Reviewing the Exam Content Task List

Your first task in studying should be to download the Task List from the BACB website. The Task List details all of the content areas that will be tested on the examination. An essential studying strategy is to become familiar with the vocabulary of the Task List as well as the principles and concepts tested. You should also be sure to review the exam information on the BACB website and take the computer-based exam tutorial from Pearson VUE to become familiar with the format of the exam.

Some of the strategies I have found helpful to many of my students and colleagues in studying are to:

Conserve your energy. Review the task list first–and test your ability to define key terms and create both examples and non-examples of key concepts. Then, fill in any gaps in your understanding by reviewing a basic reference text.

Find a study partner or create a study group, as described further below. Set time goals for studying sections of the task list and meet to discuss problematic areas and test each other’s knowledge. Feel free to use my syllabus to create a structure/timelines for your group, so long as you are not charging a fee for your group.

Find a mentor. Keep a running list of questions that you have not been able to answer through the task list, references or through discussion with your study partner. Set two to three brief meeting times with a colleague who has passed the exam to discuss these issues.

Build fluency. Develop flashcards and matching exercises based on the task list content areas; many definitions are clearly spelled out in the tasks. Flashcards can be used in SAFMEDS practice as outlined below. You may also find the CDs from Behavior Development Solutions to be very helpful (a number of my students have found them a very useful complement to my course).

Review at least one major reference text such as Cooper, Heron, & Heward’s Applied Behavior Analysis, which has an appendix indexing the task list (although any basic textbook will be helpful). Create summary notes from these references linked to the task list; these can also be used to create flashcards for SAFMEDS study. Another strategy is to record your summaries of the reference chapters so that you can listen to them in the car, while exercising, etc.

Create and exchange practice questions and scenarios. This strategy is an excellent one for requiring you to actively respond to the task list and consider the various ways a concept may be tested, as described further below. Your focus should be on developing questions that are based on applied scenarios, and many students find this exercise to be a refreshing way to apply their studying to their “real life” and work.

Creating a Study Group
Many individuals find it helpful to study with another individual or a small group throughout the preparation period. Other individuals prefer to initially study the material and then join a small group as part of the final preparation phase. And, others prefer to study independently throughout the preparation period. The advantages of studying with others is that each member brings a diverse skill level, background and experience that is valuable while discussing and clarifying the Task List content areas and possible questions and scenarios. While different skill levels are expected, the aim of the study group is to review and practice, the intent of the study group should not be to teach material that has not been previously learned.
A nice website with general study information can be found at: http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides

Flashcards/SAFMEDS Practice
SAFMEDS, an acronym coined by Dr. Ogden R. Lindsley, has been a part of Precision Teaching since the 1970s. SAFMEDS refers to a structured learning strategy, similar to using flashcards. The acronym stands for:

  • Say
  • All
  • Fast a
  • Minute
  • Every
  • Day
  • Shuffled

From a verbal behavior perspective, SAFMEDS practice creates an intraverbal relationship, i.e. in the presence of the word, a definition is given (and vice versa). In plain English, SAFMEDS practice is a paired association of when the word/phrase on the front of the flashcard is seen, the definition (answer or another phrase related to the front of the card) on the back is said.

The goal for using SAFMEDS is to create stable and fluent responding over time. The strategy for using SAFMEDS is very simple: Every day, the student shuffles the whole deck of flashcards. The responses are said out loud. The cards are worked as fast as possible, all the way through, at least once per day. The session is timed so that the speed of correct and incorrect responses can be tracked.

The successful results of using SAFMEDS are:

  • the information is more likely to be remembered, even following periods of non-practice
  • the information is more likely to be remembered, even in the presence of distractor
  • the information is more likely to be generalized to new examples or applications

Websites detailing the use of SAFMEDS can be found at:
http://members.aol.com/standardcharter/safmeds.html
http://members.shaw.ca/celerationtechnologies/Fluency.html
http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/2357/2414567/Volume_medialib/SAFMEDS.PDF