Use flashcards for decisions, not document memorisation

ARE 5.0 is a computer-based exam divided into separate divisions. It uses selected-response items and case studies with exhibits such as drawings, specifications, contracts and code excerpts. A case study tests how you find and apply information in those documents, not simply whether you can recite a rule.

That changes what makes a useful flashcard. A weak card asks you to memorise a vague instruction such as “check the code”. A stronger card asks what source controls a project-specific decision, what to do when two documents conflict, or where a contractor’s responsibility ends and the architect’s begins. The answer should be short enough to retrieve quickly, but precise enough to guide the next step.

Use this deck as a working drill. Read one question, commit to an answer, then reveal the answer and grade your recall: Again if you could not answer; Hard if you needed substantial effort; Good if you answered correctly; Easy if it was immediate and accurate. Grade the answer you actually gave, not the answer you wish you had given. If you missed an important qualification, do not count it as fully correct.

Work through this ARE deck

The cards below focus on useful cross-division habits: reading exhibits accurately, applying project-specific requirements, and following professional workflows. They are not a substitute for studying the code or contract documents relevant to a particular question. For a code value or contractual requirement, use the edition, jurisdiction, project facts and contract language supplied or identified for that scenario.

A working ARE deck in MySummaries looks like this:

Cards — ARE 5.0 — Case studies and practice18 due

Which code requirements should control a project-specific case-study answer?

The adopted code and amendments for the stated jurisdiction, using the edition identified in the scenario or exhibits.

All 18 cards
Which code requirements should control a project-specific case-study answer?The adopted code and amendments for the stated jurisdiction, using the edition identified in the scenario or exhibits.
What should you cite when a case-study answer depends on a project fact?The specific exhibit and location: for example, the drawing and detail, specification section, contract clause or code excerpt.
What is the purpose of an RFI during construction?To request clarification of the contract documents; an RFI response is not automatically authorization for a change in scope or cost.
What is the contractor generally responsible for in construction?Construction means, methods, techniques, sequences and procedures, subject to the applicable contract.
What is the architect generally checking when reviewing a submittal?Conformance with the design concept and information in the contract documents, within the review scope set by the contract.
Who is responsible for the accuracy and coordination of contractor-prepared shop drawings?The contractor, as set out in the applicable contract; the architect's review does not transfer that responsibility.
What should you do first when a drawing conflicts with a specification?Identify the exact conflicting requirements and seek clarification through the contract's established process; do not assume an order of precedence.
What is an addendum in a bidding process?A formal modification or clarification to the bidding documents issued and distributed under the stated procurement process.
What should an architect do when a proposed change may affect life safety?Evaluate the safety and code implications before treating the change as acceptable, and document and route the issue through the required process.
What is the reliable source for an accessibility dimension in a case study?The applicable adopted accessibility requirements and the project information provided—not an unverified remembered value.
How should you establish occupant-load or egress requirements for a project?Use the applicable adopted code, the stated occupancy and project facts, and the relevant code provisions or exhibits.
What should you do if a required existing-building dimension is not shown?Do not invent it; identify the missing information and request or verify it using the appropriate project procedure.
What does substantial completion generally mean?The work is sufficiently complete under the contract for the owner to use the work for its intended purpose, subject to the contract's terms.
Does a cost estimate guarantee the final construction cost?No. An estimate is an estimate based on stated scope, assumptions, market conditions and timing, not a guaranteed final cost.
What should a case-study response do when its answer depends on a contract clause?Locate and apply the actual clause in the supplied contract exhibit rather than assuming a standard term.
What is a useful response to a field condition that differs from the documents?Record the observed condition, identify its effect, and notify the appropriate parties through the project communication process.
What should take priority when cost or schedule conflicts with an unresolved safety concern?Address the public health, safety and welfare concern first, then evaluate cost and schedule within the applicable requirements.
What makes a case-study recommendation actionable?State the decision, the next responsible party or action, and the documentation or follow-up needed.

That is a MySummaries deck, filled with ARE material. Yours is written from your own notes. Start free

After each answer, ask yourself whether you named the source as well as the conclusion. “The ramp is compliant” is weaker than an answer that identifies the applicable requirement, the relevant drawing or code excerpt, and the dimension being checked. If you cannot locate the source quickly, mark the card Again and practise finding it in the relevant material.

Keep the distinction between a principle and a project fact clear. “The contractor is generally responsible for means and methods” is a principle. Whether a particular task, review or notification is required depends on the contract and project documents. The cards deliberately direct you back to those documents where the answer is project-specific.

Cut the deck to a must-not-miss core

When time is limited, review these four rules first. They are not answers to every case study; they are checks that help prevent unsupported conclusions. Use them to test your reasoning after the full deck, then return to the cards you graded Again or Hard.

The checklist cut from that deck is:

Must not miss coreARE 5.0 — Case studies and practice
Use the adopted code, amendments and project facts stated for the scenario; do not import an unverified code value.
Support project-specific conclusions with the precise exhibit location: drawing/detail, specification section, contract clause or code excerpt.
Do not assume a drawing/specification order of precedence or treat an RFI response as a change; follow the contract's clarification and change procedures.
Prioritize public health, safety and welfare; state the decision, next action, responsible party and documentation needed.

Try to say each rule in your own words, then name a card that tests it. If you can recite a rule but cannot apply it to an exhibit, the retrieval is not yet useful. For example, knowing that the contractor generally controls construction means and methods does not answer whether a specific proposed change complies with the code or contract. Those are separate questions, and each needs its own evidence.

Turn repeated misses into targeted practice

A missed card is most useful when you can explain why the answer escaped you. Was the relevant clause hard to find? Did you confuse clarification with authorization? Did you rely on a remembered code dimension instead of checking which edition applies? Write down the error in a short, testable question and revisit it after practising the relevant source material.

A repeat-miss card might read:

Remediation tray

You lost this mark twice: a shop drawing conflicts with a dimension in the contract documents. What should you do before directing a field change?

Add cardDismiss

A reliable answer identifies the conflicting locations, checks the contract's review and clarification process, and obtains the appropriate direction before treating the discrepancy as resolved. Do not convert a review comment into an instruction outside your authority. On the next review, explain the sequence aloud: what you found, what evidence supports it, who needs to act, and what record should be kept.

A repeatable review routine

Use a short routine at the end of each study session:

  1. Review due cards and grade them honestly.
  2. For each Again or Hard, reopen the source material and locate the relevant clause, exhibit or code excerpt.
  3. Add a card only for a specific fact, distinction or workflow step you need to retrieve—not a whole page of notes.
  4. Re-test the difficult cards later, and practise applying them to a different project scenario.

That last step matters. The exam uses selected-response items and case studies, so knowing a sentence by heart is not enough if you cannot connect it to the facts in front of you. For a case study, practise finding the exhibit, checking its scope and date, and making a defensible decision from the information provided. When a requirement is uncertain or project-specific, identify what must be verified rather than guessing.

How MySummaries helps

MySummaries builds revision boards from your own PDFs, slides and photographed notes, then turns board material into flashcards for spaced review. For ARE preparation, you can keep separate boards for division-specific material and use the cards to practise retrieving the code, contract and workflow points you have actually studied.