New Jersey Civil Service Exam Clerical Aptitude and Filing 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A clerk must retype a table with 6 rows and 4 columns. How many individual data cells must be entered?
- 10
- 20
- 24 (Correct answer)
- 28
Correct answer: 24
6 rows multiplied by 4 columns equals 24 cells.
Question 2: In a subject filing system, where would a document about 'Employee Health Insurance Benefits' most likely be filed?
- Under 'Employee'
- Under 'Health'
- Under 'Benefits' (Correct answer)
- Under 'Insurance'
Correct answer: Under 'Benefits'
In subject filing, 'Benefits' is typically the primary category under which health insurance documents are grouped.
Question 3: Which of the following is the correct way to alphabetize names with prefixes such as 'de', 'von', or 'van' in most U.S. filing systems?
- Ignore the prefix entirely
- File by the prefix as written
- Combine the prefix with the surname as one unit (Correct answer)
- File under the letter 'D' or 'V' only if capitalized
Correct answer: Combine the prefix with the surname as one unit
In standard U.S. filing, prefixes like 'de', 'von', and 'van' are combined with the surname and filed as one unit.
Question 4: A clerk is cross-referencing a document filed under 'Johnson, Robert T.' under the name 'Bob Johnson.' What should the cross-reference card show?
- Bob Johnson — See Johnson, Robert T.
- Johnson, Bob — See Johnson, Robert T. (Correct answer)
- Johnson, Robert T. — See Bob Johnson
- Bob Johnson — Filed under B
Correct answer: Johnson, Bob — See Johnson, Robert T.
Cross-reference cards are filed in the alternate location and direct the searcher to the main file using 'See [main file name].'
Question 5: A typist averages 65 words per minute. How long will it take her to type a 975-word document?
- 12 minutes
- 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- 18 minutes
- 20 minutes
Correct answer: 15 minutes
975 divided by 65 equals 15 minutes.
Question 6: When comparing two copies of a document for accuracy, a clerk notices 'recieve' in both copies. What action should be taken?
- Mark both copies correct since they match
- Correct only the master copy
- Correct both copies since 'recieve' is misspelled (Correct answer)
- Report the discrepancy without making changes
Correct answer: Correct both copies since 'recieve' is misspelled
The correct spelling is 'receive'; matching errors are still errors and must be corrected in both copies.
Question 7: Which filing method arranges records by geographic location, such as county or municipality?
- Alphabetic filing
- Numeric filing
- Geographic filing (Correct answer)
- Subject filing
Correct answer: Geographic filing
Geographic filing organizes records by location, which is useful for agencies managing records by county, municipality, or region.
New Jersey Civil Service Exam Clerical Aptitude and Filing 3
A clerk must retype a table with 6 rows and 4 columns.
How many individual data cells must be entered?