Ways to Prepare for Taking Tests.

1
How do I Learn to Score Well on Tests!

• Ways to Prepare for Taking Tests.

Mr. Jacobi
2
Test Taking Tips for Everyone

• There are 3 separate steps which you must do in
  order to Score Well on Tests
• Preparing for a Test
• Test-Taking Tips
• Test-Taking Strategies

3
Preparing for a Test

• A series of Important Steps.

4
1 Start Early

• An all-nighter is the least effective way to
  study for a test. Cramming for a test is like
  not eating for two weeks, then trying to eat all
  those missed meals in one sitting. You cannot
  digest that much food at once. You cannot digest
  that much information either. Schedule several
  study sessions before a test, and remember,
  repetition is the key to success in test taking.

5
2 Never miss Class before a Test

• The class period before a test is when youll
  find out what the test will be like. Find out as
  much as possible
• What will it cover?
• Will it be objective, essay, MC, fill-in, etc?
• How much will each type of question be worth?
• How much time will you have to finish the test?

6
3 Use your class notes/textbook to make flash
cards

• The act of writing information on the cards will
  help you remember it.
• Each time you go through the stack of cards, you
  are transferring the information from your short
  term memory into your long term memory.
• You can also use these cards to study with a
  partner and ask each other questions.

7
4 Look for recurring themes in your
textbook/notes

• Essay questions will probably come from those
  themes.
• Make a list of possible essay questions and write
  a brief outline of how you would answer each one.

8
5 Use charts, diagrams, and captions in your
textbook

• They can contain lots of valuable information
  which may be on tests.
• If your teacher has referred to a specific
  diagram in the text during his/her lecture, study
  it!

9
6 Study past Tests/Quizzes

• Test question information tends to show up again,
  and again, and again
• So, make sure you go over all your old tests and
  quizzes, especially the individual questions you
  did not get correct!

10
7 Make Visual Organizers

• Invent Charts.
• Invent Diagrams.
• Invent Trees.
• Invent Drawings.
• These will help you remember the material.

11
8 Try to Overlearn the Material

• That is
• Study until the material comes to you very easily.

12
9 Remember that repetition is the key to
Remembering.

• Do all of your homework every day.
• Start your test preparation early enough, so that
  many repetitions are possible.
• Any memory device is okay, and it doesnt have to
  make sense to anyone else.
• Just find a way to retain the information.

13
10 Study with a Friend

• Compare notes.
• Ask each other questions.
• Do flash cards together.
• Discuss themes that would make good essay
  questions.
• Discuss other possible test questions and how to
  answer them.

14
Testing-Taking Tips

• Ways to help you prepare for
• Academic Success.

15
Test-Taking Tips

• Be on time and come fully prepared with any
  materials you need.
• Read the directions at lease twice to make sure
  you understand what is expected.
• Look over the test to see what kinds of questions
  there are, and to give yourself an idea of how
  long you should allot for each question or test
  area.

16
Test-Taking Tips (cont)

• Read each question very carefully - look for
  absolute words like always and never.
• Take your time, think carefully and do not panic!
  
• Dont let other students distract you.
• Do not linger on one question too long - mark
  your best guess and come back to the question if
  time permits.

17
Test-Taking Tips (cont)

• Be careful about changing your first answers
  without good reason - your first choices are more
  likely to be correct.
• Write down any formulas, equations or rules you
  had to memorize before actually working on the
  test itself.
• Always show your work - this often leads to
  partial credit even if the answer is wrong.

18
Test-Taking Tips (cont)

• Do not be in a hurry - look over your test for
  careless errors like number transposition or a
  decimal point in the wrong place.
• On essay questions, give the major points first
  and details last.
• Use simple and correct words - do not abbreviate
  or use slang (unless permitted).
• Check your spelling and punctuation.

19
Test-Taking Strategies

• Some basic tips for taking Quantitative and
  Verbal Tests

20
1 Avoid Random Guessing

• If you must guess the answer to a question, try
  to eliminate as many choices you can.
• Even if you only eliminate only one choice,
  youve improved your odds!

21
2 Be on the lookout for Sucker-Bait
Questions

• Tests, most of the time, have questions with
  tempting wrong answer choices.
• To avoid this quandary, heed the following
  advice
• use your pencil/pen and scratch paper
• check your calculations
• know the general size of the numerical value
  which answers the question
• never hasten to select an answer

22
3 Pace yourself Properly

• Be sure you have time to consider every question
  on the test.
• Do not be a clock watcher.
• Check your pace every 10 questions or so.
• If behind or ahead of pace - adjust your pace
  accordingly so you have time to at least take a
  reasoned guess on every available question.

23
4 Approach every question Actively.

• What do I mean by this?
• What particular formula, rule of grammar, or
  reading skill is this question designed for.
• If I had to compose the correct answer, how would
  I do it.
• What type of wrong answers might my teacher think
  I may put as a solution(s).

24
Why is it Important to be Prepared for Taking
Tests?

• Think now!

25
Because you dont want to...

Bomb It!
26
Bibliography

• http//www.su.edu/studaffs/
• http//www.isu.edu/departments/enroll/test.htm
• http//www.west.net/stewart/gmat/qtgmat.htm