III IC-89 study plan
III IC-89 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
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Inventory every topic the exam lists under Domain 1 and rewrite each as a one-line question you must be able to answer cold
Build a terminology sheet that defines each core Domain 1 term in your own words with one concrete example per term
Rank Domain 1 subtopics by your current confidence and flag the three weakest for extra repetition
Complete a first untimed pass of 40 Domain 1 practice questions and log every miss with the reason it was missed
Your checkpoint
A Domain 1 topic inventory plus terminology sheet covering every listed subtopic, with a ranked weak-spot list of at least three items
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Explain the highest-weight Domain 1 concepts aloud from memory for two minutes each without notes
Work through 60 timed Domain 1 questions in two sittings and record accuracy per subtopic
Rewrite your notes for any subtopic scoring below 70 percent into a single-page summary
Teach one difficult Domain 1 concept to a study partner or record yourself explaining it and review the recording
Your checkpoint
A timed Domain 1 practice set of 60 questions with per-subtopic accuracy recorded and a one-page summary for each weak subtopic
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Re-test every previously missed Domain 1 question and confirm you can justify the correct answer and reject each distractor
Diagram how the major Domain 1 components or processes relate to one another on a single page
Answer 30 mixed-difficulty Domain 1 questions under exam time pressure per question
Close out or explicitly defer any remaining Domain 1 weak spots with a written decision
Your checkpoint
A one-page relationship diagram of Domain 1 plus a re-test log showing at least 85 percent accuracy on previously missed items
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Run a full-length mixed practice set weighted toward Domain 1 and score it against the exam passing threshold
Categorize every error as knowledge gap, misread question, or time pressure and count each category
Drill only the knowledge-gap errors until you can answer them correctly twice in a row
Write a half-page summary of Domain 1 that you could review in five minutes before the exam
Your checkpoint
One full mixed practice score with an error-category breakdown and a five-minute Domain 1 review sheet
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Revisit the Domain 1 subtopics you deferred in week 3 and bring each to a working level of understanding
Complete 50 questions drawn from the entire Domain 1 outline with no notes and log results
Compare your week 4 and week 5 accuracy to confirm the trend is upward
Identify any Domain 1 topic where your understanding still feels shallow and schedule a targeted review
Your checkpoint
A week 4 versus week 5 accuracy comparison showing improvement, plus a written list of any remaining shallow areas
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Simulate exam conditions with a full timed set and no interruptions, then score and review every item
Reduce average time per question while holding accuracy by practicing pacing on 40 questions
Re-explain the five Domain 1 concepts that caused the most errors in weeks 1 to 5 without notes
Update your five-minute review sheet with anything still shaky
Your checkpoint
A simulated exam score with average seconds per question recorded and a revised final review sheet
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Run two full timed practice sets on separate days and compare scores for consistency
Audit every remaining error and confirm each is now understood rather than memorized
Recite the core Domain 1 facts and definitions from your review sheet without looking
Cut your review sheet down to only what you still need on exam day
Your checkpoint
Two full practice scores taken on separate days with a final trimmed review sheet of no more than one page
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Review the trimmed sheet daily and confirm recall of every item on it
Take one final timed practice set early in the week and resist cramming new material afterward
Rehearse exam logistics including timing strategy and question-skipping rules
Rest adequately in the final two days and arrive at the exam with your review sheet fully internalized
Your checkpoint
A final practice score at or above your target plus a completed logistics checklist for exam day
Milestones
Week 2: Domain 1 terminology sheet is complete and timed accuracy on 60 questions is recorded per subtopic
Week 4: Full mixed practice score meets or approaches the passing threshold, with errors categorized by cause
Week 6: Simulated exam score is at or above target and average time per question is within exam pacing limits
Week 8: Two consecutive full practice scores are at or above target on separate days, and the one-page review sheet is fully recalled