You should read this book from front to back. Nothing in this book is a guess about an unknown exam. I have had to explain certain underlying information on such a regular basis that I have included those explanations here. After you have read this book, you can brush up on a certain areas by using the index or the table of contents to go straight to the topics and questions you want to reexamine. This book uses headings and subheadings to outline information about each given topic. After you are certified, you will find this book useful as a tightly focused reference and an essential foundation of information systems and controls auditing. Each Exam Cram chapter follows a regular structure and has graphical cues about especially important or useful material. The structure of a typical chapter is as follows: Opening hotlists Each chapter begins with a list of the terms you need to understand and concepts you need to master before you can be fully conversant in the chapter's subject matter. Topical coverage After the opening hotlists, each chapter mentions the topics related to the chapter's subject. A few introductory paragraphs set the stage for the rest of the chapter. Exam Alerts Throughout the text, Exam Alerts highlight material most likely to appear on the exam. They look like this: Exam Alert This is what an Exam Alert looks like. An Exam Alert stresses concepts, terms, or best practices that will most likely appear in one or more certification exam questions. For that reason, any information presented in an Exam Alert is worthy of unusual attention on your part.
All the content in this bookeven material not flagged as an Exam Alertis associated in some way with test-related material. Everything that appears in the chapter content is critical knowledge. Notes This book is an overall examination of database design and implementation. As such, it delves into many aspects of business systems. Where a body of knowledge is deeper than the scope of the book, notes indicate areas of concern. Here is what a note looks like: Note Cramming for an exam will get you through a test, but it will not make you a competent database implementation professional. Although you can memorize just the facts you need to become certified, your daily work in the field will rapidly put you in water over your head if you do not know the underlying principles. Tip Much of the performance of a database system comes out of a strong design. In contrast, a poor design will not perform well after it is implemented. Take the time during the initial stages of design to put together a sound foundation for the system. The bulk of the book follows this chapter structure, but it also includes a few other elements: Glossary This book provides an extensive glossary of important terms used in the book. The Cram Sheet This appears as a tear-away sheet inside the front cover of this Exam Cram book. It is a valuable tool that represents a collection of the most difficult-to-remember facts and numbers you should memorize before taking the test. Remember, although you will be asked to surrender all personal belongings other than pencils before you enter the exam room itself, you can dump this information out of your head onto a piece of paper as soon as you enter the testing room. The Cram Sheet mainly contains facts that require brute-force memorization. You need to remember this information only long enough to write it down when you walk into the testing room. You might want to look at the Cram Sheet in your car or in the lobby of the testing center just before you walk into the testing center. The Cram Sheet is divided with headings, so you can review the appropriate parts just before each test. Self-Assessment In the introductory section of the book you will find a self-assessment that you can use to see where you are in your preparations for this exam. |