The Teaching
and Learning Center offers the following test taking tips.
Please also see the other tip sheets">
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TEST TAKING TIPS |
| Please also see the other tip sheets, such as studying, how the brain
works, remembering what you've learned. |
1.
The
night before the test, stop studying round 7:00PM or 8:00PM .
Why?
You need to give your brain time
to assimilate the information and time to relax during sleep. |
2.
Get a good night’s sleep
.
Why?
Your brain
assimilates your study information during sleep.
Your body re-energizes itself and gets oxygen to your
brain. |
3.
Eat breakfast
.
Why?
Your body needs fuel, just
as if it were a car, train, plane, etc.
When your vehicle is well fueled, it operates
better. It will also get oxygen to
your brain, and you will remember better.
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4.
Do not study the day of the test
.
Why?
You will overload you
short term memory, which could cause you to go blank during the
test. It might put a barrier
around access to your
long-term memory, so that you cannot remember what you already had
learned.
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5.
Do not talk with your classmates.
Why?
No matter what your
classmates talk about, their conversation will likely bring you down.
If they say something
such
as, "I really studied for this test.
I'm going to ace it!" Then, you'll think, "Maybe I didn't study enough. I
bet I fail."
If they say, "I bet I fail this test;
I didn't study enough." Then, you'll think,"Gee, maybe I
didn't either. I'm afraid I'll
fail." So, no matter what they say,
it will have a negative affect on you. |
6.
Keep a positive outlook.
Why?
You need to
"pych" yourself up, just as athletes do before games.
You have to think positive, talk positive, and
envision yourself being
successful. Scientists have discovered that if you believe you can
learn (or do something),
then the brain secretes a chemical to
help you learn. If you believe that you cannot learn (or do
something), then
the brain secretes a chemical to do
that - not learn. |
7.
Listen to the instructor as she gives directions
.
Why?
She may say, "Class,
after looking over the test again, I realize I need to throw out
question # 25. So, mark that
off and don't answer
it." If you weren't listening, you would spend unnecessary
time on #25, when you could have
been working on other
questions.
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8.
Read the test directions.
Why?
See above. |
9.
After you have read the test directions, immediately write down
on scrap paper any important facts, equations,
formulas, etc.
Why?
You'll be able to refer
back to them. With all of the data on the test and your brain
quickly going in different
directions, you may not be
able to pull up the data you want, otherwise. |
10.
Scan the whole test before answering any questions.
Why?
To
get an idea of what is on there so that you can decide where to
begin. It will also get your brain working. |
11.
Work the easiest questions first, then the next easiest, and so
on.
Why?
At least you'll have those
answered. Plus, you'll have more time to work the harder
questions. |
12.
If you cannot
immediately answer a question, mark it and move on.
Why?
If you keep trying to
answer it, you will waste time and also become frustrated. Put a light mark beside it,
and go
back to it later. |
13.
On scrap paper, jot down any other information that comes to you
as you are taking the test. Maybe
now you
remember another fact, rule,
equation. Write it down.
Why?
You may need it later. |
14.
Leave time to go back and check your answers.
Why?
If you now discover that
it took you time to “warm up” your thinking, you may be correct in
changing some of your
answers.
Otherwise, your first instinct is often correct. |
15.
If a question
or answer includes such words as “always” or “never,” it is not
usually the answer.
Why?
The words are too finite. |
16.
If a question or
answer includes such words as “sometimes” or “generally,” it may
be the answer.
Why?
The words are more open-ended.
- Try to predict the answer.
- Eliminate obviously wrong answers by
drawing a line through them.
- Don't read anything into the
questions that isn't there. (Do do insert words you "assume" should
be there.)
- Don't let your prior experience bias
your answers. You are answering questions on your class material.
- If you have eliminated every answer
but two, and the two look alike, compare them word for word.
- If the question has any falsehood to
it, the whole question is false.
- If the question has such words as
never, always, all, or none, that answer is probably not the correct
answer.
- If you are having difficulty
finding the right answer on multiple-choice questions, you may be
studying to recognize the answer and not studying to understand the
material.
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