Exam Layout and Design

Historically, there have been six types of question formats on Microsoft certification exams. These types of questions continue to appear on current Microsoft tests and they are discussed in the following sections:

• Multiple-choice, single answer

• Multiple-choice, multiple answers

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

• Create-a-tree (categorization and prioritization)

• Drag-and-connect

• Select-and-place (drag-and-drop)

The Single-Answer and Multiple-Answer Multiple-Choice Question Formats

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 right or wrong.

Question 1	You have three domains connected to an empty root domain under one contiguous domain name : tutu.com . This organization is formed into a forest arrangement, with a secondary domain called frog.com . How many schema masters exist for this arrangement? A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4
A1:	The correct answer is A. This answer is correct because only one schema master is necessary for a forest arrangement. The other answers (B, C, and D) are misleading because they try to make you believe that schema masters might be in each domain or perhaps that you should have one for each contiguous namespace domain.

This sample question format corresponds closely to the Microsoft certification exam format. The only difference is that on the exam, the questions are not followed by answers and their explanations . To select an answer, you position the cursor over the option button next to the answer you want to select. Then you click the mouse button to select the answer.

Next, examine a question with one or more possible answers. This type of question provides check boxes rather than option buttons for marking all appropriate selections.

Question 2

What can you use to seize FSMO roles? (Choose two.) A. The ntdsutil.exe utility B. The Active Directory Users and Computers console C. The secedit.exe utility D. The utilman.exe utility

A1:

The correct answers are A and B. You can seize roles from a server that is still running through the Active Directory Users and Computers console, or in the case of a server failure, you can seize roles with the ntdsutil.exe utility. You use the secedit.exe utility to force Group Policies into play; therefore, answer C is incorrect. The utilman.exe tool manages accessibility settings in Windows Server 2003; therefore, answer D is incorrect.

This question requires two answers. Microsoft sometimes gives partial credit for partially correct answers. For Question 2, you have to mark the check boxes next to answers A and B to obtain credit for a correct answer. Notice that choosing the right answers also means knowing why the other answers are wrong.

The Build-List-and-Reorder Question Format

Questions in the build-list-and-reorder format present two lists of items ”one on the left side 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.

These questions generally sound like this: "From the following list of choices, pick the choices that answer the question. Arrange the list in a certain order." Question 3 shows an example of how they appear in this book; for an example of how they appear on the test, see Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1. The format for build-list-and-reorder questions.

Question 3	From the following list of famous people, choose those who have been elected president of the United States. Arrange the list in the order in which the presidents served . 1. Thomas Jefferson 2. Ben Franklin 3. Abe Lincoln 4. George Washington 5. Andrew Jackson 6. Paul Revere
A1:	This is the correct answer: 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 Question 3 does not include all the items from the initial list. However, that might not always be the case.

To move an item from the right list to the left list on the exam, you first select the item by clicking it, and 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 selecting it and then clicking either the Add or Remove button. After you move items to the left list, you can move an item by selecting it and clicking the up or down arrow buttons.

The Create-a-Tree Question Format

Questions in the create-a-tree format also present two lists ”one on the left side of the screen 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 correct node in the tree.

These questions can best be characterized as simply a matching exercise. Items from the list on the right are placed under the appropriate category in the list on the left. Question 4 shows an example of how they appear in this book; for a sample of how they appear on the test, see Figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2. The create-a-tree question format.

Question 4	The calendar year is divided into four seasons: Winter Spring Summer Fall Identify the season during which each of the following holidays occurs: Christmas Fourth of July Labor Day Flag Day Memorial Day Washington's Birthday Thanksgiving Easter
A1:	These are the correct answers: Winter Christmas Washington's Birthday Spring Flag Day Memorial Day Easter Summer Fourth of July Labor Day Fall Thanksgiving

In this case, you use all the items in the list. However, that might not always be the case.

To move an item from the right list to its correct location in the tree, you must first select the corresponding tree node by clicking it. Then you select the item to be moved and click the Add button. After you add one or more items to a tree node, a + icon appears to the left of the node name. You can click this icon to expand the node and view the items you have added. If you have added any item to the wrong tree node, you can remove it by selecting it and clicking the Remove button.

The 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.

This type of question is best described by using graphics. Figure 1.3 shows an example.

Figure 1.3. The drag-and-connect question format.

Question 5
A1:	The correct answer is shown in Figure 1.4. Figure 1.4. The answer to a drag-and-connect question format.

For this type of question, it's not necessary to use every object, and you can use each connection multiple times.

The 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 you need to drag to correctly fill in the blank boxes. To answer these questions, you must move the labels to their correct positions on the diagram.

This type of question is best described by using graphics. Figure 1.5 shows an example.

Figure 1.5. The select-and-place question format.

Question 6
A1:	The correct answer is shown in Figure 1.6. Figure 1.6. The answer to a select-and-place question format.

Design Exam Question Formats

The Windows 2000 MCSE track first introduced Microsoft's design series of exams. For the Windows Server 2003 MCSE track, design exams continue to be a core part of the curriculum. For the design exams, each exam consists entirely of a series of case studies, and the questions can be of six types. The MCSE design exams for the MCSE on Windows Server 2003 include the following:

• 70-229 : Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

• 70-297 : Designing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure

• 70-298 : Designing Security for a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network

For design exams, each case study or "testlet" presents a detailed problem that you must read and analyze. Figure 1.7 shows an example of what a case study looks like. You must select the different tabs in the case study to view the entire case.

Figure 1.7. The format for case-study questions.

Following each case study is a set of questions related to the case study; these questions can be one of six types (which have been described previously). Careful attention to the details supplied in the case study is the key to success. You should be prepared to toggle between the case study and the questions frequently as you work. Some of the case studies include diagrams, which are 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, after you move on to the next case study, you might not be able to return to the previous case study to make any changes.

For the MCSA and MCSE core exams and the upgrade exams, the same six types of questions can appear, but you are not likely to encounter complex multi-question case studies. The MCSA/MCSE core exams and upgrade exams for the Windows Server 2003 track include the following:

• 70-290 : Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment

• 70-291 : Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure

• 70-292 : Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSA Certified on Windows 2000

• 70-293 : Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure

• 70-294 : Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure

• 70-296 : Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSE Certified on Windows 2000

New Exam Question Formats

Microsoft is introducing several new question types in addition to the more traditional types of questions that are still widely used on all Microsoft exams. Microsoft thoroughly researched and tested these new, innovative question types before choosing to include them in many of the newer exams for the MCSA/MCSE on the Windows 2000 track and for the MCSA/MCSE on the Windows Server 2003 track. These new question types are as follows :

• Hot area questions

• Active screen questions

• New drag-and-drop “type questions

• Simulation questions

Hot Area Question Types

Hot area questions ask you to indicate the correct answer by selecting one or more elements in a graphic. For example, you might be asked to select multiple objects within a list, as shown in Figure 1.8.

Figure 1.8. Selecting objects in a list box to answer a hot area question.

Active Screen Question Types

Active screen questions ask you to configure a dialog box by modifying one or more elements. These types of questions offer a realistic interface in which you must correctly configure various settings, just as you would in the actual software product. For example, you might be asked to select the correct option in a drop-down list box, as shown in Figure 1.9.

Figure 1.9. Configuring an option from a dialog box's drop-down list box to answer an active screen question.

New Drag-and-Drop Question Types

New drag-and-drop questions ask you to drag source elements to their corresponding targets within a work area. These types of questions test your knowledge of specific concepts and their definitions or descriptions. For example, you might be asked to match a description of a computer program to the actual software application, as shown in Figure 1.10.

Figure 1.10. Using drag and drop to match the correct application description to each software program.

Simulation Question Types

Simulation questions ask you to indicate the correct answer by performing specific tasks, such as configuring and installing network adapters or drivers, configuring and controlling access to files, or troubleshooting hardware devices. Many of the tasks that systems administrators and systems engineers perform can be presented more accurately in simulations than in most traditional exam question types (see Figure 1.11).

Figure 1.11. Answering a simulation question about troubleshooting a network printing problem.