I’ve purchased the two tests required to get my CompTIA A+ certification. It’s a certification for people who do basic desktop computer support. My company will reimburse me for the $163 I’ve spent on each test ($326 total) but only if I pass.
I’ve taken several practice tests with mixed results. Passed some, failed others.
My biggest problem is retention. I’m reading and understanding but not retaining what I read. There are lots of what I consider mundane facts to memorize. Stuff that, if an issue came up on the job I’d just look it up, but I’m expected to know for the test.
I’ve got two weeks to memorize stuff like SDRAM DIMMS have 168 Pins, DDR DIMMS have 184 pins and DDR2 DIMMS have 240 pins. I read it. I understand it. But it’s not sticking in my brain so when the multiple choice question asks how many pins a DDR2 DIMM has I can’t remember which it is.
Any assistance with study and memorization techniques would be most helpful.
Also, any advice from anyone who’s taken the test recently would be extra helpful. Thanks.
Imagine that you’ve been asked to train someone else. Write up a training manual for them, including practical exercises for them to do to demonstrate understanding. As much as possible, use real-life, or possible real-life examples to illustrate the concepts being described. Make up funny riddles to remember facts like numbers of pins, e.g.
SDRAM - Straight Dope pins are the simplest, just 168
DDR - Dungeons and Dragons pins are more complex, 184
DDR2 - Dungeons and Dragons squared = lots of pins! 240!
Oh, and if you study near a computer, stay away from the 'dope unless you think it can help. My posting frequency has gone up tenfold in the last couple of weeks I’ve been studying.
write notes. Reading and understanding that SD has 168 pins is one thing, but when you write it down, it seems (at least in my brain) to put it over to long term storage.
Writing flash cards is also not a bad idea. That way you can practice.
Along with all the other suggestions, you need to do something concrete with your information. Draw it. Build it. Make a sand castle out of it. Stage a play with the three billy goats RAM. People tend to learn in one of three modes: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Sounds to me like you’re not much of a visual person - you understand it, but it doesn’t stick. So try auditory - speak it out loud, sing a song of it, etcetera. And then there’s physical.
Whichever route you choose, when you’re doing the testing, go through those steps again. Sing the song in your head. Do a very small version of the DRAM dance you choreographed. That reactivates the neural connections you built and pulls the memory up more quickly.