Study Skills Workshop

1
Study Skills Workshop

• Test Preparation and Test Taking

2
Test Preparation

• Manage Review Time
• Create review tools
• Plan a strategy
• As you begin

3
Test Preparation

• Manage Review Time
• A key to successful test preparation is managing
  review time.
  
• Use short daily review sessions to prepare the
  way for major review sessions
  

4
Manage Review Times

• Daily Reviews
• Short pre- and post-class reviews of lecture
  notes.
  
• Scan your notes and the sections you underlined
  in the previous assignment
  
• Two kinds of material to concentrate on
• What you have just learned
• Material that involves simple memorization
• Conduct short reviews through out the day
• Begin to review on the first day of class

5
Manage Review Times

• Weekly reviews
• Are longer about an hour per subject
• They are more structured than short daily
  reviews
  
• Avoid skipping from subject to subject too
  quickly
  
• Review each subject at least once a week
• Review assigned reading and lecture notes

6
Manage Review Times

• Major reviews
• They are usually conducted the week before finals
  or other major exams
  
• Longer review periods two to five hours at a
  stretch, punctuated by sufficient breaks
  
• For the review to be effective give yourself a
  short test
  
• Study the most difficult subjects when you are
  the most alert at the beginning of the session

7
Create review tools

• Study checklists
• Make a list for each subject (lecture dates,
  chapters, definitions, theories, formulas)
  
• It is not a review sheet
• Contain the briefest possible description of each
  item to study
  
• Mind map summary sheets
• Flash cards

8
Plan a strategy

• Do a dry run
• Practice the task you will actually do on the
  exam
  
• Write up your own questions and take this test
  before the exam
  
• Ask the instructor what to expect
• Get copies of old exams

9
As you begin

• Arrive early
• Pay attention to verbal directions given as the
  test is distributed
  
• Evaluate the importance of each section
• Read the directions slowly
• Jot down on the margin memory aids, formulas,
  equation, facts, or other material that you know
  youll need and might forget
  

10
Taking the Test

• Quickly look over the whole test
• Skim the questions and essays some may help you
  answer others
  
• Budget your time
• Read all directions slowly and carefully
• Answer the easiest, shortest questions first

11
Taking the Test

• Next answer multiple choice, true/false, and
  fill-in the blank
  
• Leave plenty of space in between answers to essay
  questions
  
• In quick answer questions (multiple choice) your
  first instinct is usually best as long as you
  have read the question correctly
  

12
Objective Tests

• Multiple Choice
• Answer each question in your head before you look
  at the possible answer
  
• Eliminate incorrect choices
• Beware of absolute qualifying words
• Guess unless you are penalized for it
• If similar except for one or two words choose
  one
  
• If they have sounding or looking alike words
  choose one
  
• If the answer calls for a sentence completion,
  eliminate the one that would not form
  grammatically correct sentences
  
• If two quantities are almost the same, choose
  one
  
• If answers cover a wide range, choose one in the
  middle
  

13
Objective Tests

• True-False
• If any part of a statement is false, the entire
  statement will be false
  
• Statements that use all or never values are
  frequently false
  
• Statements with words like seldom or general
  are more likely to be true
  
• Matching
• Read both columns completely before answering

14
Objective Tests

• Fill-In
• Test the question by reading it with your
  possible answer
  
• Open-book tests
• Write down any formulas you need on a separate
  sheet
  
• Place post-it notes on important pages
• Prepare thoroughly. They are usually the most
  difficult tests

15
Essay Tests

• They test your ability to express yourself,
  interpret, and organize your material
  
• Read each question to make sure you understand
  precisely what is being asked
  
• Know definitions of direction words (contrast,
  compare, describe)
  
• Writing shorter answers and completing all of the
  questions will almost always yield a better score

16
Essay Tests

• Brainstorm, make notes, and briefly outline
  before writing
  
• Introduce your topic.
• Make major points clearly then provide
  supporting facts, examples and summary
  statements.
  
• If you run out of time, at least make an outline
  of major points
  
• Get to the point include part of the question
  in your answer
  

17
Essay tests

• Write legibly
• Be brief
• Use a pen
• Write on one side of the page only
• Seek clues to the answer from the question
• Use technical language of the subject
• Proofread

18
Ways to predict Questions

• Get organized. Have a separate section in your
  notebook labeled test questions
  
• The format of a test can help you predict
  questions
  
• Observe what an instructor says and how he says
  it
  
• Pay attention to questions the instructor poses
  to students and questions that other students ask

19
Ways to predict Questions

• 5. Put yourself in your instructors shoes
• 6. Brainstorm questions with other students
• 7. Lookout for these words this material will be
  on the test
  

20
Math Science Exams

• Perform opposite operations
• Use time drills
• Analyze before you compute
• Make a picture
• Check your work systematically
• Review formulas
• Leave enough time to review your answers at the
  end of the exam
  
• If you become frustrated, come back to the
  problem later

21
Integrity in test taking

• We learn less
• We lose money
• Fear of getting caught promotes stress
• Violating our values promotes stress
• Cheating on tests can make it easier to violate
  our integrity again
  
• Cheating lowers our self-concept

22
Reducing test anxiety

• Reasons for test anxiety
• Poor preparation or poor test taking skills
• Negative test taking experience
• Negative attitude about school
• Low self-confidence

23
Reducing test anxiety

• Reducing test anxiety
• Remember to take care of yourself
• Take practice exams
• Come prepared
• Make an effort to relax periodically during the
  test
  
• Engage in positive self-talk

24
Reducing test anxiety

• Visualize success
• Consider the worst
• Breathe
• Tense and relax
• Exercise aerobically
• Get help