Test-Taking Strategies

Have a test coming up? Struggle with test-anxiety? Here are some tips and tricks on how to reduce your test-anxiety

 

General Guidelines

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1. Gathering knowledge of the truth is the best preparation for tests.
   • Hours of concentrated, effective study help to carefully place facts into your memory. This is the best way to prepare for any test.
   • However, teachers often try to test your memory of the material by slightly altering it. In this case, practice and some test-taking skill will help.


2. Always arrive early and take a moment to relax and reduce your anxiety.
   • This brief time period will boost your confidence
   • Use this time to focus your mind and think positive thoughts.


3. Listen attentively to last minute instructions given by the instructor.
   • Teachers often make last minute changes.
   • Missing instructions can cause extreme anxiety.


4. Read the test directions very carefully and watch for details.
   • You may find that more than one answer may be possible on multiple choice tests.
   • A key detail may require that you choose only three out of the five essay questions.


5. Plan how you will use the allotted time.
   • Estimate how many minutes you will need to finish each test section.
   • Determine a pace which will ensure completing the whole test on time.
   • Start with the easiest section to build your confidence.


6. Maintain a positive attitude.
   • Don't let more difficult questions raise your anxiety and steal your valuable time. Move on and find success with other questions.
   • Avoid watching for patterns. Noticing that the last four answers are "c," is not a good reason to continue with that pattern.


7. Rely on your first impressions.
   • The answer which comes to mind first is often correct.
   • Nervously reviewing questions and changing answers can do more harm than good.


8. Plan to finish early and have time for review.
   • Return to difficult questions you marked for review.
   • Proofread your essays and pay attention to grammar and spelling.
   • Make sure you answer all the questions. Many students have failed to notice questions on the back side of the paper.


9. Consider every test a practice session - analyze your performance.
   • Test taking is an art which needs refinement. One can not refine the art without practice and serious evaluation.
   • Go through each test thoroughly and see if your plan worked.
   • Look at each section to identify your fault patterns. Do you need to work on true/false, multiple choice, or essay questions?
   • Talk to teachers regarding low scores, especially on essays.
    
10. Negative words or prefixes complicate the statement.
    • The prefixes (un-, im-, miss-) will alter the meaning of the statement.
    • Double negatives make a positive. For example "not uncommon" actually means common.
    • Double negatives make a positive. For example "not uncommon" actually means common.

Guidelines for Essay Questions



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1. Organize your thoughts before you begin to write.
   • A short outline on a separate piece of paper will improve your essay.
   • Write the topics and the key introductory words.


2. Paraphrase the original question to form your introductory statement.
   • This process helps you get the question straight in your mind.
   • Restating the question allows the teacher to see how you understood the question. Perhaps you understood it to mean something other than what the teacher intended.


3. Use the principles of English composition
   • Form a clear thesis statement (statement of purpose) and place it as near to the beginning as possible.
   • Provide clear explanations to back up the main concept.
   • Remember, a complete answer usually has a main idea, supporting details and illustrative examples.


4. Write clearly! Teachers need to be able to read it.
   • Making teachers work hard to read lowers your grade.
   • Print clearly, using a dark-colored erasable ball point pen.
   • Avoid crossing out words or sentences, and don't smudge your paper.
   • Remember to save some space for a brief but adequate summary.


5. Use lists or bullets wherever possible.
   • Numbers or bullets allow the teacher to easily see your points.
   • Never bury your lists or key points in the middle of a paragraph.
   • If you must use a long paragraph, underline your key points.


6. Identify the verbs or words in the question that give you direction.
   • Key words in each question describe the task you are expected to complete.
   • Circle the direction words in the question to make sure that you are focusing on the desired task.
   
   
    Brigham Young University,Career and Academic Success Center

Note-Taking Skills Every College Student Should Have

Improve Your Note-Taking Skills!

1. Read your assignment before you come to class.

• Note taking comes easier when you already have some understanding or awareness of the material.

2. Get organized.

• Begin each lecture on a new page. It’s important to date each new lecture, and number your pages. After class, make sure you go back to add a topic/heading to the top of each page to make finding specific information easier.

3. Give yourself room.

• Consider writing on only one side of the paper, for greater legibility. Use loose-leaf notebooks for notes, which makes it easy to organize them when you review, as well as to rearrange your notes, insert additional materials like handouts and study guides, and insert notes you borrow from study partners or classmates. Most importantly, don’t worry about using up all the available space on the page—give yourself room to go back and add information as your instructor continues to talk, and to make extra notes when you make connections in class.

4. Think while you write!

• This means you can’t write down every single word your instructor says. If you try to transcribe your teacher’s lecture, you have no room for thinking about what you’re writing and how it fits together, and you inevitably fall behind and get frustrated. As you listen and write, think about what information is most likely to be of use later, whether on a test, in an essay, or in completing a project. Focus on points that directly relate to or illustrate your reading. And during class, listen for verbal cues from your instructor that indicate important information.

5. Ask questions.

• As you listen and write, make sure to record your questions, things you asked the professor about. This will help you stay aware of potential gaps in your understanding, and make sure you focus on those parts of the material when reviewing your notes later, and look up information you need to help strengthen what you’ve learned.

6. Develop a system.

• Outlining? Numbered paragraphs? A mind-map? Charts and graphs? There’s no right way to organize your notes. Experiment with the way that best reflects how you listen, how you think, and how you process information.

7. Review.

• After the lecture, go through your notes. Consider leaving space on each page or after each important section of class, for a short summary, in your own words, of the material you covered. This can help you process the information by making you think it through and ensuring you understand it. Reviewing your notes also helps you remember the material, underscores the instructor’s lecture, and lets you add things you want to make sure you don’t forget and organize material that is connected.

There’s no one way to take notes in class or develop note-taking skills, but it’s an incredibly important ability to learn—and one that will help you not just throughout school, but throughout your career.

Sara Nelson, California College of San Diego