Forum Rules — read before you post
These boards are for learning. Post like you'd talk to a crew you respect.
All of these rules are zero-tolerance. Failure to adhere to the forum rules will result in temporary or permanent restriction from making posts or replying on the forums.
1. Never post real exam content
This is the rule that can cost you your certification, so it comes first.
Do not post, ask for, or hint at:
Questions from the actual written examination, in any form — word-for-word, paraphrased, or "I remember it went something like…"
Answers to real exam questions
Photos, screenshots, notes or recordings of exam material
"What was on your test?" threads, DMs or replies
When you apply to sit the exam you sign the certifying organization's code of ethics and agree to keep the test secure. Exam questions are their copyrighted property. Sharing them can get your scores voided, your certification revoked, and can bar you from testing again — and it exposes whoever reads it too.
What is fine, and what these boards are for: the concepts, the standards, load chart method, how to work a problem, study strategy, and any of the practice questions from our own courses. If you're unsure whether something crosses the line, don't post it — ask an instructor privately through Tutoring.
2. Treat people decently
No harassment, threats, insults, or personal attacks.
No hate speech or discrimination of any kind.
Disagree with the post, not the person. Plenty of operators were taught differently — say why you'd do it another way.
No sexual, graphic or otherwise unprofessional content.
3. Respect anonymity and privacy
Some posts are made anonymously. Don't try to work out or reveal who wrote them.
Don't post anyone's personal information — names, employers, phone numbers, addresses, photos of people — without their say-so.
Don't repost private tutoring conversations.
4. Keep the boards useful
Post on the right board. Staff will move threads that end up in the wrong place.
Search before you post — your question may already be answered.
Give your thread a title that says what it's about. "Help" tells nobody anything.
Don't bump old threads without something new to add.
No advertising, recruiting, spam, referral links or self-promotion. Tell us about a training-related thing through Contact instead.
5. Your account
One account per person.
Don't impersonate staff, an instructor, or the certifying organization.
Don't share your login, and don't repost paid course material, load charts or practice exams outside the site.
6. Moderation
Instructors and administrators can edit, move, lock or remove any post, and can suspend or close accounts that break these rules — see our Terms of Service. We usually warn first, except for rule 1, which we act on immediately.
Seen something that breaks the rules? Don't reply to it — report it through Contact or a tutoring message.