Test-Taking Strategies

1
Test-Taking Strategies
2
Energy Can Be Used For

• Power
• Worry

3
The Worry Circle

• Reality
• Do Nothing
• Imagine what might happen
• Use energy to feed worry. Slow breathing
• Little energy left to study.
• More worry, more fear, less energy.
• Do Nothing
• REPEAT

4
Preparing for the Exam

• What should I study?
• Review sheetsdo them!
• Old tests/quizzes-cover the answers and try
• Class notes--rewrite
• Rework math problems
• Stay activedont just stare at the book!
• Teachers may give exact essay questions before
  the test. Prepare an outline.

5
Planning Your Study Time

• Prepare for exams in the order they will be
  given.
• Dont wait until the night before the exam to
  begin preparations.
• After you complete the review sheets, save some
  time to actually LEARN and UNDERSTAND the
  material.

6
The Day of the Exam

• Make sure you have had enough sleep.
• Eat breakfast, even if you normally do not.
• Have all supplies necessary
• 2 pencils
• Pens
• Review sheet
• Calculator (If you borrow one, make sure you know
  how to use it)

7
When the Teacher Distributes the Exam

• LISTEN to instructions. There are often
  changes/typos to correct.
• Sometimes teachers will work a problem or two.
• If the teacher goes through the exam, follow
  along and make notes about special instructions
  given.
• Make sure you find out which questions have the
  highest point values.
• Budget your time.

8
Starting the Test

• Take some deep breaths to calm you.
• Do the easiest sections first. Its the number
  correct that counts. Save the hardest sections
  until the end.
• Ask ahead of time if extra time is available.
• Read the directions carefully for each section.
• Give more time to those questions that give more
  credit.

9
General Hints

• If you come to a question you dont understand,
  mark it and come back to it.
• There may be clues on the test to help you answer
  questions that have you stumped.
• Place an X on the bottom of each page that is
  fully complete.
• Re-read your test for careless mistakes before
  submitting it.
• Never leave an answer blank always guess.

10
True/False Tests

• Never leave an answer blank.
• Hints to use if you must guess
• The statement must be completely true to be
  marked true.
• Your first guess is usually correct.
• Dont change your answer unless you are sure it
  is incorrect.
• The longer the statement, the more likely it is
  true.

11
True/False Tests

• Statements that contain these words (weasel
  words) are more likely to be TRUE
• May more many
• Might less most
• Should generally
• Usually often
• Few some
• Seldom frequently

12
True/False

• Statements that contain these words (absolutes)
  are more likely to be FALSE
• Always only
• Never entirely
• All never
• None best
• No

13
Practice True/False

• 1. Societies are always made up of human beings.
• 2. Man may be distinguished from other animals
  by his ability to walk.
• 3. All hard work leads to success.
• 4. All races are alike in that no race as a
  whole is the same.
• 5. Hard work might lead to success.

14
More

• 6. All minerals tend to be crystals.
• 7. Some minerals tend to form crystals.
• 8. The Statue of Liberty is in New York City,
  the capital of New York.
• 9. The Golden Gate Bridge is in San Francisco,
  but the Empire State Building is not in New York.
• 10. Applying test taking strategies may improve
  your grades.

15
Multiple Choice Tests

• Underline all key words in the question.
• Try to re-phrase and ask, What is the question
  asking?
• Read ALL choices, even if you think the answer is
  A. (mulitple/multiple guess)
• Use the process of elimination. What answers are
  not right?
• Use inference and other parts of the test.
• If you must guess, guess the longest answer if
  one is noticeably longer.

16
Practice MC

• An important Atlantic seaport is
• A. Chicago
• B. Miami
• C. Knoxville
• D. San Diego

17

• The name of the 38th president of the US is
• A, Abe Lincoln
• B, George W. Bush
• C. Harry Truman
• D. Gerald Ford

18

• The E in the scientific method process stands
  for
• A. Element
• B. Eliminate
• C. Energy
• D. Experiment