Sign in
Microsoft.com
 
Microsoft
 
 
 

locked
New MCSD study material? RRS feed

 > 

  • Question

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    1
    Sign in to vote

    Hi 

    I originally posted a question in response to this post, but thought it would be better to start a new thread.

    I am interested in doing my "MCSD: Web Applications" which requires exams 70-480, 70-486 and 70-487

    I already have experience as a full time .Net MVC3 developer, but am self taught and want to fill in the gaps in my knowledge as well as improving my job prospects so I thought that MCSD would be helpful. I am also excited that these exams are so new ( some not even out yet) and so I can learn the latest technology.

    I had a look at the course website but I can't see much in the way of study material. I haven't done any Microsoft exams before and I don't know what to expect, so I'd like to ask for some advice:

    I would prefer to learn from a book rather than attend a course. How soon (if ever) can I expect Microsoft to publish a book that will guide me through the material I need to know?

    I would like to start sooner rather than later. Would anyone recommend I just buy other books on Javascript, MVC, Azure and web services and learn what I can from those. Has anyone done something with similar Microsoft courses? Can I expect to pass that way?

    If using other books is the way to go, could you guys help me choose good books to buy so that I can learn the material. These are the names of the courses:
    Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3 - I'm not sure how complex this will be, but I regularly build websites with ajax and jquery. I guess I need some formal training in Javascript though. I see that there is a course, but don't live in a country where I can do it, it seems.

    Developing ASP.NET MVC 4 Web Applications - I've created some relatively complex MVC2 and MVC3 web apps, but I'm self taught (from reading online material). So there are probably large holes in my knowledge.

    Developing Windows Azure and Web Services - I have never used Azure, and although I have created and consumed a few different web services, it was mostly using the Visual Studio designer.

    If anyone has recommendations from what they've heard or read themselves I would be very grateful.

    Thanks

    Zane

    Thursday, September 6, 2012 11:42 AM

Answers

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    7
    Sign in to vote

    Hi, Zane.

    I recommend that you start prepping for 70-480. It's the only exam available right now. The others come out in October.

    For study resources, I recommend doing something different than with other Microsoft technologies.

    Because the 70-480 exam is based on Web standard technologies, I suggest using books based on those technologies. As well, you can practice creating web applications using VS 2012, which has much better support for HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.

    Books I recommend:

    HTML5 & CSS3 For The Real World, ISBN: 0980846900

    Introducing HTML5 (2nd Edition), ISBN: 0321784421

    Pro HTML5 Programming, ISBN: 143023864X

    jQuery in Action, Second Edition, ISBN: 1935182323

    Official Specification Sites

    http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/current-work
    http://dev.w3.org/html5/spec/single-page.html
    http://ecma-international.org/ecma-262/5.1/
    http://docs.jquery.com/Tutorials

    Good luck!

    Best wishes, Davin Mickelson

    • Marked as answer by Zane D Monday, September 10, 2012 8:55 AM
    Friday, September 7, 2012 7:33 PM
    Answerer

All replies

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    2
    Sign in to vote

    Unfortunately this has always been a problem when trying to study for certifications relating to new technology.  What I usually do is use the Skills Measured section of a particular certification to research content via MSDN, TechNet and the web in general.  I also prefer to use this method even when there are books available as I find it forces me to research and actually read content whereas I seem to lightly read or skip over material in books (I hate reading books in general :-) )

    I would also recommend that you pick 1 certification to study instead of all 3 as I think you’ll find the lack of easy study material too much of a distraction to study all certifications at once.  Besides, by the time you finish one, there will more than likely be study material available for the oter certifications.

    When you see answers and helpful posts, please click Vote As Helpful, Propose As Answer, and/or Mark As Answer

    Jeff Wharton
    MSysDev (C.Sturt), MDbDsgnMgt (C.Sturt), MCT, MCPD, MCSD, MCITP, MCDBA
    Blog: Mr. Wharty's Ramblings
    Twitter: @Mr_Wharty
    MC ID: Microsoft Transcript

    Friday, September 7, 2012 3:49 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Hi

    I am also waiting for the some resources quite eagerly now. It would have been nice if they had something published during the course of beta tests so that people could prepare in advance for the exams. But I guess it's a trick to force people into taking training.

    I hope something comes sooner.

    Regards

    Friday, September 7, 2012 10:55 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    2
    Sign in to vote

    Hi

    I am also waiting for the some resources quite eagerly now. It would have been nice if they had something published during the course of beta tests so that people could prepare in advance for the exams. But I guess it's a trick to force people into taking training.

    I hope something comes sooner.

    Regards

    It's got nothing to do with forcing people into taking training (BTW, no one can force you into doing anything!)

    Books take on average 9-12 months to be written and published.  For a book to be released during an exam beta period, someone would need to commence work writing it 9-12 months prior to the beta period.  Forgetting about the fact that exams also go through numerous Alpha development phases, a book written so early before a technology has been bedded down would contain factually incorrect content and people would complain that the book(s) were useless and a waste of money (and yes this does happen as was the case with .Net 2.0 and SQL Server 2005).

    There is PLENTY of published content about the technology appearing in these exams and it’s called MSDN.  Beta versions of the technology has also been available for quite a long time.

    Microsoft certifications are designed to test a candidates working knowledge of a technology, not their ability to study using books or cramming.  If you haven’t been an early adopter of the technologies in these exams and haven’t been using these technologies for the last 3-6 months, it’s unrealistic to expect to study and pass these exams in the first 3-6 months of their release, let alone pass them using books written before technologies have finished being developed.

    When you see answers and helpful posts, please click Vote As Helpful, Propose As Answer, and/or Mark As Answer

    Jeff Wharton
    MSysDev (C.Sturt), MDbDsgnMgt (C.Sturt), MCT, MCPD, MCSD, MCITP, MCDBA
    Blog: Mr. Wharty's Ramblings
    Twitter: @Mr_Wharty
    MC ID: Microsoft Transcript

    Friday, September 7, 2012 11:16 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    7
    Sign in to vote

    Hi, Zane.

    I recommend that you start prepping for 70-480. It's the only exam available right now. The others come out in October.

    For study resources, I recommend doing something different than with other Microsoft technologies.

    Because the 70-480 exam is based on Web standard technologies, I suggest using books based on those technologies. As well, you can practice creating web applications using VS 2012, which has much better support for HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.

    Books I recommend:

    HTML5 & CSS3 For The Real World, ISBN: 0980846900

    Introducing HTML5 (2nd Edition), ISBN: 0321784421

    Pro HTML5 Programming, ISBN: 143023864X

    jQuery in Action, Second Edition, ISBN: 1935182323

    Official Specification Sites

    http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/current-work
    http://dev.w3.org/html5/spec/single-page.html
    http://ecma-international.org/ecma-262/5.1/
    http://docs.jquery.com/Tutorials

    Good luck!

    Best wishes, Davin Mickelson

    • Marked as answer by Zane D Monday, September 10, 2012 8:55 AM
    Friday, September 7, 2012 7:33 PM
    Answerer
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Thanks Davin and Mr. Wharty for your help.

    Great, I think I'll start off with 70-480 first then since it's the only one out at the moment and I have the most experience with the material.

    I understand that it's all so new that there won't be specific resources geared towards the course, but I agree with Mr. Wharty that I'll probably get more out of the process if I work towards the 'Skills Measured' rather than just cramming from study guides targeted at getting the certification rather than gaining new knowledge.

    Thank you for those book recommendations. I will have a look at all of them and see which would be most helpful for me.

    Assuming everything goes well, I will let everyone know how the exam goes.

    Thanks again,

    Zane

    Monday, September 10, 2012 9:21 AM