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Information Support and Services

Entry Level Assessment Blueprint

Specific Competencies and Skills Tested in this Assessment:

 

Information Technology Applications Technical Skills

  • Use word processing, presentation software, and email applications to prepare communications
  • Use spreadsheet and database applications to manage and communicate data and information
  • Identify and select appropriate hardware components associated with information systems
  • Identify and select appropriate security practices and applications and network services associated with information systems

 

Information Support and Services Technical Skills

  • Perform computer user support
  • Demonstrate knowledge of troubleshooting techniques
  • Define functions of system administration and project management
  • Identify and implement quality assurance processes (e.g., acceptable use policies, change monitoring, patch testing)

 

Academic Foundations

  • Apply language arts skills in an IT environment
  • Apply writing skills in an IT environment
  • Apply mathematics skills in an IT environment
  • Apply science skills in an IT environment

 

Systems

  • Describe the relationship, roles, and responsibilities among IT professionals
  • Analyze the impact on IT based on technological advances (e.g., wireless, SmartPhones, cloud computing)
  • Identify standard terminology and basic concepts within IT

 

Ethics and Legal Responsibilities

  • Apply appropriate laws, regulations, and industry standards to IT situations
  • Identify ethical issues and demonstrate ethical behavior in IT situations

 

Communications

  • Locate, organize, and reference written information
  • Utilize listening skills and interpret verbal/nonverbal (body language) behaviors to enhance communication
  • Interpret and use tables, charts, and figures to support written and oral communication

 

Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, and Decision Making

  • Locate credible sources of information about problems and determine appropriate methods for investigation causes
  • Determine root causes of problems to suggest and evaluate solutions

 

Leadership and Teamwork

  • Apply leadership qualities to improve the quality of work and the work environment
  • Work effectively in a team environment to improve the quality of work and the work environment

 

Safety, Health, and Environmental

  • Identify and practice appropriate safety procedures for IT occupations
  • Identify and practice appropriate environmental procedures for IT occupations

 

Employability and Career Development

  • Demonstrate appropriate workplace behaviors related to a career in IT
  • Pursue career development skills to advance in IT careers
  • Demonstrate knowledge of certifications appropriate for careers in IT

 

Written Assessment:

Administration Time: 2 hours
Number of Questions: 107

 

Areas Covered:

Information and Technology Applications Technical Skills: 15%

Information Support and Services Technical Skills: 18%

Academic Foundations: 10%

Systems: 12%

Ethic and Legal Responsibilities: 8%

Communications: 10%

Information Technology Applications: 6%

Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, and Decision Making: 5%

Leadership and Teamwork: 8%

Safety, Health, and Environmental: 8%

Employability and Career Development: 8%

Sample Questions:

Fiber optic cable allows ______ waves to propagate down its length from end to end.

  1. light
  2. radio
  3. electrical
  4. sonic

 

A wireless personal area network is based on which of the following technologies?

  1. token ring
  2. 802.11b
  3. RFI
  4. Bluetooth®

 

The NIC is installed into

  1. the system board
  2. a port in the modem
  3. the CPU
  4. a CD-ROM drive

 

When a group is brainstorming possible solutions for a problem, one of the first steps is to

  1. only write down correct ideas
  2. criticize all recommendations
  3. discuss and rank each item
  4. record all comments and suggestions

 

A properly attached wrist strap decreases the chance of

  1. RFI
  2. ESP
  3. EMI
  4. ESD

OSI stands for

  1. open standard interface
  2. open standard interconnection
  3. open systems interconnection
  4. open serial interface

 

When a user purchases application software with a single-use license, the user may

  1. copy the software to another CD to be used as a back-up
  2. allow a friend to copy the software onto another computer
  3. allow a co-worker to copy the software onto another computer
  4. copy the software to a network to be distributed

 

A 1-terabyte hard drive is how much larger than a 500-gigabyte hard drive?

  1. 2 times larger
  2. 5 times larger
  3. 10 times larger
  4. 1,000 times larger

 

To ensure that an old computer has been disposed of properly, the technician should

  1. call the service department 10 days after the equipment was delivered
  2. ask when the equipment will be processed
  3. request a certificate of completion once the work is done
  4. request a call upon demolition

 

CompTIA is a non-profit organization involved with

  1. computer operation systems in IT
  2. certifying organizations for IT
  3. comparison of IT products
  4. timing and independent assessment of IT