1/13/2020 CMA Exam Review - Part 1
Study Guide
Essay Tips
I. Writing CMA Essay Questions
A. Overview of CMA Exam Essay Questions
1. Each part of the CMA exam will have two essay questions to let you demonstrate a deep
understanding of the subject matter tested.
2. The essay questions follow the 100 multiple-choice questions portion.
3. Exam takers have a maximum time of four hours to complete the entire exam.
a. 3 hours of multiple-choice questions (approximately 75% of the exam).
b. 1 hour of essay questions or 30 minutes each (approximately 25% of the exam).
4. At least 50% on multiple-choice questions must be earned in order to advance to essays and
once advanced to essays, candidates cannot return to the multiple-choice portion.
5. Expect 3-6 questions for each essay scenario.
6. There is no spreadsheet application for computational problems on the exam.
a. Candidates will be expected to write supporting work in the essay word-processing
application.
b. Candidates can use pencils and scratch paper provided at the test site to develop
computations before writing them in the word-processing application.
B. How to Prepare an Essay Question Response
1. Each question should take 30 minutes of time.
2. Quickly scroll through both scenarios and determine which one is easier to answer.
3. Also scroll through each question within the scenario to determine how much time you will
need for each question.
4. Answer the easier or more familiar question first.
a. This helps ensure not spending excessive time on the harder question, leaving little
time for the easier question.
b. This gives candidates confidence to answer the more challenging question.
5. Follow these guidelines for budgeting time to complete an essay question in 30 minutes:
a. Spend the first 2 to 5 minutes reading the question and creating an outline.
1. Read the entire question to ensure understanding of all requirements.
2. The outline will allow you to collect your thoughts and structure a framework for
answering the question.
3. If time is short, type your outline as your answer to secure at least partial credit
on the essay question.
b. Spend the next 20 to 25 minutes answering the question.
1. Use the action verbs in the question to determine how to answer the question.
a. If the question asks you to compare and contrast two approaches, then list
the benefits and costs of each approach and describe how one approach
differs from another.
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1/13/2020 CMA Exam Review - Part 1
b. If the question asks to define a term, provide a definition of the term and
demonstrate that you understand how to apply the definition.
2. Rephrase the question's key words and phrases to make it easier for the grader.
3. Use bullet points to organize your answers. Show sufficient detail to allow the
grader to understand your knowledge of the subject matter.
4. Write one to two sentences at the start of the question to introduce the topic and
one to two sentences at the end of the topic to summarize key points.
c. Spend the final 3 to 5 minutes proofreading your answer.
1. Ensure your answer has addressed the key action words in the questions.
2. Review the organization, structure, and clarity of your answers.
3. Review basic grammar and writing skills.
4. Compare your answer to your initial outline to ensure you have addressed the
points you wanted to cover.
6. Monitor your time. Do not spend too much time on one question.
7. Be brief and to the point; it is okay to use bullet points.
8. Do not leave a question blank.
a. If you do not have the time to write a full answer, at least use your outline of the main
points to demonstrate your understanding of the topic.
9. The goal of the exam grader is to give you points, not take them away.
a. Essay grading rubrics (grade sheets) provide more possible answers than what is
necessary to obtain maximum points.
b. Include as much detail as possible to add more points to your score.
c. You cannot score higher than the maximum number of points for the question. (e.g., If
the question is 15 points and you provide enough detail for 18 points, you will only
score 15 points).
II. CMAexcel Essay Questions
A. Practice essay questions are available as part of the test bank. Select 'Question Type: Essay' when
taking a quiz through the test bank to access these questions.
B. The practice essay questions are original questions and are not released ICMA questions.
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