SAEE Exam Prep: Logic-based Reasoning & Language Usage Guide, Lecture notes of Logic

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SPECIAL

AGENT

ENTRANCE

EXAM

PREPARATION GUIDE

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

United States

Secret Service

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Overview of the SAEE................................................................................
• Chapter 2: Preparing for the SAEE.............................................................................
  • Logic-Based Reasoning
  • Experience Inventory, Part
  • Language Usage
  • Experience Inventory, Part
  • Detail Observation
• Chapter 3: SAEE Test Preparation

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE SAEE

The SAEE was developed to assess the range of skills and abilities required for successful performance in the Special Agent position. It is a computer-based exam, consisting of multiple-choice questions. The SAEE is made up of five separately timed sections:

Section 1: Logic-Based Reasoning. This section contains 12 passages, each of which describes a set of facts. Each passage is followed by 1 to 4 test questions that are conclusions based on the set of facts presented in the passage. Applicants read the passage and then decide whether each conclusion is true, false, or there is insufficient information to decide. Section 1 contains 30 questions. Applicants will have 40 minutes to complete this section.

Section 2: Experience Inventory, Part 1. This section contains statements that describe situations that applicants may or may not have encountered before. They must choose the response option that best describes the frequency with which they have been involved in the situation. Section 2 contains 64 questions. Applicants will have 20 minutes to complete this section.

Section 3: Language Usage. This section contains 2 types of documents (i.e., memoranda and summary reports). Errors have been incorporated into these documents and applicants are asked to identify errors in grammar, syntax, punctuation, usage, and/or structure. Section 3 contains 25 questions. Applicants will have 40 minutes to complete this section.

Section 4: Experience Inventory, Part 2. This section contains statements that describe different situations and opinions. Applicants must choose the response option that best reflects the extent to which their past supervisors and/or teachers would agree that the statement describes them. Section 4 contains 96 questions. Applicants will have 30 minutes to complete this section.

Section 5: Detail Observation. In this section, applicants are presented with a series of photographs. These photographs depict images that may be seen when working in the Special Agent job. For example, a photograph may depict a rope line or a city street during a surveillance operation. After viewing the photographs, applicants answer a series of questions unrelated to the photographs. Then, applicants answer a series of questions about what appeared in the photographs, but they are not permitted to view the photographs while answering these questions. This section contains 3 photographs and 3 sets of accompanying questions and takes approximately 40 minutes to complete.

SAEE ADMINISTRATIONS AT PEARSON VUE TEST CENTERS

Applicants will take the SAEE in a Pearson VUE Test Center. Pearson VUE Test Centers are located nation-wide.

Scheduling a Test Session. Eligible applicants will receive an Exam Authorization Email from Pearson VUE. This email will contain important information regarding your exam (i.e., your candidate ID, testing open period, exam series) and available testing dates. You must schedule your exam on a date within the specified testing open period. Scheduling or rescheduling outside of this open period is not permitted.

Planning for Your Test Session. Please give yourself plenty of time to locate and travel to the Pearson VUE Test Center. If you arrive late, you will not be permitted to enter the test session.

Pearson VUE Admission Policy

We ask that you arrive at the test center 30 minutes before your scheduled testing appointment time. This will give you adequate time to complete the necessary sign-in procedures. Please be prepared to show two (2) valid forms of personal identification. Both forms must contain your photo, must be current (not expired), and at least one form must contain your signature. Acceptable forms of IDs include Driver’s License, Passport Book/Card, State/Local ID, Military ID, Employee ID, and School ID.

If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your scheduled testing appointment, you will be refused admission, denoted as a no-show, and removed from consideration in the hiring process. As a no-show, you will have to wait 6 months from the date you were refused admission to be able to attempt to take the SAEE again. You will also have to reapply to the position and submit a new application packet when there is an open vacancy announcement posted.

No personal items may be taken into the testing room. This includes all bags, backpacks, purses, books, newspapers, notes, cellular phones, tablets, watches, and wallets. Weapons of any kind (including those of law enforcement personnel) are prohibited and will not be permitted in the testing center.

Requests for reasonable accommodations for taking the SAEE are reviewed on a case-by- case basis. If you need to request a reasonable accommodation for taking the SAEE, please send an e-mail to sasupport@usss.dhs.gov with your request and supporting documents prior to your scheduled test appointment. Accommodation requests must be submitted and approved in advance of testing.

Reschedule Policy

If you wish to reschedule your exam, you must contact Pearson VUE at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled testing appointment. Rescheduling less than 48 hours prior to your testing appointment will result in removal from consideration in the hiring process. Please note that rescheduling alternatives are limited to the testing time frame or testing window in which you have been provided. Rescheduling outside of this testing window is not permitted.

CHAPTER 2: PREPARING FOR THE SAEE

LOGIC-BASED REASONING

OVERVIEW

This section contains 12 passages, each of which describes a set of facts. Each passage is followed by 1 to 4 test questions that are conclusions based on the set of facts presented in the passage. You will read the passage and then decide whether each conclusion is true, false, or there is insufficient information to decide. This section contains 30 questions and you will have 40 minutes to complete it. Ample time has been provided for this test section. Do not spend too much time on any one question; if you finish early, you may go back and review your responses within this section.

Logic-based reasoning is involved in a variety of job-related situations that require critical thinking, problem solving, judgment, and decision-making. The questions in this section of the SAEE will assess your ability to comprehend information that is presented and draw conclusions from that information. This will require you to read carefully and think about the information that is provided as well as the information that is not provided.

Reasoning involves drawing conclusions based on the information that is available. Conclusions are valid when they are justified given the evidence. Reasoning allows an individual to understand which conclusions can and cannot be drawn based on statements provided. Sometimes conclusions are not necessarily true or false because complete information is not available.

Further explanation for how to approach logic-based reasoning questions is provided next.

TYPES OF STATEMENTS

There are a number of different types of statements that are used in the passages and questions for the Logic-based Reasoning Test. The types of statements and examples in this section describe how you should use information provided about groups or categories in the test.

“All” Statements

A statement about two groups often begins with the word “all” or “every.” These statements tell you that everything in the first group is also in the second group. However, the statement does not allow you to conclude that everything in the second group is also in the first group.

Example Statement: All Secret Service Special Agents are U.S. government employees. Invalid conclusion: All government employees are Secret Service Special Agents. Valid conclusion: Some U.S. government employees are Secret Service Special Agents.

“No” statements

TEST DIRECTIONS

The Logic Based Reasoning section consists of 12 passages, each of which describes a set of facts. Each passage is followed by 1 to 4 test questions that are conclusions based on the set of facts presented in the passage. Read the passage and then decide whether each conclusion is:

True , which means that you can infer the conclusion from the facts given; or

False , which means that the conclusion is contrary to the facts given; or whether there is

Insufficient information to decide , which means that there is insufficient information for you to determine whether the facts imply the conclusion or are contrary to the conclusion.

You must use only the information provided in the passage, without using any outside information.

Some of the passages include terms that describe the likelihood that something will occur. For example, “it is more likely than not that I will be in the office today.” For the purposes of this test, likelihood statements are defined as follows:

Definitely: 100% likely to happen More likely than not: more than 50% likely to happen Less likely than not: less than 50% likely to happen

Use the following response option guide to make your selection:

a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide

PREPARATION TIPS

1. Thoroughly read through the descriptions of the types of statements; be sure you understand what is meant by “all,” “some,” and “no” within the context of this test.
2. Remember that the words described are used more precisely in the Logic-based Reasoning section compared to everyday usage. Read the section above on how everyday language is more precisely used in this test.
3. Do NOT use any outside information to reach your conclusions. You should ONLY use the information provided in the test., even if the topic of the question is something you have additional information about,
4. Read through the passages very carefully and be attentive to words that may affect how you answer the question. For example, words like “not” or “all” likely have an impact on the answer to questions about the passage.
5. Review each of the sample questions on the following pages. Read the explanation for each question to ensure that you understand why the conclusion was drawn.

LOGIC BASED REASONING SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Passage 1 Explanations:

1. The first conclusion is FALSE. The facts state that Susan has never been to Georgia and that all Secret Service Special Agents have been to Georgia. Therefore, Susan cannot be a Secret Service Special Agent. You would answer “B” for FALSE.
2. You cannot tell from the facts presented whether the second conclusion is true or false. We know that Susan cannot be a Secret Service Special Agent, because she has not been to Georgia and all Secret Service Special Agents have been to Georgia. But she may work at the Secret Service in a different job, or she may work for another employer. This means that Fred, who works with Susan, also may or may not work for the Secret Service. You would answer “C” for INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO DECIDE.
3. The third conclusion is TRUE. The facts state that Melinda is a Secret Service Special Agent and that all Secret Service Special Agents have been to Georgia. Therefore, Melinda has been to Georgia. You would answer “A” for TRUE.

Passage 2:

Mark completed more investigations than Jake.

Megan completed fewer investigations than Mark.

Jake completed more investigations than Rob.

Indicate whether the statement is True, False, or if there is Insufficient Information to draw a conclusion.

1. Jake completed more investigations than Megan. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide
2. Mark completed more investigations than Rob. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide
3. Mark completed fewer investigations than Rob. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide

Passage 3:

All task force agents work from either Boston or Chicago.

Some Boston task force agents are financial fraud investigators.

All Chicago task force agents are financial fraud investigators.

All Boston task force agents who are financial fraud investigators received financial investigation training.

No Chicago task force agents received financial investigation training.

All Chicago task force agents received cyber security training.

Indicate whether the statement is True, False, or if there is Insufficient Information to draw a conclusion.

1. No task force agents who received cyber security training are financial fraud investigators. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide
2. No task force agents who received financial investigation training work from Chicago. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide
3. No task force agents who received cyber security training work from Boston. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide

Passage 3 Explanations:

1. We know that all Chicago task force agents received cyber security training, and we also know that all Chicago task force agents are financial fraud investigators. Therefore, this statement cannot be true. You would answer “B” for FALSE.
2. Chicago task force agents did not receive financial investigation training. Therefore, this statement must be true. You would answer “A” for TRUE.
3. We know that Chicago task force agents received cyber security training. We do not have information about cyber security training for Boston task force agents. Therefore, you would answer “C” for INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO DECIDE.

Passage 4 Explanations:

1. You cannot tell from the facts presented whether the first conclusion is true or false. According to the statements, all Secret Service Special Agents hired within the last 5 years have received information technology training and some Secret Service Special Agents have not received the training. However, we do not know whether or not Secret Service Special Agents hired more than 5 years ago have received the training. You would answer "C" for INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO DECIDE.
2. The second conclusion is TRUE. The facts state that only Secret Service Special Agents can receive the information technology training and that Allen has received the information technology training. Therefore, Allen must be a Secret Service Special Agent. You would answer "A" for TRUE.
3. The third conclusion is FALSE. The facts state that all Secret Service Special Agents hired within the last 5 years have received the information technology training and that Julie was hired last year as a Secret Service Special Agent. Therefore, Julie must have received the training. You would answer "B" for FALSE.

Passage 5:

Jim and Amy work in the same office.

Eric and Amy both have the same position within the Secret Service.

Amy is a Secret Service Special Agent.

Jim and Eric are working on the same assignment.

There are only 2 Secret Service Special Agents at Jim and Amy's office.

Indicate whether the statement is True, False, or if there is Insufficient Information to draw a conclusion.

1. Eric is a Secret Service Special Agent. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide
2. Jim is not a Secret Service Special Agent. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide
3. Eric and Jim are both Secret Service Special Agents and work at the same office. a) True b) False c) Insufficient Information to Decide