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NPPE Cheat Sheet

Practice this exam

Professionalism + Ethics

  • 30% of exam
  • Professionalism Codes of Ethics Ethical Theories Conflict of Interest Whistleblowing

Professional Practice

  • 27-30% of exam
  • Standard of Care Seal + Supervision Documentation Quality Control Risk + Insurance

Law: Contracts + Tort

  • 20-22% of exam
  • Contract Elements Breach + Remedies Negligence Employment Intellectual Property

Regulation + Liability

  • 20% of exam
  • Engineering Acts Scope of Practice Discipline Process Liability Insurance Limitation Periods

Quick Facts

  • Exam NPPE
  • Credential P.Eng licensure
  • Questions 110 MCQ
  • Time 2.5 hours
  • Pass Scaled 65
  • Format Closed-book
  • Method Modified Angoff
  • Areas Six content areas

Ethical Decision Steps ET

  • Identify, Disclose, Escalate, Report
  • Identify issue Disclose conflict Escalate internally Report regulator

Ethics vs Law ET

Ethics

  • Moral duty
  • Code of ethics
  • Discipline by regulator

Law

  • Legal obligation
  • Statutes, courts
  • Civil or criminal
  • Should vs must

Ethical Conflict: Act? ET

  • Public at risk → Protect public ( Paramount duty )
  • Conflict of interest → Disclose it ( Inform affected parties )
  • Pressured unethically → Refuse ( Cite code )
  • Unsafe ignored → Escalate internally ( Document concerns )
  • Still unresolved → Report regulator ( External duty )
  • Beyond competence → Decline work ( Refer to expert )

Professionalism ET

  • Profession Specialized knowledge + duty
  • Self-regulation Profession governs itself
  • Public interest Society protected first
  • Right to practise Reserved licensed activity
  • Right to title Reserved P.Eng name
  • Scope of practice Permitted competent work
  • Competence Practice within ability

Duty Hierarchy ET

  • Public, Client, Employer, Self
  • Public: paramount Client: faithful Employer: loyal Self: last

Code of Ethics ET

  • Paramount duty Public safety first
  • Honesty Truthful statements only
  • Fidelity Faithful agent to client
  • Competence Only qualified work
  • Fairness Treat others equitably
  • Dignity Uphold profession reputation
  • Report unsafe Disclose dangers, conditions

Ethical Theories ET

  • Utilitarianism Greatest good, most people
  • Deontology Duty and rules
  • Virtue ethics Good character traits
  • Rights-based Respect individual rights
  • Consequentialism Judge by outcomes
  • Egoism Self-interest driven

Conflict + Whistleblowing ET

  • Conflict of interest Competing duties clash
  • Disclose Inform affected parties
  • Recuse Withdraw from decision
  • Gifts Avoid undue influence
  • Whistleblowing Report serious wrongdoing
  • Internal first Escalate within firm
  • Then regulator External if unsafe

Standard of Care PR

  • Standard of care Reasonable competent practitioner
  • Due diligence Reasonable verification effort
  • Not perfection Reasonable, not flawless
  • Peer standard What peers do
  • Reasonable skill Ordinary professional ability
  • Foreseeability Anticipate likely harm

Seal + Supervision PR

  • Seal Take professional responsibility
  • Sign + date Seal needs both
  • Direct supervision Review before sealing
  • Own work only Seal your responsibility
  • No rubber-stamp Never seal unchecked
  • Final documents Seal completed deliverables

Documentation + QC PR

  • Document control Track versions, revisions
  • Records retention Keep project documents
  • Quality control Inspect against standard
  • Quality assurance Process prevents defects
  • Checking Independent design review
  • Field review Site conformance check
  • Sustainability Long-term societal impact

Risk + Insurance PR

  • Risk management Identify, assess, control
  • Professional liability Errors and omissions
  • E + O insurance Covers negligent advice
  • General liability Property + bodily injury
  • Indemnity Compensate for loss
  • Limitation of liability Contract caps damages

Negligence Elements LA

  • Duty, Breach, Causation, Damages
  • Duty: owed Breach: below standard Causation: caused harm Damages: real loss

Negligence vs Breach LA

Negligence

  • Tort
  • Duty of care
  • No contract needed

Breach

  • Contract
  • Broken promise
  • Parties only
  • Civil wrong vs broken deal

Negligence Established? LA

  • No duty owed → No negligence ( First element fails )
  • Duty exists → Check breach ( Owed to plaintiff )
  • Met standard → No negligence ( Reasonable care given )
  • Below standard → Check causation ( Breach occurred )
  • No causal link → No negligence ( Did not cause harm )
  • Caused harm → Check damages ( But-for test )
  • No actual loss → No negligence ( Damages required )
  • Real damages → Negligence found ( All four met )

Contract Elements LA

  • Offer Proposal of terms
  • Acceptance Agree to offer
  • Consideration Exchange of value
  • Capacity Legal ability to contract
  • Intention Intend legal relations
  • Legality Lawful purpose required
  • Privity Only parties bound

Contract Elements LA

  • Offer, Accept, Consideration, Capacity, Intent
  • Offer Acceptance Consideration Capacity Intention Legality

Employee vs Contractor LA

Employee

  • Controlled work
  • Integrated
  • Employer liable

Contractor

  • Own business
  • Own tools, risk
  • Own liability
  • Control vs independence

Which IP Protection? LA

  • New invention → Patent ( 20-year monopoly )
  • Original writing → Copyright ( Expression, not idea )
  • Drawings, code → Copyright ( Original works )
  • Brand, logo → Trademark ( Source identifier )
  • Visual shape → Industrial design ( Appearance only )
  • Keep confidential → Trade secret ( No registration )

Breach + Remedies LA

  • Breach Failure to perform
  • Damages Money compensation
  • Specific performance Court orders performance
  • Mitigation Reduce your losses
  • Liquidated damages Pre-agreed breach amount
  • Frustration Impossible to perform
  • Quantum meruit Reasonable value owed

Patent vs Copyright LA

Patent

  • Inventions
  • Must register
  • 20-year term

Copyright

  • Expression
  • Automatic
  • Life plus 70
  • Idea applied vs expressed

Tort + Negligence LA

  • Tort Civil wrong, not contract
  • Negligence Careless causing harm
  • Duty of care Owed to plaintiff
  • Breach Below standard of care
  • Causation Breach caused damage
  • Damages Actual loss suffered
  • Vicarious liability Employer liable, employee acts

Employment + Business LA

  • Employee Controlled, integrated worker
  • Independent contractor Own business, own risk
  • Wrongful dismissal No reasonable notice
  • Just cause Dismiss without notice
  • Sole proprietorship Unlimited personal liability
  • Partnership Shared liability, profits
  • Corporation Separate limited liability

Intellectual Property LA

  • Patent Protects new invention
  • Copyright Protects original expression
  • Trademark Protects brand identity
  • Trade secret Confidential business information
  • Industrial design Protects visual shape
  • Patent term 20 years filing
  • Copyright term Life plus 70

Ethics vs Conduct Code RE

Code of Ethics

  • Moral principles
  • Duties to public
  • Aspirational + binding

Code of Conduct

  • Specific rules
  • Practice standards
  • Enforced behaviour
  • Principles vs rules

Acts + Scope RE

  • Engineering Act Provincial governing statute
  • Regulations Detailed legal rules
  • Bylaws Regulator internal rules
  • Regulator Licenses, sets standards
  • Technical society Advances, advocates field
  • Illegal practice Unlicensed reserved work
  • Misuse of title Unauthorized P.Eng use

Misconduct vs Incompetence RE

Misconduct

  • Wrongful act
  • Dishonest, unethical
  • Knew better

Incompetence

  • Lacks skill
  • Below standard
  • Insufficient knowledge
  • Bad act vs lacking ability

Discipline Process RE

  • Complaint Allegation against member
  • Investigation Gather facts, evidence
  • Discipline hearing Formal tribunal review
  • Unprofessional conduct Breach of standards
  • Incompetence Lack of skill, knowledge
  • Sanctions Reprimand to revocation
  • Practice review Audit member, firm

Liability + Limits RE

  • Limitation period Deadline to sue
  • Discoverability Clock starts at knowledge
  • Concurrent liability Sue contract and tort
  • Joint and several Each pays full damages
  • Continuing duty Education obligation persists
  • CPD Continuing professional development

Common Traps

Ethics vs law

  • Ethics is moral ≠ Law is enforceable

Seal scope

  • Seal own work ≠ Never seal unchecked

Negligence vs breach

  • Tort needs no contract ≠ Breach needs contract

Patent vs copyright

  • Patent: inventions ≠ Copyright: expression

Misconduct vs incompetence

  • Misconduct is wrongful ≠ Incompetence lacks skill

Regulator vs society

  • Regulator licenses ≠ Society advocates

Disclose conflict

  • Disclose, do not hide ≠ Recuse if needed

Last Minute

  • 1. 110 MCQ in 2.5 hours
  • 2. Scaled pass score is 65
  • 3. Closed-book; no guessing penalty
  • 4. Standard set by modified Angoff
  • 5. Duty to public is paramount
  • 6. Negligence: duty, breach, causation, damages
  • 7. Contract: offer, acceptance, consideration
  • 8. Patent: inventions; copyright: expression
  • 9. Seal own work; never rubber-stamp
  • 10. Must report unsafe work, conditions
  • 11. Disclose conflicts of interest promptly
  • 12. Limitation period: clock at discoverability

NPPE: National Professional Practice Examination (P.Eng licensure)

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