Editorial Policy
Written by the FinLicensePrep editorial team Last reviewed How we write our questions
Every FinLicensePrep question is written from FINRA's exam outline and primary sources, then passes automated validation, a duplicate check, a blind answer check, a fact check with full recalculation and a phone read-through before it goes live. AI tools assist our editorial team. No credentialed expert has reviewed the content yet.
Who writes FinLicensePrep content?
The FinLicensePrep editorial team writes every question and page, with AI tools assisting the drafting and checking. No credentialed expert has reviewed our content yet.
We will add a reviewer’s name and credential only after a qualified person has really reviewed the material for that exam. Until then, pages carry the editorial-team byline. You can read more about who we are on our About page.
How is each practice question written and checked?
Every question passes seven steps before it goes live. If it fails any step, it goes back to be rewritten and starts again.
- Written from the official outline. We draft each question from FINRA’s published content outline for the exam and from primary sources, such as the regulator’s own rules and guidance. We do not copy questions from anywhere.
- Automated validation. A script checks the format: four answer choices, a unique ID, an explanation for every choice, a sensible length, no banned wording, a balanced spread of correct answers and the right number of questions per topic.
- Duplicate check. The question is compared with every other question in our bank. Near-copies are rejected, and distinctive phrases are spot-checked on the web to make sure the wording is our own.
- Independent blind answer check. A separate pass sees only the question and its choices, not our answer, and answers it. If it picks a different answer, or if two answers could be defended, the question is sent back.
- Fact check. The answer and explanation are checked against the source, and the source is recorded. This step has three parts:
- Recalculation: every number is worked out again from scratch. The answer, the wrong-answer notes and the worked steps must agree to the cent.
- Rule check: every act, rule or section we name is confirmed in the regulator’s published text, and the link is saved.
- Date check: any question that depends on a fact that can change, such as a fee or a limit, is checked again on the day it goes live.
- Phone read-through. Someone reads the question on a small phone screen in the real quiz, with the calculator and any table or exhibit, to make sure it is clear and works.
- Live. Only now do we record the review date and publish the question.
You can see the result in our free SIE practice exam, where each question explains why every choice is right or wrong.
Are the questions real exam questions?
No. Every question is original and written by us. Real exam questions are confidential, and we do not use or try to recreate them.
All companies, customers and figures in our questions are invented. Questions test what a registered representative may or must do. They never suggest what anyone should invest in.
How are facts on our pages sourced and dated?
Every exam fact, such as the number of questions, the time allowed, the fee or the passing score, links to the regulator’s own page. We write the date we checked it next to the fact.
FINRA writes and runs the SIE exam, so FINRA’s publications are our main source for it. If we cannot confirm a fact on a regulator’s page, we leave it out rather than guess.
What does the “Last reviewed” date mean?
The “Last reviewed” date on a page is the last day someone on our team really checked that page against its sources. We change it only after a real review, never just to make a page look fresh.
How do we use AI tools?
AI tools help us draft questions and explanations, and they run some of our checks, such as the blind answer check. They do not decide what is published.
- Every fact is checked against a primary source, not taken from an AI tool’s output.
- Every number is recalculated independently.
- A person on our team approves each question before it goes live.
How can you report an error?
The fastest way is the “Report an issue” button under each question. It tells us exactly which question you mean.
For anything else, such as an error on a guide page, write to us through our contact page. Please tell us the page, what you think is wrong and, if you can, the source that shows it.
Corrections
When we confirm an error, we fix it within 48 hours and list it here. We record the date, the page and what changed, so you can see what was corrected.
Corrections log
| Date | Page | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | No corrections yet. |
Frequently asked questions
Does anyone pay to have content included or changed?
No. We do not accept payment to add, change or remove any question or page.
Can I suggest a topic or question area?
Yes. Send your suggestion through the contact page. We cannot promise to add it, but we read every message.