PR Accreditation Exam: Process, Requirements, and Value

2. Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations The Accreditation Process Prepared by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB)

3. Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations What The UAB Is and Does

4. About This Presentation • What the UAB is and does • How the Examination process was developed; determining what to test and how to test it • The candidate’s process • Support materials for candidates and Accreditation chairs • The value of Accreditation in Public Relations

5. About the UAB • Formed in January 1998 • Administered by PRSA • Nine public relations organizations participate • Agricultural Relations Council • Asociación de Relacionistas Profesionales de Puerto Rico • Florida Public Relations Association • Maine Public Relations Council • National School Public Relations Association • Public Relations Society of America • Religion Communicators Council • Southern Public Relations Federation • National Association of Government Communicators

6. What The UAB Does • Develops and implements policies for the program • Develops and maintains the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations • Oversees the development of Examination questions and answer keys • Ensures content is based on the Body of Knowledge • Reviews appeal cases • Grants Accreditation

7. Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations Panel Presentation Computer-based Examination

8. The Panel Presentation • Panel Presentation • First step in the two-part Examination process • Includes a portfolio review and an advance Questionnaire • Assesses KSAs that are not able to be evaluated on the computer-based Examination • Conducted by a 3-member panel of Accredited professionals • Recommendation to the UAB to Advance or Not Advance the candidate to take the computer-based Examination • Candidates may take the computer-based Examination only after they have been Advanced from the Panel Presentation

9. The Computer-based Examination (CBE) • The CBE is computer-delivered and scored • The CBE is 100% multiple-choice questions • The CBE takes three hours and forty-five minutes • The testing process is administered by Prometric • The international testing organization that delivers CPA, Microsoft and many healthcare certification examinations • 300+ locations in the U.S. • Final results in weeks

10. Eligibility and Fee • Who is eligible? • Members of all eight participating organizations (POs) • Recommended 5+ years of paid, full-time professional experience, or in teaching or administration of public relations courses in an accredited college or university • Fee is $385 • Some POs offer rebates to their members • Good “for life,” with fulfillment of maintenance of Accreditation requirements and continued membership in participating organization

11. Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations How The Examination Process Was Developed: Determining What To Test and How To Test It

12. Overview Of The Development Process • The process took three years • Three world-class professional certification consulting firms guided the UAB • Massive qualitative and quantitative research efforts determined what to test, that is, the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) required for successful practice • Thousands of hours were spent by hundreds of trained volunteers to develop and to test the Panel Presentation process and the questions in the computer-based Examination

13. What You Can Say With Confidence About Examination Process • The development process employed current, state-of-the-art, best practices in professional competency and certification testing. • The current process is challenging, valid and reliably distinguishes between mastery and non-mastery of the public relations body of knowledge tested in the Examination. • Every step of the process has been tracked carefully and the entire testing process is legally defensible

14. Getting To What:What To Test? • The first and most critical step in professional certification testing and certification is to define what KSAs must be mastered by successful candidates. In simple terms, “What does it take to succeed as a practitioner today?” • Once the “what” is defined, the process of testing those KSAs can be defined • The UAB conducted a landmark “practice analysis” to determine the “what.”

15. A Very Brief OverviewOf The Practice Analysis … • In-depth interviews with public relations professionals were conducted by a consulting firm in a number of settings — corporations, agencies, public sector/government, not-for-profit and solo practices • "Mini" focus groups with public relations professionals were conducted in corporations and agencies • Four full-scale focus groups with public relations professionals who work in a variety of settings were conducted • Information gathered in early interviews was used to revise questions for later interviews • Preliminary lists of KSAs were reviewed and revised by subject matter experts (SMEs) at multiple points in the process

16. A Very Brief OverviewOf The Practice Analysis … • Extensive literature review and other secondary research • Quantitative research followed the qualitative phase • Self-administered questionnaire in July 2000 • 3,500 sent, 1,147 included in sample for analysis

17. The Result Of The Practice Analysis:The KSAs Assessed The Examination processtests 43 specific KSAs in 6 areas of professional practice; 12 are tested in the Panel Presentation, 31 in the computer-based Examination: • (33%) Researching, Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Programs • (13%) Applying Ethics and Law • (13%) Managing Issues and Crisis Communication • (8%) Understanding Communication Models, Theories and History of the Profession • (18%) Leading the Public Relations Function • (15%) Managing Relationships

18. Getting To How:How To Test the KSAs? • More than 700 test questions or “items” were written • By consultant-trained UAB members who, in turn, trained another 150 Accredited subject-matter experts • Trained teams and individuals wrote questions for specific KSAs • All questions in development were tracked in a central database accessible to question writers • After release by the author, each question was vetted by a peer for appropriateness to the KSA for which intended, edited by an English editor for clarity and edited by a professional psychometrician for proper form

19. Getting To How:How To Test the KSAs? • Technical review • Minimum 5-person panels, in 4-8-hour-long web conferences • reviewed each question for an average of 45 minutes each for clarity, lack of ambiguity, accuracy, appropriateness to the target level candidate and other factors. • Technical review panels were convened for 99 hours, with a total volunteer contribution of 500 hours’ time. • Under guidance of psychometrics experts • 430 questions “survived” this technical review

20. Getting To How:How To Test the KSAs? • 154 volunteers took a 6-hour Beta Examination of 399 questions in Prometric facilities around the nation • Each question in the beta examination was subjected to intensive post-beta statistical testing for difficulty, discrimination and other factors • Under the guidance of a psychometrician, another expert panel of UAB members participated in the 8-hour process required to determine the “cut” or passing score • Beta testers were surveyed to confirm that the beta volunteer sample was demographically appropriate. It was. • Two statistically equivalent, 147-question “forms” of the examination have been created, with about 20% overlap of questions between forms.

21. Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations The Candidate’s Process

22. 1. Apply for Eligibility • Initiate process at personal discretion. • Access Q&A, reference materials, local preparation courses, mentoring and coaching • Print eligibility form from UAB website • Submit completed eligibility form with payment to UAB • $385 examination fee at time of application; or • $410; $205 at time of application and $205 after candidate advances Panel Presentation • Receive notification of eligibility from UAB • Candidates have one year from eligibility approval to advance Panel Presentation and take the computer-based Examination

23. 2. Complete Panel Presentation Questionnaire • Download Panel Presentation Questionnaire • Complete at your own discretion • Two sections • Your organization and your role • Your experience • Request a Panel Presentation via your local Accreditation chair • Submit copies of Questionnaire to local Accreditation Chair, at least 15 business days in advance ofthe scheduled presentation

24. 3. Participate in Panel Presentation • Present portfolio and respond to interview questions • Panelists score knowledge, skills and abilities in 12 KSAs • UAB notifies candidate to Advance/Not Advance to computer-based Examination • If Advanced, candidate receives unique ID # to be used to schedule examination • If Not Advanced, candidate may repeat the Panel Presentation after 90 days • May appeal the result to the UAB after two re-takes of the Panel Presentation

25. 4. Request Coaching, Mentoring, Support Services • Request coaching, mentoring or other support services through Accreditation chair as desired. Local chapters and participating organizations have different schedules and resources.            • Repeat steps #2 and #3 if another Panel Presentation is needed

26. 5. Schedule Computer-based Examination • Schedule Examination at your convenience at a Prometric testing center using unique ID #  • To locate a testing center, use www.prometric.com/uab or call 1-800-853-6775 • Use credit card for payment • At least 30 days in advance. Prometric has peak demand periods. Check UAB website for details. • Remember, candidates need to complete the computer-based Examination before your one-year eligibility timeframe expires. Use it or lose it.

27. 6. Take the Computer-based Examination • At one of 300+ Prometric Testing Centers • Strengths and weaknesses tested in 31 knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) areas • Receive immediate feedback • Receive official pass/fail notice from UAB within 2 – 4 weeks • If passed, the UAB may grant Accreditation and notify you and your local Accreditation chair. You may opt to keep notification private. • Receive notice from Accreditation chair of local celebration • If retake is necessary, repeat steps #5 and #6

28. Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations Support Materials For CandidatesAnd Accreditation Chairs

29. Information Available at www.praccreditation.org • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): • Accreditation Program • Candidates' Frequently Asked Questions • Accreditation Chairs' Frequently Asked Questions • News releases • Examination Preparation Sources (Study Guide link, recommended texts for study, online study course) • Candidate Process Chart • Accreditation chair Process Chart

30. More Information Available at www.praccreditation.org • The Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations Panel Presentation • Candidate Questionnaire • Panel Presentation FAQs • APR Chair Section • List of Contacts • Examination Application

31. Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations The Value Of Accreditation in Public Relations

32. How Many Practitioners are Accredited? • Today, about 5,000 practitioners are Accredited

33. What Is The PurposeOf Accreditation? • The purpose is to unify and advance the profession by identifying those who have demonstrated broad knowledge, experience and professional judgment in the field. The program seeks to improve public relations practice. The designation “Accredited in Public Relations (APR)” signifies mastery of the public relations body of knowledge and the holder’s commitment to ethical behavior.

34. People Become Accredited Primarily To Enhance Their Careers And To Improve Themselves

35. What Drives the Increasing Demand for APR Professionals? • Members of UAB organizations want an increased focus on Accreditation • Employers are demanding more strategic, sophisticated communication counsel from their public relations staff • Traditional public relations roles increasingly are being usurped by other consultants; practitioners want a meaningful distinction • There is a substantial demand for certification from public relations groups outside the U.S. • There is a growing reliance on professional certification as a hiring and promotion criteria in a range of industries and occupations in the U.S.

36. Why Earn the APR? • APR is the strongest brand: UAB and APR represent more than 90% of all practitioners Accredited by any certification process in our field • Increasingly, there is a market distinction for APR holders • Most people do it for personal reasons • Larger numbers of people holding the APR will create a critical mass, stronger market awareness and increasing demand

37. What APRs Say . . . “The process increased my understanding of the planning and strategy that goes into creating successful public relations campaigns versus the ‘it just happens’ syndrome.” Carol Crawford, APR, Principal, Crawford Communications, San Francisco, Cailf. “Accreditation has differentiated me among many organizations and corporations because it showcases further education and professional development. To many, by working with an APR you are getting the best you can in the public relations field.” Jeffrey D. Ory, APR, President/CEO, il Stratega, Metairie, La.

38. What APRs Say . . . “My APR experience has served me well. The greatest impact of my APR experience has been in my day-to-day work life. The APR preparation provided a thorough review of the proper thought-processes involving public relations issues. The strategic planning process is probably one area that college programs do not emphasize enough. Additionally, my APR experience has strengthened my confidence in my ability to counsel senior management on all public relations issues.” Robert Stillwell, APR, Corporate Communications, NV Energy, Las Vegas, Nev.

39. What APRs Say . . . “It has enabled me to differentiate myself from other public relations practitioners that do not have the APR credential. Also, I find myself compelled to continue staying current in best professional practices, because I view the APR as a professional responsibility – to continue to strive for higher professional standards.” Elizabeth Pecsi, APR, Fellow PRSA, Public Relations Consultant, El Cajon, Calif.

40. Examination For Accreditation In Public Relations Discussion