Test Taking Strategies

Now that my students have gotten a couple tests under their belts, I have some information I would like to share:

Test-Taking Tips for Secondary Students

Prepare:
􀂃 Arrive early for tests.
Bring all the materials you will need such as pencils and pens, a calculator, a dictionary,and a watch. This helps you focus on the task at hand.
􀂃 Be comfortable but alert.Choose a good spot (if you have that option) and make sure you have enough room towork. Maintain comfortable posture but don't "slouch."
􀂃 Stay relaxed and confident.Remind yourself that you are well prepared and are going to do well. If you find yourself anxious, take several slow, deep breaths to relax. Don't talk about the test to other students just before it; anxiety is contagious.

Test Taking:
􀂃 Read the directions carefully.This may seem obvious, but be sure you read carefully. This will help you avoid careless errors. If there is time, quickly look through the test for an overview.
􀂃 Answer questions in a strategic order:First answer easy questions to build confidence, score points, and mentally orient yourself to vocabulary, concepts, and your studies (it may help you make associations with more difficult questions).
Then answer difficult questions or those with the most point value. With objective
tests, first eliminate those answers you know to be wrong or are likely to be
wrong, don't seem to fit, or where two options are so similar as to be both
incorrect. With essay/subjective questions, broadly outline your answer and
sequence the order of your points.

Review:
􀂃 Resist the urge to leave as soon as you have completed all the items. Review your test to make sure that you have answered all questions, not miss-marked the answer sheet, or made some other simple mistake.
􀂃 Proofread your writing for spelling, grammar, punctuation, decimal points, etc.
􀂃 Do not "second-guess" yourself and change your original answers. Research has
indicated that your first hunch is more likely to be correct. You should only change
answers to questions if you originally misread them or if you have encountered
information elsewhere in the test that indicates with certainty that your first choice is incorrect.

Analyze your test results:
􀂃 Each test can further prepare you for the next test.
􀂃 Use your tests to review when studying for final exams.

Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple-choice questions usually include a phrase or stem (a question) followed by three to five options.

Test strategies:
􀂃 Read the directions carefully.
􀂃 Know if each question has one or more correct option.
􀂃 Know if you are penalized for guessing.
􀂃 Answer easy questions first.

Answering options:
Improve your odds – think critically.
Cover the options with your hand, read the stem (the question), and try to answer to yourself.Then, select the option that most closely matches your answer.

Strategies to answer difficult questions:
􀂃 Eliminate options you know to be incorrect.
􀂃 Question options that grammatically don't fit with the stem (the question).
􀂃 Question options that are totally unfamiliar to you.
􀂃 All of the above – If you know two of three options seem correct, "all of the above" is a strong possibility.
􀂃 Look alike options – Probably one is correct; choose the best but don’t forget to eliminate choices that mean basically the same thing, and thus cancel each other out.
􀂃 Echo options – If two options are opposite each other, chances are one of them is correct.
􀂃 Favor options that contain lots of details. Longer answers may include enough details to more suitably fit the demands of the question.
􀂃 If two alternatives seem correct, compare them for differences, then refer to the stem (the question) to find your best answer.

Guessing:
􀂃 Always guess when there is no penalty for guessing or you can eliminate options.
􀂃 Don't guess if you are penalized for guessing and if you have no basis for your choice.
􀂃 Don't change your answers unless you are sure of the correction,
􀂃 Use hints from questions you know to answer questions you do not know.

Having said that, please consider this as valuable information for future tests. Keep in mind the way I determine your entire grade. If you "bomb" a couple tests, it won't totally destroy your grade. Tests are half your grade. This should help you to understand the importance of being in class, being on time, paying attention to the lesson, completing all in-class assignments and doing your nightly reading.