Welcome! In this article I’ll cover the method that I used to study for and pass the Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS) exam. By the end of it you’ll have a solid understanding of what to expect from the exam, along with a proven game plan to succeed.
Background
I took the exam in August 2022 and passed with an overall score of 86%. As someone who works primarily in data processing and digital forensics, the subjects involving the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, document review, and project management were still quite new to me. Preparing for the exam allowed me to expand my knowledge on those subjects and exposed me to what goes into managing an eDiscovery project from start to finish.
If you are a legal professional or work as an eDiscovery project manager, then you most likely already have the experience and knowledge needed to pass the exam. For the rest of us, there’s this article 😉
ACEDS Training
ACEDS offers several different types of courses, but the main, and required, course is the CEDS Prep Course which is in both certification packages. The cheapest package only includes the CEDS Prep Course, while the other also includes the eDiscovery Executive (eDEx) course.
I was fortunate enough to have my employer pay for the CEDS Prep, eDEx, and eDiscovery Technology (eDTech) courses, and after taking each of the courses, I’d say that only the CEDS Prep course is needed to pass the exam and that the eDEx course could be used as a secondary resource. The eDTech course is more geared towards technologists and those conducting review. It goes through the different review platforms, their UI, and the various functions that each has to offer. It is its own separate package and is not included in the packages that are linked above.
The CEDS Prep Course
The CEDS Prep course consists of videos presented by Michael Quartararo, the President of ACEDS, and a 130-page study guide. The course is available for one year and they do offer extensions.
Once you’ve completed the course, you can schedule your exam and submit the required candidate application to ACEDS.
The videos provide much of the information that is needed for taking the test but I highly recommend going through and using the study guide as your main source for studying. This is not to say that you can’t pass the exam by watching and studying the videos alone, but I believe that the study guide provides more information and goes over the concepts in a more verbose way.
ACEDS also recommends that you study eDiscovery webinars, blogs, websites, and white papers but they aren’t needed to pass the exam. They also provide a live CEDS Prep webinar, though none were scheduled during the last few months that I was studying, but it would have been great to bounce some questions off of some of the SMEs.
TIP: Begin studying for your exam early. You don’t want to be near the expiration of your course before starting. I’d recommend having at least 2-3 months of studying and preparation before taking the exam, and even longer if your job is one where you don’t find yourself with a lot of free time to study. Even ACEDS has a section in the prep course that covers time management for studying and taking the exam.
The Method
I employed a simplified version of the method I used to study for my GIAC GCFE certification, which involved creating an index using a spreadsheet containing topics and descriptions.
The spreadsheet contains the following columns: Topic, Chapter, Page, and Notes.
- Topic – This is the name of the topic that is covered.
- Chapter – Designates which chapter the topic is from.
- Page – Designates the page number(s) that the topic is from.
- Notes – Description of the topic. It can be as descriptive as you need it to be to get the concept across in a way that you can understand.
Rows in the spreadsheet are filled while you make your way through the study guide/videos.
Each video module roughly coincides with a chapter from the study guide. Viewing the videos then reading the chapter afterwards while taking notes on both will provide the repetition that will help in learning the material. I also recommend printing the study guide so that you can highlight sections you deem important or interesting. Print on the front and back of each page, then have it bound for that extra professional look 🤓
Once you’ve gone through the study guide and the videos, you should go through it all again at least twice and focus on updating the topics in the spreadsheet that you think need more information.
Afterwards, go through it all one more time but only focus on the topics that you know are your weak points.
TIP: I highly recommend going through the practice exam located at the end of the study guide, as well as taking the E-Discovery Quiz. The questions you find there will be very similar to the ones on the exam.
The Exam
The test itself isn’t your standard test. Focus on learning the concepts, as memorizing definitions will not produce a passing grade. You will need to be able to read a scenario and decide which choice is the most correct. That choice isn’t always clear, and re-reading the question and the answers a few times is normal. There are 145 questions, all multiple choice, and you have only four hours to complete it so be sure that you are aware of how much time you have remaining. You want to complete as many questions as you can, and to the best of your ability, as any questions you don’t answer after the time is up will count against you.
You’ll need to score at least a 69.6% to pass the exam (70.4% if you’re taking the Canadian version).
Exam Day
The exam is proctored, either remotely or at a testing site. Be sure to read the F.A.Q.s before taking an exam.
I took the exam at a testing center and brought the following:
- The two required forms of identification
- Print out of the email confirmation booking my exam that also contains the Test Taker Authorization Code
Devices, books, or notes are not permitted in the testing room.
Just like any other exam, be sure to get enough sleep the night before, eat a nice meal (you’re potentially going to be sitting for four hours!), and show up early.
Final Thoughts
Before ever even starting the course, I had searched the web for resources regarding the CEDS exam and didn’t really find what I was looking for… so I made my own article 😁
I hope you’ve found some useful information here. Please feel free to contact me if you have any good (or bad!) feedback. It’s much appreciated.
Lastly, good luck! I’m sure you’ll do great 😉