NPPE: Introduction to National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE) with notes

In previous posts, we had a series of discussions about NPPE, you can find them here,

NPPE: Sample Questions for ethics exam
NPPE: Study Notes and Material of Ethic and Professionalism
NPPE: IMPORTANT, Case History Summary from the Book of CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING AND GEOSCIENCE PRACTICE AND ETHICS
NPPE: Law book notes

Below are the basic info for this exam and some of my notes.



Based on APEGA website, we can get the following main points about this exam,

Aim
The National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE) confirms knowledge of professionalism, law, and ethics. Eleven engineering and geoscience self-regulatory organizations in Canada use the NPPE.

It is required for everyone wanting to become registered
All applicants, including those applying for Foreign Licensees and Professional Licensees, must pass the NPPE before they can be licensed to practise. It is one of the requirements to become a Professional Member. 

Writing the NPPE

The exam has 110 multiple-choice questions based on 7 subject areas. You have 2.5 hours to complete it.

Note 1
You will answer the questions on a computer.

Note 2
110 questions in 2.5 hours, meaning you will need to answer one question in 1.3 minutes on average. There are a lot of reading and head scratching as many of the questions are designed deliberately to be confusing. It is suggested to select an option even if you are not very sure of a question along the way, make a quick note in the exam system and come back later if you have some minutes left. 

Subject Areas
The National Professional Practice Exam has seven syllabus subject areas. The questions are distributed on the exam according to the percentages shown.

A. Professionalism (10%)
A.1 Definition and Interpretation of Professionalism and Professional Status
A.2 The Roles and Responsibilities of Professionals in Society
A.3. Engineering and Geoscience Professions in Canada; Definitions and Scopes of Practice
A.4 The Value of Engineering and Geoscience Professions to Society
A.5 The Roles and Responsibilities of Professionals to Management

B. Ethics (20%)
B.1 The Role of Ethics in Society; Cultures and Customs
B.2 Classical and Modern Ethical theories and Principles
B.3 Codes of Ethics of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists in Canada
B.4 Ethical Standards and Codes and Their Relationship to the Conduct of a Professional
B.5 Common Ethical Issues and Dilemmas; Making Ethical Decisions

C. Professional Practice (27%)
C.1 Professional Accountability for Work, Workplace Issues, Job Responsibilities, and Standards of Practice
C.2 Relations with Other Professionals and Non-Professionals; Business Practices
C.3 Statutory and Non-Statutory Standards and Codes of Practice
C.4 Insurance, Risk Management, and Quality Management; Due Diligence
C.5 Environmental Responsibilities and Sustainable Development
C.6 Use of Software, Computers and Internet-based Tools; Liability for Software Errors
C.7 Documentation Authentication and Control
C.8 Duty to Inform; Whistleblowing

D. Communication (1%)
D.1 Legal, Ethical, and Practical Aspects of Communication
D.2 The Professional Relationship
D.3 Communication Skills

E. Law for Professional Practice (23%) 
E.1 The Canadian Legal System
E.2 Contract Law - Elements, Principles, and Applications
E.3 Tort Law – Elements, Principles, and Applications
E.4 Civil Code in Quebec and Common Law in Rest of Canada
E.5 Business, Employment, and Labour Law
E.6 Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
E.7 Intellectual Property – Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, Software Issues, Copyright
E.8 Expert Witness
E.9 Construction Liens
E.10 International Law
E.11 Environmental Law
E.12 Workers Compensation and Occupational Health & Safety
E.13 Human Rights and Privacy Legislation

F. Professional Law (8%)
F.1 The Acts, Regulations, and Bylaws of Provincial and Territorial Acts
F.2 Codes of Ethics; Conflicts of Interest
F.3 Admission to the Professions
F.4 Illegal Practice, Enforcement Against Unlicensed Practice, and Misuse of Title
F.5 Professional and Technical Societies

G. Regulation & Discipline Processes (11%) 
G.1 Discipline and Enforcement Procedures
G.2 Professional Inspection; Practice Reviews of Individuals
G.3 Response to Complaints
G.4 Licensing Corporations and Practice Review of Firms
G.5 Response to Unethical or Incompetent Practice; Consequences of Unethical Practice
G.6 Canadian and International Mobility
G.7 Continuing Professional Development

G.8 Use of Seals and Stamps

Note 3
Not all of the sections are equally presented in the exam, as also indicated by the percentage in the above list. In general, the practice and ethic part yields the majority of the questions, make sure you spend majority of your time on the practice and ethic in your study. 

Important Study Books
Two books are recommended to prepare the exam, as

Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience: Practice & Ethics, Fifth Edition, 2014
by Gordon C. Andrews

Practical Law of Architecture, Engineering, and Geoscience, Second Canadian Edition, 2011 
or
Practical Law of Architecture, Engineering, and Geoscience, Third Canadian Edition, 2015
by Brian M. Samuels and Doug R. Sanders

Note 4
When you study Practice & Ethics, make sure that you go through all of the case studies, know the name of the case, and understand the purposes of presenting them in the book, what lessons were learned etc.. Sometimes in the exam, a question is asked quoting directly the name of the case, and ask you what is/are not the lesson (s) learned from that case.