Word 2000 MOUS Study Guide

Rating:
Summary: Passed Word Core and Expert Exams
Review: I have used the other books by these same authors for MOUS certification <(Office 97 User Certification Study Guide, Office 2000 User Certification Study Guide, and Excel 2000 MOUS Study Guide)> The info is full, brief, and all encompassing of the exams. I have taken these exams and passed all. These books made it possible but they also made studying HELL! The authors know their stuff but are complete idiots when it comes to the organization of the book. At the front there is a Core and Expert Exam Objectives chart. This lays out the format of requirements that Microsoft has lined up for the tests. Do any of these books follow that chart? NO! To learn a beginner subject like "working with text" a person has to start on page 14,then pg.19,then jump to pg. 41, then go to pg. 47,then 32,then 38,34,38,72,81,45,47,12,13,16,19,46, 47,41,47,69,81,43,47,54,55,53,55,38 and finally all the way to page 67. All that jumping and confusion just to learn one module ! It is aggravating. Imagine how tiring it gets doing that for the next 12 modules! That is why I give it 4 stars...leaning towards 3 stars! If you can get past this extreme inconvenience you will get what you need from this book. I just wish the authors would get it together in the next book they attempt.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent but still disorganized !
Review: I have used the other books by these same authors for MOUS certification <(Office 97 User Certification Study Guide, Office 2000 User Certification Study Guide, and Excel 2000 MOUS Study Guide)> The info is full, brief, and all encompassing of the exams. I have taken these exams and passed all. These books made it possible but they also made studying HELL! The authors know their stuff but are complete idiots when it comes to the organization of the book. At the front there is a Core and Expert Exam Objectives chart. This lays out the format of requirements that Microsoft has lined up for the tests. Do any of these books follow that chart? NO! To learn a beginner subject like "working with text" a person has to start on page 14,then pg.19,then jump to pg. 41, then go to pg. 47,then 32,then 38,34,38,72,81,45,47,12,13,16,19,46, 47,41,47,69,81,43,47,54,55,53,55,38 and finally all the way to page 67. All that jumping and confusion just to learn one module ! It is aggravating. Imagine how tiring it gets doing that for the next 12 modules! That is why I give it 4 stars...leaning towards 3 stars! If you can get past this extreme inconvenience you will get what you need from this book. I just wish the authors would get it together in the next book they attempt.

Rating:
Summary: Very good prep for exam
Review: I thought this book prepared me for the MOUS exam very well. The information is direct and exact. I look forward to other books by Gini Courter.

Rating:
Summary: Useful Guide
Review: I used this guide for my Word Expert exam and passed. It's comprehensive enough to double as an intermediate course in Word. Unlike other study guides, it will definitely increase your productivity in Word. That said, the authors did leave me scratching my head over at least three objectives--they have a bad habit of skimming over advanced features, like forms, for which you'll need a third-party manual to figure out properly. That certainly detracts from one's confidence. The handling of Word's graphic/drawing features is only cursory and they stop short of suggesting logical solutions that would definitely come in handy during the exam--using tables to line up graphics next to bulleted lists, for example. For something as specific as an exam study guide, this is crucial. Also, though it wasn't a problem for me, there are no practice documents provided (the small download from the Sybex site is a joke) and they fully expect you to have to hand a cache of unformatted Word documents of all varieties as you work through this book--this wastes a lot of valuable study time. A major oversight on the publisher's part.

Rating:
Summary: Useful Guide
Review: I used this guide for my Word Expert exam and passed. It's comprehensive enough to double as an intermediate course in Word. Unlike other study guides, it will definitely increase your productivity in Word. That said, the authors did leave me scratching my head over at least three objectives--they have a bad habit of skimming over advanced features, like forms, for which you'll need a third-party manual to figure out properly. That certainly detracts from one's confidence. The handling of Word's graphic/drawing features is only cursory and they stop short of suggesting logical solutions that would definitely come in handy during the exam--using tables to line up graphics next to bulleted lists, for example. For something as specific as an exam study guide, this is crucial. Also, though it wasn't a problem for me, there are no practice documents provided (the small download from the Sybex site is a joke) and they fully expect you to have to hand a cache of unformatted Word documents of all varieties as you work through this book--this wastes a lot of valuable study time. A major oversight on the publisher's part.

Rating:
Summary: The Only Tool Needed For Achieving Certification
Review: This Microsoft approved courseware is the ticket to achieving certification in either the core or expert Word 2000 exams. This book covers everything from using styles and templates to creating macros and generating reference documents. The information is clearly explained, logically sequenced, and surprisingly concise! You will find a comprehensive list of Mous objectives needed to pass the exam, and advice on how to best prepare for the test. No matter what level user you are, working through the exercises in this book will give you the confidence and know how you need to breeze through the exam. Even if you think you are a proficient user of Word, after reviewing this study guide you will likely find that the methods you have used are neither the most efficient, nor the most effective. Thus, I would recommend this book simply as a tool for improving your Word skills, regardless of whether professional certification is your ultimate goal.

Rating:
Summary: The Only Tool Needed For Achieving Certification
Review: This Microsoft approved courseware is the ticket to achieving certification in either the core or expert Word 2000 exams. This book covers everything from using styles and templates to creating macros and generating reference documents. The information is clearly explained, logically sequenced, and surprisingly concise! You will find a comprehensive list of Mous objectives needed to pass the exam, and advice on how to best prepare for the test. No matter what level user you are, working through the exercises in this book will give you the confidence and know how you need to breeze through the exam. Even if you think you are a proficient user of Word, after reviewing this study guide you will likely find that the methods you have used are neither the most efficient, nor the most effective. Thus, I would recommend this book simply as a tool for improving your Word skills, regardless of whether professional certification is your ultimate goal.

Rating:
Summary: To the point!
Review: To the point, this is a very well written book that explained everything that I needed to know for the MOUS exam. I would highly recommend this book to anyone preparing to take this exam. The authors had me focused throughout my reading and I would look for other books by the authors to help me in other situations. Good job!

Rating:
Summary: Trainer / Owner
Review: We have used this book for over a year and have found it to be not only a study guide, but a good reference book. Our students have obtained results that we are proud of. I recommend this book if you are serious about taking you MOUS and Master certification.