# Environmental dictionary????????



## LakersFreak (Sep 27, 2007)

I am taking the PE in a month and was wondering if it was worth buying an environmental engineering book for the exam. I am taking the geotech depth and live in CA. Dont want to spend a ton of money if not needed. ANYONE??????


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## ktulu (Sep 27, 2007)

If you have access to a university library, I would go there first. I had one, and found a few answers (not enough for a PASS, though)


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## LakersFreak (Sep 27, 2007)

do they ask actual vocabulary??? I dont understand how it can help on the exam. please advise


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## WR/ENV_Instructor (Sep 28, 2007)

It's really up to you. I had Len Websters and know for sure I was able to look up 2-3 questions (at least) that I could not find in the CERM. Others have said they got everything from just the CERM and review course notes.

It's your call, but I suggest you try to bring some type of dictionary. You never know if those 2-3 problems will put you over the hump or not? Plus, dictionary lookup questions take only 30 seconds, giving you time to solve other problems. Why not try to get one from your local library?

Toanswer your last question, no they do not ask definitions, but they do ask non-quantitative questions. Of the four choices, you simply look each one up and see if it's definition answers the question. Just like the Non-Quantitative Questions in this forum. Clear?


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## IlPadrino (Sep 28, 2007)

I wouldn't buy a dictionary... I haven't found one yet that seemed worth the while. But I *WOULD* find a local library. I found Webster's at CSU Channel Islands. Are there any CSUs around you? Or call any library and ask them to help you find one nearby that has the title.


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## Dleg (Sep 30, 2007)

I didn't have one, but I think if I did I would have been able to answer at least 2-3 of the oddball non-quanititative questions on the enviro exam that I couldn't find in my other books, and had to guess on. Wrongly. I still passed, though. 

So if you have the extra $$ and you're worried that you might fail by one or two questions, buy one. Or if you can borrow one, definitely bring it with you.


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## Road Guy (Oct 10, 2007)

someone posted a pdf of a good one here lasy year, it should be in the env section?


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## IlPadrino (Oct 10, 2007)

Dleg said:


> I didn't have one, but I think if I did I would have been able to answer at least 2-3 of the oddball non-quanititative questions on the enviro exam that I couldn't find in my other books, and had to guess on.


That's my complaint... When I needed to look something up, it wasn't in the dictionary!


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2007)

Road Guy said:


> someone posted a pdf of a good one here lasy year, it should be in the env section?


Somebody posted a link to an environmental terms glossary/dictionary for EPA but it was longer available as a 'stand alone' document. You had to either copy/past the materials or screen capture/print.

Major pain in the ass!

JR


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## ktulu (Oct 10, 2007)

I had this one:

"Environmental Engineering Dictionary" by Lee. 1989

I used it for two straight look-up type questions last go-round


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## Road Guy (Oct 11, 2007)

that sucks about the link, I actually used that thing for 2 questions.

my advice for AM Environmental is to take as many college level textbooks as you can with you (5 or so) one on wastewater treatment, landfills, basic intro to ENV, etc. They will be a better reference than the CERM, and most likely you can look around your work and borrow them from people

.02


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## IlPadrino (Oct 11, 2007)

Road Guy said:


> that sucks about the link, I actually used that thing for 2 questions.
> my advice for AM Environmental is to take as many college level textbooks as you can with you (5 or so) one on wastewater treatment, landfills, basic intro to ENV, etc. They will be a better reference than the CERM, and most likely you can look around your work and borrow them from people
> 
> .02


Do you this this creates a tendency to spend too much time looking through your references... e.g. for that "easy lookup definition" that takes ten minutes to find?


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## Dleg (Oct 11, 2007)

Speaking only about the 100-question enviro exam, I greatly benefitted from having all my books with me. If you get yourself fast enough on the quantitative problems, you might find yourself with plenty of time to go chasing through the indices of your textbooks for those odd "look up" type questions. I know I picked up around 10 questions on the enviro exam purely through index look-ups. Since there's no way other than index look-up to find these odd questions, why not have all the books with you that you might need? I didn't find it a distraction at all. The only trouble was I didn't have enough references - I was unable to find a couple of answers entirely. But I had plenty of time to look.


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## IlPadrino (Oct 12, 2007)

Dleg said:


> Speaking only about the 100-question enviro exam, I greatly benefitted from having all my books with me. If you get yourself fast enough on the quantitative problems, you might find yourself with plenty of time to go chasing through the indices of your textbooks for those odd "look up" type questions. I know I picked up around 10 questions on the enviro exam purely through index look-ups. Since there's no way other than index look-up to find these odd questions, why not have all the books with you that you might need? I didn't find it a distraction at all. The only trouble was I didn't have enough references - I was unable to find a couple of answers entirely. But I had plenty of time to look.


I think the Civil exam might be a different perspective (and maybe even for those doing the Environmental depth, too). I didn't see many look-up questions and if I remember right, the ones I did were in the CERM. Also, I didn't have much time (maybe just a few minutes) left at the end.

I was thinking maybe some might be tempted to start looking through the books (after not finding what they needed in the index) because they know that if they can just find it, they're guaranteed a right answer.

You raise a good point... if you have references readily available, bring them with the hopes that you've get a few freebies found in through the index. The more difficult question is what to do if you don't have many references readily available.


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## bigray76 (Oct 12, 2007)

I have the EPA Glossary saved here on my work computer (8MB file). Too large to post here, but if you send me a PM, I can try to email it to you (please make sure your email allows for files that large to be transmitted).

-Ray


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## ajay (Oct 15, 2007)

bigray76 said:


> I have the EPA Glossary saved here on my work computer (8MB file). Too large to post here, but if you send me a PM, I can try to email it to you (please make sure your email allows for files that large to be transmitted).
> -Ray



Hey BigRay,

can you please email me the EPA gloaasry at [email protected]

thanks in advance.


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## bigray76 (Oct 15, 2007)

ajay said:


> Hey BigRay,can you please email me the EPA gloaasry at [email protected]
> 
> thanks in advance.


It has been sent.

-Ray


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## mano (Apr 2, 2008)

bigray76 said:


> I have the EPA Glossary saved here on my work computer (8MB file). Too large to post here, but if you send me a PM, I can try to email it to you (please make sure your email allows for files that large to be transmitted).
> -Ray


Please send me a copy to [email protected]


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