Subject Binders

[owillis28]

I have three ring binders for all five subject areas for the exam.

How did everyone else have organized their reference materials? I am looking for ideas for increase my efficiency on finding certain material and problem examples during the exam.

Thanks

owillis

 

[IlPadrino]

I have three ring binders for all five subject areas for the exam.
How did everyone else have organized their reference materials? I am looking for ideas for increase my efficiency on finding certain material and problem examples during the exam.

Thanks

owillis

I just used the Testmasters' Notes with a summary page (formulas and definitions) for every major section. I didn't tab the CERM because I was familiar enough with chapters to know what was where and for the most part, if I went to the CERM I needed the index because it was for something I hadn't spend much time preparing for.

The impetus behind PE Notes was to put just about everything you'd need for a given subject area in just a few (less than 20) pages. While Hyraulics is coming along nicely (I started with my summary page and filled it out from there), I don't think anything else will be done before the exam.

My opinion is bring as many references as you have, but don't spend a lot of time preparing/organizing them. The time would be better spent preparing the basics or the CERM. When you're confronted with a question you know nothing about, maybe you'll find something in your other references using the index - but you don't want to spend precious minutes hunting for some part that might (or might not!) be helpful. Qualitative questions are tough...

 

[bigray76]

I had 5 subject specific binders. I made my table of contents based on what I would see in both the morning and the transpo PM. I typed most of my notes and inserted them by topic also copying any applicable tables I thought I would need.

I did some tabbing of the CERM and the transpo references. Half the battle is knowing where to find what you are looking for. In the case of my Asphalt Handbook which had no index, I made sure I had flipped through it one night and tabbed some tables and material info so I had an idea of how the book was set up.

I did bring a binder of solved problems, as well as the NCEES sample test, CERM sample test, all 5 6 minute books, and the problem companion book to the CERM. I honestly didn't really use them. Most of the problems I solved I inserted a a step by step 'how to solve' couple of lines in my specific binder under the corresponding section (i.e. Mannings Equation, Horizontal curve, mass-maul, etc.)

I think it is also important to put your references in milk crates so you can keep the most often used items on the table and have the 'oh shit' books on the floor. I did post a thread in the 'Anything about the PE Exam' section with every book I brought and my strategy.

I would strongly suggest the Conversion book that Lindeburg puts out... it is a great time saver for converting units.

-Ray

 

[maryannette]

During my studying, I tried to consolidate into 2 or 3 big binders, but it was counterproductive. It was too awkward. And I tabbed a lot.

 

[Jennifer Price]

I have a quick question. I have put all the problems that I worked into notebooks but then I am also bringing with me the problem books that I worked the problems from. So I have a LOT of books to bring. My question is this: did you guys use the notebooks of solved problems (that you worked) or the books (such as the 6 minute questions) that you worked them from? My gut feeling is that it is very cumbersome and a little bit of an overkill to have duplicates of problems when I can bring in the books that I worked them from and still have all the answers.

Thoughts?

 

[bigray76]

I have a quick question. I have put all the problems that I worked into notebooks but then I am also bringing with me the problem books that I worked the problems from. So I have a LOT of books to bring. My question is this: did you guys use the notebooks of solved problems (that you worked) or the books (such as the 6 minute questions) that you worked them from? My gut feeling is that it is very cumbersome and a little bit of an overkill to have duplicates of problems when I can bring in the books that I worked them from and still have all the answers.
Thoughts?

I worked most of the problems in the books themselves, any loose problems were in a binder that was nothing but additional solved problems. I had three crates and a handtruck for the test.

I don't think I looked for any of my solved problems in the binder during the test, I was able to use my references and my subject binders which didn't have too many problems in them for most of the test.

-Ray

 

[user 788]

I have a quick question. I have put all the problems that I worked into notebooks but then I am also bringing with me the problem books that I worked the problems from. So I have a LOT of books to bring. My question is this: did you guys use the notebooks of solved problems (that you worked) or the books (such as the 6 minute questions) that you worked them from? My gut feeling is that it is very cumbersome and a little bit of an overkill to have duplicates of problems when I can bring in the books that I worked them from and still have all the answers.
Thoughts?

I brought lots of solved problems with me to the test and had them all organized with a table of contents, etc. During the exam I only looked at one of the problems. So I would say bring either the solved problems you worked or the books, not both if it's exactly the same.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

I had three 3-ring binders. I condensed my studying into concise personal notes on each topic and included key tables I copied out of textbooks and other useful printouts or diagrams. I made a table of contents for each subject area.

For example:

Water

- Filtration

- Ion Exchange

- Softening

etc...

I had two binders full of that stuff. The other binder had more tangential stuff I printed off. Whole text from regulations, info I got from less reliable sources and would only use in a pinch, stuff like that.

 

[cement]

You won't have a lot of time to go looking for similar solved problems, but a few may come in handy. I was superstitious about copying formulas out of thier original text to a concentrated binder, maybe I gathered some comfort from the familiar books. I had them all tabbed out. But a digest format like IlPadrino describes is a great idea.

I put my key texts up on the desk and took in a large tupperware type container to haul my stuff, that I set up as a secondary desk to put the solved problems on top of. the tupperware was a pain to carry, but I appreciated the extra work surface. I saw a guy in line with a large tub like that with wheels and a handle. maybe a roller cooler would work?

 

[TXengrChickPE]

I have a quick question. I have put all the problems that I worked into notebooks but then I am also bringing with me the problem books that I worked the problems from. So I have a LOT of books to bring. My question is this: did you guys use the notebooks of solved problems (that you worked) or the books (such as the 6 minute questions) that you worked them from? My gut feeling is that it is very cumbersome and a little bit of an overkill to have duplicates of problems when I can bring in the books that I worked them from and still have all the answers.
Thoughts?

I worked my problems in separate notebooks too. But, I'm only gonna take along my version if I used a different method than the official solution. This week I've been going through my worked problems and comparing them to the solutions. In some cases, I'm just stapling my version over the "official" solution because mine makes more sense to me. If it's too long to staple in, I'm putting it in a small binder with a tab. Then on the page that has the problem, I write (in red, bold) "See orange binder, tab C". That way, I won't waste time looking at the solution if their method doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Guest]

That way, I won't waste time looking at the solution if their method doesn't make sense to me.

Very smart move! It isn't very useful if it doesn't make sense to YOU.

In response to this question, I started off with five (5) notebooks - one for each subject. I ended up re-organizing several times based on my own hand-written notes, worked-out problems, and internet/photocopied materials segregating those materials by subject but then sub-dividing by how much material and how often those materials were utilized in the course of my preparation. I ended up with a consolidated notebook of equations, conversions, and quick short cuts in one binder tabbed by subject and sub-organized in general groupings. I then organized each additional subject notebook in a similar fashion with a Table of Contents (TOC) at the beginning of each folder - some subjects spilled over into a second notebook.

At the end of the day each person has to be able to QUICKLY recall material - it should be organized by what feels comfortable for you.

JR

 

[squishles10]

So far, and I'm not taking it til April so I'm sure it will change, but this is my strategy: 8 binders, one for each of the 5 main subjects, one reference binder including the CERM index and copies of all my other indexes, whatever else doesn't really fit into one category. One binder for surveying and seismic, seismic includes chapters from the UBC so I don't have to lug that whole thing in. Front of each binder has a glossary of main terms from textbooks if I feel I need it. Traffic has some HCM chapters in it. I have colored dividers by MAIN subject, i.e. for WR i have Hydrology, Hydraulics, and Water. The front and back of my binders (the slip in cover sheet binders) have sheets of equations for the correlating subject. When they are finalized, I'll tape or glue the top shut so there isn't "loose paper". Everything is color-coded in the CERM by subject with flags, and there are a LOT of flags. Flags across the side and bottom only, bc I can't see the ones at the top. Bottom are big tops (Groundwater, wastewater, open channel, etc), side tabs are everything else. Tabs in the binders aren't color-coded so much so they're easier to find. Working on a system for that, but I'm getting tired of being so anal. For now, worked out problems are in the binders, but I'll take them out for the test. Now that I'm all organized, I should probably go study, huh?

 

[IlPadrino]

So far, and I'm not taking it til April so I'm sure it will change, but this is my strategy: 8 binders, one for each of the 5 main .

.

.

but I'll take them out for the test. Now that I'm all organized, I should probably go study, huh?

How long does all this take?

 

[squishles10]

How long does all this take?

It's a work in progress. Probably a few hours, but a little at a time.

 

[Jennifer Price]

So far, and I'm not taking it til April so I'm sure it will change, but this is my strategy: 8 binders, one for each of the 5 main subjects, one reference binder including the CERM index and copies of all my other indexes, whatever else doesn't really fit into one category. .

.

.

For now, worked out problems are in the binders, but I'll take them out for the test. Now that I'm all organized, I should probably go study, huh?

I actually did something very similar to this. My notebooks were even colored coded to match the subjects (green=envr., blue=wr, brown=geol. ect). But after I did my practice exam last weekend, I was finding that I didn't turn to any of my worked out problems...instead, I was turning to the books that I worked the problems from. So now, I feel like I have 5 extra notebooks that I don't really need to take into the exam.

Next week, I am taking off the whole week...so Monday and Tuesday, I will be going through my notes, do my final organizing and make sure there are no loose papers in any of my books.

"How long does all this take?"

I have been organizing as I go along, so I couldn't tell you the exact number of hours to do it. Some of it was done in front of the tv when I needed a brain rest but needed to do "work" for this exam. I just hope I did enough to prepare. As of now, I don't know what else I can do to prepare for this exam.

My brain hurts.

 

[Guest]

I just hope I did enough to prepare. As of now, I don't know what else I can do to prepare for this exam.

One of the bigger arguments that always comes up about this exam is how MUCH time was spent preparing. In my mind it isn't the time factor as much as it is the quality factor - you could study COMPLETE crap for a whole year and still not do well.

That is the beauty of this board and for those who participate. We have all been through the drill and have provided our collective experiences to allow others to efficiently and effectively manage thier time AND quality of study.

Having said that, if you have followed through with most of the advice and recommendations provided in the exam prep/help threads than I think you are good to go for the exam! :thumbs:

That's my take on it anyways

JR

 

[IlPadrino]

One of the bigger arguments that always comes up about this exam is how MUCH time was spent preparing. In my mind it isn't the time factor as much as it is the quality factor - you could study COMPLETE crap for a whole year and still not do well.

Yup... and that's my problem with Lindeburg. I think there's just too much in the CERM to be able to cover everything. How can you tell what's really important? Testmasters was the answer for me - mostly because it limited by area of study which kept me calm and unstressed..

Quantity WILL NOT make up for quality.

 

[Jennifer Price]

Having said that, if you have followed through with most of the advice and recommendations provided in the exam prep/help threads than I think you are good to go for the exam! :thumbs:
JR

I hope that I have followed through with the stuff here (I feel like I have anyway). I know that I have been reading through here since about May or so and have gleaned a lot of awesome ideas that I would have never thought of myself from the board.

I guess we will all know if our preparation has paid off or not in about 3 months or so.

And if it did or did not, we can come back and share our experiences with the next round of test takers.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Yup... and that's my problem with Lindeburg. I think there's just too much in the CERM to be able to cover everything. How can you tell what's really important? Testmasters was the answer for me - mostly because it limited by area of study which kept me calm and unstressed..
Quantity WILL NOT make up for quality.

I took the full envl exam. I used the ENVRM more as a glorified set of tables and equations rather than a guide of exam content/difficulty or a source to teach myself something I didn't know.

If you look at it like that it's a great reference but it's not a substitute for a good text in a particular area.

 

[bigray76]

All of my discipline specific binders were black, but when I tabbed anything (notebooks, HCM, ACI, CERM, etc.) I used different color tabs for each discipline. Those post-it tabs worked really well (standard colors plus some of the smaller pastel ones as needed).

I also found that anytime I needed tables from one or more location, I would copy them and put them in my notebook to minimize the amount of page flipping I had to do (a lot of the CERM Appendix tables fell into this category).

Like JR - each notebook had a table of contents, and like others have said, if something needed a longer explanation, I would reference where I found it.

One good habit to get into - when working practice problems that you plan on bringing to the test with you - write down the equation number/chapter number of the reference you used to solve the problem. This will give you instant recall if you need to reference that question later (and double checking the original table/EQ/etc. is always a good idea - read the fine print).

-Ray