Suggestions for studying to take the NRRPT

[Content1]

I am starting preparations to take the NRRPT and got some of the books and software.   I am finding trouble in researching some of the questions from the test from original sources to fully comprehend the subject matter the test is based on, verses just practicing answers.   Some of the books I have bought are a help, but in reality seem too basic to cover the subject matter in many of the questions, you know, the trivia that you normally don't experience out in the field.   What series of books give a comprehensive knowledge or all area covered on the NRRPT would someone suggest?   My desire is to know the subject matter prior to taking the test like a law student needs to know the law to pass the bar exam.  Can it be done with the material that is commercially available?

[Content1]

That course in Las vegas costing nearly $2000, is it worth it?   (Even if my company will pay it.)   I feel if you can't study on your own and pass the practice tests well, what will a one week course do?

[grantime]

Read everything that you can put your hands on.  Gollnick is good,  Cember is OK but a bit too deep for NRRPT.  Practice tests can be helpfull too.  I ended up treating the practice test like I did the other texts.   I made flashcards of individual facts that I didn't know.  Wound up with hundreds of cards,  that I could flip through during spare minutes.  But everyone studies a different way

[mostlyharmless]

Moe,Cember,Cember solutions,Gollnick,chart of the knuckleheads,NRRPT solutions(White) available from NRRPT, comes with application for exam,the 10cfr recommended on NRRPT site. Don't get hung up on the math. The test is very broad and you have to know the material but you can do it. The above is what I studied along with a few others but it became repetitious. One thing I did was to go through Gollnick and Moe and write down the things I thought pertinate. It took a while but it helped.Ferreting through the cfrs was difficult because of the massive amount of information. Don't forget to look at medical hp stuff. I did a lot of prep work but its what I had to do to accommodate an old weak and lazy mind. Good luck.

[UncaBuffalo]

I will 2nd Grantime; I had Cember's book as a textbook in a college course; There were senior engineering students (as well as the rest of us) scratching their heads in some sections.

Cember is Health Physics..Gollnick is Radiation Protection. Are they related? Yes. Are they the same thing? No.

In my mind, Gollnick is adequate as an outline for a RP tech training program, but fairly useless as a source to research any questions you have while studying for NRRPT.  It just states too many random 'facts' without getting into the 'why' of many of them.  However, it does give you a starting place to see what topics you need to research elsewhere.

As TT notes, Cember is way too indepth for most RP tech questions...but that same depth makes it a good research tool when you want to understand the 'why'.

I am starting preparations to take the NRRPT and got some of the books and software.   I am finding trouble in researching some of the questions from the test from original sources to fully comprehend the subject matter the test is based on, verses just practicing answers.   Some of the books I have bought are a help, but in reality seem too basic to cover the subject matter in many of the questions, you know, the trivia that you normally don't experience out in the field.   What series of books give a comprehensive knowledge or all area covered on the NRRPT would someone suggest?   My desire is to know the subject matter prior to taking the test like a law student needs to know the law to pass the bar exam.  Can it be done with the material that is commercially available?

Content1...don't knock yourself out trying to understand every single topic that is on the NRRPT...it isn't necessary for a simple 'pass' on the test.  If you study the practice tests for a month or so (doing a few minutes of research on any questions you don't get right), you will do fine on the test.  Full comprehension is not a necessity...you just need to be able to recognize a right answer...

[Content1]

As compared to the NUF and the Core exam, can you use a calculator, do they have any study aides given and do you need a chart of the nuclides?   When you take the test, do all you get to use is a pencil and calculator?

[grantime]

its been a few years but when I took it it was pencil and calculator only.  And Calculator must meet their requirements.  Honestly the test I had you could have passed without a calculator.  Seems like I only used it on a few problems.  most are knowledge based.  Be sure to know some general isotope information.  There were several questions on mine that required that you know that P-32 was pure beta.  Keep in mind that I took it in 92 so there may have been a "few"  changes  or maybe my memory is failing 

Good luck

[mostlyharmless]

I passed it last year and I did not need the calculator very much. I used cember sparingly. Moe and Gollnick a lot. Calc and pencil was all I had. Forgot a comman half life and was so nervous I walked right by a chart of knuckleheads on the way to the bath room and did not look at it. Its allot of material but if I passed,so can you. Do not forget medical and 10cfrs other than 20 and 835, you will see some transport questions.

[Content1]

I heard something disturbing and I hope to get the straight story.   When we take the NEU and the Core, it is an objective examl and if you score 80% or better, you pass.   I was told that is not the case with the NRRPT exam, that is, it is graded on some sort of curve and even if you got 90%, if you are low on the curve you fail.  Is that true?   If you pass the NRRPT, I guess they tell you.  If you fail, I heard they don't tell you how or where to guard the test questions, or how close you were to passing.   Is that true?

[Content1]

Everything was brought up except on what it takes to pass, my main question.   Why take the test is?   It is a challenge to show your mastery in your chosen profession and we are lucky there are people willing to set up and run the registry.   Those of us wish to rise to the challenge are just wishing to know what it takes to pass.   It has 150 questions and multiple choice.   Is passing 80%, 90% or are some questions given greater weight then others.   What is the passing score?

[grantime]

This is from a 2003 NRRPT newletter explaining the process to approve a question.  Maybe it will answer your question.

"Once a question is written, it is submitted for a peer
review by three members of the panel or board. This
peer review includes format and clarity, technical content
and difficulty. Each question submitted is required to
include a specific reference citation which provides a
clear defense of the correct response. These references
are monitored closely so that questions can be
updated as regulations change.

Once the question is complete, it is put through the
Angoff process. The Angoff process addresses both the
need for quality assurance and an individual’s qualification.
The Angoff method requires expert judges (Panel
and Board members), the larger amount the better, who
individually judge each question on the basis of what
percentage of a “minimumly-qualified-person with five
years experience” will answer correctly. In the process,
both the high and low scoring judges of the question are
asked to explain the rationale for their score. Each judge
is then given the opportunity to change their score based
on the discussion or they can elect to leave their original
score. This structured review mechanism, with the
maximum number of judges involved, provides a balance
and fairness to the process.

When the 150 question exam is put together, the 150
individual Angoff numbers are averaged for a mean
rating. This result is the percentage score expected to
be achieved by a qualified candidate. The percentage
score is applied to the 150 questions to arrive at the
passing point for the exam. The passing point is
presented to the board for their approval. Once the
passing point is approved, any candidate taking that
exam and achieving that point or greater, passes the
exam."

[Content1]

If I am interpreting the previous post, it is not an objective score, it is based on a statistical bell curve so that short of scoring 100%, a high score say 95%, if you take the test with a bunch of geniuses could be a failing score.   On the other side of this, if you convince a bunch of duffers to take the test with you, you will be on the top of the bell curve, and a 75% could be the top score and therefore pass.   If that is the game and that is how it is played, so be it.   We have to study to insure we are at the top then.  It is much like that old comedy joke then, where if a bear attacks a bunch of campers, your don't have to be able to run faster than a bear, just faster then other slower campers.

[grantime]

It's not a bell curve.  The "passing" number is determined ahead of time.  So if you were testing in group with 99 geniuses and one who is "just" very good, then it is possible that everyone would passes.  or with a differerent group no one might pass. 

The way I read the note, is that the group of judges score each question on whether a "minimumly-qualified-person with five years experience" could answer it.  The idea is that if you meet their definition of "minimumly qualifed" you will pass.

I emailed the Registry of clarification of this and when I hear back I will post.

Don't worry about mininium score.  Study hard.   And then see what happens. Nothing any of us can really tell you will completely make you understand the experience.   If for some reason you  don't pass it on first try(and many really good techs do not) then you will be better able to judge what you need to do for next try. 

[Chimera]

Everything was brought up except on what it takes to pass, my main question.   Why take the test is?   It is a challenge to show your mastery in your chosen profession and we are lucky there are people willing to set up and run the registry.   Those of us wish to rise to the challenge are just wishing to know what it takes to pass.   It has 150 questions and multiple choice.   Is passing 80%, 90% or are some questions given greater weight then others.   What is the passing score?

I have no idea what a "passing score" is for the NRRPT exam.  I passed it in 1981 and this past summer and in both cases I was sure I hadn't passed.  No score is provided - just a nice letter and certificate saying you passed.  Study hard.  Study a lot.  Read everything.  Some of the questions seemed simple while others fell into the category of, "I read about that but I don't remember it very well." 

Gollnick is an excellent source: Read it and work through the practice questions.  I wasn't a big fan of his earlier editions, but his 5th edition is pretty good.  Duratek had a a study course with a  CD that has an exam section that was invaluable although I feared it might be dated.  Try and find a copy of that one to assist you in your studies.  And if there are some Techs where you work who have taken and passed the exam, try to pick their brains.