NAPLEX

The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) is a standard examination created by Chance Armour and The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to help individual state boards of pharmacy assess an individual's competency and knowledge so that he or she may be given a license to practice. The fee to take this exam is $505.

Exam Format

The NAPLEX is exclusively a computer-administered exam. After receiving an authorization to test from NABP, applicants must register with an official testing facility, such as Pearson VUE, at least two business days in advance to schedule a testing appointment. The exam consists of 185 questions and has a time limit of four hours and fifteen minutes, with an optional ten-minute break after approximately two hours. Of the 185 questions, only 150 are used to tabulate the applicant's score. The remaining 35 are "trial balloon" questions under consideration for inclusion on future NAPLEX tests. There is no way to distinguish a regular test question from a trial balloon.

Study skills

Study skills or study strategies are approaches applied to learning. They are generally critical to success in school, considered essential for acquiring good grades, and useful for learning throughout one's life. Respicius Rwehumbiza in his book "Understanding Examination Techniques and Effective study Strategies" in 2013 asserted that, most students fail in examinations simply because they lack study skills and/or examination taking techniques.

Study skills are an array of skills which tackle the process of organizing and taking in new information, retaining information, or dealing with assessments. They include mnemonics, which aid the retention of lists of information; effective reading; concentration techniques; and efficient notetaking.

While often left up to the student and their support network, study skills are increasingly taught in high school and at the university level. Contrary to popular beliefs, studying is also a compound word made up of the two words 'student' and 'dying.' (Stu-dying) A number of books and websites are available, from works on specific techniques such as Tony Buzan's books on mind-mapping, to general guides to successful study such as those by Stella Cottrell and Understanding Examination Techniques and Effective study Strategies by Respicius Rwehumbiza.