Ohio Civil Service Exam — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Read the paragraph: 'Employees who wish to appeal a performance rating must submit a written request within 15 calendar days of receiving the rating. Late requests will not be considered.' What is the time limit for filing an appeal?

7 working days
15 business days
30 business days
15 calendar days (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 15 calendar days

The paragraph clearly states the appeal must be filed within 15 calendar days of receiving the rating.

Question 2: When proofreading a document, which technique is most effective for catching typographical errors?

Read the document at normal speed
Have someone else read it aloud while you follow along (Correct answer)
Read backwards word by word
Only check the first and last paragraphs

Correct answer: Have someone else read it aloud while you follow along

Having someone read aloud while you follow along catches errors your eyes might skip when reading silently.

Question 3: Which of the following sentences contains a grammatical error?

Neither the manager nor the clerks were notified of the change.
The supervisor and her team completed the audit on time.
Each of the employees are required to submit a timesheet. (Correct answer)
The department head reviewed all submitted reports.

Correct answer: Each of the employees are required to submit a timesheet.

'Each' is a singular pronoun and requires the singular verb 'is required,' not 'are required.'

Question 4: A citizen who does not speak English well needs help completing a government form. The most appropriate action is to:

Tell them to come back with an interpreter
Complete the form for them without their input
Hand them the form and point to the instructions
Use available translation resources or connect them with a bilingual staff member (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Use available translation resources or connect them with a bilingual staff member

Equal access to services requires using translation resources or bilingual staff when available.

Question 5: Under Ohio civil service rules, a 'demotion' occurs when an employee is:

Moved to a position in a lower classification with reduced pay or status (Correct answer)
Placed on unpaid administrative leave pending investigation
Reassigned to a different shift without a change in classification
Transferred to a different department at the same pay grade

Correct answer: Moved to a position in a lower classification with reduced pay or status

A demotion moves an employee to a lower-ranked classification, typically with a corresponding reduction in pay, and carries specific procedural requirements under civil service rules.

Question 6: Passage: 'Passive voice occurs when the subject receives the action rather than performs it. Example — passive: The report was submitted by the clerk. Active: The clerk submitted the report. Government style guides generally recommend active voice for clarity.' Which sentence uses active voice?

'The safety officer conducts inspections of all work areas each quarter.' (Correct answer)
'The new regulation was approved by the director last Tuesday.'
'Errors were found in the annual budget report by the auditors.'
'All employee records are maintained by the human resources department.'

Correct answer: 'The safety officer conducts inspections of all work areas each quarter.'

In the third option, the subject (safety officer) performs the action (conducts), making it active voice.

Question 7: An employee works 7.5 hours per day, 5 days per week. How many hours do they work in a standard 52-week year?

2,080
1,950 (Correct answer)
1,760
1,820

Correct answer: 1,950

7.5 × 5 × 52 = 1,950 hours per year.

Question 8: Your supervisor gives you conflicting instructions from those given by another supervisor. What should you do?

Ignore both instructions until they agree
Follow whichever instruction is easier
Follow the instructions of the higher-ranking supervisor without discussion
Ask your direct supervisor to clarify the priority and resolve the conflict (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Ask your direct supervisor to clarify the priority and resolve the conflict

Seeking clarification from your direct supervisor prevents errors caused by conflicting guidance.

Question 9: A citizen provides feedback that your agency's online portal is inaccessible to people with visual impairments. You should:

Tell them to use the in-person option instead
Ask them to submit the concern in writing through the portal
Thank them for the feedback, document it, and forward it to the appropriate technical or accessibility team (Correct answer)
Dismiss it since your agency did not design the portal

Correct answer: Thank them for the feedback, document it, and forward it to the appropriate technical or accessibility team

Accessibility feedback should be documented and escalated to the team responsible for remediation.

Question 10: You receive a call from someone claiming to be a state legislator asking for confidential information about a constituent's case. You should:

Provide the information as a courtesy to the legislator
Hang up immediately
Transfer the call directly to your director
Verify the caller's identity through official channels and confirm proper authorization before releasing any information (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Verify the caller's identity through official channels and confirm proper authorization before releasing any information

Verification of identity and proper authorization must precede any disclosure of confidential information.

Question 11: A citizen visiting your office becomes verbally aggressive and raises their voice at you. What is the most appropriate response?

Walk away from the desk without saying anything
Raise your voice to match theirs to show authority
Stay calm, speak in a measured tone, and offer to get a supervisor if needed (Correct answer)
Immediately call the police

Correct answer: Stay calm, speak in a measured tone, and offer to get a supervisor if needed

Remaining calm and professional de-escalates tension and reflects well on the agency.

Question 12: A citizen contacts you and is very upset because they believe their application was processed incorrectly. They are speaking in a loud and angry tone. Which of the following is the most effective way to handle the situation?

Explain that you are just following standard procedures and there is nothing you can do.
Listen actively to their concerns without interruption, empathize with their frustration, and then calmly explain the steps you will take to review their application. (Correct answer)
Immediately transfer the call to your supervisor without explaining the situation.
Tell the citizen they need to calm down before you can help them.

Correct answer: Listen actively to their concerns without interruption, empathize with their frustration, and then calmly explain the steps you will take to review their application.

This response uses key de-escalation techniques. Active listening and empathy validate the citizen's feelings, which helps to calm them down. Clearly stating the next steps shows that you are taking their concern seriously and are proactively working toward a resolution, which is the foundation of excellent public service.

Question 13: A clerk types 55 words per minute. How many words can the clerk type in 20 minutes?

1,200
1,100 (Correct answer)
900
1,000

Correct answer: 1,100

55 words/minute × 20 minutes = 1,100 words.

Question 14: When indexing a business name for filing purposes, 'The Ohio Department of Transportation' would be filed under:

The
Ohio (Correct answer)
Department
Transportation

Correct answer: Ohio

Articles such as 'The' are disregarded in indexing, so filing begins with the next significant word.

Question 15: Which sentence contains a spelling error?

The official recieved the correspondence. (Correct answer)
The correspondence was received officially.
The official's correspondence was received.
The official received the correspondence.

Correct answer: The official recieved the correspondence.

'Received' follows the 'i before e except after c' rule; 'recieved' reverses the vowels incorrectly.

Question 16: A colleague asks you to sign off on their work as a witness, but you did not actually observe them perform the task. What should you do?

Sign it but add a note that you did not observe the task
Refuse to sign and explain that you cannot attest to something you did not witness (Correct answer)
Sign it as a favor since you trust the colleague did the work
Ask the colleague to describe what they did so you can sign with confidence

Correct answer: Refuse to sign and explain that you cannot attest to something you did not witness

Signing a document you did not witness is a falsification of records, which violates civil service integrity standards.

Question 17: The argument is presented: 'To reduce traffic congestion in downtown, the city should increase the number of public buses operating during peak hours. This action will encourage more people to leave their cars at home.' This argument logically depends on which of the following assumptions?

A significant number of people who currently drive are willing and able to use public transportation. (Correct answer)
Increasing the number of buses will not cause any additional traffic delays.
The current bus system is unprofitable.
Traffic congestion is the most serious problem facing the city.

Correct answer: A significant number of people who currently drive are willing and able to use public transportation.

The argument's conclusion (that congestion will be reduced) only works if people actually switch from cars to buses. The unstated but necessary assumption is that a sufficient number of commuters are willing and able to make this change. If commuters are unwilling to use buses for reasons like convenience, cost, or route availability, then adding more buses will not reduce the number of cars on the road.

Question 18: A histogram shows most data clustered near the right side with a long tail extending left. This distribution is best described as:

Negatively skewed (Correct answer)
Positively skewed
Bimodal
Normal

Correct answer: Negatively skewed

When the tail extends to the left (lower values), the distribution is negatively (left) skewed.

Question 19: Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'fiscal year' as used in Ohio state government?

The calendar year from January 1 to December 31
A quarterly reporting period of 3 months
A 12-month budgeting period that runs from July 1 to June 30 (Correct answer)
The period between two consecutive state elections

Correct answer: A 12-month budgeting period that runs from July 1 to June 30

Ohio's state fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.

Question 20: Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.

The governor signed the bill into law. (Correct answer)
The Governor signed the bill into law.
The governor signed the Bill into law.
The Governor signed the Bill into law.

Correct answer: The governor signed the bill into law.

A title like 'governor' is capitalized only when used directly before a name, not as a general reference.

Question 21: Read the sentence: 'The new regulation, which takes effect January 1, will require all vendors to submit quarterly compliance reports.' What is the function of the clause 'which takes effect January 1'?

It states the main action of the sentence
It introduces a condition required for compliance
It provides additional, nonessential information about the regulation (Correct answer)
It replaces the subject of the sentence

Correct answer: It provides additional, nonessential information about the regulation

Set off by commas, 'which takes effect January 1' is a nonrestrictive clause that adds extra information without changing the core meaning.

Question 22: Passage: 'The main idea is the central point the author wants to communicate. Supporting details provide evidence or elaboration but are not the primary focus.' Read this excerpt: 'Ohio's civil service system was created to ensure government positions are filled based on merit. Competitive exams, standardized job classifications, and performance reviews all serve this goal.' What is the main idea?

Ohio uses competitive exams to rank applicants for government jobs.
Standardized job classifications help employees understand their roles.
Ohio's civil service system is designed to fill government jobs based on merit. (Correct answer)
Performance reviews are a key component of state employment practices.

Correct answer: Ohio's civil service system is designed to fill government jobs based on merit.

The first sentence states the central point — merit-based hiring — while exams, classifications, and reviews are supporting details.

Question 23: You are processing a high volume of walk-in citizens and realize some have been waiting over two hours due to understaffing. You should:

Ask waiting citizens to leave and return tomorrow
Communicate the expected wait time to those waiting and notify your supervisor of the staffing issue (Correct answer)
Close the counter until staffing improves
Continue working without acknowledging the wait

Correct answer: Communicate the expected wait time to those waiting and notify your supervisor of the staffing issue

Communicating delays and notifying supervisors is the appropriate response to service disruption.

Question 24: Identify the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement:

The list of requirements have been updated last week.
The list of requirements were updated last week.
The list of requirements was updated last week. (Correct answer)
The list of requirements are updated last week.

Correct answer: The list of requirements was updated last week.

The subject is 'list' (singular), so it takes the singular verb 'was.'

Question 25: A report states that calls to a hotline increased by 150% over two years. If the original call volume was 800 per month, what is the current volume?

1,600
1,200
2,400
2,000 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 2,000

A 150% increase means adding 150% of 800 (=1,200) to the original 800, totaling 2,000.

Question 26: Which of the following best describes a tickler file?

A chronological follow-up system that reminds users of future tasks (Correct answer)
A file for complaints and grievances
A file for documents that make staff laugh
A system for tracking lost documents

Correct answer: A chronological follow-up system that reminds users of future tasks

A tickler file is organized by date to prompt action on pending matters at the appropriate time.

Question 27: Test scores for 5 applicants are: 78, 85, 92, 67, and 88. What is the median score?

88
78
82
85 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 85

Ordered scores are 67, 78, 85, 88, 92; the middle value is 85.

Question 28: Which sentence avoids wordiness?

The event was postponed on account of the fact that there was rain.
In light of the fact that rain occurred, the event was postponed by us.
Due to the fact that it was raining, we postponed the event.
Because it was raining, we postponed the event. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Because it was raining, we postponed the event.

'Because' is a concise substitute for wordy phrases like 'due to the fact that.'

Question 29: You are processing a citizen's application and realize the required form was updated last month, but the applicant used the old version. The information is complete. What should you do?

Reject the application and tell the applicant to resubmit using the new form
Accept the application since all required information is present and note the outdated form
Process the application without any notation
Consult your supervisor about agency policy on transitional form versions (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Consult your supervisor about agency policy on transitional form versions

Consulting your supervisor ensures you follow official agency policy during transitional periods rather than making an independent judgment call.

Question 30: During a phone call, a citizen discloses personal medical information while explaining their situation. You should:

Record only information necessary for the service request and keep it confidential (Correct answer)
Share the information with colleagues to get their input
Inform the citizen you cannot handle medical matters
Ask for more medical details than necessary

Correct answer: Record only information necessary for the service request and keep it confidential

Collecting only necessary information and protecting confidentiality complies with privacy obligations.

Question 31: A clerk is transcribing phone messages and hears the number '5-5-5-0-1-2-3.' How should this be written?

5-550-123
55-50-123
555-0123 (Correct answer)
5550-123

Correct answer: 555-0123

Standard U.S. phone number format for a 7-digit local number is written as 555-0123.

Question 32: Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

The training session was mandatory, several employees were absent.
The training session was mandatory; however, several employees were absent. (Correct answer)
The training session was mandatory; but several employees were absent.
The training session was mandatory, however, several employees were absent.

Correct answer: The training session was mandatory; however, several employees were absent.

The correct sentence uses a semicolon to join two independent clauses. 'The training session was mandatory' and 'several employees were absent' are both complete sentences. A semicolon is appropriate here, especially before a conjunctive adverb like 'however'. The other options create a comma splice or misuse punctuation.

Question 33: A clerk is entering data and finds that a field labeled 'ZIP Code' contains the value '431O2' (letter O instead of zero). What should the clerk do?

Delete the entire record
Correct it to '43102' and note the correction (Correct answer)
Leave the field blank and move on
Enter it as-is to match the original form

Correct answer: Correct it to '43102' and note the correction

A clerk should correct obvious data entry errors like a letter O in a numeric ZIP code and document the change.

Question 34: Under Ohio law, which body is responsible for hearing appeals from classified civil service employees who have been dismissed?

Ohio Supreme Court
State Personnel Board of Review (Correct answer)
Department of Administrative Services
Ohio Ethics Commission

Correct answer: State Personnel Board of Review

The State Personnel Board of Review (SPBR) hears appeals from classified employees who contest disciplinary actions including dismissal.

Question 35: Under Ohio law, a public employee who is suspended without pay for more than three days generally has the right to:

Automatic arbitration through a neutral federal mediator
A hearing before the State Personnel Board of Review (Correct answer)
Immediate reinstatement pending review
Compensation from a state emergency fund during suspension

Correct answer: A hearing before the State Personnel Board of Review

Classified employees suspended without pay for more than three days may appeal to the State Personnel Board of Review for a hearing on the merits of the suspension.

Question 36: A clerk needs to file the following four names alphabetically: 1. St. John, David 2. Saint, Mary 3. Sanchez, Carlos 4. St. James, Anne. What is the correct alphabetical order?

2, 3, 4, 1 (Correct answer)
2, 4, 1, 3
3, 1, 4, 2
3, 2, 1, 4

Correct answer: 2, 3, 4, 1

When alphabetizing, abbreviations like 'St.' are treated as if they were spelled out. Therefore, 'St. James' and 'St. John' are filed as 'Saint James' and 'Saint John'. The correct order is: Saint, Mary; Sanchez, Carlos; St. James, Anne; St. John, David.

Question 37: Which of the following is the best example of professional communication in a civil service setting?

Responding to complaints with brief, dismissive answers
Using informal slang when speaking with citizens to seem approachable
Sending work emails with personal opinions about coworkers
Delivering clear, respectful, and factually accurate information to citizens and colleagues (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Delivering clear, respectful, and factually accurate information to citizens and colleagues

Professional communication in civil service requires clarity, respect, and accuracy at all times.

Question 38: A department's fuel budget increased from $4,500 to $5,175. What is the percentage increase?

17%
13%
12%
15% (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 15%

(5,175 − 4,500) ÷ 4,500 × 100 = 675 ÷ 4,500 × 100 = 15%.

Question 39: A line graph shows that tax revenue increased steadily for three years then dropped sharply in year four. Which term best describes the year-four trend?

Fluctuation
Plateau
Acceleration
Decline (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Decline

A sharp downward movement in data after a period of growth is described as a decline.

Question 40: An analyst is comparing two programs using a ratio. Program A served 340 clients with a $170,000 budget; Program B served 280 clients with a $126,000 budget. Which has a lower cost per client?

Program A at $500
Program B at $450 (Correct answer)
Program A at $450
Both are equal at $475

Correct answer: Program B at $450

Program A costs $500 per client ($170,000÷340) while Program B costs $450 per client ($126,000÷280), so Program B is more cost-efficient.

Question 41: A state agency uses a two-part code for classifying documents: the first part indicates the department (FIN=Finance, LEG=Legal, PUB=Public Works) and the second part indicates the document type (01=Request, 02=Report, 03=Contract). What would be the correct code for a contract from the Finance department?

LEG-03
FIN-02
PUB-01
FIN-03 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: FIN-03

The code for the Finance department is 'FIN' and the code for a contract is '03'. Combining these according to the classification system results in the code 'FIN-03'.

Question 42: A manager says: 'Either the budget is cut or the project is delayed.' The budget is not cut. What follows logically?

The project is delayed. (Correct answer)
The project proceeds on time.
The budget increases.
Nothing can be concluded.

Correct answer: The project is delayed.

In an 'either/or' statement, if one option is false, the other must be true.

Question 43: Look at the number pattern: 3, 6, 12, 24, ___. What comes next?

30
36
48 (Correct answer)
42

Correct answer: 48

Each term is doubled: 24 × 2 = 48.

Question 44: Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

Each of the employees are required to complete the safety training.
The committee has submitted its final report to the director. (Correct answer)
The manager, along with the two supervisors, were present at the meeting.
Neither the director nor the employees knows the final decision.

Correct answer: The committee has submitted its final report to the director.

The subject of the sentence is 'committee,' which is a singular noun. Therefore, the singular verb 'has' is correct. In option A, the subject is 'manager' (singular), so the verb should be 'was'. In option B, the subject is 'Each' (singular), so the verb should be 'is'. In option D, when 'neither/nor' is used, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it ('employees'), so the verb should be 'know'.

Question 45: Which sentence uses a comma correctly?

Please submit, your application before the deadline.
Please submit your application, before the deadline.
Before the deadline, please submit your application. (Correct answer)
Please submit your application before, the deadline.

Correct answer: Before the deadline, please submit your application.

A comma is correctly placed after an introductory phrase like 'Before the deadline.'

Question 46: When handling incoming office mail, what is the generally accepted first step after the mail has been opened?

Date-stamp the correspondence. (Correct answer)
Immediately shred all envelopes to protect confidentiality.
Read through all the mail to summarize it for the supervisor.
Distribute the mail to the intended recipients.

Correct answer: Date-stamp the correspondence.

The standard procedure for handling incoming mail is to open it and then immediately date-stamp it. This provides a clear record of when the document was received by the organization, which can be crucial for deadlines, appeals, and general record-keeping.

Question 47: A member of the public asks you for information that you are not authorized to release. You should:

Politely explain that you cannot share the information and direct them to the appropriate resource (Correct answer)
Pretend you do not know the answer
Release the information anyway to be helpful
Refer them to a coworker without explanation

Correct answer: Politely explain that you cannot share the information and direct them to the appropriate resource

Protecting restricted information while courteously guiding citizens to proper resources is standard civil service practice.

Question 48: Choose the sentence that uses apostrophes correctly:

The department's report's were submitted on time.
The departments' report was submitted on time.
The departments report was submitted on time.
The department's report was submitted on time. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The department's report was submitted on time.

One department possesses the report, so 'department's' (singular possessive) is correct.

Question 49: When sorting incoming mail in a government office, which item typically receives priority handling?

Internal memos from other departments
Certified or registered mail (Correct answer)
Bulk rate advertising mail
Magazines and newsletters

Correct answer: Certified or registered mail

Certified and registered mail often contains legal or time-sensitive documents requiring immediate attention and a signature.

Question 50: A table shows inspection results across 5 districts. District 3 had 18 violations out of 60 inspections. What is its violation rate?

20%
30% (Correct answer)
33%
25%

Correct answer: 30%

18 violations divided by 60 inspections equals 0.30, or 30%.

Question 51: Read the following statements: 1. All vehicles assigned to the Investigations Unit are sedans. 2. No sedans are equipped with a roof rack. 3. Vehicle #304 is assigned to the Investigations Unit. Based on these statements, which of the following must be true?

Some vehicles with roof racks are assigned to the Investigations Unit.
Vehicle #304 does not have a roof rack. (Correct answer)
Vehicle #304 is not a sedan.
All sedans in the motor pool are assigned to the Investigations Unit.

Correct answer: Vehicle #304 does not have a roof rack.

The statements establish a clear logical chain. Since Vehicle #304 is in the Investigations Unit (Statement 3), it must be a sedan (Statement 1). Since it is a sedan, it cannot have a roof rack (Statement 2). Therefore, Vehicle #304 does not have a roof rack.

Question 52: The new state regulation will significantly the way local agencies handle public records, and the long-term of this change is still unknown.

effect, affect
effect, effect
affect, affect
affect, effect (Correct answer)

Correct answer: affect, effect

The correct choice is 'affect, effect'. 'Affect' is a verb meaning 'to influence or impact'. 'Effect' is a noun meaning 'a result or consequence'. The regulation will influence (affect) the agencies, and the result (effect) of the change is unknown.

Question 53: A citizen waiting in a long line becomes impatient and loudly demands to be served ahead of others. You should:

Ignore them until their turn
Call security immediately
Move them to the front to restore order
Calmly explain wait times apply equally to all and offer to address their specific concern when it is their turn (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Calmly explain wait times apply equally to all and offer to address their specific concern when it is their turn

Treating all citizens equally and explaining the process calmly is consistent with civil service fairness principles.

Question 54: An Ohio agency tracks resolution times. The interquartile range (IQR) for a dataset is 12 days. What does this measure?

The most common resolution time
The difference between the maximum and minimum values
The spread of the middle 50% of data values (Correct answer)
The average deviation from the mean

Correct answer: The spread of the middle 50% of data values

The IQR is calculated as Q3 minus Q1 and represents the spread of the central 50% of the data, making it resistant to outliers.

Question 55: Which principle requires Ohio civil service hiring decisions to be based on merit rather than political affiliation?

The due process clause
The merit system principle (Correct answer)
The patronage doctrine
The spoils system

Correct answer: The merit system principle

The merit system principle, codified in Ohio civil service law, mandates that hiring, promotion, and retention be based on competence and qualifications.

Question 56: Your team's productivity has dropped, and you suspect a coworker is causing low morale. What is the best course of action?

Ignore the problem and hope morale improves on its own
Confront the coworker publicly in front of the team
Spread word among the team to isolate the coworker
Document specific behaviors and discuss them with your supervisor (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Document specific behaviors and discuss them with your supervisor

Documenting specific, observable behaviors and discussing them with a supervisor is the professional way to address morale issues.

Question 57: The primary purpose of Ohio's competitive examination system for civil service positions is to:

Guarantee employment to all Ohio residents who apply
Ensure appointments are based on demonstrated merit and ability (Correct answer)
Satisfy federal Equal Employment Opportunity mandates only
Minimize the number of qualified applicants to speed up hiring

Correct answer: Ensure appointments are based on demonstrated merit and ability

Competitive examinations are the cornerstone of merit-based civil service, ensuring that candidates are selected based on their demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Question 58: A citizen disagrees with a decision your agency made and asks for an appeal. You should:

Reverse the decision to avoid an appeal
Tell them appeals are handled by courts only
Explain the appeal process, timelines, and required steps clearly (Correct answer)
Tell them the decision is final

Correct answer: Explain the appeal process, timelines, and required steps clearly

Citizens have the right to appeal agency decisions and must be informed of the process.

Question 59: A line graph shows weekly website visits: Week 1=2,100, Week 2=2,310, Week 3=2,541, Week 4=2,795. Which statement best describes this trend?

Declining growth rate each week
Irregular fluctuation with no clear trend
Linear growth of about 200 per week
Exponential-like growth of approximately 10% per week (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Exponential-like growth of approximately 10% per week

Each week's visits are approximately 110% of the prior week, indicating consistent ~10% weekly growth rather than a fixed amount.

Question 60: Which Ohio official is responsible for overseeing the conduct of state elections?

The Ohio Secretary of State (Correct answer)
The Ohio Attorney General
The Ohio Governor
The Ohio Auditor

Correct answer: The Ohio Secretary of State

The Ohio Secretary of State is the chief elections officer responsible for overseeing state and local elections.

Question 61: A clerk is asked to prepare minutes for a department meeting. Minutes should include:

A transcript of every word spoken
Date, attendees, topics discussed, decisions made, and action items assigned (Correct answer)
Only the agenda items that were completed
Personal opinions of attendees

Correct answer: Date, attendees, topics discussed, decisions made, and action items assigned

Meeting minutes are an official record capturing key facts: who attended, what was discussed, what was decided, and what follow-up is needed.

Question 62: A civil service exam has 80 questions. A passing score requires answering at least 75% correctly. What is the minimum number of correct answers needed to pass?

60 (Correct answer)
62
58
56

Correct answer: 60

80 × 0.75 = 60 correct answers required.

Question 63: A clerk must alphabetize files for 'St. Claire County,' 'Saint Bernard Hospital,' and 'Stanton Office Supply.' What is the correct order?

Stanton, Saint Bernard, St. Claire
Saint Bernard, Stanton, St. Claire
Saint Bernard, St. Claire, Stanton (Correct answer)
St. Claire, Saint Bernard, Stanton

Correct answer: Saint Bernard, St. Claire, Stanton

When filing, 'Saint' and 'St.' are treated as 'Saint,' so all three are compared as: Saint Bernard, Saint Claire, Stanton.

Question 64: A dataset of employee salaries has a mean of $52,000 and a median of $44,000. What does this gap suggest?

A few high salaries are pulling the mean upward (Correct answer)
The data is normally distributed
The median is the better measure only for small datasets
Most employees earn above the mean

Correct answer: A few high salaries are pulling the mean upward

When the mean exceeds the median significantly, it indicates positive skew caused by a few high outlier values.

Question 65: A table compares two years of public transit ridership by route. Route 7 had 84,000 riders in 2024 and 63,000 in 2025. What is the percentage decrease?

33%
25% (Correct answer)
20%
15%

Correct answer: 25%

The decrease of 21,000 divided by the 2024 base of 84,000 equals 0.25, or a 25% decrease.

Question 66: A colleague from another department asks you to use your system access to look up information they claim they need for a project. What should you do?

Verify the request is authorized before accessing any information on their behalf (Correct answer)
Provide the information but document that the colleague asked
Refuse all requests for assistance from other departments
Look up the information since helping colleagues is part of your job

Correct answer: Verify the request is authorized before accessing any information on their behalf

Verifying authorization before using system access protects data security and ensures compliance with access control policies.

Question 67: If some inspectors work weekends, and all weekend workers receive a stipend, which must be true?

Some inspectors receive a stipend. (Correct answer)
No inspectors receive a stipend.
All stipend recipients are inspectors.
All inspectors receive a stipend.

Correct answer: Some inspectors receive a stipend.

Some inspectors work weekends and all weekend workers get stipends, so some inspectors receive a stipend.

Question 68: Four candidates scored 78, 85, 91, and 64 on a civil service exam. What is the average score?

78
79.5 (Correct answer)
81
80

Correct answer: 79.5

(78 + 85 + 91 + 64) ÷ 4 = 318 ÷ 4 = 79.5.

Question 69: What is the term length for an Ohio Governor?

Two years
Four years (Correct answer)
Eight years
Six years

Correct answer: Four years

The Ohio Governor serves a four-year term and is limited to two consecutive terms.

Question 70: Who is the head of the executive branch of Ohio state government?

The Ohio Secretary of State
The Ohio Attorney General
The Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court
The Ohio Governor (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The Ohio Governor

The Governor is the chief executive of Ohio's state government.

Question 71: Your department is undergoing a major policy change that you personally disagree with. How should you respond?

Follow the new policy while expressing your concerns through appropriate channels (Correct answer)
Encourage coworkers to resist the change
Ignore the new policy and continue with old procedures
Refuse to follow the new policy

Correct answer: Follow the new policy while expressing your concerns through appropriate channels

Civil service employees are expected to implement lawful policies even when they personally disagree, while using proper channels for feedback.

Question 72: You are unsure how to complete an assigned task. What is the best course of action?

Attempt it without guidance and hope it is correct
Ask your supervisor or a knowledgeable colleague for clarification (Correct answer)
Ignore the task until someone notices
Delegate it to a less experienced coworker

Correct answer: Ask your supervisor or a knowledgeable colleague for clarification

Seeking clarification from a supervisor or experienced colleague ensures accuracy and prevents costly errors.

Question 73: A clerk must calculate the total pages photocopied: 45 pages × 4 copies each, plus 30 pages × 6 copies each. What is the total?

330
360 (Correct answer)
390
420

Correct answer: 360

(45 × 4) + (30 × 6) = 180 + 180 = 360 total pages copied.

Question 74: Which sentence uses the subjunctive mood correctly?

If I were the supervisor, I would approve it. (Correct answer)
If I was the supervisor, I would approve it.
If I am the supervisor, I would approve it.
If I be the supervisor, I would approve it.

Correct answer: If I were the supervisor, I would approve it.

The subjunctive mood uses 'were' (not 'was') for hypothetical or contrary-to-fact conditions.

Question 75: If you witness a coworker accepting a personal gift from a citizen they serve, you should:

Accept a similar gift to maintain fairness
Report the situation to a supervisor, as accepting gifts may violate ethics rules (Correct answer)
Say nothing, as accepting gifts is a personal matter
Ask the citizen if they can give you a gift as well

Correct answer: Report the situation to a supervisor, as accepting gifts may violate ethics rules

Accepting gifts from citizens can constitute a conflict of interest and must be reported per Ohio ethics regulations.

Question 76: Two team members you supervise are in a conflict that is affecting team productivity. Both have approached you separately with their sides of the story. What is the BEST next step?

Side with the employee who has been with the agency longer
Meet with both employees together to facilitate a resolution (Correct answer)
Tell them to work it out on their own
Immediately write both employees up for misconduct

Correct answer: Meet with both employees together to facilitate a resolution

A joint facilitated meeting gives both parties a fair opportunity to resolve the conflict with supervisory guidance.

Question 77: Choose the word that best completes the following sentence: The new regulations will have a significant _______ on how the department processes applications.

effect (Correct answer)
affect
except
accept

Correct answer: effect

'Effect' is a noun that means 'a result' or 'an influence.' 'Affect' is a verb that means 'to influence.' In this sentence, a noun is needed to describe the result of the regulations. Therefore, 'effect' is the correct choice.

Question 78: Each position is described in terms of the specialized knowledge needed, the degree of difficulty, and the duties involved.

Reductions in force
Buyouts
Compensation
Position classification (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Position classification

Explanation: <br> Position classification refers to the process of analyzing and evaluating jobs within an organization to determine their relative worth and the level of skill and knowledge required to perform them. This process involves describing each position in terms of its specialized knowledge, the degree of difficulty, and the duties involved.

Question 79: A tax rate increased from 4.5% to 5.25%. By what percentage did the tax rate increase?

0.75%
7.5%
16.67% (Correct answer)
12.5%

Correct answer: 16.67%

Percent increase = (0.75 / 4.5) × 100 = 16.67%.

Question 80: Read the passage: 'Civil service applicants in Ohio must pass a written examination. Scores are ranked from highest to lowest, and positions are offered to candidates in rank order.' What determines who is offered a position first?

Years of experience
Alphabetical order of last name
Examination score rank (Correct answer)
Date of application

Correct answer: Examination score rank

The passage states positions are offered to candidates in rank order by examination score.

Question 81: Which expression is equivalent to 3(x + 4) − 2x?

3x + 12
x + 4
5x + 12
x + 12 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: x + 12

3x + 12 − 2x = x + 12.

Question 82: During a busy shift, a citizen becomes verbally aggressive and begins yelling at you over a denied benefit. What is your BEST immediate response?

Walk away from the window and wait for them to calm down
Raise your voice to match their energy and assert your authority
Remain calm, acknowledge their frustration, and explain the reason for the denial clearly (Correct answer)
Immediately call security without speaking to the citizen further

Correct answer: Remain calm, acknowledge their frustration, and explain the reason for the denial clearly

Remaining calm and acknowledging frustration while providing clear information is the most effective de-escalation approach.

Ohio Civil Service Exam

The Ohio Civil Service Exam exam validates essential knowledge and skills required for certification or licensure in this field.

Questions

90 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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Exam Rules

You can skip questions and return to them later
Flag questions for review before submitting
No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds