Exam Layout and Design: New Case Study Format

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Developing XML Web Services and Server Components with Visual C#™ .NET and the .NET Framework, Exam Cram™ 2 (Exam 70-320)
By Amit Kalani, Priti Kalani

Table of Contents
Chapter 1.  Microsoft Certification Exams


The format of Microsoft exams can vary. For example, many exams consist of a series of case studies, with six types of questions regarding each presented case. Other exams might have the same six types of questions but no complex multiquestion case studies.

For the Design exams, each case study presents a detailed problem that you must read and analyze. Figure 1.1 shows an example of a case study. You must select the various tabs in the case study to view the entire case.

Figure 1.1. This is a typical case study.

graphics/01fig01.gif

Following each case study is a set of questions related to the case study. These questions can be one of six types (which are discussed next). Careful attention to details provided in the case study is the key to success. Also, be prepared to toggle frequently between the case study and questions as you work. Some of the case studies also include diagrams (called exhibits) that you'll need to examine closely to understand how to answer the questions.

After you complete a case study, you can review all the questions and your answers. However, when you move on to the next case study, you cannot return to the previous case study or make any changes.

Following are the six question formats:

  • Multiple choices, single answer

  • Multiple choices, multiple answers

  • Build-list-and reorder (list-prioritization)

  • Create-a-tree

  • Drag-and-connect

  • Select-and-place (drag-and-drop)

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It is quite likely that Exam 70-320 is a multiple-choice question format exam.


Multiple-Choice Question Format

Some exam questions require you to select a single answer, whereas others ask you to select multiple correct answers. The following multiple-choice question requires you to select a single correct answer. Following the question is a brief summary of each potential answer and why it is either right or wrong.

Question 1

You are developing an ASP.NET Web application for project management. Users from different types of operating systems and Web browsers will use your application, and some users might have cookies disabled on their browsers. You need to store page-specific information across page postbacks. The solution you choose must minimize the use of server resources. Which of the following options would you choose?

  • A. Use View state to store the information.

  • B. Use Session state to store the information.

  • C. Use Application state to store the information.

  • D. Use Microsoft SQL Server to store the information.

A1:

Answer A is correct. View state is maintained in the Web page itself as hidden variables. This minimizes server resources and does not require specific browser support. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because they all use server-side resources to maintain state and are not suitable for storing page-specific information.

This sample question format corresponds closely to the Microsoft Certification Exam format (of course, questions are not followed by answer keys on the exam). To select an answer, you position the cursor over the radio button next to the answer and click the mouse button to select the answer.

Let's examine a question in which one or more answers are possible. This type of question provides check boxes rather than radio buttons (circles) for marking all appropriate selections.

Question 2

You are using IIS to authenticate users of an ASP.NET application. Part of your corporate security guidelines states that passwords must never cross the Internet in clear text. Which authentication methods can you use? (Select two.)

  • A. Anonymous

  • B. Digest

  • C. Windows Integrated

  • D. Basic

A1:

The correct answers are B and C. Digest authentication encrypts the password before it crosses the Internet, and Windows Integrated authentication uses either Kerberos or challenge/response to keep passwords off the wire entirely. Answer A is not correct because Anonymous authentication does not actually authenticate users. Answer D is not correct because Basic authentication transmits passwords in plain text.

For this particular question, two answers are required. Microsoft sometimes gives partial credit for partially correct answers. For question 2, you must check the boxes next to answers B and C to obtain credit for a correct answer. Notice that picking the right answers also means knowing why the other answers are wrong.

Build-List-and-Reorder Question Format

Questions in the build-list-and-reorder format present two lists of items: one on the left and one on the right. To answer the question, you must move items from the list on the right to the list on the left. The final list must then be reordered into a specific order.

graphics/alert_icon.gif

It is quite likely that you will not see any build-list-and-reorder type of questions on Exam 70-320.


These questions are usually in the form, "From the following list of choices, pick the choices that answer the question. Arrange the list in a certain order." For a sample of how they appear on the test, see Figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2. This is how build-list-and-reorder questions appear.

graphics/01fig02.jpg

Question 3

From the following list of famous people, pick those who have been elected President of the United States. Arrange the list in the order in which they served.

Thomas Jefferson

Ben Franklin

Abe Lincoln

George Washington

Andrew Jackson

Paul Revere

The correct answer is:

George Washington

Thomas Jefferson

Andrew Jackson

Abe Lincoln

On an actual exam, the entire list of famous people would initially appear in the list on the right. You would move the four correct answers to the list on the left and then reorder the list on the left. Notice that the answer to the question did not include all the items from the initial list. However, this might not always be the case.

To move an item from the right list to the left list, first select the item by clicking it; then click the Add button (left arrow). After you move an item from one list to the other, you can move the item back by first selecting the item and then clicking the appropriate button (either the Add button or the Remove button). After items have been moved to the left list, you can reorder the list by selecting an item and clicking the up or down arrow buttons.

Create-a-Tree Question Format

Questions in the create-a-tree format also present two lists: one on the left and one on the right. The list on the right consists of individual items, and the list on the left consists of nodes in a tree. To answer the question, you must move items from the list on the right to the appropriate node in the tree.

graphics/alert_icon.gif

It is quite likely that you will not see any create-a-tree type of questions on Exam 70-320.


These questions are basically a matching exercise. Items from the list on the right are placed under the appropriate category in the list on the left. For a sample of how they appear on the test, see Figure 1.3.

Figure 1.3. This is how create-a-tree questions appear.

graphics/01fig03.jpg

Question 4

The calendar year is divided into four seasons:

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Identify the season when each of the following holidays occurs:

Christmas

Fourth of July

Labor Day

Flag Day

Memorial Day

Washington's Birthday

Thanksgiving

Easter

A1:

The correct answer is:

Winter

Christmas

Washington's Birthday

Spring

Flag Day

Memorial Day

Easter

Summer

Fourth of July

Labor Day

Fall

Thanksgiving

In this case, all the items in the list were used. However, this might not always be the case.

To move an item from the right list to its appropriate location in the tree, you must first select the appropriate tree node by clicking it. Then you select the item to be moved and click the Add button. If one or more items have been added to a tree node, the node is displayed with a plus icon (+) to the left of the node name. You can click this icon to expand the node and view whatever was added. If any item has been added to the wrong tree node, you can remove it by selecting it and clicking the Remove button (see Figure 1.3).

Drag-and-Connect Question Format

Questions in the drag-and-connect format present a group of objects and a list of connections. To answer the question, you must move the appropriate connections between the objects.

graphics/alert_icon.gif

It is quite likely that you will not see the drop-and-connect type of questions on Exam 70-320.


This type of question is best described using graphics. Here's an example.

Question 5

The following objects represent the various states of water:

graphics/01inf01.gif

Use items from the following list to connect the objects so that they are scientifically correct:

Sublimates to form

Freezes to form

Evaporates to form

Boils to form

Condenses to form

Melts to form

A1:

The correct answer is:

graphics/01inf02.gif

For this type of question, it's not necessary to use every object, but each connection can be used multiple times by dragging the answer to multiple locations. Dragging an answer away from its position removes it.

Select-and-Place Question Format

Questions in the select-and-place (drag-and-drop) format present a diagram with blank boxes and a list of labels that must be dragged to fill in the blank boxes. To answer the question, you must move the labels to their appropriate positions on the diagram.

This type of question is best described using graphics. Here's an example.

Question 6

Place the items in their proper order, by number, on the following flowchart. Some items may be used more than once, and some items might not be used at all.

graphics/01inf03.gif

A1:

The correct answer is shown in the following screen:

graphics/01inf04.gif


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    MCAD Developing XML Web Services and Server Components with Visual C#. NET and the. NET Framework Exam Cram 2 (Exam Cram 70-320)
    Managing Globally with Information Technology
    ISBN: 789728974
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2002
    Pages: 179

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