Exam Study Guides & Resources

NYS Court Exams

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General Exam Preparation Guide

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR AN EXAM?

General Tips for Exam Preparation:

• Preparing for the Exam
• Refer to the EXAM SUBJECT MATTER AND PRACTICE EXAMS section on exam-specific study guides and practice exams.

Exam subject matter (test content), sample questions & practice exams by title series

The sample test questions are provided to familiarize applicants with the format and type of questions that may be on the exam. They are for illustrative purposes only and may not represent the actual difficulty level of the questions on the exam. The NYS Courts do not release exam questions. Test-takers are prohibited from taking test materials and copying tests questions from examinations.

Test Security Protocols

Court Security Series

Court Clerk Series (Court Assistant, Court Clerk and Surrogate's Court Clerk)

Court Interpreter Series

Court Reporter Series

Office Clerical Series & Court Revenue Assistant

Law Librarian

Law Library Support

Exam Development

1. WHAT IS THE EXAM FORMAT?

In general, exams questions are presented in a multiple-choice format.  Some exams may include an oral component which assesses communication, presentation, and/or organizational skills whereas other exams simulate job-related activities that may be encountered on the job and assess proficiency in a specific skill. Refer to the title-specific exam guides for detailed information about the format of each exam.

Multiple-Choice Exams: These exams consist of questions in a multiple-choice format in the form of a question or incomplete statement and four possible answer choices. Candidates are required to select the answer-choice that best answers the question or completes the statement. It is to the candidate’s advantage to answer every question, even if the candidate is not sure which answer is correct. Points are not deducted for guessing.

Oral Exams: Oral exams are used to assess communication, problem solving, interpersonal, and organizational skills usually in a structured interview-type format.  Candidates are typically presented with a situation they may encounter on the job and are required to respond to the given situation. 

Simulation Exams: This format is generally used for titles in the Court Reporter and Court Interpreter series.  In these types of exams, candidates are presented with a video simulation of a courtroom situation and are required to demonstrate their skill in court recording or court interpreting. 

2. HOW ARE EXAMS DEVELOPED?

Exams are developed based on job analysis information and input from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).  SMEs are individuals who have been in the positions being assessed or are managers supervising individuals in those positions/titles.

Job Analysis: A comprehensive job analysis is conducted for each exam prior to its administration.  The purpose of a job analysis is to gather information about the tasks performed by individuals doing the job and the skills needed to perform those tasks in a satisfactory manner. This is accomplished by conducting onsite visits, meeting with and interviewing incumbents and their supervisors, observing incumbents perform their jobs, if feasible, and conducting surveys.  The contents of an exam are guided by the results of the job analysis which acts as a blueprint, to ensure that the exam is job-related. A comprehensive job analysis is conducted for each title.

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): An examination committee, comprised of members called subject matter experts (SMEs), thoroughly familiar with the job and the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform the job are instrumental in developing the exam questions and exam content.  Based on the job analysis results and the SME's knowledge, committee members develop the examination.  Committee members are provided with question-writer training and questions are reviewed by the committee and a group of testing experts. 

Exam Scoring and Grading

1. HOW ARE PASS SCORES SET?

In general, for written multiple-choice exams, final scores are converted from raw scores (number of questions answered correctly) and placed on a scale that ranges from 0 to 100. The passing raw score (number of questions answered correctly) is determined after an exam is given and all the test results have been analyzed. A test taker must receive a scaled score of 70 in order to pass an examination.

A scaled score of 70 may or may not be equivalent to 70% of the questions answered correctly on any exam. For example, if an exam contains 100 questions and it’s determined that a test taker needs to have gotten at least 65 questions correct in order to pass the exam, then 65 (the raw score), is converted to a scaled score of 70, and the test taker will receive a 70 on the exam. 

The passing score is also in part determined by Rules of the of Chief Judge, §25.13:

The Chief Administrator of the Courts may authorize the use of any professionally recognized examination scoring and conversion methods, taking into consideration the type of examination, the examination difficulty, the size of the applicant population in relation to the number of positions to be filled, labor market conditions, or other factors which can affect the number of eligibles.

2. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AN EXAM IS ADMINISTERED?

After an exam is administered, a statistical analysis is conducted to review candidate responses to each test question.  The results of the exam are analyzed to determine if there are any group (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity) differences in test question responses. 

After this process is completed, a passing cut score is set with consideration given to such factors as the difficulty level of the exam, historic pass rates, the staffing needs of the courts, and past hiring patterns as well as the Rules of the Chief Judge.