How to find articles in the Code

[vhterway]

Help!?! I am taking the Mike Holt Journeyman test prep class in Indiana. My instructor leaves a lot to be desired. We have class two nights a week (and I'm working) and this week the class was cancelled due to Spring break. That's fine and understandable, but when he complains that we only have 9 weeks to cover 13 units and we need to hurry but spends half of the class time just telling stories and then lets us out early (for no apparant reason) I have to wonder what I'm paying him for. When he does do some class related work, all he does is read the code book to us. I'm not illiterate, I can read it for myself. What I want to know is how to read the test questions, pick out the key words and find them in the contents, index, or the key word index. He doesn't seem to know this either. I am an industrial maintenance electrician and I want to get this license for my own benefit. I have no senior electricians, master electricians or otherwise to talk to about it. I will be the only one at the plant with a license if I can get it. Does anyone have any tips that would help me out? I would really appreciate it.
Thank you.

 

[dillon3c]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

vhterway,
Sounds to me as if you have already made your mind up in regards to this Instructor,and his teaching methods.The Classes will be instrumental in obtaining your licence.Classes still helpful after licences is obtained.Continuing education is always a must in this
craft. But you need a motivated Instructor that can, wants to reach the class.I have my Unlimited licence,and I still enjoy going to classes,taking of test at all levels.Interacting with Instructor,and other class members.Meaning I found a good Instructor.And don't feel like a waist of my time and I do enjoy it.Helps keep me sharp to some degree.Having licence or not,aways something new to learn.No one Electrician knows everything,and all.One word,can change the final outcome.The reasoning for input from others..Reasoning for this Form.

From what you have said,maybe not an ideal situation,this class you attend under this one Instructor.Check into his pass/fail rate per his students.Buy other books/tapes on your own.Your on a site that sells them.Knolledge is out there if you want it.Not always cheap,but ready-accessible.Keep in mind a Instructor,can't do it all.I found that the fast/forward and rewind button helped me alot ...What are other student in his class saying to you about his teaching method?...Might it be the same?

vhterway: Edited to add this thought,my Instructor is a Chief Inspector,and teaches other Electrical Inspectors in my State.Showed me a book that he has, as tool.That he sometimes refers to..
Has the name of Mike Holt on it, as the Author..

[ April 04, 2005, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: dillon3c ]

 

[jimwalker]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

You might have a bad instructor.If the majority of you feel the same way i would suggest calling mike himself.I took his home vidio course for masters test and there was no way i would have made it without his help.He did a fine job of holding your intrest,along with a few jokes and stories.

 

[vhterway]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

I don't know how the other students in the class feel about his teaching methods but I don't think that they would say anything if they felt the same way I do. Almost all of them (I think all but two) are in the same union and have known each other for a long time. On the same note, they are all apprenticestesting for journeyman or journeymen that let their licenses expire and decided to get their Master's so they have been looking at the code for a while. As a non-journeyman maintenance electrician, I haven't been required to study the code so this is really my first time to study it in any depth. At any rate, I didn't intend this post to be an instructor bashing, I wanted to know if anyone had any tips they could share about using key word indexes and so forth to muddle through the code. As I said earlier, I'm doing this on my own, so there aren't any people around work that can help me through this. Along with that, I'm funding out of pocket so I can't afford a whole lot of extra materials like what are available on the website. I haven't given up on the class - I paid for it so I intend to stick it out. I just don't think it's doing everything it's intended to do.

 

[hurk27]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

This teacher sounds like hes been teaching in public schools. The difference is many pupils in a public school can't wait to get out of class and teachers know this, so they light'en there work load by goofing off or letting class out early. But when you pay for school to learn something that is required to make money your there to learn and this teacher needs to know this.
Stick around this forum you will learn where things are.
Welcome to the forum

Where are you in Indiana? I'm in Portage?

 

[tx2step]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Both the NEC and the NEC Handbook are available on CD-ROM from NFPA.

I haven't tried either myself, but they both supposedly have search engines where you can look up any word or key words that you want. It's supposed to be much more than a standard index.

Neither are cheap, but if they will let you try them out for maybe 30 days risk free, they might be worth checking out.

 

[dillon3c]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Originally posted by tx2step:
NEC Handbook are available on CD-ROM from NFPA.

Yes,It might be someday,the 2005 copy..

 

[vhterway]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

I'm from North of Fort Wayne.

The cd roms would be great but it's not something that would help me pass the test. With enough time I'm sure I could find what I want but apparently time is the limiting factor on the test. Going through Mike Holt's exam prep book and questions I come across some things that I just have no clue how to find the answers in a timely manner.

 

[southernboys]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

list some of those questions here we are more then willing to help you see the key word or find the article look into the nechandbook I know its not cheap but its good for 3 years and can really help you understand a particular code

 

[jimwalker]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Put time clock in front of you.If you take 2 stabs at trying to find answer just pick the best looking answer and move on to one you will get right.Yes they burn you out of time.Use extra large tabs if allowed.And if permitted take 2 nec code books,in one remove all the pages except grounding articles and charts.Wining is often over just a few more questions answered right.Never hand in test till last minute

 

[roger]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

So Jim, in your opinion, knowledge takes a second seat to luck? :roll:

Roger

 

[southernboys]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

roger thats not what jim is saying at all this is how I see his comment when taking your test you cant waste too much time at one question pick the best looking answear mark it as a q to come back to time permitting and continue with your test

 

[jimwalker]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Roger that advise was from mike holt.And it is far better to guess at an answer than leave it blank.Actually if i remember back what he said was 2 out of the 4 answers are easy to spot as wrong so your doing a 50 50.Also the high and low answers are more likely wrong.Then there is the trick of counting all your a's ,b's,c's,d's and if forced to guess try to even them out.
We are after passing and not trying to prove anything.Its about wining and any legal ways to increase them odds are smart

 

[pierre]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Vhterway

The Code is structured in such a way as to make it easier (easier, not easy)to study for a test.
There are two methods that I am aware of for learning this, 1. Table of contents 2. Index.

I teach the table of contents, as once this procedure is learned, it is much faster in finding the answer in the code, than using the index, and your test most likely will be a timed test.

This takes some time to learn, especially if you use the index now. If you are interested, let me know and I will post the method for you.

BTW - I have a 93% passing rate, when the average grade on the test is in the 40s

 

[vhterway]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Pierre - That's exactly what I am looking for. I wish that my instructor had a method other than story telling and reading the code to us. He didn't go over the table of contents or the index. All the students that bought the book package from the school got a Tom Henry key word index as well and he knows this. He hasn't mentioned it once. If you don't mind posting the method I would be very grateful.
Thanks a lot!

 

[tx2step]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Pierre,
I'd be interested in your method, too. I've always used the index. I'd like to learn a new method if it is faster. I plan to take the Colorado Masters sometime this year, and I'm trying to bone up again -- it's been a while since I took a test.

 

[pierre]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

There are 9 Chapters in the NEC.
There are 140 Articles.

There are approximately 420 Parts. (the parts in Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 are the most important ones as far as the test is concerned)

The Parts are broken down into Section Numbers.
The Section Numbers are then broken down into subsections, etc...

I have the students spend the first week of homework "boxing and highlighting all the PARTS of the NEC. Draw a rectangular box around the PART, then hightlight within the box that you have drawn with a color that is not like any other color that you use to highlight in the NEC. You want every part in the Articles to stand out more than anything else you highlight.

IT IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS DURING THE TEST!!!!

This may take you a few hours - do a good job, because when you finish with your book, it will have more value than you may imagine

Next I have them become "familar" with some of the more important tables (important as far as the test is concerned).
Remember to read the "positive language" before the table, and most importantly, the *NOTES* after the tables - as many question could come from the notes*
To start:
110.26(A)
210.21(B)(2)&(B)(3)
220.3(A), 220.11
240.6 (not a table, but important)
250.66
250.122
300.5
300.13
310.15(B)(2)(a)
310.15(B)(6)
310.16

That is week 1 homework.

If you are into more pain Let me know when you are ready for week 2.
There are 9 nights of this.


**REMEMBER THE KEY IS THE PARTS - SPEND THE MOST TIME WITH HIGHLIGHTING THESE AND BECOMING FAMILAR WITH THEM.
All of the parts (and there page location) are in the table of contents - there are no page locations in the index.

 

[southernboys]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

pierre this absolutely awesome Ive had problems in the past with school teachers trying to be instructors I wish they would have passed this knowledge on to me rather then worrying about his stories from years past so yes please post all 9 nights of homework if you dont mind thanks

 

[vhterway]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Pierre - this sounds like the answer to prayer! I appreciate you doing this. I am on week 6 in this class, so needless to say, I have some catching up to do. I don't know if you can tell if we are anywhere near on track or not, be we're on unit 6 of Mike Holt's exam prep book and about two thirds of the way through chapter three of the code book. We have to do unit six on our own since the school where we are having class is on Spring Break. I shudder to think how our instructor is going to make up that time. Anyway, yes, please continue, I am glad you came along!

 

[tx2step]

Re: How to find articles in the Code

Pierre --
I've been at this a long time, and I've been to a lot of code classes and test prep classes, and I've got to tell you... YOU HAVE GOT YOUR ACT TOGETHER!

I've never been taught this approach before. It'll take me some time to assimilate, but I like it!

Don't kill yourself doing it, but as you have time, please post as much as you can. I'd like to have your approach absorbed before I try to take the Colorado Masters, later this year.

What books, study guides, practice tests, ect. do you use in your classes?

Thanks for the help! I hope I can return the favor.