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Test Taking Tips

GENERAL TEST TAKING TECHNIQUES

GLANCE OVER THE WHOLE EXAM

This does two things for you:

It gives you a “set” on the exam: what it covers, where the emphasis lies, what the main ideas seem to be. Many exams are composed of a series of short questions all related to one particular aspect of the subject, and then a longer question developing some ideas from another area.

It may relax you because if you read carefully all the way through it, you are bound to find something you feel competent to answer.

KEEP THE TIME ALLOWANCE IN MIND

This may save you from a very common and panic-producing mistake such as taking twenty minutes of an hour test to answer a five-point question, and then finding you have five minutes left in which to answer a twenty-point question!

If you tend to rush at things, slow down. If you tend to dawdle, pace yourself. Write as neatly as possible while keeping to your time allotment. You are graded on accuracy, not neatness, but a neat paper may convince the instructor that the answer is organized and accurate. A messy paper has the opposite effect!

HINTS FOR TAKING ESSAY TESTS

1. Find out what the teacher wants to see as evidence.

2. Learn the teacher’s point of view.

3. Determine the criteria that will be used to judge your answers.

4. Read the entire test through before starting.

5. Budget your time according to the point value of each question.

6. Use work sheets to jot down ideas, organize your answers, and remember details (dates, formulas).

7. Use the question, turned around, as your introductory statement.

8. Note whether you are to define, list, or compare in order to give the teacher what he/she is looking for.

9. Organize your answer as in any well-developed paragraph by expressing your main idea and then using supporting facts and details to prove your statement.

10. Use facts to support your arguments.

11. Use the technical language of the subject.

12. Use examples, charts, and other illustrations to make your answers more exact.

13. Unless there is a penalty for guessing, answer all questions even if you are not sure.

14. Use partial answers and outlines if you are not sure or are running out of time.

15. Proofread your answers for clarity, grammar, spelling, punctuation and legibility.

IMPORTANT WORDS IN ESSAY QUESTIONS

ANALYZE: Present a complete statement of the elements of the idea. Adapt and stick to a single plan of analysis. Give any conclusions which result.
COMPARE: Look for qualities or characteristics that resemble each other. Emphasize similarities among them, but in some cases, also mention differences.
CONTRAST: Stress the differences between things, qualities, events, or problems.
CRITICIZE: Express your judgment about the merit or truth of the factors or views mentioned. Give the results of your analysis of these factors, discussing their limitations and good points.
DEFINE: Give concise, clear, and authoritative meanings. Don’t give details, but make sure to give the limits of the definition. Show how the things you are defining differ from things that are similar.
DESCRIBE: Recount, characterize, sketch, or relate in sequence or narrative form.
DIAGRAM: Give a drawing, chart, or graphic answer. Usually you should label a diagram. In some cases, add a brief explanation or description.
DISCUSS: Examine, analyze carefully, and give reasons pro and con. Be complete: give details in an organized manner.
ENUMERATE: Write in list or outline form, giving points concisely one by one. (In some cases, write in paragraph form.)
EVALUATE: Carefully appraise the problem, citing both advantages and limitations. Emphasize judgment based on the appraisal of authorities and/or your own personal evaluation (depending on the demands of the questions).
EXPLAIN: Clarify, interpret, and spell out the material you present. Give reasons for differences of opinion or of results and try to analyze causes.
IDENTIFY: Write a brief note on who or what is to be identified. State distinguishing actions or qualities. Include enough information to separate individuals from others of its group.
ILLUSTRATE: Use a figure, picture, diagram, or concrete example to explain or clarify a principle or problem.
INTERPRET: Translate, give examples of, solve, or comment on a subject, usually giving your judgment of it.
JUSTIFY: Prove or give reasons for decisions or conclusions, taking pains to be convincing.
LIST: As in “enumerate”, write an itemized series of concise statements.
OUTLINE: Organize a description under main points and subordinate points, omitting minor details and stressing the arrangement or classification of things.
PROVE: Establish that something is true by citing factual evidence or giving clear, logical reasons.
RELATE: Show how things are related to, or connected with, each other; or how one causes another, correlates with another, or is like another.
REVIEW: Examine a subject critically, analyzing and commenting on the important statements to be made about it. Test-taking Strategies 7
STATE: Present in brief, clear sequence, usually omitting details or examples.
SUMMARIZE: Give the main points or facts in condensed form like the summary of a chapter, omitting details and illustrations.
TRACE: In narrative form, describe progress, development, or historical events from some points of origin.

TIPS FOR TAKING OPEN-BOOK TESTS

Find out why you are being given an open-book test.
Prepare for an open-book best as carefully as other tests.
Prepare organizational summaries of the course using textbooks and lecture notes.
Use quotations from the book only when they relate to the question and supply supporting evidence.
Do not use extensive quotations--the teacher knows the book. He/she wants to know what you know.

TEST TAKING HINTS

HINTS FOR TAKING OBJECTIVE TESTS

Use time wisely.
Read all directions and questions carefully.
Attempt every question, but do the easy ones first.
Actively reason through the questions.
Choose the answer which the test maker intended.
Anticipate the answer, then look for it.

TRUE AND FALSE QUESTIONS

Look for absolute qualifiers such as: always, all, nearly. If one is present, the question will probably be false.
Look for relative qualifiers such as: often, frequently, or seldom. These will probably be true.
If any part of the question is false, the whole question is false.
If you don’t know the answer, guess; you have a 50-50 chance of being correct.

MATCHING QUESTIONS

Make sure you understand the directions for matching the items on the lists. For instance, can you use an item more than once?
Answer long matching lists in a systematic way, such as checking off those items already used.
Do the matches you know first.
Eliminate items on the answer list that are out of place or incongruous.
If you don’t know the correct matches, guess.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Write no more than necessary.
With sentence completion or fill-in questions, make sure your answers are grammatically correct.
Make sure your response makes sense.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Anticipate the answer, then look for it.
Consider all the alternatives.
Relate options against each other.
Balance options against each other.
Use logical reasoning.
Use information obtained from other questions and options.
If the correct answer is not immediately obvious, eliminate alternatives that are obviously absurd, silly or incorrect.
Compare each alternative with the item of the question and with other alternatives.
Whenever two options are identical, then both must be incorrect.
If any two options are opposites, then at least one may be eliminated.
Look for options that do not match the item grammatically. These will be incorrect.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

THINKING ABOUT BODY PARTS:

Select a comfortable place to lie down. Remove shoes, loosen belt or tight clothing. Stretch out on your back, arms resting by your sides, feet slightly apart, eyes gently closed.
Think to yourself, “I am now going to relax completely. When I wake up, I will feel fully refreshed.”
Think about your feet, wiggle your toes, flex your ankles. Then “let go”. Let go of all tension and let your feet rest limp and heavy.
Think of the lower part of your legs, your knees and thighs, up to your hips. Imagine them just sinking into the floor, heavy and relaxed.
Now think of your hands. Wiggle your fingers and flex your wrists, then let go, relax.
Think of your lower arm, elbow and upper arm, all the way to your shoulder. Picture all the tension just melting away.
Think about your abdomen. Let the tension go and allow your breathing to flow more smoothly and deeply.
Think about your stomach and chest, up to your throat and neck. Continue breathing more deeply. Just imagine all the tension flowing out, and you are relaxing more and more.
Now think about your throat, neck, and head feeling limp and relaxed. Relax your facial muscles. Drop your jaw, parting your lips and teeth slightly. Picture yourself completely relaxed.
If you are aware of any remaining tension anywhere in your body, go to that area mentally and relax the tension by “letting go”.
Continue to remain in this completely relaxed state for 5-10 minutes. You may think pleasant thoughts or simply blank your mind and enter a stage of light sleep.
When you are ready to awaken, say to yourself, “I have been deeply relaxed. I am now ready to wake up, feeling completely relaxed and refreshed.”
Begin to wake up by flexing the ankles and wiggling the toes. Then wiggle the fingers, and gently shake your wrists.
Bend the right knee, then the left. Bend right and left arms.
Open your eyes. Stretch your arms. Then slowly sit up, stand up and stretch. You are now ready to continue with your activities.

DEEP BREATHING EXERCISE

Come into the classroom a few minutes early.
Take all books and papers off desktop.
Take out pens, pencils, eraser, other allowable items-- (dictionary, calculator, etc.) and put on desktop. Check with the instructor of the class before the test is given about such items.
Sit comfortably. Then close your eyes. Notice your breathing.
Breathe deeply and slowly. Sit straight. Let your breathing be deep and natural. Breathe deeply and smoothly.
Become aware of your body and let it relax. Let your whole body become easy.
Continue until you are breathing easily and relaxed, then when you are ready, open your eyes. You will be alert and ready to work. Imagine yourself confident, strong, and able to do well on the test.

POSITIVE SELF TALK FOR TESTS

To reduce test-anxiety during a test, talk to yourself. The brain is very susceptible to positive suggestions.

FOR EXAMPLE:

“Now let’s see--just exactly what does this say?”
“What’s the main point?”
“Let’s see--I made some notes on that--toward the end of the yellow study sheets I used.”
“Don’t get anxious...stop a minute and take a couple of deep breaths - relax my muscles - good.”
“Oh, oh, I don’t remember that...well, I’ll come back to it later.
“Slow down...don’t rush. There’s plenty of time.”
“I’m not sure of this, but I’ll start writing and maybe that will get me into it.”
“They finished early...well, I’ll just pay attention here and finish up. Forget them.”
“I’m doing O.K. I’ll pass this.”

TEST ANXIETY

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