Best course of study for CQA re-test?

Welcome TommyB!

I am sorry you did not pass your exam.

It has been some time since I served on the editors team for Certified Quality Inspector exams. Our first task as Editors was to take a copy of the exam into a room with all of the listed reference materials in the BOK, and find the answers to the questions. What I noticed then, as well as with the numerous exams I have taken (I failed the CQE exam once) was that - whether they meant it to or not - the ASQ Handbook for that subject was most often the best "hit" for the answer. I used the Primers at first, and decided that the Handbook make better resources because their indexes are better (the index is your friend!) and the Primer is too bulky for my taste. Turning those pages in the giant binders is a time consuming pain. I have found errors in them too.

I have found it helpful to take practice exams; research the questions in your resource(s). I have found I learn more when studying this way, versus just reading the material.

Other tips:

1) I have found it a waste to take more than three sources with me to the exams; they are too much to dig through on test day.
2) When taking the exam, read through the questions and answer the ones you know, through to the end. With the remaining time you can research answers of those you passed by. If you are like me, you will also find an answer to an additional question you passed by.
3) Unless you very clearly find an error you have made, resist the urge to second guess yourself and change answers.

I hope this helps!

 

When I failed my CQE the first time (passed the second) what I realized was I didn't have good prep materials that I was comfortable and able to look stuff up. To me, that's a key point.

So to Jennifer's point above, the first I had one book, the second I had two, the first was a CQE handbook with tabs I placed on them. The second was Juran's quality handbook. I was able to find most everything between these two.

Also like she said, those practice exams available are great resources. While the questions may not be the same, they are similar. Time yourself on those. Keep yourself diligent in answering them and looking up the answers in the reference material you will take into the examination.