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The workbook scenarios ask you
to answer questions about the results from your performance-based
projects. You compare your answers with the answer key to determine
whether you solved the problem correctly.
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By contrast, the certification
exam requires you to use a scoring macro to assess your work. The
macro investigates the results of your project to determine whether
you solved the problem correctly. It looks at parameters and the content
of any output data set, as well as values of macro variables that
are stored in the symbol tables. The macro also investigates the code
that you wrote.
The scoring macro returns
a 3-digit value to the SAS log. You record this 3-digit value as your
answer to each project to determine your score. These are broad checks,
so there is still a significant amount of freedom in your chosen coding
solution. For example, in the SQL topic, the macro is checking to
see whether an SQL procedure was used to create the output data set
rather than a DATA step.
Note: To prepare for the exam,
you might want to take the practice exam. Practice exams are available
for purchase through SAS and Pearson VUE. For more information about
practice exams, see
https://www.sas.com/certification/sas-practice-exams.html. When working through the practice exam, be sure to use
the techniques that are specified in the instructions. Otherwise,
you will not get an accurate representation of the live certification
exam.