Hi;

I have started preparing for the SCJP 1.4 exam.

I have read chapters 1 - 9 and have taken very thorough notes ( I
filled up a binder ).

I am now pondering how to prepare for the exam and I would like to
hear people's thoughts about some things I am thinking.

To do well on the test the logical choice would be to practice what
you are being tested on.

Given this, I think the way most people would think to study ...simple
memorization of Java rules....will not help much as that is not what
is being tested.

It seems to me the test is really about testing a person's ability to
recognize the rules of Java and violations of the rules of Java, as
manifested in examples.

Memorization of the rules will help, but it seems like the bulk of the
preparation should be practicing recognizing the rules of Java and
violation of those rules.

To this end,  quiz questions in the study guide and taking practice
exams will help, but these things seem to be in limited supply.

I was thinking that I could write code for each rule that conforms to
the rules and violates the rules in as many ways as I can think to
write.

I'm hoping this will strengthen my trick question answering
ability :-).

Making multiple as well as many derivations of these rules in code
could take a massive amount of time.

I'm hoping that this will only be a problem with the first few
chapters. It seems like the first two chapters are very, very rule
dense and then later chapters should be less time consuming to study.

Do people think that is correct?

What do people think of my appraisal of the exam and how to study for
it?

Anyone have any useful tips to add?

I generally do bad at trick question types of tests, so I want to
prepare smartly....as well as hard.