The CIRS New Syllabus

CIRS Exam Training Guide

CIRS® Training Manual

The exam consists of four parts. Each part will have a traditional multiple choices, true/false and multiple answer examination. The multiple choice exam consists of questions randomly pulled from a master list of questions. The certification candidate has 2 hours to complete the exam. The exam is available through online access 24x7 anywhere in the world.

The CIRS® Examination Syllabus

Networks & Internet Technology

NETWORKS & INTERNET TECHNOLOGY – CIRS® Exam Module I

Course Objective

The online researcher will gain knowledge and understanding of how the Internets connect and work. They will learn the fundamentals of electronic information transfers and communications. An online researcher uses web browsers as a basic tool with complex functions; it is important that they know its basic working and how it gets the final product from information resource.

Concept Discussion

  • The Networks and Internet Data Communications

  • Web Pages Storage and Indexing

  • Search and Retrieval of Web Pages by Search Engines

  • Web Applications and Remote Web Servers in Client and Server Arrangements

  • Browser Technology and their Differentiation with Search Engines

Learning Advantages

  • Easier to Understand

    Makes it easier to understand the technical terminology often used when reading about Internet technology.

  • Help to Better Understand

    The science of Internet and networks, the search engines and browsers. Consequently, the researcher can better strategize online research work. They are well equipped with sufficient technology knowledge to understand search engines behavioral changes and query response.

  • Learning Data Communitcation

    Learning data communications and information flows prepares researcher to easily interpret the relationships between data, information and search engines.

Questions Answered

  • What makes an Internet?
  • What is a Web Browser and how does it work?
  • What is a Search Engine? And how does it work?
  • Why is a Search Engine different from a Browser?
  • Where does the Information reside and in what form it exists?
  • What makes a Network? and how do they communicate with each other?
  • What are Web Application and Web Pages? And what are the technology that makes them work?
Research Methods and Online Research

RESEARCH METHODS and ONLINE RESEARCH – CIRS® Exam Module II

Course Objective

This module is split into two sections:

  • RESEARCH METHODS

The Research Methods includes fundamentals of conventional research. The approach explained in this section covers the industry’s research standards, conventions and methods practiced today by research practitioners. This is an area where the research specialists learn different approaches towards research – They are advised on how to handle research projects and to organize and interpret research results.

 

  • INTERNET RESEARCH

The Internet Research is considered a core section for the CIRS examination and carries a higher weightage in terms of exam questions. The syllabus on this section identifies the challenges of digital information era and explains the techniques and approach to accessing information from the Internet. It provides insight into search engine behavior and responses. Students will find useful techniques, methods and approach to find, organize and filter web content/information.

Concepts Discussed

On completion of this module you should have a sound concept of performing professional research work, specially,
finding of information on the Internet should be approached in an efficient manner with conceptual understanding of these topics:

  • Research Types, Classification, Research Methodologies and Philosophies

  • Planning and Execution of Research Work

  • Information Sourcing, Organization and Reporting

  • Types of Search Engines and their Usefulness

  • Search Engine Tools, Utilities and Specialized Search Applications

  • Internet Research Challenges, Methods, Techniques and Processes

  • Identification of Data Type, Data Sampling Methods, Analysis and Classification

  • Performing Search with Social Media, Blogs, Forums, Video Files and through Web Portals

Learning Advantages

  • How to Perform Research

    A complete understanding of how to perform research professionally

  • Introduction to Research Industry

    Introduction to research industry standards, recognized methods and conventions.

  • Understanding of Performing Research

    A rich understanding of performing Internet Research effectively, efficiently and accurately.

Questions Answered

  • What is involved in research?
  • What are the tried and tested conventional research techniques and methods?
  • What are the practiced research methods and industry standards?
  • How to organize and conclude any research project?
  • How to find most reliable, relevant and on time information on the Internet?
  • How to select keywords and build effective search queries?
  • What are the different types of search engines and which ones to use and when to use them?
  • How to search through Blogs, Forums, Videos, Social Media.
Business of Research

The BUSINESS of RESEARCH - CIRS® Exam Module III

Course Objective

The Business of Research is an important module for those researchers that are interested in setting up their professional practice as Independent Research Specialists. The main objective of this module is to provide a general understanding of setting up a research business and performing its operational management. The module explains steps to take from the time project is accepted and up until its final delivery.

Concepts Discussed

The concepts explained in this module are to provide sound footing for a research specialist to establish their
own independent research practice. The module addresses operational and management elements of a small size business.

  • Engagement with Client

  • Business Registration and Legal Framework

  • Business Management

  • Costing, Budgeting and Execution of Contractual Work

  • Types of Research Contracts

  • Execution of Contracts and Delivery of Projects

Learning Advantages

  • Understanding Of Running Their Own Business

    A research specialist will have a sound understanding of running their own business practice as an Independent Researcher.

  • Essential Elements Of Business Management

    An overview of the essential elements of business management can provide an insight into operational issues, risks, advantages and disadvantages of working independently.

Questions Answered

  • What duties and responsibilities of an Independent Research Specialist?
  • How to set up research business?
  • How do you procure a research contract, assess scope of work and build proposals?
  • How to interact with the client?
  • What are different types of research work contracts?
  • What are the different costing and pricing methods?
  • What are types of financing available and how to manage cash flows and accounts?
  • What are different software tools required to run a software business?
Internet Law and Ethics

INTERNET LAW and ETHICS - CIRS® Exam Module IV

Course Objective

Internet Law also referred as "Cyber Law" encompasses all transactions and activities on the internet. The collaborative nature of the internet and its vast expansion has led to numerous legal challenges making "Internet Law" a critical perspective concerning Internet. The objective of this module is to introduce research specialists to the domain of legalities in Internet and teach them how to minimize their liabilities and mitigate legal risks. Teaching about Ethical Practices on Internet compliments legal framework of legal rights, responsibilities and obligations. In conducting effective internet research, having a thorough understanding of the ethical challenges facing internet research and tackling them accordingly is a necessity. Ethical issues challenge researchers in many ways. These usually involves consumer rights and responsibilities towards them and the society. It explains the language of right and wrong, moral decisions - what is good and bad? etc.

Concepts Discussed

On completion of this section, the candidate should have awareness of how the law impacts online
researchers and their ability to obtain and use digital information without causing liability issues. The subject
of Ethics infuses debates on topics like, privacy, intellectual property infringement and professional conduct as an example.
In this section we discuss the guidelines for the Internet Law and Ethical concerns for the use of Internet accessed information.

  • Cyber Crimes and Differentiation of Civil Code Vs Criminal Code

  • Jurisdictions, Intellectual Property, Electronic Contracts and Signatures

  • Practical Application of Internet Laws and Ethical Issues with Simulated Cases

  • Laws on Deliberate Misinformation, Misrepresentations, False Ads, Copyrights and Patent Infringements

  • The concept of working with human subject research, public and private information/spaces, informed consent, privacy, anonymity, confidentiality and revealing identities

Learning Advantages

  • Builds Awareness for Research Specialist in tackling Legal Impacts

    Builds awareness for a research specialist in tackling legal impacts of their research work for when using web extracted information or dealing with privacy issues, copyrighted material and human subject research.

  • Conduct Research Significantly Faster

    Legal research technology enables you to conduct research significantly faster, to increase savings and reduce costs. It allows them to obtain and use digital information without causing liability issues.

Questions Answered

  • What are the main areas of Internet Law?
  • What is jurisdiction, cybercrimes, electronic and digital signatures, intellectual property, data protection and privacy?
  • What laws apply to electronic commerce and online financial transactions, false advertisement, intentional misinformation and sabotaging of information?
  • What are the ethical issues of privacy, religious sensitivities, and cultures on Internet? and how do they impact information usability and attach responsibility for Internet researcher?

Are You Ready?
CIRS® Online Exam 24/7

​​The exam is conducted under strict anti-plagiarism provisions that are implemented throughout the examination session.

The exam consists of four parts. Each part will have a traditional multiple choices, true/false and multiple answer examination. The multiple choice exam consists of questions randomly pulled from a master list of questions. The certification candidate has 1.5 hours to complete the exam. The exam is available through online access 24x7 anywhere in the world.

CIRS Sample Exam

CIRS® Certification Program FAQs

  • The registration for the CIRS® Certification exam is done online through our website. The certification registration is available only for Associate Members.
  • The examination registration is set-up in Members Dashboard – A personalized link is made available for each member that leads to the CIRS Exam Registration window.
  • An Associate Member has to be in good standing and the membership has to be active to access the exam.

CIRS Certification Exam Fee is USD $100 [One-time] for up to 3 attempt.

Includes:

  • 3 Examination Attempt
  • Original CIRS® Certificate
  • Electronic-Marks Sheet
[*Digital Certificate is FREE - Hard Copy of Certificate requires issuance and postage charges]

Examination Modules

There are altogether four modules in CIRS certification course. Each module has multiple sections.

The entire examination is structured according to the international standards practiced by most accredited online education institutions. AIRS has made an extra ordinary effort to engage the latest technology to conduct these exams with the latest methods.

The Exam Consists of Fourt Parts:

Module          Topics                                              *Weightages

CIRS-02-1.0  The Networks & Internet Technology     15%
CIRS-03-1.0  Research Methods & Online Research    40%
CIRS-04-1.0  The Business of Online Research           20%
CIRS-05-1.0  The Internet Law & Ethics                     15%


*Weightage signifies the overall importance of the topics – factors considered in its calculations include 1. Relevance to the CIRS course, 2. Significance attributed, 3. Complexity of learning, 4. Industry trend and industry demands attached.

Exam Duration, Questions and Grading

Quick Chart:

    Examination Duration:                                                     90 Minutes (1.5 Hrs)
    Breaks in Between Exams:                                                No
    Total Number of Questions:                                               90
    Questions in Each Module Examined:                                 Variable
    Question Types:                                                               Multiple Choices, True/False, Fill in, Best Match
    Complete All Modules:                                                      Yes
    Minimum Passing Marks Required in All Module:                  No
    Overall Passing Marks Required (PASS):                            75.5%
    Re-attempt Allowed:                                                         Yes (Within 24 Hrs. after payment)
    Restriction on Number of Re-attempts:                               No
    Grading and Results:                                                        Immediate
    Grade Sheet Availability:                                                  Immediate
    Grading Done By:                                                            Automated (Generated by the software)

Examination Rules

Rules Summary:

  • Agree to the terms and policies of the examination.
  • Finish all six modules at one time.
  • Allowed to go back and review answers in all modules.
  • Not-allowed to go forward to the next question without answering the current.
  • Answer all questions.
  • No extra time given to finish the test.
  • In case the examination session breaks for reasons beyond the acceptable norms, the member will have to notify the examiner and seek permission to continue the exam from where it got interrupted.
  • Once barred from the examination due to violation of terms and policies of the examination or membership agreements the member will have to file an appeal addressed to the “Examination Board” to request restoration of status and allowing re-examination.

Preparing for the Exam

Estimated Effort: 8-12 hours per week over 6 weeks

The CIRS® Candidates are evaluated on their relevant knowledge gained through course workbook (AIRS CIRS® Training Manual) and Practice Exams. The exam consists of 5 parts. Each part will have a traditional multiple choice, true/false and multiple answer examination. The multiple choice exam consists of questions randomly pulled from a master list of questions. The certification candidate has 1.5 hours to complete the exam. The exam is available through online access 24x7 anywhere in the world.

The CIRS® certification program requires a good preparation because of the extensiveness of the course material and because of the way these exams are conducted and proctored.

The testing platform is inherently plagiarism proof and online proctored so there is no chance of getting any outside assistance or using the self-help notes during exam. The questions are timed and you will have to answer each question quickly.

Preparing for the exams requires a disciplined approach to commit time and execute exam preparation strategy. Here are some suggestions to go by:

  • Download the latest version of the AIRS CIRS® Examination Manual and review the entire content of the manual carefully. The manual should be the focal point of your preparation. It is the core document used as the basis for each examination and a guideline for writing examination.
  • The manual is designed for self-paced learning in easy English/French with practice exercises. These questions are very similar in both format and type to the actual CIRS® Examinations.
  • Also make sure you are familiar with all of the acronyms used on the examinations. A glossary of terms and important definitions are also included in the manual.
  • The manual is divided into four modules and each module has separate sections/headings. The manual is designed to manage flow of information in sequence of modules and the headings within. It is strongly recommended that the user follow them in the same sequence.
  • As in any professional exams CIRS preparation requires planning in terms of time required and practice. A good self-study plan demands discipline and commitment. Best study plan is the one that you can follow.
  • Review the CIRS® examinations content outlines, which list the main and subtopics covered in each examination.
  • Some candidates find the study guide to be sufficient in their preparation, while, some individuals may need to go beyond the study guides and review additional materials. Assess your ability and understand there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to studying for the CIRS® Examinations.
  • Candidates need to consider their learning preferences, prior knowledge, experience, time and budget in determining the best way to prepare.
  • Request a mentor if you need further guidance. Email .
  • Attempt sample examination questions on our web site. These questions are frequently updated for test practice.

CIRS® Personal Training Options

Two live sessions have also been planned each month to address student issues. These are available per schedule (to be announced each month) - Your instructor(s) will come online to deliver mini-lecture(s), provide clarifications on assignments, and to answer your questions. Alternatively, there are two options available for members that need additional learning assistance:

Option 1

  • Education through one on one correspondence via mix of Email Exchange and Live Chat.

This is a service that can be bought through a voucher. It will give you four hours’ sessions for $100. The voucher can be applied any time and the time utilized is deducted from the voucher purchased.

Option 2

  • Take online classes available separately for each module.

This option is available through a more structured online classes to be announced soon. The cost and other details related to these sessions is not available until the date of release of this document.

Once you will subscribe for the exam an email will receive and after 24 hours you will receive an other email for invitation from the Examinator for test link where you can give exam, you have 180 days to launch your exam. Once you start, you have 1.5 hours to complete and submit it for grading.

If you don't sign in and start your exam during the exam window, the exam will record you as a “no-show” and your registration will be lost. You'll need to start the registration process over, and repurchase the exam ($100).

No. Once the exam link is provisioned, we cannot reschedule. You'll need to start over with the registration process and pay for another exam session.

The exam is machine graded by the Examinator application using API calls. You'll receive a Pass or Fail status within a couple of minutes of submitting the exam/link for grading.

You don't have to start your exam immediately. You have 30 days from the time the invitation email is sent to complete the exam. Once you start the exam, you must complete it in 1.5 hours.

The exam consists of four parts. Each part will have a traditional multiple choices, true/false and multiple answer examination. The multiple choice exam consists of questions randomly pulled from a master list of questions. The certification candidate has 2 hours to complete the exam. The exam is available through online access 24x7 anywhere in the world. You will be provided AIRS exam preparation workbook.

You'll receive a pass or fail result within a few minutes of submitting your exam.

When you pass the exam, you'll see an onscreen notification that you've passed, and 1–2 business days later you'll receive an email from

The CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY will be issued within 5 days from passing the examination; however, this can be delayed in case of any discrepancy found or any of the above (12) (I, ii, iii, iv) violations are found or in the case where the Board members (Signing Authority) is on leave without notification the process may be delayed.

The ORIGINAL certificate will be mailed to the mailing address provided by the member. If one should need an expedited mailing services then we will arrange that service based on the availability for an extra charge. Contact for the request.

To maintain your certification, you'll need to recertify every 12 months.

If you fail the exam you'll see an onscreen notification and, based on the results of your exam, you'll receive an email also. The exam re-takes are allowed up to
Max 3 attempts in 180 days, Each subsequent exam will cost $100. There is no additional cost attached to the exam.

If you lose connectivity or if you're logged out of the exam session for any reason, just log back in and continue; no work is lost. The exam clock will continue to count down. Your exam won't pause if you lose connectivity. We recommend taking the exam only where you have stable internet connectivity.

All Associate Members in good standing that have passed the CIRS® Examination will gain the designation of “Certified Internet Research Specialists” within 72 Hrs after passing the examination, provided that;

  • The Associate Membership status is current.
  • The examination has not indicated any RED FLAGS in contravention of the examination terms and policy within which the exam was taken.
  • The financial transaction for the examination fee has passed through the bank accounts successfully.
  • The member has not been barred or blacklisted in violation of any membership code of conduct and other terms and policies of the Association.

The CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY will be issued within 5 days from passing the examination; however, this can be delayed in case of any discrepancy found or any of the above (12) (I, ii, iii, iv) violations are found or in the case where the Board members (Signing Authority) is on leave without notification the process may be delayed.

The ORIGINAL certificate will be mailed to the mailing address provided by the member. If one should need an expedited mailing services then we will arrange that service based on the availability for an extra charge. Contact for the request.

The CIRS® Certificate is valid for 24 Months unless the Certified Members give a CPE Examination within 30 days prior to expiry of their issuance of the certificate. Right now the CPE exam is free of cost.

On renewal the certificate gets revalidated to be used as a VALID Certificate and it can be verified by third party on request.

Want to Become Certified Internet Research Specialist?
https://www.airsassociation.org/airs-certification/the-cirs-syllabus
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