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If you pass the examination, a certificate will be mailed to you within a few weeks. If you don’t receive your certificate and information packet within five weeks of passing your exam, contact CompTIA by e-mail at fulfillment@comptia.org or by calling 630-268-1818 (ask for the fulfillment department).

Certification indicates that you have completed the steps and have the knowledge required to perform at a specified level. It shows your employer and clients that your expertise has been attested by a recognized industry organization. Today, virtually every technology professional can benefit from pursuing a well-chosen certification. Becoming certified can increase your salary, enhance your skill set, and make your job more satisfying.

If you don’t receive a passing score

If you don’t pass a certification exam, you may call the testing center to schedule a time to retake the exam. Before retaking the exam, you should review this book and focus additional study on the topic areas where you can improve your exam results. Please note that you must pay again for each exam retake. For the best up-to-date information about CompTIA’s retake policy, visit www.comptia.org

One way to determine areas where additional study may be helpful is to review your individual section scores carefully. The section titles in your score report generally correlate to specific groups of exam objectives.

Here are some specific ways that you can prepare to retake an exam:

Go over the section-by-section scores on your exam results, noting objective areas where you can improve your score.

Review the objectives for the exam, with a special focus on the tasks and objective areas that correspond to the exam sections where you can improve your score.

Increase your real-world, hands-on experience and practice performing the listed job tasks with the relevant products and technologies.

About the Linux + Exam

An important aspect of passing the CompTIA Linux+ exam is to understand the “big picture.” This includes understanding how the exams are developed and scored.

Every job function requires different levels of cognitive skills, from memorization of facts and definitions to the comprehensive ability to analyze scenarios, design solutions, and evaluate options. To make the exams relevant in the real world, CompTIA exams test the specific cognitive skills that are necessary for the job functions being tested. These exams go beyond testing rote knowledge — you need to apply your knowledge, analyze technical solutions, solve problems, and make decisions, just as you would on the job.

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The CompTIA Linux+ exam is based on a “how to” approach. Thus, it is recommended that you have some hands-on experience before actually taking the test. The CompTIA Linux+ exam tests the skills for an individual who has at least six months of practical experience.

The CompTIA Linux+ Certification exam consists of 80 questions. You must have a passing score of 75 percent, and you have 90 minutes to complete the exam. The certification test is administered on a computer in an easy-to-use format; you will take the test at a Prometric or VUE authorized testing center. The format of the test is very similar to other multiple-choice examinations. The difference is that you take this examination on a desktop computer that is connected to a testing network, where all the data is stored centrally and securely. Directions for using the testing software are displayed on the screen. You are also provided a tutorial, and you can seek assistance from a nearby proctor. Onscreen “help” is also available, including information at the bottom of the screen that lets you know how to enter your answer, move forward in the test, mark a question for answering later, or review a previous question. Of course, the software tells you how to enter the answer, not what answer to enter.

Usually, each question has only one correct response. However, some questions do have multiple correct responses. When multiple correct answers are possible, a message at the bottom of the screen prompts you to “choose all that apply.” Be sure to read the messages at the bottom of the screen.

For the most updated information concerning the CompTIA Linux+ exam, please consult the CompTIA Web site, located at www.comptia.org.

Preparing for the Linux+ Exam

The best way to prepare for the CompTIA Linux+ exam is to study, learn, and master the job function on which you’ll be tested. For the CompTIA Linux+ exam — or any certification exam, for that matter — you should follow these important preparation steps:

1.Identify the objectives on which you’ll be tested.

2.Assess your current mastery of those objectives.

3.Practice tasks and study the areas that you haven’t mastered.

If you visit the CompTIA Web site at www.comptia.org, you will find relevant information about the Linux+ certification exam, including test centers in your area and any fees that are involved. They also have links to help you find study resources, and hands-on training centers in your area.

The CompTIA Web site also has the exam objective blueprint in an Adobe Acrobat format. This blueprint will help you to determine what areas you need to cover to pass the exam.

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For More Information

VUE has teamed with Self Test software (a world leader in certification practice tests) to help you to prepare for the actual test. Visit their Web site for more information at www.vue.com. VUE also lists several resources on how to pass the CompTIA exams.

The Prometric Web site located at www.prometric.com also contains information about how to pass the CompTIA exams