# Permanent tabs



## WR/ENV_Instructor (Jan 5, 2007)

Planning to start tabbing my CERM and my state requires permanent tabs. Can some of you who have already taken the exam give me some examples of permanent tabs? Where did you get them? I am only familiar with Post-it tabs and have been told these are not allowed.


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## Road Guy (Jan 5, 2007)

i think it depends on how anal your state is, I used the "hard' post it notes tabs with no problem in georgia (we also have +500 taking the exam so they dont really have time to check)

the ones I used were called "Durable Index Tabs" from post it


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## K8NY (Jan 5, 2007)

I used the same tabs in NY, without a problem


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## gmw9726 (Jan 5, 2007)

I used pretty much the same thing. I am from Tx. I got them at Office depot.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jan 5, 2007)

I went tabless - I liked living on the wild side.


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## ktulu (Jan 5, 2007)

The tabs that Road Guy pictured worked in Alabama as well...

ktulu


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## bohnsai78 (Jan 5, 2007)

I don't recall my state using the term "permanent", but I used the same ones RoadGuy used. I could see though how those might not be considered "permanent".........but what the heck is permanent?

I know they make tabs that sort of clamp on to the page from both sides......I would think that is as permanent as it gets and I would probably buy those just to be safe. I would hate to get the boot over something as rediculous as tabs.


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## cdhanners (Jan 5, 2007)

In NC the post-it tabs worked. If you post the state you are in someone here has proably taken the exam and can give you some "local" advice.


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## whitley85 (Jan 5, 2007)

I used the same ones as Road Guy also. I'm in AZ and had no problems.


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## grover (Jan 5, 2007)

I used a large number of post-it flags, too, the kind that are easily removable. I was worried I'd have to remove them, so I replaced as many as I could with some some extra blank tabs that came with my NEC tab kit, but there weren't enough. I was ready to remove the rest at the door, and even asked the proctors to make sure, but they didn't care... so, I was able to leave them in.


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## NCcarguy (Jan 5, 2007)

I took my books, and with different highlighters, marked the edge of the pages. I could also take a sharp point sharpie and write notes or numbers on the edge if I wanted to....I thought it worked fairly well, and NO tabs.


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## Mike in Gastonia (Jan 5, 2007)

> I took my books, and with different highlighters, marked the edge of the pages. I could also take a sharp point sharpie and write notes or numbers on the edge if I wanted to....I thought it worked fairly well, and NO tabs.


eguor no tab spelled backwards is Baton Rouge......

Just sayin'


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## WR/ENV_Instructor (Jan 5, 2007)

Sorry, my state is DE and the lady on the phone said "No Post-its!"


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## MEinNC (Jan 6, 2007)

She probably meant the normal Post-it note type and not the labels which are actually plastic and a lot more adhesive.

That's just my opinion. Hopefully someone that took the exam in Delaware can say for sure. You would be hard pressed to truly have a permanent tab. :"the other board" mole:


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## Mike in Gastonia (Jan 6, 2007)

Have never seen anyone put forth a theory as to why permanent tabs are required, if used. What's the big deal if they are post-it notes?

I have a theory. It's far-fetched, but could it be that they are afraid that people will use them to signal one another in the exam rooms? By watching each other and sending answers back and forth? A post-it moved to a certain area on a book means a certain thing. Like semaphore? :"the other board" mole:


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## Road Guy (Jan 6, 2007)

I find that if you make a nice comment about the old ladies hair who is serving as the proctor that it goes along way B)


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## grover (Jan 6, 2007)

> I have a theory. It's far-fetched, but could it be that they are afraid that people will use them to signal one another in the exam rooms? By watching each other and sending answers back and forth? A post-it moved to a certain area on a book means a certain thing. Like semaphore? :"the other board" mole:


That could be. I think they're more worried about people simply using them to pass notes, which is why they've also banned loose papers and other things like that.


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## geopm (Jan 7, 2007)

I used post-its and then taped them on both sides of the page. You can also glue them. That's what the NY State Board chick said I could do to make the tabs permanent.


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## tmckeon_PE (Jan 7, 2007)

Florida allowed post it tabs in April 2006 and October 2006.


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## ferryg (Jan 7, 2007)

> i think it depends on how anal your state is, I used the "hard' post it notes tabs with no problem in georgia (we also have +500 taking the exam so they dont really have time to check)
> the ones I used were called "Durable Index Tabs" from post it


I used the exact same things...however...I found that I didn't refer to them once during the exam. After all those months of studying I found myself remembering a lot of topics and where they were in the CERM without even looking.


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## lavadave (Jan 7, 2007)

I just took the exam in Delaware, and they had no problem with tabs as pictured in the previous post. You could not have post it notes, however, even if they were taped in.


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## Dleg (Jan 7, 2007)

I used the plastic Post-It brand tabs, and taped each one to the page a few days before the xam to make the "permanent". I took the test in Guam, and received a letter from the Board about a month before the test that said "tabs of any kind are not allowed". I panicked and e-mailed the board to ask if they maybe had misinterpreted the NCEES rules for the FE exam to apply to the PE exam - and after a couple of responses and some assistance from my own board (Guam was only the proctor for my exam), it turned out that's exactly what had happened. So they allowed me to use tabs after all, but they said the tabs had to be the "permanent, plastic type" (which was not defined) so that's what I did. It seemed to work, but no one ever inspected them.


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## bohnsai78 (Jan 8, 2007)

I think the states and/or NCEES need to clarify when they refer to "Post-It Tabs". In a strict sense of the term, if they say no Post-It tabs, then you can't use tabs manufactured by Post-It, but you should be able to use tabs by other manufacturers.

More likely, it means no tabs at all.........regardless of the manufacturer, or at least that's how any level headed human being would interpret it.

But sometimes they just say no Post-Its and leave off the word tabs...........and to me that means you can't use the little paper Post-Its as tabs. You have to use something specifically made for tabbing.


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## Road Guy (Jan 8, 2007)

just put some glue on them and then they are "permanent"

I thought it was a pain, but a guy in my review class was taking the exam in Alaska, but he wasnt sure of there rules so he was using scotch tape and a fine tip permanent market for hsi tab. Those would be pretty permanent IMO.


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