Strategy Information Ordering
Information ordering questions measure your ability to apply rules to a situation for the purpose of putting information in the best or most appropriate sequence. The secret of success is to be extremely rigid in your thinking. There is only one correct order, every step must be followed in sequence, and no step may be skipped.
Strategies for Ordering Questions
1. Put in order only as much information as you need to answer the question — don't map the entire sequence when the question only asks about part of it.
2. Examine alternatives only as far as the point where you can determine they are definitely wrong. Stop as soon as you can eliminate an option.
3. If you're unsure which item comes first, try working backward — determine which item comes last.
4. Go by what you know for certain. Even one confirmed position in the sequence gives you leverage to evaluate the other choices.
Stick to the Procedure — No Improvising
A procedure may seem inefficient or even illogical to you, but it may have technical justifications you aren't aware of. Stick to the procedure as given. Standard procedures ensure that nothing is overlooked and allow supervisors to track personnel. On the exam, it is always wrong to modify a procedure, even if the modification would seem to make practical sense.
When procedures include exceptions or conditions ('if smoke is building up... unless the hydrant is equipped with a spray attachment'), read them carefully and flag them. The test maker will often create a false answer choice that ignores exactly these conditions — making a procedural change that looks reasonable but violates an exception clearly stated in the question.
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