Passing the Australian Police Officer Tests – The Computer Skills Tests

If you want a chance of passing the Australian Police Officer tests, you’ll need to pass a Computer Skills test. As the name suggests, this test assesses your ability to work with computers in ways that will be vital to your work as a police officer.

Remember that police officers aren’t on the street 24/7. Often, they’ll be writing and filing reports, and completing paperwork. Nowadays, this is mostly done on computers. So, to be an efficient police officer, you need to be able to work at a computer and have a good understanding of how to use them.

What is the Computer Skills Test? – Passing the Australian Police Officer Tests

The Computer Skills test is divided into two parts. These are:

• Microsoft Word Test – You’ll be given a piece of text, usually a page long, as a Word 2010 Document. You’ll have to follow the instructions in the document to properly format it, using your knowledge of Microsoft Word 2010 and the tools within it.
• Speed and Accuracy Typing Test – This test involves writing text from a document. Your goal is to write the entire text in as short a space of time as possible, and with as few errors as possible.

Here, we’ll take a closer look at both of these tests.

Word Processing Test – Passing the Australian Police Officer Tests

For this test, you need to be able to re-format a Microsoft Word 2010 document to the specification in the instructions. This can include the following:

• Changing the margins so that they are more consistent and/or appropriate;
• Aligning the text so that it is easier to read;
• Changing font type and size to be more consistent and/or appropriate;
• Adding appropriate information, such as the date, your name, and so on;
• Add missing words to the text;
• Re-order some of the text to make sure that it reads properly.

Tips for Word Processing – Passing the Australian Police Officer Tests

While the test will give a specification for the document, here are a few general guidelines to follow:

1. Start by aligning the entire document to one side. This will make it easier for you to read. Highlight all of the text by pressing “CTRL” and “A” at the same time. Then, align to the left-hand side of the page (unless the instructions specify otherwise).
2. Then, change the font size and style so that it is consistent. Highlight all of the text, then change the font size and style to whatever the instructions specify.
3. Ensure that the spacing is consistent. To do this, Highlight all of the text. Then, press the ‘Line and Paragraph Spacing’ button on the main toolbar to select the appropriate spacing. The test will usually specify one type of spacing.
4. Once this is done, read through the entire text to ensure that words are spelled correctly, and text isn’t missing from the document. You may be required to fill in missing words.
5. While reading the document, you may find additional instructions, such as changing the font style for specific phrases or sentences. Complete these as you read through the document.
6. Apply bullet points and numbered lists where appropriate. Highlight the text that is being turned into a list of this kind, then press the “Bullets” or “Numbering” buttons to automatically generate the list.

Typing and Speed Accuracy Test – Passing the Australian Police Officer Tests

This second part of the Computer Skills Test assesses your ability to type accurately whilst under time constraints. This test is as follows:

1. Candidates will open a blank Word document.
2. Then, candidates are given a document with text.
3. The candidates must write this text, as closely as possible, in the blank Word document.
4. Candidates must complete this in 5 minutes, and must type at a speed of at least 26 words per minute and at a 96% accuracy.

Improving Your Typing Accuracy Skills – Passing the Australian Police Officer Tests

Here are some tips for improving your accuracy skills.

1. Practise at home – Practising your typing skills is fairly straight-forward. Find an approximately 250-word piece of text, and then try typing it in a 5-minute time frame. Once you’ve finished, compare your work to the original text to see how well you did.
2. Expand your typing vocabulary and get used to writing common words. Once you’ve committed words to muscle memory, you’ll be able to type them accurately and quickly.
3. Remember to practice with any kind of auto-correction features turned off. This way, you’ll get a more accurate representation of how accurate your typing actually is.

Conclusion – Passing the Australian Police Officer Tests

Want to find out more about passing the Australian Police Officer tests? Check out our guide: How to Become an Australian Police Officer.