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Lesson 5 Taking the test - Strategies
ObjectiveImplement strategies for getting the best score.

Take sample exams

The OCP exams are designed to be very complete and to adequately test your familiarity with Oracle products and the procedures associated with them. While there is no substitute for knowledge, you can improve the score significantly by taking as many of the sample exams as possible. They provide a good idea of the material the exams cover and the style in which they present it.

Become familiar with documentation

The OCP exams have no trick questions. However, they assume familiarity with the Oracle documentation, and some test questions address documentation samples. The nature of Oracle database administration cannot demand that you memorize all of the tens of thousands of facts; rather, the test assumes that you know where to go to look up the information. Unless you're familiar with the Oracle documentation, you may not have enough time to research some of the questions.

Use your time efficiently

During the exam, candidates may bypass any questions they're not sure about and return to them later in the test. The best strategy is to make one pass through all of the questions marking the answers for which you are most confident.
The exam also allows questions to be answered and flagged, so that you can return to them later on. This enables you to make the best use of your time and ensures that you will get through the entire exam at least once in the allotted time. If you plan carefully, you'll have time at the end to go back to those questions you weren't sure about.

Best Policy

The best policy is to answer every question if possible. If you can eliminate even one answer, you should venture a guess.
The OCP exam informs you immediately of your pass/fail status and also provides a listing of all missed as well as correctly answered questions. You will receive a hard copy version at the end of the exam.
The next lesson shows you where you can find additional resources that will help you pass the test.