CISA review questions & Database

nkoladoo

HI All,

I am sitting for CISA in Spet 2016. Prior to buying the CISA Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual, I wanted to know the difference between the CISA Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual and the database?

IS the only difference that the database is like exam-type? you are like under exam conditions? And also is it worth going for it (USD 100 more)?

Thanks

TheFORCE

The database is part of an installation software where you can emulate the exam in electronic method. The manual is a book with questions and answers.

nkoladoo

So basically it is the same set of questions and answers?

Distord

Yes, same questions in the database and book - i have them both since my company paid for them ..
I'd recommend the online database so you can keep a good track on what are you doing right and wrong.

coffeeisgood

I have read like under 10 of the questions (out of the 5000?) were even related / similar to the actual CISA?

Did anyone find any real value in using this vs just reading the official study guide? I might spend my $ elsewhere for a database of questions as it is my own coin. Please share all thoughts to your own experience with this database of questions vs the real exam.

dustervoice

DB is what you need to succeed. Read the manual then focus on Q&A. Try to score minimum of 80% consistently without memorising the questions.

paulaas

I just passed the June CISA. I have a lot of IT and IT management experience, 8 months as auditor, learn fast and test well. So adjust the following based on how that relates to you....

I had both the book and online database. Didn't use the book at all. Spent about 13 hours with the online database by building up from 30-50 questions per testing cycle up to 100 questions per testing cycle. Found that if I was in a hurry, I would usually score 70%-80%. If I slowed down a bit to think of things in CISA terms, I could get 85%-90%. I concur some of the questions on the online DB are awful, but I didn't let that hang me up because my goal was to pass, not score perfect. I found that I was spending typically about .5 minutes/question.

With this approach, I took the June exam and finished in 60 minutes. Just got my scores - 655 (top 5%). So the strategy seemed to work. Study to pass, not get perfect. Realize that some questions are just terrible and will either be missed or gotten right by somehow divining the ISACA way of looking at the question. The key for me was lots of short repetitions, tracking progress, and then increasing the duration only at the end. The online DB facilitates doing all of these things really well - and really efficiently IMHO. Once I got the "mindset", and was able to have test taking strategies around the questions, I didn't worry about the rest. It is not so much a test of what you remember as it is a test of how to parse a problem and think about it in certain terms