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SIS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM ORIENTATION

SIS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM ORIENTATION. FALL 2014 Dr. Carol Tenopir Chair, Comprehensive Examination Committee And Dr. Vandana Singh School of Information Sciences University of Tennessee. COMMITTEE MEMBERS. Dr. Carol Tenopir , Chair Dr. Vandana Singh Dr. Wade Bishop.

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SIS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM ORIENTATION

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  1. SIS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM ORIENTATION FALL 2014 Dr. Carol TenopirChair, Comprehensive Examination Committee And Dr. Vandana Singh School of Information Sciences University of Tennessee

  2. COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dr. Carol Tenopir, Chair Dr. Vandana Singh Dr. Wade Bishop

  3. EXAM DAY/TIME/LOCATION AND ESSENTIALS WHEN • Friday, October 31, 2014 from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. • Arrive before 9:00 A.M. to receive your test packet from the proctor. WHERE • Bailey Education Complex, room 116 BRING • Your photo identification card (e.g., UT Student ID card, Driver’s License, or Passport)

  4. WHAT ELSE MAY YOU BRING? • A thesaurus and/or dictionary • A bottle of water (sorry … no coffee) • “Peaceful” snacks (that is, ones that do not create a lot of noise while opening, closing or eating, and/or create nose noise – a.k.a. smell) • Quiet clock or watch – but no audible alarms • You can bring your PDA/cell phone BUT it must be in silent mode or turned off • And hey, this is a closed-book exam … no trying to sneak online from your iPhone

  5. EXAMINATION DAY/ROOM • FYI: The proctors are not on the exam committee • Computers (MACs) and USB drives with stored exam questions will be provided • Also, scratch paper will be available for you … don’t be afraid to use it for planning your responses! THESE (USB, SCRATCH PAPER) MUST BE TURNED IN WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE EXAM … BEFORE LEAVING THE EXAM ROOM

  6. EXAMINATION DAY/ROOM • Steps are taken to ensure a good environment for test-taking in the examination room BUT …. • Some unforeseen or uncontrollable distractions may occur, such as: • Sounds coming from outside the exam room • You are welcome to bring ear plugs if you like • Room temperature • You should be prepared for both cool or warm … so dress accordingly and bring a sweater/sweatshirt etc. if you like

  7. SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS • CAN I GET A DRINK OR GO TO THE RESTROOM DURING THE EXAM? • Yes … just let the proctor know and leave all test materials in the room

  8. SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS • HOW LONG SHOULD MY REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS BE? 1-PAGE, 2-PAGES, 3-PAGES? • Short Answer: It depends • More context: The evaluators focus on the completeness (did you answer all parts asked in the question), as well as the relevancy and substance of the answer, not the length. • More on this later in the slideshow.

  9. SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS • WILL I FAIL IF I MISSPELL WORDS OR MAKE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS? • Again, it depends. Try to avoid it … as some misspellings or grammatical errors may change meanings, hence they will be interpreted in a way you did not intend by the evaluators. • Set aside time at the end of the exam (BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT) to run spell check. • Their instead of there will probably not lead to a fail, but Devine instead of Dervin or Bucktooth instead of Buckland just might.

  10. SPECIAL NEEDS? • If you need adaptations or accommodations for this exam because of a documented disability, you must contact the Office of Disability Service (ODS) at (865) 974-6087 ASAP! • This will ensure you are properly registered for services. Once registered you will be given specifics on where to report for the exam. • Make sure that the Committee Chair (that is, me) receives written notification from the ODS in advance; that is, in no way should we find out on or after July 11th.

  11. ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM • One of the exit requirement options by the university for M.S. degrees • A test of sufficiency or adequacy in knowledge of the field • A demonstration of the student’s ability to: • integrate and synthesize what has been learned in the SIS program; • analyze real- world scenarios and propose well thought-out solutions to problems • Not a test of rote memorization

  12. SCOPE OF THE EXAM Knowledge, concepts, and theories that are central to the field of information sciences. Includes, but is not limited to: • Topics introduced in the three required courses (510, 520, 530) • Topics further informed by: • Elective courses • Professional reading • Current practice in the field • Real-world experiences

  13. EXAM QUESTIONS Exam consists of 3 main sections Each section contains 2 questions Total number of questions is 6 BUT WAIT …. What must you answer??? Only 1 question from each section … For a total of 3 questions in all

  14. MORE ON EXAM QUESTIONS (INCLUDING TIPS ETC.) LATER IN THE SLIDESHOW, BUT FOR NOW … MORE EXAM LOGISTICS

  15. MORE EXAMINATION FYIs ANONYMITY • Each exam-taker will receive a randomly assigned number ON exam day • This number serves as the identifier to your answers • Your name (that is, you the exam-taker) should not be written in any part of your exam answers. • Committee members have no idea what your number is (e.g., they don’t assign them and names associated with the numbers are not provided to them). • Committee members are also not present during your exam period. • So, ultimately, they are not aware WHOSE exam they are grading.

  16. EXAM EVALUATION • Each answer is evaluated independently by two members of the Exam Committee (and again: remember that they only see your anonymous numbered answers) • Binary mark of either “Pass” or “Fail” is assigned • Scores from these two members are tallied • So, 6 total marks of pass or fail • If a test taker receives one “fail” mark, the Chair will evaluate all answers independently and then will also assign Pass or Fail marks (3 more marks) • You MUST receive a minimum of 6 PASSES to pass the exam – whether assigned by the two comm. members (bullet 1) or the chair in the event of at least one fail mark (bullet 4).

  17. REPORTING RESULTS • Scores are not reported—only “pass” or “fail” is on the report • Results will be posted the Blackboard Comps Grade book • You will receive an email from Tanya Arnold letting you know the result has been posted. • Be aware: If you fail, then you will receive a phone call from the Director, Dr. Ed. Cortez. • The number of exam takers will affect the time needed to report the results … but know we have to report these to the Graduate School on/by November 21, 2014

  18. MORE ON THE QUESTIONS AND EXAMINATION TIPS AND STRATEGIES

  19. WHAT MIGHT THE QUESTIONS ADDRESS? • They address fundamentals of information science (e.g., information environments, information representation and organization, information access and retrieval, professional issues, etc.) • They require you to integrate core knowledge and concepts of the field • They may ask about emergent relevant phenomena • They may ask about debatable or controversial issues • They may be applied; that is, questions seeking solutions to challenges or problems in real world information settings or problems.

  20. Tips for Answering Questions Read each question in each section. Ensuring that you select only 1 question from each section: • Answer each question as asked (relevancy) • Address all parts of a question (completeness) • Refer to theories, models, principles and/or classic works in the field to substantiate your ideas or arguments.

  21. Tips for Answering Questions • Support your ideas or arguments with examples and/or facts (be analytical). • Pay attention to action verbs in the questions, such as: “define,”“identify,”“describe,”“discuss,”“propose” etc. • Do not write answers for a specific faculty member or a course. • Be thoughtful on your answers; focus on quality and clarity. • Respond as a master’s candidate in IS … not as a layperson on the street. • New to MACs? Practice on one beforehand.

  22. Structuring the Answers DEPENDING ON QUESTION ASKED: For multi-part questions: • Use headings and label the specific parts of the question you answered if applicable (a, b, c, etc.) • Always provide a lead-in or opening sentence in answering a question. If not multi-part: • Follow a commonly known structure, if question is not multi-party, such as (1)An introduction; (2) A narrative section; and (3) A summary and conclusions. • Again, use headings and labels for enhanced clarity.

  23. MORE Structuring the Answers YOUR ANSWERS SHOULD BE ORGANIZED • Structure your answers for clarity and cohesiveness • Avoid repetition in your reply (unless it helps to strengthen your response)

  24. Past Problematic Exams to Learn from! • Irrelevant answers • Incomplete answers (missing parts or sub-questions) • Lack of depth • Vague generalizations • Self-Identification • Personal use or use of past experience as the ONLYjustification or evidence • “Padding” answers • Rambled and poorly organized answers

  25. Strategies for Preparation Review what you have learned at SIS: • Course syllabi: Map out fundamental theories, models, principles and concepts; identify seminal scholars/authors • Course readings: Important issues, trends, etc. • Course projects/papers/assignments may be good examples of applying knowledge to problem-solving questions or situations

  26. Strategies for Preparation Review past exam questions. Exam questions from 2010 through Summer 2014 are available on the SIS website (URL below). http://www.sis.utk.edu/programs/comps#pastQuestions

  27. Strategies for Preparation Prepare at a reasonable pace (avoid last minute crunch) Take a simulated test to practice • Identify 3 past questions with which you feel comfortable answering using the structure recommended in this presentation. • Create an outline before writing the essay • Budget 1 to 1.25 hour to answer each question • Remember … leave time to spell check and quickly proof and audit your answers! • Audit? For example, to make sure you answered ALL aspects of question asked.

  28. MORE STRATEGIES … Get good rest, especially the few days prior to the exam Drink plenty of water Plan something FUN to do after the exam to reward yourself!

  29. Helpful Tips during the Exam • Think positively: “I am prepared –” • Visualize doing well • Recall previous test-taking successes • Answer the question FIRST with which you are most comfortable • Number the question you are answering and each part of it, as applicable. • Allow adequate time for each question • “Save” often to avoid losing your work in case of computer crash or frozen keyboard

  30. COMPS ON BLACKBOARD • In Blackboard Learn (BL), click on the “School of Information Sciences Comprehensive Examination”link. • You have already been enrolled to use this link by Ms. Tanya Arnold • You may use BL Discussion Board to communicate with peers about the exam • And remember, you will check the result of your exam by visiting the Exam Grade Book

  31. BEST WISHES FOR A SUCCESSFUL EXAM! From the committee • Dr. Carol Tenopir, Chair • Dr. Vandana Singh • Dr. Wade Bishop Questions should be directed only to the Chair via email (ctenopir@utk.edu) at least two or more days prior to the Exam date (October 31st ). In the message subject line be sure to include “Comps Exam” and mark the message as high priority.

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