Hi Guys, searching for a scrap of information about CSDA (Certified Software Development Associate) Exam? Seems you are still in a hunt. I too did the same when i was into it for the first time. Here is your piece of cake, grab it. Let me share you some of my knowledge about the CSDA Exam conducted by IEEE Computer society.
First i request your patient in reading this lengthy, boring blog; even though it is boring, i believe that you will get something useful out of it after reading this blog.
I’m Sudarsanan.R “My intro” an employee of Sella Servizi Bancari S.C.p.A, Chennai Branch - To know more about my company please visit my company’s website http://www.sellaservizibancari.it/ To know about me, I request you not to waste your precious time in searching around the net, because you wont find even a bit of information, am not such a prestigious figure, but i hope i will be one, some other day (Guys don’t take it to your heart just an optimistic talk).
For your kind information am a CSDA participation candidate. (“Participation” means i too gave a shot at it). I was not successful at my first attempt, Am sure i will be, some other day (This one is for serious).
Before getting into the core of this blog, i want to request something from the CSDA Professionals (“Professionals” means those who successfully completed their CSDA exam and proved themselves as an Certified Software Development Associate as per IEEE computer society), If you (CSDA’s) come across this blog at any point of time in your lifetime, I request you; please share your experience regarding this exam as it will be very useful for others to get an overview of the exam. I wanted to share this because i struggled a lot in finding some information about this mystery (CSDA). We respect your suggestions and it may be very useful for atleast one in this world.
Hold on, we are not into the core of the blog yet; before starting, let me thank my company in finding me an opportunity to give a shot at this devil (CSDA). I thank them once again for initiating me to write this blog with the help of some content from IEEE computer society.
First let me clear your understanding about CSDA (Certified Software Development Associate). The IEEE Computer Society Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) credential is a software development certification that is intended for recent software engineering graduates or entry-level software development professionals. The CSDA Exam Specifications were develop in 2007 through a job analysis process that provided an industry accepted, systematic procedure for identifying/validating the performance domain of a job and the knowledge and skills that are necessary for an entry-level software development professional to perform their job. The CSDA examination was first launched in May 2008 (This is the reason that it dint reach every one; hope it will, soon). This CSDA certification is based on the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). CSDA is an online objective type exam conducted by IEEE Computer Society. Which will completely test your understanding about software engineering (i.e. it will break your skull to see if there exist an software engineering knowledge).
For details you may visit http://www.computer.org/portal/web/certification/csda
At first, if you are in an idea to get certified; register yourself at the website mentioned above and proceed as they say because they are the one who is responsible. Once you are registered & after the fees payment you will be receiving an SWEBOK guide and given access to an E-Learning content which contains an overview of all the 15 knowledge areas grouped into four modules. CSDA Assessment Course (E-learning) is valid only for six (6) months period of time for a registered candidate. After the time period, it expires automatically, so be aware of it, so that you won’t commit the mistake of registering yourself and sitting ideal. Once you register start your preparation (it means that you are in lions den).
CSDA, as i said you earlier it is an objective type exam, it consist of 180 questions to answer in three and a half hours. These 180 questions are converted to a scale of 200 marks overall. The passing score is fixed to 170 out of 200 i.e. 85% (Subjected to change, as it is decided by IEEE Computer Society; Please check their website to update yourself with the latest news) For your attention - No Negative marks. These 180 questions will test you in all the 15 knowledge areas of software engineering randomly.
The 15 knowledge areas are,
- Software Requirement.
- Software Design.
- Software Construction.
- Mathematical Foundation.
- Engineering Foundation.
- Computing Foundation.
- Software Engineering Process.
- Software Quality Assurance.
- Software Testing.
- Software Configuration Management.
- Software Maintenance.
- Software Engineering tools and methods.
- Software Engineering Management.
- Software Engineering Profession.
- Software Engineering Economics.
Each knowledge area has its own weightage (Again, it is also subjected to change, as it is decided by IEEE Computer Society)
These are the weightage percentage to each knowledge area when i took my exam.
Software Testing (7%)
Software Maintenance (7%)
Software Configuration Management (3%)
Software Engineering Management (3%)
Software Engineering Process (4%)
Software Engineering Methods (5%)
Software Quality (6%)
Software Engineering Professional Practice (7%)
Software Engineering Economics (3%)
Computing Foundations (10%)
Mathematical Foundations (10%)
Engineering Foundations (10%)
Software Requirements (7%)
Software Design (8%)
Software Construction (10%)
There is also something that you all (test takers) should be aware of, Letter (I) and Letter (C)
"Introductory (I)" level is intended to represent someone who has basic capability to perform in a knowledge area, but needs help, supervision, and review to do so--like an apprentice.
"Competency (C)" level is expected of a typical, experienced, professional--they work largely on their own. One would certainly expect someone at the Competency level to be able to answer more specific, detailed, and difficult questions.
Each knowledge area has it’s own I and C type of questions to be shooted at you at your exam. Have an eye on this.
Use this E-Learning content only as an supportive material for your reading, because there is a lot behind this to know about software engineering. Utilize the “SWEBOK guide” for your preparation. As it name says it is only a guide which can guide you in the way it want you to go, A lot of reading is the success key. Refer book Somerville
Remember, there runs a clock; at the top right corner of your screen during your exam, you can’t take all your time to analyze a single question; you have to be really quick to do all your analysis’s and move to the next question. So manage yourself within the time given. Once you are done with question no.1 proceed to question no.2,3,4 and so on till question no 180. By clicking the next button at the bottom right corner of the screen you will be navigated to the next question.
Guy’s let me tell you what all you will have in your screen during your exam. A clock at your top right corner of the screen to ensure yourself how much time you are left with, Question number at your top left corner to ensure yourself how many question you are left with, A previous button to switch back to the previous question, a next button to move to the next question, a mark button, a review button at your bottom of your screen one after another; And even a calculator for you to USE, guys please use when needed. Now, let me tell you about the mark button and the review button which is new to hear for few. Mark button is one which you can use to mark your question, if you are not sure about the answer that you are given to that particular question or can also be used to answer the question later if time permits by marking it and leaving the question unanswered. Now, about the review button, this is nothing but a zoom out of your entire exam (i.e.) from here you can view how many questions you have answered/unanswered, how many question you left unanswered without marking, how many question you have marked and unanswered, how many question you have answered and marked for your later review.
Hope now you can get an idea of how do your interface looks like. Are you OK guys? Just a sec, I forget to tell you the important person that your screen holds, he is the one who will squeezes your brain, he is the one who heats your blood up, he is the one who hold the right option from that four given. Seems you got it, yeah, you will have me buddy “Am your question”.
I can’t suggest you how to proceed your learning in order to crack the exam, because each have a different plan running within their mind, every ones way of thinking differ for each one. So plan accordingly.
Guy’s this is how the score report looks like when the passing requirement of a scaled score 170 is not achieved. I heard that it is different in the case of achieving the required passing score. Am sorry, I don’t have any idea of how the score card looks like when you take him (CSDA) down. Sure, I will let you all know in my next blog.
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We regret to inform you that you did not achieve the passing requirements of a scaled score of 170 on the CSDA examination.
The purpose of this score report and the following information is to let you know what your strengths and weaknesses are regarding the examination. Please keep in mind that all diagnostic areas do not have the same number of questions. Therefore, comparison across domains should not be made.
The purpose of this test is to measure a candidate’s level of knowledge compared to the criteria established by IEEE Computer Society for certification.
Each domain and its main knowledge areas along with a diagnosis of your performance for each domain is listed below:
SUBJECT AREA LEVEL
Software Requirements
Software Design
Software Construction
Software Testing
Software Maintenance
Software Configuration Management
Software Engineering Management
Software Engineering Process
Software Engineering Methods
Software Quality
Software Eng Professional Practice
Software Engineering Economics
Computing Foundations
Mathematical Foundations
Engineering Foundations
The diagnostic levels are intended to provide you with information about the areas that may require additional study. The following is an explanation of the numbers used in diagnostics.
LEVEL
1 Indicates that your performance is above the minimum acceptable level.
2 Indicates that your performance is at the minimum acceptable level.
3 Indicates that your performance is below the minimum acceptable level.
For your kind information; There exists an training center in Chennai for these kind of certifications, If you wish u can also contact them to get some thing more of what you are into. (Purna Career Solutions (PCS), a registered education provided for IEEE Computer Society software development certifications) I only give you an information that there exist an training center in Chennai and i dint mean you to join there or something else to make it done, Because am not providing an Ad or something else here, i just wanted to share what all i know regarding this. Nothing comes for free; every thing has a price tag attached to it, it all depends on your own wish & the financial support u can afford & the satisfactory level you gain after all. Have a brief discussion about the course with them, not only with them with all of them who can provide u an useful information regarding this.
Yes, the one whom you have to blame for eating your valuable time is above in the picture.
Guy’s at last i have decided to conclude my blog about CSDA. Before doing so, I really need to thank few of them who worked along with me in the intension to take this big guy (CSDA) down. Ms.Gajalakshmi, Mr.Ganesh, Ms.Poornima, Ms.Saranya Malini. Confused? Hmmm,They are all my colleagues in Sella. We all together thank our company to provide us with this wonderful opportunity.
Guy’s i need to share something at last, there are another 3 rockets to be launched from our company in few days. I mean that there are 3 more on the pursuit, namely Ms.Bharati, Ms.Nathiya, Ms.Parvathi. and will be back with you all soon with the success story.
Oops, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, I think i have already eaten your time by this blog which you would have used it for your preparation rather, YES guys, I really can hear what you say, don’t worry this is my last paragraph of this blog, I’m done, I wish ALL THE BEST for all who want to taste this …….? (CSDA…..)