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    Can anyone answer these two questions if possible:

    1. Are the exams "adaptive" meaning does an incorrect answer on a given topic generate more questions on that topic?

    2. Can you skip a difficult question and come back to it later like a manual test?

    Thanks!

    Tuesday, April 3, 2012 2:05 AM

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    Microsoft does not release details of what types of questions appear in specific exams.  They have however released details of what types of questions you should expect in an exam.  Please refer to http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-AU/CertGeneral/thread/47aedf10-ea1b-4628-a116-263760e4db50

    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

    Tuesday, April 3, 2012 2:28 AM
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    In this context, the word "adaptive" actually means that exam questions will change and target specific areas of technology if you continue to get questions in a specific area wrong i.e. if you are asked 4 questions on “Session State” and you get them wrong, the exam will change and ask a few more questions on “Session State”.

    When sitting an exam delivered in adaptive format, it is possible to fail the exam before actually completing all the questions allocated for the exam  i.e. if the exam has 50 questions, you could fail after only answering 20 questions.  This is possible because the exam engine makes a determination based on previous incorrect answers that you do not have solid knowledge on a particular topic in the exam therefore you have not met exam requirements.  Adaptive exams also do not allow you to view and answer previous questions i.e. you can only proceed to the next question, not see previous questions.

    If we take my “Session State” example above, if you get 4 “Session State” questions wrong and the test engine gives you another 3 questions and you get those wrong too, the engine will end the exam and you will fail.

    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

    Wednesday, April 4, 2012 3:51 AM

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    Friend,
      I have attended three exams so far. I didnt feel it "Adaptive" as you mentioned, not sure. In an exam, there is kind of specific areas will be tested. eg: 20% of Area A and 12% of Area B. So no need to worry that much. They have to ask qustions from other areas too, even if you made wrong selection for all the questions from an area.

     For the second one, Yes. you can mark the qestion for later attension. You can come back to those once you reached the end of the questions.

    -- Thanks Ajith R Nair

    Tuesday, April 3, 2012 2:22 AM
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    Microsoft does not release details of what types of questions appear in specific exams.  They have however released details of what types of questions you should expect in an exam.  Please refer to http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-AU/CertGeneral/thread/47aedf10-ea1b-4628-a116-263760e4db50

    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

    Tuesday, April 3, 2012 2:28 AM
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    Hi,

    additionally to the information from Jeff: The term "adaptive" means that the form how questions in the exam are represented (multiple choice, scenario-based questions, etc.) could be changed without prior notice. The percentages of the areas covered on the appropriate preparation guide site from Microsoft are only guidelines. The exams can cover topics not listed on the site.

    To your second question: Yes, you can skip questions and come back to them later in the review process.

    But like Jeff said, Microsoft will not release any details on the exam questions.

    Best Regards. When you see answers and helpful posts, please click Vote As Helpful, Propose As Answer, and/or Mark As Answer. This helps us build a healthy and positive community.

    Tuesday, April 3, 2012 4:54 PM
    Answerer
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    Thanks Guys

    Excellent Answers. I have taken tests in the past that would select and display question on a given number of topics,but any wrong answer on a  topic and the app would given you additional questions on that topic.

    I am doing great with the prep materials, but I am using way too much time on those "properly arrange the code" type questions so in my pratice testing sessions I skip those and go back.

    So I was planning to use the same strategy on the exam but  since there is no way of knowing if those questions carry the same point value as the other questions I did not want to get there only to find you cant do that.

    Thanks again. 

     

    CAHawkz@live.com

    Wednesday, April 4, 2012 3:31 AM
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    In this context, the word "adaptive" actually means that exam questions will change and target specific areas of technology if you continue to get questions in a specific area wrong i.e. if you are asked 4 questions on “Session State” and you get them wrong, the exam will change and ask a few more questions on “Session State”.

    When sitting an exam delivered in adaptive format, it is possible to fail the exam before actually completing all the questions allocated for the exam  i.e. if the exam has 50 questions, you could fail after only answering 20 questions.  This is possible because the exam engine makes a determination based on previous incorrect answers that you do not have solid knowledge on a particular topic in the exam therefore you have not met exam requirements.  Adaptive exams also do not allow you to view and answer previous questions i.e. you can only proceed to the next question, not see previous questions.

    If we take my “Session State” example above, if you get 4 “Session State” questions wrong and the test engine gives you another 3 questions and you get those wrong too, the engine will end the exam and you will fail.

    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

    Wednesday, April 4, 2012 3:51 AM
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    Exactly Jeff!

    and actually according to another thread I was reading on this forum the certification exams USED TO BE adaptive, but Microsoft changed it.

    but I was concerned because since no one knows 'exactly' how many total questions are in the question pool

    You could be asked 2 questions per topic from a total question pool of 25 topics and sub topics

    Using your "Session State" example you will only get 2 quetsion on "Session State" out of 4 or more total "Session State" questions in the pool. Answer both correctly and exam moves on to the next topic or sub-topic , answer either of two wrong and the exam will then give you the other 2 questions on "Session State" instead of , say, MVC, Javascript or XML.

    CAHawkz@live.com

    Thursday, April 5, 2012 3:32 AM