Praxis Preparation

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Praxis Preparation

• Test preparation for the Reading and Writing
• Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST)

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Objective

• To gain a better understanding of test taking
  strategies, that will allow the test taker to be
  more relaxed and comfortable during the PPST.

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Please click on the title below to select the
area where you would like to begin your studies.
It is suggested that you begin with the General
Test Taking Strategies section.
PPST Reading
General Test Taking Strategies
PPST Writing
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General Test Taking Strategies

• Before the test
• Register and note the start time
• Find directions to the testing center, become
  familiar with the route
• Give yourself extra time to travel
• Get a good nights rest
• Eat a normal breakfast

• Ask for scrap paper and bring a pencil
• Take a couple minutes to breathe and relax before
  the test begins.
• Adopt a positive attitude before you even begin
  the test

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General Test Taking Strategies

• Computer-Based Test Registration
• To schedule an appointment, call Prometric
  Candidate Services Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.
  8 p.m. Eastern Time (New York), (excluding
  holidays) at 1-800-853-6773, 1-443-751-4859 or
  call the test center directly. If you are deaf or
  hard of hearing and use a TTY, call
  1-800-529-3590 to schedule an appointment.
• Paper-Based Test Registration Register Online
• Register online for Praxis paper-based tests for
  fastest and most convenient service.

• Register and note the start time
• For more information check out the official
  Praxis Series website www.ets.org

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General Test Taking Strategies

• Give yourself extra travel time
• It would be horrible to drive 90, 45, or even 15
  minutes only to be denied entrance to the exam
  that you have been preparing for so long to take.
  Always allow extra time for traffic, weather, or
  the unforeseen car trouble. Being early also
  gives you some time to de-stress after your
  commute.

• Find directions and be familiar with the route
• Whether you are taking the computer-based or
  paper-based test you should be familiar with the
  location of the testing center. If it is in a
  new city or on a college campus you need to know
  in what building and room the test will be given.

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General Test Taking Strategies

• Get a good nights rest
• Staying up all night is not a good idea. We have
  all seen students trying to catch a few minutes
  of shut eye in the back corner of the room. We
  do not like it and neither will the testing
  center. Cramming for the exam is not the way to
  prepare.

• Eat a normal breakfast
• I am positive that everyone has heard the
  expression Breakfast is the most important meal
  of the day, so on the morning of your test feed
  and energize your brain and body with a healthy
  breakfast.

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General Test Taking Strategies

• Remember your pencil and ask for scrap paper
• Even if you take the computerized version of the
  PPST it might be helpful to have scrap paper to
  jot down thoughts and ideas, especially for the
  writing portion.

• Relax and Think Positively
• Give yourself a couple minutes in the waiting
  room to take a few relaxing deep breaths and
  think about how great you are going to do on your
  exam.

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General Test Taking Strategies

• During the Test
• Read all of the directions carefully
• Read ALL of the answer choices-- the best choice
  could be the last
• Do not expect to find a pattern in the answers

• Do not make uneducated guesses
• Do not spend too much time on any one question
• Make sure your marks are clear
• Work as quickly as possible with accuracy

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General Test Taking Strategies

• Make sure that you read all of the directions
  carefully
• Computer and Paper-based tests will both explain
  the answering method. Do not assume that because
  you have taken a bubble test before that this one
  will be exactly the same.

• Read all of the answers
• When you have finished reading the question,
  remember they are looking for the BEST possible
  answer. Make sure you read all of the choices
  just because one sounds good does not make it the
  best choice.

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General Test Taking Strategies

• No Patterns
• Do not expect to find a pattern within the
  answers. There is not one letter(A-E) that is
  used more often or for that matter one that is
  used less.
• Do not make uneducated guesses
• Using Process of Elimination (POE) will help

• Do not spend too much time on a question
• If you are stuck on a question, DO NOT waste time
  trying to figure it out. Use P0E, discussed on
  the next slide, to help eliminate wrong answer
  choices.

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General Test Taking Strategies

• Process of Elimination (POE)
• POE is the process in which you identify and
  eliminate the obviously wrong answers to a
  question. Usually you can narrow down the number
  of possible correct answers to three, or
  sometimes two. At that point it's in your best
  interest to guess at the right answer even if
  you're not sure what it is. Process of
  elimination is one of the most powerful
  strategies you can use on a multiple choice
  answer exam.

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General Test Taking Strategies

• If you mentally pick an answer close to one
  choice or a couple choices, this will make POE
  much easier
• If two quantities are almost the same, choose
  from these choices
• When working with the sentence completion
  questions, eliminate the choices that do not fit
  grammatically
• As always pace yourself, but remember that there
  is a time limit

• Multiple Choice Questions
• Answer each question in your head before looking
  at the choices
• If two choices are similar, except for one or two
  words, choose from these answers
• Make sure to read ALL of the answers before
  deciding on your choice

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General Test Taking Strategies

• Erase Clearly
• Make sure that if you are changing an answer to
  erase all evidence of the mark. If you decide to
  skip over a question, make a mark on your test
  book or scrap paper so you do not forget to
  return.

• Work Quickly
• Work as quickly as you can through all of the
  sections. It is important to get to all of the
  questions. At the same time remember that
  accuracy is the most important thing.

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General Test Taking Strategies

• Dealing with Test Anxiety A little tension, or
  butterflies before an exam is good, but if you
  are freezing up during a test it is probably
  hurting your score.
• There are two parts to test anxiety they are
  mental and physical

• Physical
• Breathe
• Tense and Relax teach yourself how to relax the
  body parts that tense during testing
• Describe your Anxiety take a few moment to write
  down what happens to you during a test, become
  aware and work on controlling it

• Mental
• Day dreaming mentally yell STOP and shake it
  out
• Visualize Success
• Focus
• Praise yourself

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• Information and tips for this website were taken
  from many different sources, please click the
  picture to see the bibliography.