BUPERSINST 1430.16G; updated 9/19/18
“Just go study your bibs.”
any good Chief or LPO
For most of your life you understood a “bibliography” to be a list of references at the end of a research paper. Then the Navy throws a list of instructions at you and asks you to read Every. Single. One… (wide eyed emoji). So, we are going to spend some time covering the Navy Advancement Bibliographies, or bibs for short, so it may become less daunting of a task. If you can learn to utilize the bibs as a tool, dissect certain elements and begin early on to methodically study the content, it will become a critical element of success when you take the Navy Wide Advancement Exam.
Let us start with the basic questions you may have.
“What are the Navy bibs?” – According to the Navy COOL website, the Navy Advancement Bibliographies are lists of occupational references “developed to help guide Sailors in their studies for advancement exams.” The bibliographies are specific to all ratings and updated regularly by rating subject matter experts. Furthermore, and according to the most recently updated enlisted advancement manual instruction BUPERSINST 1430.16G, the bibliographies published by the Navy Advancement Center should be referenced as the single source for exam preparation. This is why we at Bluejacketeer have developed questions using only the most currently listed bibs for each rating, to provide an additional layer of control in your study efforts.
“Where do I find them?” – The bibs can be found on Navy COOL or via the new MyNavy Portal. It is important to look at these sources and check back every few weeks. The bibs can and often are updated. So after the initial release, if you print off the PDF pages and never look back, you may be at a disadvantage come exam day. This is also why Bluejacketeer does not provide a copy of specific bibliographies.
“Where do I start?” – Everybody has a different method of study that works best for them. One such method related to the bibliographies is that at the very least you should commit to memory the instructions and their corresponding titles. Especially for the two-page instructions, where the only question you may be asked is related to the instruction title itself. After you’ve got a good grasp of that, we suggest you look at a recent Profile Sheet to determine your weakest areas of knowledge. If this is your first test, do a quick self-evaluation to determine where you think you are weakest. Then begin studying the bibs using the Spaced Repetition method over a long period of time and you’ll set yourself up for success. Spaced repetition is a type of study method whereby one spaces out the instances they spend studying to improve long-term retention of material.
“What’s this Topic/Subtopic stuff?” – To give an overview; this section of a bibliography details the testable areas that should be expected to be seen on the exam for a selected rating. It can be overwhelming to stare a bibliographic list of instructions in the face when some instructions alone contain hundreds of pages! Topics and subtopics provide focused areas of study while reviewing the bibs. We offer Sailors an opportunity to study based on topics and subtopics. We also offer a personalized study plan which orders your topics based on previous performance.
What about the PMK-EE? – As part of the Navy’s Sailor 2025 Rating Modernization efforts to separate a Sailor’s military knowledge from their rating and occupational knowledge, the release of NAVADMIN 313/18 turned what used to be a general Navy knowledge section of the exam into a once-per-pay grade, stand-alone, electronically-delivered eligibility exam. So in between, or even before, your hardcore studies of the bibs, do not overlook this important exam requirement. All Sailors eligible for advancement to pay grades E-4 – E-7 must successfully complete the Professional Military Knowledge Eligibility Exam or PMK-EE online to even be authorized to take the Navy Wide Advancement Exam. The PMK-EE can be accessed via Navy e-Learning or MyNavy Portal.
The bibs are very often the first thing any good Chief or First Class Petty Officer will mention in relation to studying for the exam. And though the Navy Advancement Bibliographies may be essential and the primary tool used for studying prior to the exam, there are many other tools to use if you’re looking to get a leg up on your competition. Feel free to browse the various Bluejacketeer blog posts for anything that may enhance your endeavor to advance and good luck on your next exam! You got this!