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Young Forensic Scientists Forum Newsletter - September 2002 The
American Board of Criminalistics General Knowledge Examination |
| The intention of this article is to offer some advice to young forensic scientists who are considering taking the American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) Examination. For those of you who are generally new to the field, the best advice is to study. I took the exam in May, with only eight months of experience in a forensic drug unit, and I was not sufficiently prepared to answer the broad range of questions presented. Prior to taking the exam, I worked in a forensic drug unit for eight months and I was able to answer the questions pertaining specifically to drugs with relative confidence. However, all of the other questions were relatively difficult. The ABC application includes a study guide and the level of general knowledge that is required to successfully complete the exam. In hindsight, the study guide provides very useful, focused information. For those who are truly serious about collecting all of the necessary literature (books, articles, etc.) and gaining an acceptable level of comprehension, be prepared to spend several months. I believe this is the only way to compensate for the lack of experience in a variety of forensic disciplines. For me, simply reading the suggested books and articles did not give me an adequate understanding of each discipline to comfortably reason through questions. If I had thoroughly followed the study guidelines, read the materials, took notes, and studied them, the test would have been manageable. I was able to narrow many questions down to two or three possible answers, but without working within that particular field of expertise, the remaining answers were very difficult to differentiate. In addition to studying drugs, toxicology, trace evidence, ballistics, arson, and biochemistry, be sure to study areas that may be outside the realm of your laboratory. For example, there were questions about crime scene investigation (including clandestine laboratory questions) and court proceedings. I feel those of us who do not have the years of experience in a variety of forensic areas are at a disadvantage. However, I believe that passing this exam can be accomplished through dedicated studying. I hope that my personal experience and advice will help prepare you for ABC Examination success! For more information regarding the certification process, visit the YFSF Newsletter Archive and take a look at the two-part series entitled "The Future of Certification and Accreditation in Forensic Science." The articles are found in the November 2000 and January 2001 issues. You may also visit the American Board of Criminalistics website at www.Criminalistics.com/ABC . |
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© 2002 Young Forensic Scientists Forum / American Academy of Forensic Sciences |