California Surveyors Forums

We are looking for people that are willing to help contribute content for the updated CLSA Exam Guide. (We have contributor guidelines that are being reviewed, and will be ready soon.) There are two types of content needed for the exam guide:

1) Instructional content (textbook format).
2) Sample problems related to a specific topic/survey phase.

Here are the list of topics for which we are seeking contributors:

1) Exam Taking Tips
2) Hydrographic Surveying
3) Control/Geodesy
4) Boundary Surveying (General)
5) Construction Surveying
6) GIS
7) Photogrammetry/Remote Sensing
8) Land Use Planning/Land Development
9) Flood Hazards
10) Right-of-Way Surveys

These are the 9 main topics we need content for. These contributions would be between 10 and 20 type written pages. In addition, we could use experts for a smaller amount of content (just a few pages) on these special topics or work products:

A) Public Land Survey System
B) Land Descriptions
C) Record-of-Survey Maps/Corner Records
D) LLAs/Subdivision Maps
E) Land Title Surveys
F) Elevation Certificates/LOMAs/LOMRs
G) Water Boundaries
H) California Business and Professions Code
I) California Public Resources Code
J) Board Rules

Content writing would likely begin in January. We'd like to have preliminary content ready for review and editing in March. Layout would begin in April or May. Our goal is to have the updated guide ready in time for the fall exam season in 2021. Please post below or e-mail me directly if you would like to contribute. (I'm looking for personal commitments...not for the names of other people you think should volunteer.)

Volunteers have a personal commitment from me to make the contribution process as painless as possible. I'm super excited about how our updated exam guide is going to turn out, and your volunteer contributions are a very important part of making the exam guide a success.

Thank you!

Landon

Where are all my volunteers?

I must have bad breath.

If I were licensed I would help out but I would assume you want licensees as contributors?

I am anxiously awaiting the Fall 2020 Exam results to see if I passed or not. I have a good feeling but you never know.

i suggest you compare your list of topics to the published lesson plan.

RAM wrote:i suggest you compare your list of topics to the published lesson plan.

I agree, I think formatting the exam guide to match the test plan that the board has on their website might be a good idea.

I consulted a lot of resources when I took the test a decade or so ago and felt prepared, but there were two sections on the test that threw me for a loop because they weren't covered in any of the review courses I attended or manuals I read. It was GPS and ALTA surveys. You might want to consider adding those topics to your review manual. It's been awhile, so I forgot the gist of the questions, but for GPS it was mostly general questions like if you were the crew lead where would you set up your GPS and under what circumstances would you expect it to not be as accurate. For ALTA, I believe it was mostly what is included in an ALTA survey and what isn't. I don't recall GIS being on the test, but that was a decade ago, and GIS is much more prevalent now. Maybe someone who has taken the test more recently can add to this.

dedkad wrote:I consulted a lot of resources when I took the test a decade or so ago and felt prepared, but there were two sections on the test that threw me for a loop because they weren't covered in any of the review courses I attended or manuals I read. It was GPS and ALTA surveys. You might want to consider adding those topics to your review manual. It's been awhile, so I forgot the gist of the questions, but for GPS it was mostly general questions like if you were the crew lead where would you set up your GPS and under what circumstances would you expect it to not be as accurate. For ALTA, I believe it was mostly what is included in an ALTA survey and what isn't. I don't recall GIS being on the test, but that was a decade ago, and GIS is much more prevalent now. Maybe someone who has taken the test more recently can add to this.

I just re-read your list of topics, and see that you do have ALTA on there, so that is good.

I am happy to say that if you would like help from a Professional Land Surveyor who just passed the exam this Fall I am willing to help. Just waiting on my license number now from the board.

Congrats, Bryan!

cool! Congrats, Bryan!

Congrats, Bryan!

Excellent! Welcome to the club.

Way cool Bryan....let us know what your number is.

m4man wrote:Way cool Bryan....let us know what your number is.

Will do, sorry to hi-jack the post. Please lets get back to finding help to make a great study guide for those that are wanting to pass the state exam!