might be a way of rewarding yourself for successfully completing the reading of each section.

It's important to ensure that you are understanding the material you are reading. One way to do this is to look up the definitions of all new and unfamiliar terms. You should make a list of the words and phrases that you don't understand. If these terms are technical terms that you have not encountered before, the chances are that the answer is somewhere in the chapter or document that you are reading. Have a notebook available so that you can mark down each of these terms, leaving a space for their definition. The quicker you get to know the meaning of all the terms, the more effective your studying will be. If the term or word is not technical, but simply a large or uncommon word that you are not sure of, look it up in a dictionary. If you feel it would be helpful, record the definitions of these non-technical terms in your notebook, as well. You will find that this notebook of terms will be a big help in preparing for the closed-book test. You might want to use it to keep track of all important terms, even those you understand.

Another good way to make your reading time as useful as possible is to mark or underline the text while you are reading. This will make you a more active participant in the studying process. In addition, it will help you to focus on the major ideas and keep you from getting bogged down in details. Your underlining or highlighting can also make it easier for you to review the material before the test by providing some hints and associations that will aid in later recall.

In marking or underlining the text, you should actually go through the text and underline key words and concepts that are important in understanding the material in the chunk you are reading. You might also make notes to yourself right on the text page. If you choose to use the underlining and marking method, here are a few guidelines:

1) Read the whole section before doing any underlining or marking.

2) Don't mark or underline too much. The value of the technique lies in highlighting only the most important material.

3) Use ink if possible so that the underlining and notes do not disappear or become unclear in the course of studying.

4) Use symbols as much as possible. For example, use “?” as a symbol for questions you have; use “*” to stand for a particularly important idea.


RECITE

Remember a time when you went to the store to buy several items? You didn't have time to write out a list, so you just repeated the items out loud several times on the way to the store. After several repetitions, you had memorized the list. If you had paid attention to what was happening, you would have realized that the act of reciting the list made the difference between remembering the list and forgetting it. This is just as true of study material as it is of shopping lists.

Recitation does not have to be performed out loud, but it should be formal. Don't just look over the information and say to yourself, "Now I know it." The point is that you should recite the information that you know. This can be done in several ways. One popular method is to close the book or document and try to repeat what you just have read, then check to see if you were correct. A second way is to answer questions about the material you have read.

It's very helpful to recite with another individual. You can ask each other questions about portions of the material, which will make you recite the material in a formal way. It's not even necessary to choose someone who is familiar with the material. The person only has to be able to recognize that what you have said is what is written in the document or in your notes.

In order to be most effective, recitation should take place quite soon after you've first learned or read the material. This is important because the greatest amount of information is lost or forgotten within a short period of time after it is first learned.

Don't try to recite too much information at once. Depending on the number of pages covered, this might be all of the information in one major heading or even one subheading. A whole book chapter or document section is usually too large a unit for recitation purposes.

REVIEW

When you have finished studying a block of material, such as a book chapter or document section, you should review or reconsider what you have learned. This can be done through reciting or through answering specific questions. The point is that you should go back over material once you think it has been learned.

The second form of review is done just before beginning a new study session. In this form of review, you are actually preparing yourself for new learning by strengthening old learning. This helps to ensure that any old learning that is needed as a basis for new learning is correct and available.

The final form of review is done before a test. This review can be done quite effectively in a group with other test takers. This cuts down on some of the drudgery of pre-test studying and also increases the meaning of much of the information. That is, while you are taking the test, you can more easily remember the information if you think back to who said what and how the review conversation went.

**************************************************************************************************************** In summary, the SQ3R method of study is based on sound learning principles and gives you a simple formula to follow:

SURVEY Skim the reading material and create manageable chunks to study

QUESTION Develop a purpose for reading by asking questions that you expect to have answered in the reading material

READ Read and re-read the material until you understand it thoroughly

RECITE Write down or talk about what you just learned to improve retention and integrate new information into your knowledge base

REVIEW Look over highlighted text and notes and integrate new information with old information

****************************************************************************************************************


3. Open-Book versus Closed-Book Formats: The SQ3R strategy presented above applies to

all of the multiple-choice tests. For each test, you will need to survey, question, read, recite,

and review. However, the relative emphasis you place on each of these five functions will vary

somewhat depending on whether you expect to encounter the material in an open- or closed-

book format.

The most obvious differences occur in the recite and review processes. For a closed-book

test, recitation and review are extremely important because they allow the candidate to

memorize the material in detail, and organize it in a meaningful fashion. For an open-book

test, the recite and review functions have a slightly different cast. You do not have to recite the

details of the material with a view towards later recall; instead you should concentrate on

reciting exactly where the material can be found. To this end, it is probably useful to construct

and familiarize yourself with an outline of the basic material covered in each knowledge source.

To some extent, your outline will parallel any table of contents that exists; however you should

also add some notes to yourself as to other important material found in the chapter or section.

It is also helpful to mark any overlapping material that occurs (i.e., where the same material

can be found in two or more places within the same or different sources). For an open-book

test, you do not need to spend time memorizing details; however, you do need to become

familiar with where the details can be found.

Similarly, reviewing the areas covered in the open-book test will help you to understand and

organize the material better. Your review should also cover your outline of how the material is

organized, and where certain topics can be found.

The most important danger to guard against in an open-book test is the assumption that,

because the material is covered in an open-book format, it does not need to be studied. This is

an extremely dangerous assumption. Do not think that you will be able to locate and

comprehend information needed to answer questions on the open-book test without prior

study. While you may be able to answer a few questions in this manner, in general, it will be

too time-consuming. You will not be able to complete the open-book test if you depend on first

determining where information is located on the day of the test. Moreover, if you have the

material practically memorized, and at the "tips of your fingers," you will be able to complete

questions more quickly, and have more time to handle difficult questions and check your work.


B. GENERAL MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES: The purpose of a multiple-choice

test is to assess your knowledge of the information contained in the reference sources included on

the reading list. At times, factors other than your knowledge of the tested material can influence

your performance. The following suggestions should help you to reduce these extraneous

influences and do your best on the multiple-choice components of the examination:

1. Make sure you understand the test format and requirements:

Read, and/or listen to, all of the directions carefully.

Make sure you know how to correctly mark the answer sheet.

Make sure you know how much time you have to complete each test. As you take each test,

check your watch periodically so that you can keep track of the amount of time remaining in the

examination period.

2. Make sure you understand the question:

Read each question carefully: Try to answer the question before you look at the choices. If

you know the answer, compare it to the available choices and pick the closest alternative. A

thorough knowledge of the tested material will allow you to answer the questions without

looking at the answer choices.

Mark test questions to make them easier to read: You will be allowed to write in your test

booklet so you should mark the test questions in a way that makes them read more easily.

Use slash marks to break down sentences into small segments. This will make you more

attentive to each separate idea in a long sentence.

Underline key words that tell what a sentence or passage is all about. If you skip the question

and come back to it later, your markings can make it easier to remember what the question

was about, without reading the full question or passage again.

Find and circle words that "harden" or "soften" statements: Words such as “all,” “never,”

“none” and “every” harden a sentence by indicating there are no exceptions. As a rule,

alternatives with these words have less chance of being correct.

Words such as “sometimes,” “may,” “generally” and “possibly” soften a statement and leave

more room for the alternative to be correct.

AND means that one element of the alternative must be present or true in addition to another

element for the alternative to be correct.

OR means there is a choice of situations. Only one of the elements of the alternative must be

present or true for it to be a correct alternative.

3. Proceed through the questions strategically:

Answer questions you perceive as easier first: When you go through each question on the

test, answer the questions you feel are easier first and leave the more difficult ones until you've

answered all of the questions that you are sure of. This will prevent you from spending too

much time on any one question and ensure that you have the time to respond to, and receive

credit for, every question that you can answer correctly. If you are unsure of an answer, there

are two strategies you can use. You can leave the question blank. Make sure to mark the


question as one you should return to and skip the question on the answer sheet. A second

strategy is to go with the first answer that comes to mind. Mark this question and return to it

later. Don't be afraid to change this answer if, when you return to it, you realize you have

misunderstood the question. If, after returning and thinking about the question in more depth,

you are still unsure of the answer, stay with your first answer.

Tackle difficult questions methodically: Don't get bogged down if there is a word or

sentence you do not understand. You may get the main idea without understanding the

individual word or the individual sentence.

Use the process of elimination: If you don't know the answer to a question, first eliminate

those choices that are clearly wrong. Then, put a mark next to each remaining choice to

indicate what you think about it (e.g., x = not correct; ? = possibly correct; and * = most likely

correct). This will save you time by reducing the number of answers you have to reread and

re-evaluate before making your final choice.

Take a mental break when needed: If you feel that your ability to concentrate is decreasing

at points during a test, take a brief mental break. Put down your pencil and take a minute to

clear your mind and relax. If you are permitted to stand and stretch or to get a drink of water,

do so. Of course, you must keep in mind the time limit for the test but a brief mental break may

well be worth the time it takes.

Answer every question: You will not lose any more credit for an incorrect response than you

will for no response, so respond to every question, even if you must guess. If the test period is

about to end and you believe there will be a substantial number of questions (e.g., more than 5

or 10) that you will not be able to complete, reserve some time (e.g., 60 seconds) toward the

very end of the test period to respond to these questions, even if you must guess. While your

guesses may not be correct, the alternative is to leave these questions blank and be assured

of getting them wrong.

4. Use extra time wisely:

If you finish a test before time is called, go back and review your responses. Make any

changes that are necessary. Also make sure that you have placed your answers on the

answer sheet correctly.

Remember, Test Monitors will be there to help every candidate. If you have any questions, ask

for assistance before the test begins. You may ask for help during the testing period but Test

Monitors may only answer questions regarding procedure and not content.


C. ERROR ANALYSIS: There are several possible reasons for choosing an incorrect response to a

question. Six of these reasons are presented below, along with suggestions for avoiding such

errors. Consider past tests that you have taken and identify the errors (from among the six

provided here) that tend to characterize your test-taking behavior. Once you have identified the

reasons for your errors, you can take steps to avoid repeating such errors when answering

questions on this and future examinations.

Reasons for Choosing Incorrect Answers

1. Marking the wrong space on the answer sheet: Since there are a limited number of

questions on each test, careless errors such as these are costly. Check yourself as you mark

each answer choice on the answer sheet to ensure you are marking the answer you have

chosen. As an additional check, after you complete the test, go back over every question and

answer again.

2. Misreading a question or answer by overlooking a key word or phrase: The solution to

this problem is UNDERLINING. Underlining makes key words and phrases stand out when

choosing an answer. Once you have underlined the key words and phrases, check the details

of the possible answers with the details you underlined, one-by-one. If every detail doesn't

match, consider that answer suspect and try another, always keeping in mind you're looking for

the best possible answer.

3. Not knowing the meaning of one or more key terms: This could be a problem in

PREPARATION and/or VOCABULARY. In your study materials, underline key terms and

make sure you know what they mean. If an unfamiliar term is a technical term, it most likely will

be defined within the relevant document. If an unfamiliar term is not a technical term, go to a

dictionary and look it up. It is a good idea to build your own glossary of terms and learn their

meanings.

When taking the tests, if you have difficulty with a term, reread the sentence to determine its

meaning without worrying about the meaning of a particular word. Try to understand the

general message of the sentence or paragraph. The meaning of the unfamiliar word should

become clearer once you understand the general context within which it has been placed.

4. Difficulty understanding complex or difficult questions: Divide and conquer! Use slash

marks to break up the material into small segments, and then concentrate on one segment at a

time. When you do go back to difficult questions, first read the possible answers before

reading the question. This tells you what to concentrate on while reading the question.

Concentrate on the parts of the question directly related to the possible answers even if you do

not understand the entire question. You may not need to understand the entire question to find

the correct answer.

Also, focus on the topic sentences that are usually the first and last sentences of a question.

Read the difficult questions twice. The first time, read for the general meaning and do not get

bogged down by individual words or phrases you do not understand. The second time, read

for more precise understanding. The first reading will provide the context so that the second

reading is easier.


5. Comparing combinations of information: This is a problem of re-arranging information in

the correct way so that it makes sense. Underline critical pieces of information in the test

question and then compare the information with the possible answers, point-by-point. Also,

concentrate on eliminating wrong answers first.

6. The alternative you chose looked correct:

Several factors can cause you to fall for incorrect alternatives:

• An incorrect alternative may contain an exact phrase from the relevant material (i.e., from

the test question itself or the study material).

• An incorrect alternative may contain a phrase or sentence that is used out of context. For

example, an idea that is expressed but then rejected in the relevant material may be

presented as an idea that was supported.

• An incorrect alternative may overstate what the relevant material has stated. For example,

if the relevant material says, "Some officers . . . ", the incorrect alternative may say, "All

officers . . . "

Some strategies for avoiding the tendency to fall for incorrect alternatives include:

• Have an answer in mind before you look over the alternatives. This will make you less

susceptible to choosing an incorrect alternative merely because it looks good.

• Use the method of marking each alternative to indicate what you think about it (e.g., x = not

correct; ? = possibly correct; and * = most likely correct) before choosing one.

• Stick strictly to the facts or rules of the relevant material. Don't fall for alternatives that

stretch or exaggerate the facts or rules described in the relevant material. This is the time

to watch out for words that harden or soften a phrase such as only, never, always, etc.

• Be wary of alternatives with words or phrases taken exactly from the relevant material.

Don't simply assume that such alternatives are correct.

• Prepare a defense for your answer choice. Find something in the relevant material that will

give a strong, direct defense for your choice.


II. General Oral Board Test-Taking Suggestions The purpose of the Oral Board test is to evaluate the abilities required to perform certain work-related

tasks. Because we want to evaluate these abilities as directly as possible, without having

inexperience with tests of this format get in the way, we are offering the following suggestions.

� Skim through all exercise materials at least once before starting to prepare your responses:

You should carefully read through the instructions and other material before starting to prepare

your responses. If you don’t, you may respond based on partial information.

� Underline or make notes about the materials that you receive: You will receive information

concerning each scenario or problem. You should underline the issues that you think are

important so that you can address them during the exercises.

� Allocate your time wisely: You will need to plan out how much time you want to spend on each

area of your presentation, or on the issues that you want to discuss and resolve. For example,

during the Subordinate Performance Exercise, you might decide to spend some time asking

questions about certain issues, some time explaining, and some time summing up. On all

exercises, you should keep track of time so that you can cover all of the areas you intended to

cover. You should wear a watch to keep track of time. The assessors will only tell you when to

start and stop; they will not tell you how much time you have left.

� Keep calm if you do not know how to approach a problem or situation: Because of the novel

nature of some of the exercise situations, you may not have a good idea how to approach a

situation, at least at first. Address those aspects of the situation with which you feel comfortable

first, and then ease into the other areas. It may be that you will think of questions to ask or

comments to make as the situation progresses.

� Use extra time wisely: You may want to use any extra time to go back and clarify portions of your

responses that you think may not have been clearly stated, or to summarize the key points

addressed.


III. Specific Preparation Strategies for the Oral Board Test

This section is organized around the abilities that will provide the framework for the evaluation of your

behavior during the Oral Board test. For each ability we will discuss some tips and strategies for

preparation and will also provide examples of how these strategies can be applied during the Oral

Board test. Technical knowledge of procedures, policies, rules, and regulations will be de-emphasized

in this examination. Primary focus will be placed on the abilities to be assessed. However, keep in

mind that the abilities involve such things as analyzing information, making decisions, developing

plans, and allocating resources. When these abilities are applied to resolve a situation or problem, it

is with a basic foundation and understanding of applicable policies and technical procedures.

Nevertheless, the majority of your preparation efforts should be directed toward the kinds of

preparation strategies described here.

A. ORAL EXPRESSION:

1. Definition: The definition of Oral Expression can be broken down into two basic components:

• the ability to organize information or ideas orally; and

• the ability to orally express these ideas in a clear and logical manner.

This area of performance concerns the ability to convey information so that others will clearly

understand you.

2. Preparation/Strategy: One strategy that can enhance your effectiveness at communicating

messages is the use of an outline. When communicating to others, it is more likely that your

thoughts and ideas will come across clearly if you take the time to organize your thoughts in

your mind or on paper. When you generate an outline, we suggest you begin by setting down

the broadest categories to be discussed and then create increasingly more specific sets of

categories. For example, consider the way this guide is organized or outlined. The broadest

categories have titles such as: "INTRODUCTION" and "DESCRIPTION OF EXAMINATION

COMPONENTS." These sections contain more specific subsections. For example, this

section (PREPARATION STRATEGIES FOR EXAMINATION COMPONENTS) is broken down

into such subsections as; “II. General Oral Board Test-Taking Suggestions and “III. Specific

Preparation Strategies for the Oral Board Test.” Some of these subsections are broken down

still further into an even more specific set of categories. For example, the “III. Specific

Preparation Strategies for the Oral Board Test” section is broken down into subsections "A.

Oral Expression," "B. Information Analysis," etc. These subsections can also be broken down

further.

Once established, you can use your outlines to generate your responses. To practice

generating outlines for the Oral Board test, consider a performance or discipline problem that

you are aware of, generate an outline for your response, and generate your oral response from

your outline. For example, assume that the Subordinate Performance Exercise involved a

subordinate who has been the subject of several complaints from civilians or sworn personnel.

You might generate a broad outline consisting of headings such as:


Example:

1. Discuss the incidents which led to the complaints.

2. Determine the reason for the complaints.

3. Take steps to prevent future complaints.

A more specific set of headings could then be generated for each of these components. For

example, "Discuss the incidents which led to the complaints" could be broken down as follows:

1. Discuss the incidents which led to the complaints.

A. Review facts of each incident.

B. Discuss what subordinate did correctly.

C. Discuss what subordinate should have done differently.

You could break these subheadings down still further until you have developed an outline that

you would feel comfortable using to guide your response in the actual exercise.

3. Practice: The outlining strategy described above has been suggested as an aid to enhancing

the effectiveness with which you communicate your messages to others. The question still

remains as to how you will know if this strategy does, in fact, result in improved communication.

This is where the assistance of friends or family can come into play. To assess the

effectiveness of communications, you could provide an oral response from an outline, have

another individual listen to the response, and ask that individual to generate the outline, or list

the key points, on which your response was based. You could then compare the individual's

perception of the message with the message you had intended to convey. If there are areas

that were not correctly identified by the individual, you should rework those areas until they are

correctly identified.

An alternate method for preparing an outline is to talk out the presentation in the order that

comes naturally. Record the flow of ideas or topics while talking, and work from that record in

preparing a final outline. Some people are more comfortable using this method in contrast to

generating an outline first and then forcing your flow of ideas to fit the outline.

Another strategy that will help you to prepare for the series of questions you may be asked

during the Oral Board test is to have someone ask you a series of questions which you must

answer "off the cuff." Although it will be beneficial to answer questions that are work-related,

the questions can actually be about any subject. The purpose of this exercise is to help you

practice generating clear and concise oral responses when given minimal time to prepare your

response.


B. INFORMATION ANALYSIS:

1. Definition: Information Analysis includes understanding messages and information that

others attempt to convey as well as identifying issues and evaluating their

relevance/importance. The definition of Information Analysis can be broken down into two

basic components:

• the ability to understand, interpret, relate and compare information from various sources;

and

• the ability to identify issues and evaluate their relevance and importance, as well as to seek

out needed information.

This ability area initially comes into play when you are reviewing written documents such as the

Oral Board problem descriptions. You will need to identify the important or problematic

information provided in the Oral Board exercise. Once identified, you should be sure to

address the important or problematic items and points in your responses.

2. Preparation/Strategy: One component of this ability area (i.e., understanding and evaluating

information) comes into play when you review the Oral Board problem descriptions, and when

you interact with the individual(s) involved in the Oral Board test. For example, certain details

provided in the exercise materials may be more important than others. In the same respect,

you will need to determine the relevance of information provided by the designated role-players

or assessors during the Oral Board test. To practice and test your understanding of

information presented orally, you should identify the key points that someone else attempts to

convey in a conversation or presentation. You should also attempt to anticipate and prepare

responses to the comments and questions the role-players or assessors might conceivably put

forth during the exercises.

Another component of this ability area (i.e., seeking out needed information) requires you to

ask questions in your own mind as well as of others. It requires you to avoid taking information

at face value and to thoroughly review available information to determine what details are

missing or needed. This component also can be demonstrated during your review of the Oral

Board problem descriptions, as well as during your actual interactions with the designated role-

players. While reviewing the materials and problem descriptions, you should identify those

pieces of information not yet available that are needed to accomplish tasks and resolve

problems. During the actual Oral Board exercises, you should seek out additional information

by asking questions of the role-players.


C. JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING:

1. Definition: The definition of this ability area can be broken down into two basic components:

• the ability to generate alternative approaches to situations; and

• the ability to consider their implications and make appropriate and timely decisions, based

upon a critical analysis of available information.

In other words, Judgment & Decision Making involves considering alternative ways to resolve a

problem or issue and deciding on the best solution.

2. Preparation: One way that you can prepare for this ability area is to consider, discuss, and

resolve an issue of current concern. When doing so, you should:

a. generate and consider alternative courses of action or solutions to a problem or issue.

When evaluating potential solutions to problems, you should consider the impact of each

solution on all individuals who could be affected by the solution. This would include those

individuals who decide on the solution, as well as those individuals who must implement,

abide by and/or enforce the solution.

b. consider the short and long-range implications of decisions that are made since some

solutions may be beneficial only on a short or long-term basis.

c. take steps to minimize any potentially troublesome "side-effects" of the chosen solution.

3. Examples: Some examples of topics that can be used in preparing for this ability area are

presented below. Once considered and resolved, determine whether you have identified the

key components of each issue as well as the positive and negative consequences associated

with potential recommendations.

a. Should part of the supervisory or superior officer's role include counseling subordinates

with regard to personal problems and to what extent should they get involved, if at all?

b. Evaluate the desirability of using job rotation and cross training as a means of enhancing

individual potential and organizational efficiency.

c. Evaluate the current off-duty work policy for the department and make some

recommendations for the future.

It is not necessary that you use a job-related issue to practice this area, particularly since you

may be relying on family and friends for assistance. In such instances, other types of issues

such as political and social issues may be more appropriate.


SUMMARY OF ABILITIES AND PREPARATION STRATEGIES The three abilities just reviewed, Oral Expression, Information Analysis, and Judgment and Decision

Making primarily depend on your ability to deal with information. The next three abilities, Interpersonal

Relations, Planning and Organizing, and Resource Management rely primarily on your ability to handle

tasks and people. These abilities can be outlined as follows:

Ability to Deal with Information Ability to Handle Tasks and People

� Oral Expression � Interpersonal Relations

� Information Analysis � Planning and Organizing

� Judgment and Decision Making � Resource Management

You can prepare for these three ability areas in the context of the practice exercises that already have

been suggested for the first three areas. In sum, you could most likely prepare for all exercises and

ability areas by engaging in the following practice exercises:

1) Outline, prepare, and give a presentation to one or more observers. Have the observers report

on the organization/key points of the presentation.

2) Review a written document such as a chapter or section of a book, develop an outline which

summarizes the key points and issues within the chapter, and compare this summary with the

summary generated by the author.

3) Outline or extract out the key points that another individual attempts to convey in an oral or

written communication or presentation.

4) Discuss a complex issue/problem with one or more individuals and develop some

recommendations for resolving this issue/problem. Evaluate your recommendations when the

discussion is over.

5) Field questions posed by another individual until you are able to respond in a clear and concise

manner.

Keep these practice exercises in mind as you review the last three ability areas.


D. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS:

1. Definition: This area of performance can be broken down into two basic components:

• the ability to work with other individuals in a cooperative and constructive manner; and

• the ability to demonstrate consideration and respect for the feelings, needs, and viewpoints of others.

2. Examples: Listed below are some examples of effective interpersonal behaviors that may be

displayed during the Oral Board test:

a. eliciting the input of others, particularly those individuals who may have trouble speaking up on their own.

b. avoiding the tendency to interrupt others. c. giving others full attention when they speak by listening to and looking at them. d. complimenting or giving credit to others for good ideas or performance. e. disagreeing with others in a non-threatening manner. f. offering support and assistance to individuals experiencing problems. g. focusing on ineffective behavior when discussing performance problems rather than

individual personality characteristics. E. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING:

1. Definition: Planning and Organizing is related to Judgment & Decision Making in that it represents the step that would most likely be taken after determining how a problem or issue is to be addressed and/or resolved. It involves developing a framework or strategy for accomplishing any task or objective. This framework can include any or all of the components listed below:

•••• making sure you understand the task or objective to be accomplished.

•••• identifying the steps that should be taken to accomplish a task or objective. Some steps or actions will be more efficient than others -- allowing you to achieve your goals more quickly, easily and cost-effectively than other possible courses of action.

•••• identifying the time and resources (personnel, equipment, supplies and information) required for each step identified.

•••• anticipating any obstacles that might be encountered and developing contingency plans to overcome anticipated obstacles.

•••• establishing a time line to identify the time frame and sequence for completing steps.

•••• establishing mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the plan to ensure that it is implemented in a timely and appropriate manner, and moves you toward your designated objectives.


2. Preparation/Strategy: During the Oral Board test, you will need to plan your activities to ensure you allow enough time to prepare for each exercise and to address all pertinent issues while participating in each exercise.

3. Examples: Some examples of how you may display Planning & Organizing in the Oral Board

test include such behaviors as:

a. introducing the general topic of discussion and outlining the points to be addressed. b. determining the order in which issues should be addressed. c. keeping track of time in order to ensure that all relevant issues are addressed in the

amount of time allotted. d. suggesting when the discussion should move on to another issue or interjecting comments

to get the discussion back on track when the role-player has gone off on a tangent. F. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:

1. Definition: Resource Management is related to Planning & Organizing in that it represents the efficient use of resources to accomplish any task or objective. However, to determine whether or not resources are being used efficiently one must:

• allocate resources based on priorities and personnel capabilities.

• allocate authority and responsibility as warranted.

• clearly explain assigned tasks, objectives and performance expectations.

• minimize duplication of effort.

• monitor the progress and quality of work.

2. Preparation/Strategy: During the Oral Board test, you may be coordinating the activities of

internal personnel at various levels as well as civilians and members of other agencies. You can enhance your performance by attending to the requirements listed above for utilizing resources efficiently.


EXAMINATION COMPONENT SAMPLES Samples are provided on the following pages to give you an idea of what to expect on each component of this examination. The open-book and closed-book test examples are drawn from reference documents representing a cross-section of Police Departments and are NOT based on the current sources or job description of the Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) Sergeant. Nevertheless, these items are similar in format and content to the types of items that will appear on the upcoming CPD Sergeant’s examination. Likewise, the sample Oral Board exercise is a prototypical example of what candidates can expect and is only intended to provide candidates with an idea of the basic format and content of these tests – the sample represents a cross-section of Police Departments and is NOT based on actual documents and situations that CPD Sergeants might typically encounter.

• Sample Multiple-Choice Technical Knowledge Examination Questions

These sample questions are intended to provide you with an idea of the basic format and content of the closed- and open-book test questions. Once again, these questions were drawn from documents pertaining to a variety of police departments and may not be consistent with the documents relevant to the CPD. These items will not be used on the upcoming exam and are only meant to demonstrate what the actual test items will look like.

• Sample Oral Board Exercise

The sample exercise provided is a generic prototype intended to illustrate a type of situation you might encounter during the actual Oral Board test. Again, the actual exercise you receive will be based on the duties, tasks and situations of relevance to CPD Sergeants and will be designed to assess the abilities identified earlier in this guide.

Answers are provided for the sample multiple-choice technical knowledge questions, and suggested responses are provided for the sample Oral Board exercise.


I. Sample Multiple-Choice Technical Knowledge Examination Questions (Answers are listed on page 29)

A. SAMPLE CLOSED-BOOK QUESTIONS 1. Departmental Sources:

1. Officers may resort to the lawful use of firearms when they reasonably believe that it is necessary to:

A. defend themselves against physical force.

B. defend a third person against physical force.

C. prevent the escape from custody of a person attempting to escape by the use of a deadly weapon.

D. prevent the escape from custody of a person who has committed a felony, whether or not it involved the use of a deadly weapon.

2. A person who causes another’s death as a proximate result of attempting to commit a

misdemeanor is guilty of:

A. negligent homicide, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

B. involuntary manslaughter, an aggravated felony of the first degree.

C. involuntary manslaughter, an aggravated felony of the third degree.

D. voluntary manslaughter, an aggravated felony of the first degree.

3. When weighing the issues of probable cause in domestic violence incidents, officers should keep in mind that:

A. the standards for determining probable cause in these cases are more stringent than in

other criminal actions.

B. in the absence of contradictory evidence, the victim’s willingness to sign a complaint constitutes probable cause for an arrest.

C. in cases of marital co-ownership, charges can be placed solely for property destruction only when damage to the victim’s property exceeds 500 dollars.

D. in cases of mutual combat in which one cannot determine the primary aggressor, it is preferable to charge neither party than to charge both.

4. If after a suspect in custody has been given Miranda Warnings, the suspect elects to remain

silent and does not wish to consult with an attorney, officers may:

A. only re-approach the suspect if the suspect initiates further communication.

B. re-approach the suspect after waiting a reasonable period of time and re-advising the suspect of his/her Miranda Warnings.

C. not initiate any further contact with the suspect.

D. not initiate any further contact with the suspect until the suspect has had an opportunity to confer with an attorney.


5. One of your officers uses Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray to control an individual who is resisting arrest in a carjacking incident. Once the subject has been controlled and properly handcuffed, the most appropriate action the officer should take to help the subject recover would be to:

A. transport the subject to a hospital emergency room.

B. permit the subject to flush his or her face with water, keeping his or her eyes closed at all times.

C. move the subject from the place of exposure to a location where direct sunlight is available.

D. move the subject from the place of exposure to fresh air and out of direct sunlight.

6. A person is guilty of aggravated robbery when, in the course of committing a theft, the person:

A. uses force against another.

B. threatens the immediate use of force against another.

C. threatens the immediate use of force against a juvenile victim.

D. attempts to inflict serious physical harm on an adult victim. 2. Textbook:

7. Although there are many theories of leadership, it is generally accepted that leaders achieve

goals through a process of influencing organizational members to:

A. plan, organize and communicate.

B. use their energies willingly and appropriately.

C. respect the powers held by legitimate authority.

D. comply with established policies and procedures.

8. The National Commission on Productivity has determined that police productivity could be improved by:

A. revising current practices even if it means an increase in costs.

B. allocating resources to those activities that yield the highest return for each dollar spent.

C. not emphasizing one objective over other objectives in order to ensure that effort is expended on all measures.

D. emphasizing teamwork and minimizing individual achievement.

9. There are many intrinsic rewards to officers who work in a problem-solving police department. According to the authors, the most significant feature of this type of department is the:

A. involvement of line officers in decision making.

B. greater control the officer has over the work performed.

C. increased responsibility shared with other officers.

D. higher degree of autonomy each officer is allowed to maintain.


10. When discussing the communication process, the authors utilize the term "gatekeeping." This term refers to the:

A. receiver of a message failing to acknowledge the importance of nonverbal communication.

B. receiver of a message determining the importance and relevancy of each and every message.

C. sender of a message failing to acknowledge the importance of nonverbal communication.

D. sender of a message determining the importance and relevancy of each and every message.

B. SAMPLE OPEN-BOOK QUESTIONS

11. As a Sergeant, you are approached by an officer who has arrested a twelve-year-old juvenile delinquent on a class B felony charge. The officer is asking about the arrest processing procedures. You would be correct to state that the law allows the officer to obtain:

A. only photographs of the juvenile, which must be forwarded to the Family Court without

delay.

B. only fingerprints of the juvenile, unless otherwise directed by the Family Court Judge.

C. fingerprints and palm prints, but photographs of the juvenile may not be taken.

D. fingerprints, palm prints and photographs of the juvenile.

12. When a vehicle that requires inspection is involved in a property damage accident that is reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the commissioner may require that the vehicle be re-inspected. In such a case, if the vehicle was driven away from the accident site, the re-inspection must be made within:

A. 30 days of the accident.

B. 30 days of the submission of the accident report.

C. 60 days of the accident.

D. 60 days of the submission of the accident report.

13. When submitted to a court, a complaint must specify in writing several conditions. One condition which must be included in the complaint is the:

A. amount of bail.

B. municipality and county where the complaint was issued.

C. offense with which the accused is charged.

D. geographical limitations of the peace officers.

14. The State’s Attorney will give notice of a pending non-judicial forfeiture for property seized under the Controlled Substance Act within 45 days if the property is:

A. a drug dealer’s home that does not have an assessed value greater than 50,000 dollars.

B. a computer used by a drug dealer to make cocaine deals via the Internet worth 5,500 dollars.

C. five gold bars worth 22,000 dollars.

D. 29,000 dollars in cash found in the trunk of a car parked at a known drug house.


15. Sergeants who are given an order which is in conflict with a previous order, rule, regulation or directive, but is otherwise proper, should:

A. disobey the conflicting order.

B. obey the conflicting order without question.

C. respectfully inform the superior officer issuing the conflicting order before proceeding.

D. respectfully inform the superior officer’s supervisor of the conflicting order before proceeding.

16. A 16-year-old male was suspected by officers of being involved in the sale of narcotic drugs.

One day, an officer stops the youth on a minor traffic violation and requests permission to search the vehicle he is operating. The youth agrees. Upon searching the vehicle, the officer finds a quantity of cocaine. Under these circumstances,:

A. the search was bad, because juveniles are not considered by the court to be capable of

consenting to any search.

B. the cocaine will be inadmissible, because a youth cannot consent to such a search without a parent or guardian being present.

C. the court hearing the matter will consider the totality of the circumstances in determining the voluntariness of the youth’s consent to the search.

D. the evidence seized must be deemed inadmissible unless the youth’s parent or guardian gives post facto authorization for the search.

C. ANSWERS TO SAMPLE CLOSED- AND OPEN-BOOK QUESTIONS

Closed-Book Suggested Responses – Departmental Sources

1. C

2. C

3. B

4. B

5. D

6. D

Closed-Book Suggested Responses – Textbook

7. B

8. B

9. A

10. D

Open-Book Suggested Responses

11. D

12. C

13. C

14. B

15. C

16. C


II. Sample Oral Board Exercise Below is a sample problem similar to those you might encounter during the Oral Board test. This

sample requires the candidate to interact with a subordinate on a personnel issue.

During the actual Oral Board test, each problem will specify the form in which you are to provide your

response. If one or more individuals will play a role in the problem, the explanation of the problem will

state that.

The following sample exercise is a generic prototype, representing a type of situation you might encounter

during the actual Oral Board test. The actual exercises you will receive will be developed based on the

duties, tasks, and situations of relevance to CPD Sergeants, and will be designed to assess the six ability

areas identified earlier in this guide.

The sample provided below is presented for illustrative purposes ONLY.

A. SAMPLE SUBORDINATE PERFORMANCE EXERCISE

You are a newly promoted Sergeant who has observed some problems with one of your subordinates, Chris Varella. You have heard comments and complaints from some of the other officers, suggesting there may be a problem with Varella regarding insufficient back-up. Varella has been a patrol officer for five years. As a patrol officer, Varella has received a commendation for ending a high speed vehicle chase and arresting the perpetrator without incident. In fact, Varella has been consistently cited for being a high performer. Recently, however, you have observed that Patrol Officer Varella is not backing up other officers. In one incident, another officer called for help when trying to break-up a fight at a local bar. When you arrived on the scene, the officer had taken the disputants into custody, but not before he received minor injuries. You noticed that Patrol Officer Varella was standing around at the scene talking to other responding officers about the previous night's hockey game. In addition, you had heard the dispatcher call Varella to respond to other pending calls. Varella had advised that they were unavailable. You ordered the officers to return to service. The next day, you observed Varella eating dinner in a local establishment. It was a very busy night and the dispatcher had been calling for available units. When you entered the restaurant, Varella claimed to have just come by to grab a quick bite to eat. You again ordered the officer to return to service. Today, an old friend of yours, Patrol Officer Moyer, who works closely with Varella, advised you that last night Varella did not provide back up at the scene of a violent confrontation involving two civilians at an accident scene. As a result, an officer received minor injuries. Moyer assured you that he has no axe to grind but that the situation was potentially very dangerous and he felt that Varella should have been there. You have advised your superior of the situation and she recommended that you handle it at your level. Consequently, you have decided to call Patrol Officer Chris Varella into your office for a private conference to discuss the situation and work toward a resolution. A role-player will assume the role of Patrol Officer Chris Varella and will be introduced to you as soon as you enter the room. Remember that you will have 10 minutes to complete this exercise. It is up to you to keep track of the time.


B. POSSIBLE RESPONSES

Oral Expression In this situation, the candidate would be talking to a role-player who would be acting as the problem officer. Often, it is difficult to face other people with their deficiencies, and any discomfort that candidates may feel in this situation tends to be reflected in their ability to demonstrate Oral Expression skills. Candidates would perform well on this dimension by speaking clearly--enunciating their words, speaking at a volume that is easy to hear and using concise and appropriate words, phrases and sentences. Good performance in this area is also characterized by a logical and organized presentation of relevant information. For example, candidates should organize their discussion so that the officer knows why he or she is there, knows what the problems are and knows what to do about them. Candidates should also be able to field questions and comments made by the officer. Less effectiveness would be displayed with respect to this dimension if candidates were difficult to hear, if their discussion was disorganized or if they had difficulty expressing their views and concerns regarding the officer's performance. Occasionally, when faced with a difficult interpersonal interaction, candidates become flustered and forget what they intended to say. Using the outlining strategy described in the preparation strategies section of this guide should help candidates remember what to address first, what questions to ask and what issues are most important. Information Analysis Candidates would perform well in this area if they successfully identified all of the relevant information provided in the written description of the problem. For example, candidates should be able to identify that Patrol Officer Varella is not backing up other personnel or readily responding to calls. By establishing priorities among problems that are identified, candidates would provide additional evidence of their skill in this area. Candidates must organize their discussions and make statements that indicate they have identified the important information from the written problem. In part, the ability to identify important information will be reflected in the ability to evaluate problem situations, an aspect of performance that is included in the Judgment & Decision Making dimension of performance. High-performing candidates would also distinguish the relevant information from the irrelevant information during the actual interaction with the problem officer. The officer will provide information and make comments that should be dealt with during the discussion. For example, the officer may attempt to place blame on others or call attention to the fact that other officers exhibit similar behaviors. Candidates must determine whether or not such comments are relevant and how to address them. To perform well in this area, the candidate should also seek additional information from the officer involved to supplement what information was already known. For example, the officer did not seem to have any trouble performing prior to these incidents. What is the cause(s) of the officer's poor performance? Less effectiveness would be displayed in this dimension if candidates neglected important aspects of the problem. For example, if candidates focused on the fact that the officer was previously a good performer without getting at the reason for the change, their effectiveness would be limited. Candidates' effectiveness would also suffer if they allowed the problem officer to cloud the discussion with irrelevant information about other officers or other irrelevant issues.


Judgment & Decision Making Candidates need to analyze the available information and then identify which issues need to be addressed. Problems with responsibilities at incident scenes were witnessed by other police personnel, so candidates might perceive that responding to incident scenes is one issue which needs to be addressed. Failure to back up personnel might also be identified as an area which needs to be addressed. Next, candidates should develop an alternative solution(s) for the problems identified. Would the problem officer require additional training? Would he or she need to be reassigned? Would he or she receive disciplinary warnings? Candidates should take into consideration the implications of the alternative solutions available to them in making their decisions about what course of action to take. What would be fair to the officer whose performance is poor? What would be fair to the others involved (i.e., his/her peers, etc?) Overall, to perform well in this area, candidates should identify the most important aspects of the problem and make sound and timely decisions based on the information provided in the explanation of the problem, as well as information provided by the subordinate in the actual discussion of the situation. Making a strong case for their determinations of importance and making a strong case for their chosen solutions would help candidates to perform most effectively in this area. Less effectiveness would be displayed if candidates did not take all of the information into account when making decisions and if they did not support their ideas logically. Interpersonal Relations Like Oral Expression, this dimension of performance would be displayed throughout candidates' interactions with the problem officer. Candidates would perform well in this area if they demonstrated a concern for the problem officer as well as a concern for the officers who were negatively affected by Patrol Officer Varella's neglect of duties (i.e., the officer who received minor injuries during a fight at a local bar). Comments directed at the problem officer's behavior rather than at the personal attributes of the officer would display consideration for the officer's feelings and contribute to greater effectiveness in this area. For example, candidates could point out that certain aspects of the officer's behavior (i.e., responding to incident scenes; backing up other personnel) were not up to par or were not effective. Such points must be made tactfully, though, so as not to make the officer feel inferior or arouse his or her defenses. Candidates' concern for the problem officer should be balanced with a concern for those who report to the officer and are affected by the problem officer's performance. An effective way to display this aspect of Interpersonal Relations is to make sure that action is taken to improve the officer's performance. Actions could also be taken to protect the subordinates from the consequences of the problem officer's poor performance. For example, if candidates felt the allegations regarding the officer's failure to respond to incident scenes or back up personnel posed a threat to the safety of personnel and civilians, candidates should take some actions to protect these individuals, such as temporarily reassigning the problem officer. Another aspect of Interpersonal Relations would be displayed in the way candidates interacted with the problem officer. Candidates who allowed the officer an opportunity to speak, who listened attentively to the officer and who maintained their position of authority without damaging the officer's self-esteem would achieve higher levels of performance.


Less effectiveness would be displayed if candidates made comments directed toward the individual officer's personality, such as stating that the officer just "doesn't have what it takes". A lack of objectivity might also detract from a candidate's performance on this dimension. For example, if candidates assumed that all of the negative allegations made about the problem officer were true, they might be more likely to be harsh with the officer in their actual discussions with him or her. This aspect of the meeting with the problem officer is related to the Information Analysis and Judgment & Decision Making dimensions, in that it deals with the amount of importance that candidates place on various pieces of information. Candidates who would not allow the problem officer to state his or her case, who disregarded the officer's comments or who interrupted the officer during the discussion would also display less effectiveness. Planning & Organizing To perform well in this area, candidates should define a plan of action for the problem officer to follow in order to improve his or her performance. Candidates should explain exactly what steps the officer should take, when they should be taken, and why he or she should follow these steps. Candidates should also explain what will happen if performance does not improve. Another aspect of Planning & Organizing is anticipating any obstacles or hurdles that might be encountered while implementing a plan of action. For example, Patrol Officer Varella may not be accepting of the candidate's plan of action. An effective candidate would be armed with contingency plans to deal with such obstacles. Less effectiveness would be displayed in this dimension of performance if candidates did not make clear and detailed suggestions to the officer about how to improve performance, were not specific in their instructions to the officer or did not have any contingency plans to offer. Resource Management To perform effectively in this dimension, candidates should make use of the resources available to solve the problem. Could the problem officer be sent to classes to improve his or her skills? Could the candidate get information about the officer's performance from other personnel (i.e., individuals other than those who have made complaints or other units, such as Communications)? In addition, a candidate who would utilize other personnel (e.g., training courses) would also be more effective if he/she would monitor the progress of the officer participating in the training. Less effectiveness would be displayed if candidates did not make use of available resources, or made ineffective plans for using available resources. For example, if candidates suggested taking away the problem officer's responsibilities, without making decisions about how to replace the officer, the candidate's performance would suffer.


********************************************************************************************************************

CONCLUSION

This preparation guide is designed to familiarize candidates with all aspects of the multiple

components of the examination, including the items and exercises, logistics and evaluation

procedures; as well as to provide some suggestions for preparation. The suggestions provided here

are not exhaustive -- we encourage candidates to engage in any additional preparation strategies they

believe will enhance their chances of performing effectively on the promotion examination and on the

job.

********************************************************************************************************************

BEST OF LUCK!

cleveland division of police candidate …cpd promotion to sergeant examination – candidate...

Documents