Joyce Cox (1)

Perhaps because PowerPoint is not one of my stronger subjects, I actually studied for my Microsoft Office Specialist certification exam.

I chose this book, because it doesn't just hit on the test objectives, but actually teaches you how to use the program. I didn't use the included exercise files, because I can visualize really well with these programs, but I read even the sections I thought I knew, just in case.

The Step by Step books are full of information about how to get things done in their title program. They're also full of trivia about alternate ways to do things (there are always two to six ways to do everything in Office), and come at the program from a way slightly different than I experience it as an end-user.

As a user, I tend to find out how to do the things I need right away, and then build extra knowledge from things I can use fairly often, then sometimes, then rarely, then never.

Step by Step books turn that teaching style on its ear, and go beginning to end, whether you might use a feature or not. I particularly like that this opens me to more possibilities than I would have otherwise found out about.

In the case of this exam, when I really felt ignorant about the program, but wanted to try anyway, I got the best score I've ever gotten on a certification. I believe I took on a belief that I knew nothing, and was therefore open to everything the book had to teach. I still missed a few questions, but belief I owe my success to this book and this series.

Well done, Microsoft Press.… (lisätietoja)

My library bought two kinds of books in both hardcopy and ebook format for studying for the Microsoft Office Specialist exams: some MOS Study Guides and some Step by Step books. After using both for personal study, I've come to decide that the Step by Step books are best suited for those who want a broad and useful knowledge of the programs in question.

The MOS Study Guides are very targeted to helping the reader understand how to exactly fulfill learning objectives and measured skills for the exams, but, in my opinion, don't go far enough in providing context. They are organized by learning objective, but don't do much to explain the whats and wherefors of a procedure. Oddly, this is despite being structured in, almost entirely, a lecture format. When it comes to practicing skills, discussed, however, I find that I have difficulty using the provided exercise files, despite knowing the programs involved pretty well.

The Step by Step guides do seem to do a better job of explaining procedures. While they aren't organized by objective, it's not particularly hard to identify things that meet each requirement.

Overall, I think I like the Step by Step guides better, because I feel that the way the material is presented, combined with the ability to use the exercise files effectively to reinforce reading, leads to a more educational and longer-lasting experience. If you just want to cram, the Study Guides might be the way to do it.

My selection of the Step by Step books is actually a little counterintuitive, because the MOS Study Guides each cover four exams, while the Step by Step books cover one program (with no differentiation for the expert exams in Word and Excel). After all, why not get everything you need for four exams in one book? That's why I think the Study Guides are best for cramming and targeted study, while Step by Step are best for overall knowledge and understanding.

Furthermore, I have an opinion on ebook versus hardcopy!

My personal preference is hardcopy. I have no doubt this is at least partly due to my background. I'm definitely not a digital native, although I play one on TV.

If you intend to use the ebook versions, I recommend reading them on the computer rather than on an ebook reader. You'll want to work with the exercise files, and it's easier to do this through clicking between programs on the computer than it is to read on one device and operate another. I would strongly recommend you not try this on a tablet, and a smartphone would, I think, be counterproductive because you can work with so little information at a time.… (lisätietoja)