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01.14.04
 By
Pradeep Chopra
The SCJP exam is the first in a series of Java certification exams
offered by Sun Microsystems, and for many it is the first step to
becoming established as a competent Java developer.
This article serves as a primer to SCJP certification. To help you
prepare for the exam, we'll start with a point-by-point comparison
of SCJP 1.2 and SCJP 1.4, outlining the most significant changes to
the exam content. In addition, we'll talk about the broader issues
of SCJP certification, such as how to prepare for the exam and whether
the time and cost of certification are worthwhile to your career as
a Java programmer.
Introducing SCJP 1.4 |
Table 1 compares the functional differences between the 1.2 and 1.4
versions of the SCJP exams, in terms of cost, number of questions,
and time allotted for completion, among other things.
Table
1. SCJP 1.2 vs. SCJP 1.4
The syllabus for the SCJP exam is organized in terms of objectives
. Each objective tests your skill in an area of Java programming.
The most important changes to the new version of the exam are as follows:
- The AWT (Abstract Windowing Toolkit) objective has been removed.
SCJP 1.4 contains no questions about GUI programming.
- The I/O objective has been removed.
- An objective on the Assertions API has been added.
- Some objectives have been strengthened. You can expect more
in-depth questions in the following subject areas:
- Wrapper classes
- Collections
- hashCode() and equals()
If you've already completed all the training for the original exam,
you might be tempted to just go for SCJP 1.2 certification. After
all, who wants to study up for a whole new exam? If you compare the
two exams, however, you'll find that there isn't a significant difference
between them. You'll need to brush up on the Assertions API (if you
haven't already done so) and pay more attention to the objectives
that have been strengthened in the new version, but the overall exam
content hasn't changed much. The point of IT certification is to reflect
competency in the most current version of the technology, and the
Java platform has changed quite a bit over the past couple of years.
You're advised to take the SCJP 1.4 exam.
Preparing for the SCJP exam
Preparing for any kind of IT certification is about both studying
and practicing. You'll likely want to start with the former and migrate
to the latter. At present, several books are available for the SCJP
1.2 exam, but none have yet turned up for SCJP 1.4. Your best bet
is to get started with one or two of the well-recommended guides to
SCJP 1.2, but use the above list of changes to SCJP 1.4 to tailor
your course of study. (In other words, don't waste much time learning
about Java I/O or the AWT, but do read up on wrapper classes, Collections,
and the methods hashCode() and equals() .)
In addition to books, you should check out the numerous resources
on the Web. Start with the essential Java technology specifications
from Sun Microsystems, then scout around to find tutorials that address
important topics such as the Assertions API or the Collections API.
One nice thing about Web resources is that they're generally more
up-to-date than books, so you can use online reading to supplement
your less current reading.
See Resources for a complete listing of recommended books, articles,
tutorials, and specifications.
Practice, practice, practice
After you've prepared with the appropriate books, browsed through
the specifications, read the tutorials, articles, and notes, all that's
left to do is practice. Start by getting yourself a good IDE and writing
code. Choose programming exercises that help you focus on the exam
objectives, and don't avoid the stuff you're afraid of. Better to
make mistakes on your own time than in the exam itself.
In addition to toiling away under your own direction, there are two
ways to simulate the test experience before you get to the real thing.
Mock exams offer a good sampling of the kinds of questions
you'll encounter and give you the opportunity to resolve them on your
own time. Certification test simulators take the mock-exam
experience to the next level, by actually simulating the test environment.
Another option is to hire a personal coach. Organizations that specialize
in Java training provide a structured, disciplined learning environment,
and most have a well-established record of success. While personal
training costs more than many of the other training resources mentioned
here, it can also be a more efficient path to certification, allowing
you to quickly gain the skills necessary to passing the SCJP exam.
See Resources for a listing of IDEs, free mock exams, commercial certification
test simulators, and companies that specialize in Java training.
Click
Here to Read the Full Article
About the Author:
Whizlabs
is a leading provider of IT skill assessment and certification exam
preparation. Whizlabs' suite of offerings include "IT certification
exam simulators and online trainings" for various exams by Sun, IBM,
Oracle, Microsoft, BEA, Cisco and other leading IT vendors and "IT
skill Assessment Management Solution" for Corporations, Training Institutes
and Universities."
Ever since it’s inception in 1999 Whizlabs has helped 280,000 software
professionals in realizing their dream of acquiring an IT certification
of their interest. Whizlabs offerings have fuelled the career growth
of IT professionals working in 321 Fortune 500 companies spread across
118 countries all over the globe.
Read This Newsletter at: http://www.itcertificationnews.com/2004/0114.html |
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