GIAC Certification Exam agreement update

I was just looking over the appointment reminder email for my exam tomorrow, and I noticed something I haven't seen before.

"However, hardcopy reference materials having the appearance of practice test and/or exam questions and answers are strictly prohibited."

I look a look at my GSEC appointment reminder email from September 25, 2015, and this line isn't present. My guess is someone recorded there practice exams, printed out the questions and answers from them. While I can't recall any questions that were exactly the same on the practice test / GIAC exams I taken, I have seen questions that were fairly close in content. In addition someone who took the same exam recently, they could give a heads up on the some of the exam questions they remember. My guess is they caught someone with something along the lines of a brain **** during an examination attempt to prompt them to include this statement.

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TechGuru80

I heard about this at a conference a while back...specifically they said do not screenshot your practice exams and take them to the exam. I’ve seen that verbiage in both of my exams, and I believe it says something on the practice exams.

Randy_Randerson

TechGuru80 wrote: »

I heard about this at a conference a while back...specifically they said do not screenshot your practice exams and take them to the exam. I’ve seen that verbiage in both of my exams, and I believe it says something on the practice exams.

Correct, it also has the "Do not take screenshots or note take the questions" banner at the top of it as well. Been like that for quite some time now.

TechGromit

TechGuru80 wrote: »

I heard about this at a conference a while back...specifically they said do not screenshot your practice exams and take them to the exam. I’ve seen that verbiage in both of my exams, and I believe it says something on the practice exams.

I remember the disclaimer on the practice exams not to copy or disclose the test questions. I've heard of people recording there practice exams, but I never have. The most I have done with quick scribble down review this topic or that when I get a question wrong. One area of weakness I think there is on a practice exams when they give you an explanation of why you got a question wrong, the timer is not stopped. While there is a very detailed explanation why you got a question wrong, there is no time to fully digest the answer. While I guess part of the reason is to give you a feel of the time you have on an exam, having a 5 second answer timer to give you a chance to fully read the answer without the exam timer to continue to run would be nice.

mactex

TechGromit wrote: »

I remember the disclaimer on the practice exams not to copy or disclose the test questions. I've heard of people recording there practice exams, but I never have. The most I have done with quick scribble down review this topic or that when I get a question wrong. One area of weakness I think there is on a practice exams when they give you an explanation of why you got a question wrong, the timer is not stopped. While there is a very detailed explanation why you got a question wrong, there is no time to fully digest the answer. While I guess part of the reason is to give you a feel of the time you have on an exam, having a 5 second answer timer to give you a chance to fully read the answer without the exam timer to continue to run would be nice.

Totally agree. That clock is ticking while you are trying to understand why you were wrong. They need to figure out a better way.

SaSkiller

I have no issues with doing it for your own use in study, bringing it to the test doesn't sit right.

quogue66

I took one of the Cisco Cyber Ops exams yesterday. As I was leaving the testing center there was a guy with SANS books getting ready to enter the testing room. The proctors did look through the material he was bringing in. I'm not sure how thorough they were but I've never had anyone look through my materials before. This was also my first time at this testing center. I'm taking the GCIA next month so I'll see if there is a difference in how they look at my material.

LWB250

I've used the same Pearson test center for all of my GIAC exams, and they have never checked the materials I bring in. For that matter, I'm wondering how they would be able to discern practice test materials unless you had a book of screen shots.

On a related note, I always ask for an empty room if they have it, as I toss all my books and index on the floor around my chair so I can easily see/reach each one. I'm rustling pages and picking up/putting down books as I check my index and verify my answers, so I'm pretty noisy. I tell them this up front so they understand why I ask.

cyberguypr

Good point. People at one of my testing centers can barely tell the difference between a keyboard and a mouse. One particular lady was dead set that I couldn't bring any books in no matter what the exam provider said. That was not a fun day.

TechGromit

quogue66 wrote: »

The proctors did look through the material he was bringing in. I'm not sure how thorough they were but I've never had anyone look through my materials before.

When I took my exam in January, the proctor looked through my materials, don't know if she knew what to look for. It was just a quick look though, I had my index and **** sheets with me.

LWB250 wrote: »

On a related note, I always ask for an empty room if they have it, as I toss all my books and index on the floor around my chair so I can easily see/reach each one. I'm rustling pages and picking up/putting down books as I check my index and verify my answers, so I'm pretty noisy. I tell them this up front so they understand why I ask.

I'm fortunately the test center I use near me has full sized desks for the testing PC, that's always plenty of room on the desk for my books and notes. I recall when I took my A+ and Network+ exams year ago, the PC was on in a tiny desk cubicle, not room for any materials, not even sure there be enough room for a dry erase board.

Randy_Randerson

cyberguypr wrote: »

Good point. People at one of my testing centers can barely tell the difference between a keyboard and a mouse. One particular lady was dead set that I couldn't bring any books in no matter what the exam provider said. That was not a fun day.

That would have been mind numbing. I had it when I took a GIAC that they believed I couldn't bring in printed material or other book material, JUST the courseware books. I literally had to read word for word what the NDA you sign said and she still had to ask someone else to make sure.

TechGuru80

Randy_Randerson wrote: »

That would have been mind numbing. I had it when I took a GIAC that they believed I couldn't bring in printed material or other book material, JUST the courseware books. I literally had to read word for word what the NDA you sign said and she still had to ask someone else to make sure.

I had an instructor that said make sure to get there early incase they need to call somebody from GIAC to confirm. Says right on the confirmation pages you are also supposed to print the confirmation sheet that says that GIAC exams are open book. I've asked the proctors both times if any other exams allow books and it sounds like there aren't any others that do...so it is kind of out of the ordinary.