DESPERATELY need MIS help!

[Runner4064]

Hi, my name is Brandon. I'm new to the forum. Let me start by thanking EVERYONE who has posted. You have helped me out more than you know! I am very thankful and sincerely grateful!

After 5 years of chopping on the proverbial degree tree with a small hatchet I am excited to announce it is about to fall. However one class remains in the way... management information systems. I'm not computer savvy and have just recently started to learn computer basics. I have read the other posts and have taken notes. I have the MIS textbook, the ipod notes (5.hrs worth), as well as instacert. I would like to take the test next Friday if I'm ready.

ANY advise, help, tips, etc. would be greatly appreciated!
After this is over I will brain dump all of my tests as I finally know how to post. OK thank you!

[StealingDreams]

Know about Decision Support Systems, Executive Support Systems, Group Decision Support Systems and what the qualities of each are (ie expert systems have AI qualities)

Know different styles of system building and prototyping and what the advantages and disadvantages of each are. This is important as quite a bit of my test was focused on this.

There was one question on CASE tools which basically was just knowing the definition so know that.

Know different types of databases and how they connect and store information (cell, row, table)

Makes sure you look over the Intro to Computing flash cards too as there are some helpful things in there. Knowing a little about file formats or which software came out first will help get you some easy points. Also things like FTP, what a multiplexer is and some basic computer knowledge will help.

Oh, and make sure you check out the exam specific feedback thread if you haven't already. It gives you a good base of information to look up and know that along with the flashcards should be more than enough to pass with a good score. Hope that helped and good luck on your exam.

[barcotta]

The good news is that much of this test revolves around, surprisingly enough, Management Information SYSTEMS--as opposed to personal computers--so your lack of computer savvy won't hurt you as much here as it would in the CLEP or DSST Computing/Software Application exams. You still need to know some as I recall (it was a while ago I took it), but you'll need to know more about the systems that organizations use. Trust the Specific Feedback Section here and I'm sure you'll do fine.

[gus]

I second barcotta's recommendation. I took this one just yesterday, seemed pretty straightforward to me, but I do come from an IT background (also being in the field for 23 years definitely must've helped with all the legacy terms). A lot of the questions about technical terms were kind of silly (and useless in the real word), but not knowing the terms will hurt on the test. The exam feedback section has sound advice, though I wouldn't go overboard with studying for this one.

Two things I've noticed. One, the Peterson's tests went beyond the scope (stuff like extreme programming and application names never showed up on my test, for example, although all 3 Peterson's tests seemed to have a few questions on those). Although some find the wording of DSST questions tricky, I found the ones on the actual test to be very simple and to the point.

Second, I've found on most occasions when the answer wasn't clear that I could eliminate all 3 incorrect answers with relative ease. There were times when I thought that if I had not had my experience in IT some questions would've seemed alien (and would've definitely required studying), but still not difficult to learn at all. I had just used IC's subject material (didn't do IS&CA, but would recommend it, considering your background). I also went through the Peterson's test (which proved to be semi useful/semi waste of time, in my case). I generally find the wording and the questions themselves on Peterson's exams to be more ambiguously written and not very well thought out, although very useful at times, especially that the answers are explained to a certain degree.

Good luck!

[wfb0l2c]

Hi, my name is Brandon...one class remains in the way... management information systems...ANY advise, help, tips, etc. would be greatly appreciated!

Study the Peterson's exams.