1. FLTCM JoAnn Ortloff
U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa

2. The easiest of all factors to increase the FMS is the
exam score: you own this.
As your raw exam score increases, points towards your
FMS rise rapidly.
This is the area over which the advancement candidate
has the most direct control and should direct most of his
or her preparations.

3. HOW Do I STUDY?

4. Bibliography for Advancement
In preparing for an exam you must first obtain
the sources of information to study. The most
important listing of available references is
the bibliography for advancement.
The bibliography for advancement lists all the
references that were used by the test writers when
they developed the test questions for your
examination. The references listed are the only
materials used to write questions for your exam.
There are no mystery publications which the test
writers use to surprise you on the exam. You have
access to the answer to every single question on
your exam.

5. EXAMINATION PROFILE SHEETS
In studying the references listed on the bibliography for
advancement use your previous, examination profile
sheets to help you cover the specific areas in which you
have the most room for improvement.
Pay close attention to any categories in which you scored
average or below. Spend additional time concentrating on
these areas to bring you exam score up.
If you have more than one examination profile sheet in
your service record, pull them out and review them all.

6. The rating exams vary from cycle to cycle. An area in which
you scored poorly two exams ago may be hit hard on your
upcoming exam.
Remember that rating exams cover a broad area of
knowledge in your rating.
DO NOT neglect areas in which you know for a fact your
knowledge is weak.
On the other hand, do not spend all your time studying these
areas while neglecting areas in which you need a little
brushing up.

7. OTHER SOURCES
**** Form a study group with your shipmates.
**** Make a set of flash cards and carry them in your
backpack, place in your bathroom or on your bed stand etc.
Look at them often. Repetition in studying equal learning
**** Design a 'Jeopardy' style game. These types of games
trigger brain memory
**** Use rate source study books and tapes.
**** Attend “how to advance” classes offered by your
command.
**** Put all your complied questions on your own CD and
listen on the way to and from work

8. Making the most of your study
**** After you have gathered all your reference materials and
reviewed your examination profile sheets.
**** You need to establish a plan to study all the required
reference material and allocate enough time to adequately
prepare for the exam.
DISCIPLINE - YOU must be the one to study. Organize yourself
so that you can set time aside on a regular basis to prepare for
the exam.
Control your environment while you are studying.
Don't let the television, stereo, kids or chores become
unnecessary distracters to your study time.
Determine when and where you will study the most efficiently

9. APPROACH
**** Use a systematic approach.
**** Overview a chapter, skim the headings and subheadings
then read the chapter.
**** Make notes or underline as you study.
**** Pace yourself.
**** Study often in short sessions (15min-lhr) instead of
occasional marathon sessions.

10. SUCCESSFUL, PACED STUDYING
**** Don't try to sit down and read a reference cover to cover.
**** You'll get bogged down and won't retain any knowledge.
****Start studying approximately 4 months before exam time.
**** That will give you enough time to cover everything while
still retaining the areas you started with.
**** Start each study session with a review of the information
you studied last session.
This greatly enhances knowledge retention.

11. On the last few days before the
exam, do a mini-cram session of all
the hi-lighted information in your
references to refresh your memory
on everything you've covered.
Do not cram the night
before though

12. TEST DAY
**** Make sure you are in a comfortable seat with no
distractions.
**** Listen to the exam proctor carefully and get thorough
instructions
**** If you've spent the time to prepare for the exam, then
go in with a confident attitude. Mentally prepare yourself to
do well. A positive attitude can go a long way.

13. TAKING THE TEST
**** Answer the easy questions first. Don't waste time and
build anxiety by pondering over difficult items.
**** Read the question and attempt to answer it without
looking at the distracters. If you find your choice, mark it and
move on.
**** After you complete the easy questions, your mental
concentration will be at a peak.
**** Now as you return to the difficult question you will find
that they have become easier.

14. TIME
**** You have 3 hours (180 min) to complete the
200 question exam. This equates to 54 seconds
for each question.
**** By eliminating the easy questions first you
have saved yourself even more time.
**** Use this time you are not going to get
another opportunity for 6 months.

15. Thinking With Exam Writer Strategy
The longest answer
**** The correct answer is normally the main concern
of the test writer. Therefore, he will usually spend
more time and words with the correct response.
**** Distracters can normally be stated in just a few
words. Longer, more technical phrases will often be
correct.

16. EXAMPLE
What is osmosis? (a) diffusion through a semi permeable
membrane (b) an ape in the gorilla family (c) a plant (d) a
measuring device

17. This example also demonstrates another useful
technique:
Parallel Construction. Pay attention to the grammatical
aspect of the questions. If choice (b), (c) or (d) were
correct in the above example the question would have to
read: what is an osmosis? If a question asks which of
the following are, then you can disregard all singular
choices.

18. Overlapping Choices
EXAMPLE - What percentage of persons are able to
resume their careers after treatment at Navy
alcoholism treatment centers? (a) less than 60% (b)
less than 70% (c) more than 70% (d) more than 80%
Notice that choice (a) overlaps into choice
(b) and that choice (d) overlaps into choice
(c). Since there cannot be two correct
answers you can narrow your selection down
to choice (b) or choice (c).

19. Similar Alternatives
**** Some times you will encounter two options
that are very closely related or even identical.
**** These similar alternatives cannot both be
correct and can therefore usually be omitted.

20. EXAMPLE
- Unless further action is taken, Naval message
directives are automatically canceled after what
period of time? (a) one year (b) six months (c)
90 days (d) 180 days.
Choice (b) and (d) may be scratched since they
are the identical and cannot both be correct

21. All of the above
This option does not require validation of each response to
select it.
EXAMPLE
- Material readiness aboard US Navy surface vessels
includes which of the following conditions? (a) Yoke (b) Xray
(c) Zebra (d) All of the above.
If you know two of the choices are correct, then the answer
must be (d). On the other hand, you only need to find one
incorrect choice to rule out selecting (d).

22. Answers disclosed by questions
You can often find the answer to a question
disclosed in the stem of another exam question !!.

23. EXAMPLE
- #18
What is the designation of the Captain's Battle
Circuit?
#89 The proper manner for the controller of the
JA Captain's Battle Circuit to find out if stations are
manned and ready is to state.
Even if you do not know the answer to question #89, the
exam writer has given you the answer to question #18 if
you were paying attention.

24. Repeated alternatives
EXAMPLE - What two tests are taken whenever a ship
has been exposed to radiation? (a) Intensity of radiation
field and blood damage (b) Total dosage received and
intensity of radiation field (c) Nitrogen mustard and
cyanide (d) Tear agent and total dosage received

25. Notice that “intensity of radiation field” and
“total dosage received” are used twice in order
to disqualify those candidates who may only
know one test. By noting the repeated
alternatives, you can correctly select (b) as the
answer.

26. Absolutes
Beware of absolutes.
Few things are
unconditional!!

27. EXAMPLE - Eyewitness testimony is (a)
always wrong (b) never admissible (c)
completely dependable (d) frequently
wrong
Choices (a) through (c) are too absolute. You
should immediately be drawn to choice (d).

28. Opposite Choices
**** One answer in a pair of opposites is often
the correct choice.
**** It is difficult for an exam writer to invent two
plausible false answers that are opposites.

29. EXAMPLE
Women with graduate degrees or high incomes are (a) less
likely to marry and divorce (b) more likely to marry and divorce
(C) prone to commit suicide (d) under extreme pressure. It
would be difficult for both (a) and (b) to be wrong so the
correct choice must be one of them.

30. When to change an answer
Your first response is probably closest to being
correct. Only change your first response if you have
absolute, positive evidence that the first response
was wrong. Here are some conditions that would
provide a reason to change an answer.
Approximately 90% of answers are changed from
RIGHT to WRONG!!

31. When to change an answer
(1)
You originally misread the question.
(2)
The correct answer is revealed
somewhere else in the test.
(3)
You recall information which had not
occurred to you the first time you read the
question.
(4)
Make sure you COMPLETELY erease
incorrect response !

32. 10 QUICK TIPS
1. Get a great night sleep the night before. If you don’t normally get 8 hours of
sleep, this is the time to do so. Make it work, its’ your career at stake.
2. Wake up at least 2 hours before arriving at exam site. This way you are not
rushing. You need a calm start to the day.
3. Have breakfast. Even if you do not normally eat breakfast, have some this
morning. Your body needs fuel to send to the brain and other body functions.
Don’t starve your brain on this morning! You don’t need the distraction of yoru
stomach growling while you are taking a test.
4. No citrus juices at breakfast. Citrus can irritate your stomach
5. Put your ID card in your pocket first thing. Double check make sure you have it
before leaving home. Nothing worse than showing up for the exam and your
left ID card home.
6. DO NOT study the night before an exam. Cramming can cause only the new
stuff to nervously be at the front of your brain and block everything else. If you
don’t know it by noon the day before, cramming will not suddenly make you
know stuff.

33. 10 QUICK TIPS
7. Every 15 mins or so, look up, shoulders back, re-group. The body needs it.
8. Breath! Your body and brain need the oxygen to think and perform. We tend
to hold our breath when we are nervous or stressed. During the exam, many
tend to have awkward breathing and can disrupt the flow of oxygen and disrupt
the thinking process.
9. Remember, you own the test, not the other way around. Go into the exam like
you already passed. You are tested everyday and you pass with flying colors.
You are tested standing in line at the store, you are tested while driving to work,
you are tested by seniors and juniors. You are tested everyday in life and do
great or you wouldn’t be here today. You own that test, you are a great test
taker. Prove it!
10. Cover your exam distracters with your scratch paper. They are called
“distracters” for a reason, to distract you. By covering them, you force your
brain to come up with the answer. Read the question. Think about it, read it
again. Then, uncover the distracters, it will pop out at you. Trust your instincts,
they got you this far. Sailors are groomed from boot camp to innovate and
understand. For every question on the exam, you either read it, taught it, spoke
it, saw it, heard it, did it. It is in your brain, let your brain run on it’s merit.

34. SUMMARY
- Preparing for advancement is YOUR responsibility.
- Develop unique study methods.
- Take advantage of “spare/free time” to study.
- There are NO “trick” questions. Assess the exam like
you assess traffic, finances, safety gear.
It’s not luck, it’s skill
You own the test!!!!!