Recommended books about MOUS

Integrates all the information necessary to build, edit, and format worksheets and charts. Demonstrates ways to program with Excel, and exchange data with other programs, and work with Internet applications. Enables reader to manage workbooks, automate worksheet tasks, use lists, and analyze list data.

In order to help establish standards of competence for the people who use their products, various hardware and software makers have established certification programs so people can study, pass exams, and receive official (and highly marketable) recognition of their skills. The most heavily promoted certification programs have to do with programming and networking, but the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) ratings recognize user skill in using Microsoft Office applications. MOUS Microsoft Excel 2000 Exam Prep will help take skills picked up on the job and use them to pass the MOUS exam in Microsoft Excel.

Some of the material in this book (particularly the parts on basic editing and formatting) may feel like review for those already experienced with Excel. But once the book has built up reader confidence on that material, it goes on to discuss the spreadsheet program's more advanced features, which may not be as familiar. Throughout, MOUS Microsoft Excel 2000 Exam Prep's approach relies (helpfully) on illustrations and numbered steps, so it's always clear what needs to be done. Important elements in most of the screen shots have labels, further clarifying what's going on at all times. A companion CD-ROM holds files with which readers can experiment. --David Wall

Topics covered: The skills to possess and concepts to understand in order to pass the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) exam in Microsoft Excel. Sections deal with basic spreadsheet design and formatting, charts and graphs, functions, macros, and what-if analyses. Data exchange, including Web publishing, is a big part of this text, as well.

A bought this book after also buying WORD in the same series and passed WORD Expert. I then passed the EXCEL Expert exam and thought this book was clear and easy to follow. I thoroughly recommend it! I had no trouble with CD exercises not matching the material in the book. If anything this book gives you too much information. As an ex high school and night school computer studies teacher I believe this book is a valuable resource. To pass the exam simply complete a chapter a day then go back and re-do the exercises at the end of each chapter.

According to the books help desk, the CD-ROM was upgraded recently and that is why the contents do not match the book! Several concepts and solutions are wrong. If you are not a strong user of Excel, you will be taught some wrong things. In addition, numerous tips/shortcuts in Excel are never mentioned. If you are studying for the MOUS Excel 2000 expert exam, this is not a good book!

Here's the book you need to prepare for the seven MOUS exams employers are demanding the most--Word 2002 Core, Word 2002 Expert, Excel 2002 Core, Excel 2002 Expert, PowerPoint 2002 Core, Outlook 2002 Core, and Access 2002 Core.
* In-depth coverage of official exam objectives
* Clear explanations of complex Office tasks
* Practical examples and detailed instructions
Authoritative coverage of all exam objectives, including:
Word Core and Expert
Inserting and Modifying Text
Creating and Modifying Paragraphs and Tables
Formatting and Managing Documents
Creating and Modifying Graphics
Using Mail Merge
Excel Core and Expert
Working with Cells and Cell Data
Managing and Modifying Workbooks
Creating and Revising Formulas
Importing and Exporting Data
Analyzing and Summarizing Data
PowerPoint Core
Creating and Modifying a Presentation
Inserting and Modifying Text and Visual Elements
Working with Data from Other Sources
Managing and Delivering Presentations
Workgroup Collaboration
Access Core
Creating and Using Databases and Tables
Creating and Modifying Queries
Creating and Modifying Forms
Defining Relationships
Producing Reports
Outlook Core
Creating and Viewing Messages
Scheduling
Managing Messages
Creating and Managing Contacts, Tasks, and Notes

This book is not intended to be a general reference and it says so right at the beginning. Its purpose is to prepare people to take the MOUS (now MOS) exams and it does just exactly that. I used this book to take my Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access exams and passed them all! The explanations in this book were clear and to the point. The exercises really helped focus on the things I needed to learn and provided a context for why I would want to use the features in the first place. I highly recommend this book if you want to be sucessful in your exams.

Normally, I'm a big fan of Annette Marquis and her exuberant and vivacious writing style when it comes to learning about MOS. To say that I was a little shocked at the blatant omission of Notepad would be an understatement. I teach a bevy of technical skills that no doubt prepare my students for "the real world," if you will. First and foremost among them, you guessed it, is Notepad. I know it may seem easy to some of you(and especially me), but to my youngsters, I ahere to the adage "You can't walk before you run." I guess what I'm trying to say here is that Notepad is a great starting block to build an impressive foundation that leads to the pinnacle of MOS Mastery(it's MOS not MOUS now, so wake up Annette). When I spilled cheese whiz on the part about using bold and italics in conjunction in Word, I was so [mad]. But, I guess I can remember how to do it o.k. now, I think.

As an instructor of desktop applications such as Microsoft Office, I need to be able to answer question from students outside the realm of the classroom manual. Trying to keep up on the changes can sometime be very difficult to manage, that's why this book is so important to my everyday job. The book is covering Word 2002 Core & expert, Excel 2002 Core & expert, PowerPoint 2002, Outlook 2002 and Access 2002 core only and throughout the 900 plus pages there is more information on each topic, showing me things that I never knew or easier ways to do things I already know. Packed with over 350 exercises, I found out ways cut time, increase productivity and most importantly enhance both my work environment as well as the classroom. While I am not planning to take any exams in the near future, I wouldn't rule it out for next year. The book is laid out objective by objective based on the exam, and the authors have certainly made very effort to make the learning process easy to follow while providing good detail in the infromation presented. Overall some of the more advanced user may find very little addtional information, however for those with beginner to intermendiate skills this is certinaly a very good manual to have around.

This book talks a great deal about simple stuff that you should already know. I'd like a book that focused on the more advanced features that a prepared person may wish to review before an exam. Additionally, the book is boring.

This book addresses only the exam objectives for the MOUS certifications. So far so good, it doesn't purport doing anything else. Unfortunately, it is written in a step by step technique that has you do loads of simple things that has nothing to do with the objective under discussion. Of course it is easy enough to read over these steps without performing the tasks, but the real nuggets of knowledge are buried somewhere in the ramble. In short, it wastes your time on tesks that should be second nature to you if you're buying this type of book (yet it isn't robust enough to serve as a step by step).I lost faith in the author when she wrote: "Interestingly, when we inserted this new movie clip, PowerPoint resized the existing text. Just click Undo if you have this same problem. The text returns to its original size and the clip is placed in the middle of the slide.". "...this same problem."| This is an AutoCorrect feature! Either she does not know this or she is "talking down" to the reader.. bad either way.Additionally, this book covers most of the objectives, but not all in enough detail so that you'd sail through the exam without a hitch. (I have written the PowerPoint exam before and failed, through no fault of mine - half the features weren't installed (Grrrr, some ATCs!), so I can remember some of the questions asked.Unfortunately I don't have another text to recommend, this is the first one I've tried. Good luck with the exams!

For courses in Microsoft Office 97 and 2000 applications: Excel courseware for the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Exam. MOUS Essentials were created specifically to meet the guidelines established by Microsoft for the Microsoft Office User Specialist ("MOUS") Program. The authors provide an emphasis on step-by-step tutorials with large screen shots, outstanding student pedagogy, and plenty of exercises. The authors have included a number of new elements designed to help students prepare for the MOUS exams. The MOUS Essentials also include live computer-based training and assessment with Kelly MOUS PinPoint CD-ROM.

There are many good reasons to want to enhance your skill in using Microsoft Excel. One might be for getting certified my Microsoft as an expert in Excel in order to enhance your employment opportunities. Another might be for a person who hasn't used Excel to learn about the package from the ground up. Yet another might want to add some specific topics such as pivot tables or to begin learning about the statistics features in Excel. For any of these reason (and others0, this is a great book to get well grounded in Microsoft Excel 2000.

This book is organized by "projects". Each project covers a broader collection of specific skills such as modifying a worksheet, improving the appearance of a worksheet, working with functions, creating pivot tables and pivot table reports, and many more. There are 18 of these projects and each has eight lessons. Each lesson is short and focused to one task. For example, in the Working with Functions project, the eight lessons are: Analyzing Data with AVERAGE, MAX and MIN, Calculating a Loan Payment with PMT, Creating a Loan Payment Table, Evaluating Investment Plans with the FV Function, Using IF to Display Messages, Using IF to Calculate, Using MOW to Display the Current Date, and Using VLOOKUP to Convert Data.

Although this is a book, it is very visually based and uses images of the screens discussed in each lesson with many labels pointing to the specific portion of the screen it identifies. Each project begins with a short introductory statement under the heading "Why Would I Do This?" and ends with a brief summary. Each project also has a few true or false questions and some multiple choice questions to help the reader check their understanding of concepts and terms. If you are unclear about the correct answer, a reference to the appropriate lesson in the project is provided so you can go look it up.

Each project also has a Skill Drill a Challenge, and a Discovery Zone. Some of these use files that are on the accompanying CD. Since this book is also focused on helping its readers prepare for certification testing, the CD also contains PinPoint Assessments that help the reader understand where he or she stands in mastering the skills necessary for successfully passing the certification exam.

The introduction to the book provides good orienting material including a chart of which projects and lessons focus on specific skills. The end of the book also has information on how to use the PinPoint software, how to register for certification testing, a glossary, and an index.

This is a very helpful book.

Excel 2000 was my last exam on my way to master certification. Before I purchased this book I was very lacking in my excel knowledge. This book helped me gain a better understanding of excel functions. I passed my excel 200 exam and missed perfect by only 40 points.

I highly recommend this as a study guide for the Expert Exam.

If you want to know the essentials of Excel, not just to pass the MOUS Exam, but also for your daily use, this book should be on your library. The clear illustrations help you to quickly navigate through the lessons. Furthermore, CD-ROM is especially useful if you want to take the Exam.

I am a computer instructor at a local college. This book is a wonderful book to prepare for the MOUS and the CD is a must also!!!

For courses in Microsoft Office 97 and 2000 applications: Word courseware for the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Exam. MOUS Essentials were created specifically to meet the guidelines established by Microsoft for the Microsoft Office User Specialist ("MOUS") Program. The authors provide an emphasis on step-by-step tutorials with large screen shots, outstanding student pedagogy, and plenty of exercises. The authors have included a number of new elements designed to help students prepare for the MOUS exams. The MOUS Essentials also include live computer-based training and assessment with Kelly MOUS PinPoint CD-ROM.

Excel 2000 MOUS Cheat Sheet provides you with the knowledge base you will need to ready yourself for the Excel 2000 MOUS Exam. Each chapter is designed to introduce, explain, and teach the skills necessary TO PASS the certification exam. Your knowledge of these features is then tested with review questions. Since the MOUS Exams are hands-on, each chapter also includes practice labs that require you to use the skills learned in the chapter. The author has highlighted important material to remember in each chapter and has added margin notes with quick reminders for the exam. Excel 2000 MOUS Cheat Sheet provides a quick reference tearcard for quick recollection of objectives.

This is my second Cheat Sheet book. My first was Access 2000 Core which I took and passed after using the Cheat Sheet book to prepare. The Excel Cheat Sheet book is bigger and covers much more material. I jumped around reading the chapters at first and then as the exam got closer I focused on just taking the practice tests from the CD-ROM supplied with the book. I would only go back and read when something stumped me. When I took the exam, it was shorter and easier than the combined practice tests. I scored a 932 out of 1000 and am very happy with the whole experience. I highly recommend the Cheat Sheet series of books!!!

The book is what it says, it's a cheat sheet. If all you want to do is strictly pass the MOUS exams, Core or Expert, then this is all you need. Like the rest of the books in the series its more like a test prep. As long as you are able to complete all the exercises at the end of each chapter you are guaranteed to pass.The practice questions are very similar to the real test and in some cases are actually more involved. (which is a good thing)You can supplement this with a more complete reference book, or practice test software from measureup, and you're set.

I found it to be some what helpful in preparing for the test. It did however, leave a few of the very important questions out that we on the test. The person who is getting ready to take the test needs to study all different types of resources in order to make sure they cover all areas.

I've bought two other Excel 2000 MOUS books and perused numerous others out there and none of them come close to being as comprehensive and well-layed-out as this book by QUE. I have already ordered the entire QUE MOUS set for every application sight unseen because I have faith in the QUE books.

I read the book and completed the excercises and had no problem passing the Excel 2000 MOUS exam at the expert level.

For courses in Microsoft Office 97 and 2000 applications: Access, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint courseware for the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Exam. MOUS Essentials were created specifically to meet the guidelines established by Microsoft for the Microsoft Office User Specialist ("MOUS") Program. The authors provide an emphasis on step-by-step tutorials with large screen shots, outstanding student pedagogy, and plenty of exercises. The authors have included a number of new elements designed to help students prepare for the MOUS exams. The MOUS Essentials also include live computer-based training and assessment with Kelly MOUS PinPoint CD-ROM.

I used this book to prepare for exam, and I passed on the first try! It used interesting examples, and I got through it without too many problems. This is a DIFFICULT subject, and I think they explained things really well. There is just so much to remember!

This book tells the student repeatedly to "send the file to Drive A and remove the read only status." However it gives very little attention to relationships and join types. Also there are numerous typos throughout the book; some of which are obvious and others will cause the student to pull out their hair in frustration. This is a decent book if you have a good instructor who can steer you around its pitfalls....

As a college instructor of software, I have found this book to be very understandable, challenging and compelling. Students new to Access can pick up this book and work on their own to understand the software with little assistance. Yet the book includes challenging exercises which can force the student to work with myself or other students to figure out how to approach the problem and solve it.I have found this book to be better written then many others, the layout is friendly and enhances the classroom work. I am able to create labs from examples in the book which bring the concepts to the student with more clarity.I use this book also to teach Access over the Internet. I provide the students with what problems to work and after completion of my course many have gone on to get Microsoft Certification.I like this book and so have my students. I will continue to use it for my courses.

Presents a highly visual approach to learning the necessary skills to pass the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) exam.

For courses in Microsoft Office 97 and 2000 applications: PowerPoint courseware for the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Exam. MOUS Essentials were created specifically to meet the guidelines established by Microsoft for the Microsoft Office User Specialist ("MOUS") Program. The authors provide an emphasis on step-by-step tutorials with large screen shots, outstanding student pedagogy, and plenty of exercises. The authors have included a number of new elements designed to help students prepare for the MOUS exams. The MOUS Essentials also include live computer-based training and assessment with Kelly MOUS PinPoint CD-ROM.