CIG Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CIG exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 CIG Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CIG Topics to Study (21)
✍️ Sample CIG Questions & Answers
1. What is the MOST important principle of professional documentation in Certified Inspector General practice?
Accurate, objective, and timely documentation is the foundation of professional record-keeping.
2. Which control type reduces risk exposure?
Preventive controls are designed to stop errors, irregularities, or unauthorized actions from occurring in the first place. By implementing measures such as segregation of duties, access restrictions, or authorization procedures, they proactively reduce the likelihood of a risk event. This forward-looking approach is highly effective in minimizing an organization's exposure to potential harm before it materializes.
3. Which phase involves gathering evidence during an investigation?
The evidence collection phase is a critical stage in any investigation where investigators actively gather all relevant information, documents, physical evidence, and witness statements. This meticulous process ensures that the investigation is thorough, well-supported by facts, and provides a solid foundation for analysis and conclusions. Without robust evidence, findings lack credibility.
4. When a CIG professional makes an error in documentation, the CORRECT procedure is to:
Draw a single line through the error, initial and date the correction, maintaining transparency.
5. How many days does a federal employee generally have to file a whistleblower reprisal complaint with the Office of Special Counsel?
Under the Whistleblower Protection Act, federal employees must file a reprisal complaint with the OSC within 3 years of the date they knew or should have known of the personnel action.
6. Under the False Claims Act, a private individual who files a whistleblower lawsuit on behalf of the U.S. government is called a:
Under the False Claims Act, a private citizen who brings a qui tam lawsuit on behalf of the government is called a 'relator,' and may receive a portion of any funds recovered.