Preparing for Australian Federal Police (AFP) Reasoning & Emotional Intelligence Tests

If you are applying to join the AFP, you are required to undergo several Psychometric tests tailored for the Federal Police:

• In the screening phase you will be asked to complete the following Psychometric tests:
  • Reasoning tests (Abstract Reasoning & Numeracy, Verbal Comprehension/Literacy Skills) and
  • An Emotional Intelligence test.
• Then you will be asked to complete a Clinical Personality test.

These tests will have the most significant impact on whether you get in or left to try again.

Australian Federal Police Cognitive & Reasoning Tests:

All Federal Police new Reasoning tests are timed and are designed to not give you sufficient time to complete all tests within the given time.

• Verbal reasoning test
• Numerical reasoning test
• Abstract reasoning test

Verbal Reasoning Test with Australian Federal Police:

In this online test, you are presented with questions to test your understanding of concept in English.  You will get a passage to read and then to answer some questions relating to the text. Your task is to select the correct answer for each test question.

Here is an example for a Literacy Skill test question:

Please read the following text:

A long-established fact is that readers will be distracted by readable content on a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using a filler like ‘Content here, content here’; this makes it look like readable English, and avoids the distractions of a readable text. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will discover many websites still in their infancy. Various versions of Lorem Ipsum have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like).

Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC.

Now, answer the following question: 

Which one of the following does NOT follow based on the content of the text?

a. Lorem Ipsum is not nonsense words that look like Latin.

b. Readers get distracted when looking at a page design with Lorem Ipsum.

c. Readers get confused when looking at a page design with Lorem Ipsum.

d. A professor discovered the source of Lorem Ipsum when looking up an old Latin word.

e. Many people believed that Lorem Ipsum is random text.

f.  Many web editors use Lorem Ipsum.

To answer this test question, we need to read the text. The text says, in fact, that readers get distracted when looking a page layout if there is readable content, and Lorum Ipsum removes that distraction.

Nuerical reasoning test with Australian Federal Police:

In this type of test, you are presented with simple numeracy questions such as number series and basic speed and efficiency type problems. Your task is to quickly identify patterns within the number series, or use basic maths to correctly answer each question.

Here is an example for a numerical reasoning test question:

Assuming you purchased a Premium package for three months, and then switched to the Basic account for a further six months, how many hours of free viewing could you have?

a. 150

b. 72

c. 90

d. 45

e. 108

To answer this test question we need to review the two tables. Based on the first table we can learn that when you purchased a Premium package for 3 months, you also received 18 free viewing hours per month. This means 18 x 3 = 54 free hours. Then you switched to the Basic package for another 6 months. This offered you 6 free hours per month. This means 6 x 6 = 36 free hours. Therefore, the total number of free hours was 54 + 36 = 90 hours. Therefore, C is the correct answer.

Another example numerical reasoning test question:

Tim has been sailing for 20 minutes and has travelled 15 kilometres. What was his average speed in Km/hour?

To answer this question we need to first convert the time Tim travelled from minutes to hours. To do so we need to divide 20 minutes by 60 = 1/3 of an hour. Then using the basic formula we would need to divide the distance by the time to get Tim's average speed: 15 / 1/3 = 45 km/hour.

Abstract Reasoning test with Australian Federal Police:

In this type of online test, you are presented with non-verbal problems. Your task is to quickly identify logical rules from the shapes to correctly answer each question.

Let's review the following  example abstract test question. This abstract aptitude test question demonstrates one style of abstract aptitude test questions in which you have a horizontal list of shapes and your task is to identify the patterns or logical rules for the set of shapes to be able to predict the next shape.

What is the next shape?

To answer this abstract test question, we need to first identify the patterns and logical rules that are relevant to the group of shapes in the test question. In this set of shapes, there are two logical rules or patterns moving left to right. The first is that all the inner shapes move one place anticlockwise at each step. The second rule is that, at every step, the triangle alternates with a black square. At step five, there is a triangle at the top – therefore, at the next step, it will move anticlockwise into the left place and become a black square. 

Another style of abstract aptitude test question which is also a part of your exam can be seen in the following example abstract test question. In this style of abstract test questions you are shown a grid of 3 by 3 with 8 shapes plus one missing shape. Your task is to find the patterns or logical rules that apply to the shapes going from left to right or top to bottom. Then apply these patterns to find what is the missing shape that completes the patterns.

Let's examine the following abstract aptitude test example: 

To solve this abstract aptitude test question, we need to find the logical rules that apply to the shapes going from left to right or top to bottom. We can see that each cell contains four arrowheads, some pointing left, and some pointing right. The last cell in each row is a combination of the first two arrowhead of the first cell, then the last two arrowhead of the middle cell. So, if we look at our top row, the first two arrowheads in first cell are < < and the last two arrowheads of middle cell are < >. If we combine them, we get < < < >.

Remember: don't waste time practising abstract, inductive and logical aptitude reasoning test questions styles that you will not have in your real abstract or inductive aptitude test.

Australian Federal Police's Emotional Intelligence Test:

As part of your selection with AFP you will be asked to complete an Emotional Intelligence test includes over 100 forced-choice test questions. The Emotional Intelligence test measures your emotional reasoning based on several sections such as:

1. Identify emotions in facial expressions
2. Identify emotions that will facilitate certain behaviours
3. Identify emotions based on behaviours
4. Identify how effective are certain actions in facilitating emotions
5. Identify emotions in abstract drawings and scenery images.
6. Identify associations for emotions
7. Identify effective emotions

Please review the following example of an emotional intelligence test question:

Joan felt stressed, and became a bit anxious when she thought about all the work she needed to do. When her manager brought her an additional project, she felt ____.  (Select the best choice.)
a) Overwhelmed

b) Depressed

c) Ashamed

d) Self-conscious

e) Jittery

The correct answer is overwhelmed. Joan felt stressed before her manager brought her more work. The additional work given to her when she already was feeling under stress only increased the feeling and made her overwhelmed.

Another style of an emotional intelligence test questions is:

How much is each feeling below expressed in this picture?

Happy 1-5

Sad 1-5

Fear 1-5

Anger 1-5

Disgust 1-5

Here you need to analyse the content and colours to identify the correct emotions and the intensity of each emotion on a scale of 1 to 5.

Let's review another example for a test questions in the emotional intelligence test is:

How much is each feeling in the list below expressed by this face?

Happiness (1-5)

Sadness (1-5)

Fear (1-5)

Anger (1-5)

Disgust (1-5)

Here you need to analyse the facial expression to identify the correct emotion and the intensity of the emotion on a scale of 1 to 5.

How the Institute will assist you to prepare for your Cognitive & Reasoning tests as well as the Emotional Intelligence test with the Australian Federal Police:

The Institute’s psychologists and psychometricians have prepared several full preparation solutions for these tests. They include:

Abstract, verbal and numerical test preparation for AFP:

Practice tests online with timers for AFP's abstract, verbal and numerical tests:

• All practice tests are based on similar style tests.
• All tests have step by step answer explanations so you know how to answer in your real test.
• You get tests scores in comparison to others' performance.
• You get effective advice about how to improve your scores.
• Immediate Access.

1-on-1 tutoring for your abstract, verbal and numerical tests:

• Delivered by Australian Psychometric test experts.
• Offered face to face or via Skype live.
• Your coach works with you to improve your skills and scores.
• Immediate Access.

Emotional Intelligence test preparation for AFP:

1-on-1 tutoring sessions (Face-to-face or Skype live)

• Delivered by experienced Australian Psychometric test trainers.
• Your psychometric test trainer will teach you everything you need to know about the Emotional Intelligence test including example test questions.
• Prior to your coaching sessions you will be given special practical material and information about the emotional intelligence test that Federal Police will ask you to complete.
• You will also be asked to complete a practice emotional intelligence test to allow your coach to identify your areas of strength and weakness.

Please note that IPC is not in any way affiliated with, endorsed or authorised by state or federal police and that your training courses are not approved by or based on any official state and federal police training courses.