CSET Social Science 114-115 Teacher Certification Test Prep Study Guide (XAM CSET)

This book is an essential purchase if you plan on taking and passing the California cset social studies exams. It gives you detailed analysis of each standard covered on the tests. Use this book along with the everything you need to know series on world history and US history and you should be good to go.I recommend taking each of the subtest separate. I could read each subtest section in this book once every two days. I could read the everything you need to know book on world history and or US history once every three to four days. They are both a great tandem to pass the exam. I passed each subtest the first time with flying colors and I haven't studied history in 30 years.Yes, there are several typo errors. One error seriously messed up a date. Even with those errors, this is the best study guide you can get.

After exhausting myself by attempting to find a study guide for my Illinois Social Studies content area test, I bought this one and it was an amazingly comprehensive book that helped me study across the wide range of social science. I didn't even realize this book was specifically geared for California's teacher licensure test. This book was useful not only because it provided an expansive overview of American and Global history, Economics, Geography, and American Democracy (in addition to California History), but also because it provided useful test-taking tips and practice test questions. This book is written at an easy enough reading level but in-depth enough to provide the details and coverage needed in order to be successful on the licensure exams. For the record, I bought this book and read/reviewed it in 2 weeks before my exam and I passed and am Illinois certified now.

What others have posted about grammar errors and repetition are true. However, everything you've heard about how difficult (comprehensive) the CSET exam is true as well. This book covers the entire topic area and I read it cover to cover and took the practice tests. I passed all three parts the first time out. So that's why this book gets four stars. I don't think it deserves the low ratings it's gotten because it does what you need it to do.

UPDATE! UPDATE!I just found out that I passed all three sections of the Social Sciences CSET! Yippie! And I studied this book hardcore and read it cover to cover! So despite all the errors and repetition....it most have done something right!Old review:There really aren't many options in terms of CSET Social Sciences study guides. I bought both this one and a study text made by Cliff Notes and read both cover to cover and completed all practice tests. I felt that the books prepared me for the test somewhat, but to rely solely on this text as your only means for studying is a mistake!This study guide had countless typographic errors and some errors in information as well. The header read "Teacher Certfication Guide"...meaning they spelled "Certification" incorrect over 400 times! Much of the information is repeated over and over again. On the positive side, at least this study guide attempts to target the learning standards that are actually on the CSET. (The Cliff Notes one does not.) However, many times, I felt like the information provided was not complete enough or left important information out. Another problem is that there is only one practice test.I understand that the CSET Social Science exam is very challenging, and that it is impossible for one study guide to teach you the many things that you should probably already know. However, there were so many errors that it came off as sloppy, lazy and unprofessional. In addition, they are charging so much! I think that most 6th graders can edit this book better than whoever did it.I suggest if you are going to buy this, don't buy it full price and supplement your reading with actual history novels...especially US History novels, which I found to be the most challenging part of the CSET, with Economics second most challenging. This guide did not do enough to explain the fundamentals of Econ...so I would suggest a short novel for this as well.Good luck studying!

I used this book to study for the Social Science CSET and I passed the first time! I recommend this book, I outlined all the chapters even though it was tedious It helped.

I enjoy reading about local, U.S. and world history, as well as government, geography and religions. Even so, I found this book entirely too dry and poorly structured to do me any good, even as a refresher. Apparently the reader is intended to memorize roughly 250 pages of text, at the end of which is a short quiz. It is simply page after page of otherwise enjoyable history and civics rendered almost unreadable. Although I am an inveterate reader, I could not make it through this book to review for my second credential. The Cliff notes book is a much better value; get it instead.

Not as satisfied as i would have liked to be. For a teachers exam book, there were far too many spelling and real errors within the text. My book says that Lincoln died in 1863... what happened for the last 2 years of the Civil War? Hmmm.... Another proof-reading would have done this book wonders.