TEST TAKING PREPARATION

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TEST TAKINGPREPARATION

• BEGINS THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS
• Presentation provided by UTPB West Texas Literacy
  Center, an HSI funded program. HSI is a federally
  funded program granted by the Department of
  Education Title V programs.
• Developed by Ana Miller, M.A., Reading Specialist
  

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Test Anxiety How Do We Develop Feelings of Panic?

• Past experiences
• Inadequate preparation

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Why prepare?

• Less anxiety
• No time constraints
• Access to books notes, and tutors
• Answers are in your book, handouts, notes, other
  resources
• Preparedness Improved performance

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Test Preparedness

• Analyze the professors test technique
• Complete projects and papers well before
  scheduled exams
• Create study guides and flash cards as you take
  notes
• Adjust your study method. For objective tests,
  focus on specific details. For essay exams, focus
  on broad concepts and relationships.

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Types of Tests

• Open book
• Computation
• Essay
• Short answer
• Fill in the blank
• True-false (objective)
• Multiple choice (objective)

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Open Book Tests

• Prepare
• Become extremely familiar with the book,
  handouts, study guides
• If you are allowed, make a reference sheet to
  save time
• Focus on main ideas and where you can find them
  in the book or other approved materials
• Highlight important points, use post-it-notes,
  add notes IF ALLOWED

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Open Book Tests Continued

• Take all resources the professor has approved
• Answer the questions you know, then go to your
  resources
• Use your book and other resources as a back up
  and for verification

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Computation Tests

• Understand why, when, and how to use specific
  formulas
• Create a formula study sheet and use it as a
  review
• When you receive the test, write down the
  formulas you can remember in the margin of the
  test
• READ ALL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY
• Show ALL work (partial credit)
• Check over the test

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Essay Exams

• Read the directions carefully
• Read and analyze the questions critically
• Be sure that you understand the question.
• Do a Memory Dump Quickly write out memorized
  dates, names or points, so you can relax, think,
  and write
• Create a quick outline or other organizational
  format
• Begin with a thesis sentence and refer to your
  major points
• Focus on one main point per paragraph
• Use the technical vocabulary and define the terms
• Proofread
• Watch the time
• BE NEAT

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Understand the Question

• COMPARE Examine qualities of what is being
  compared, stress similarities
• CONTRAST Examine qualities of what is being
  contrasted, stress differences
• CRITIQUE Evaluate merits and faults
• DEFINE Brief, clear meaning
• DESCRIBE Objectively tell about something, do
  not evaluate it
• DIAGRAM Create an appropriate, labeled chart,
  plan, or drawing
• DISCUSS Make a detailed analysis (study),
  including description and/or comparison,
  contrast, or evaluation

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Understand the Question

• ENUMERATE List and briefly discuss the required
  points
• EVALUATE State your opinion, supported by
  examples give advantages and disadvantages
• EXPLAIN Clarify and interpret, stating how
  and why, including expert opinion if
  appropriate
• ILLUSTRATE Literally draw a graph or create a
  clear example
• INTERPRET Translate, give examples, solve, or
  discuss include your judgment or feelings
• JUSTIFY Give evidence to support your
  conclusions

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Understand the Question

• LIST List and briefly discuss required points
• OUTLINE Give an organized description, focusing
  on major points and supporting details
• PROVE Confirm or verify use logical reasoning
  to make your points, or state evidence and
  evaluate it
• REVIEW Critically and systematically examine,
  analyzing each major point
• STATE Briefly express main points
• SUMMARIZE Write a condensed discussion of main
  points or facts
• TRACE Describe a series of events in
  chronological or other appropriate order

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Objective Tests

• Answer the easiest questions first
• Read all of each question and the choices
  carefully before selecting an answer
• When you must guess, eliminate first
• For true/false questions, assume that a statement
  is true until you prove otherwise
• Always write something on fill-in-the-blank
  questions
• Think about the question

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Objective Tests Continued

• Should you guess? YES, but consider this
• Use of absolute words (all, none, always never)
• Often untrue
• Use of moderate qualifiers (often, frequently,
  many) more likely to be true
• Look for clues within the question itself
• Longer, more detailed answers tend to be correct.
  
• If two answers are total opposites, one is likely
  to be correct
• If two answers are very similar, it is likely
  that both are incorrect

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Fill-In-The-Blank Tests

• Remember basic rules
• Unless directions say otherwise, one word per
  blank
• The length of the blank is not necessarily a clue
  to the length of the word
• The completed sentence should make sense and be
  grammatically correct
• Blanks separated by commas, indicate a series of
  items
• Several blank lines without commas indicate a
  phrase with a specific number of words.
• The word an before a blank indicates that the
  needed word begins with a vowel sound.

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Fill-In-The-Blank Tests

• Answer the questions you know, bypass the
  difficult ones
• Return to the difficult questions using delayed
  response
• Those questions remaining, apply assisted
  response, skim through the items that will
  trigger an association to the needed word
• Finally, WRITE SOMETHING
• If time permits, review

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REVIEW

• Review- Look for skipped items, answers marked in
  the wrong space, or illegible answers
• SHOULD YOU CHANGE ANSWERS?
• Know your own history
• Do you tend to find wrong answers and correct
  them? Then continue to do so.
• Do you tend to second guess yourself and change
  right answers to wrong ones? Then be cautious.
• Change only if you realize that you misread or
  misunderstood the question on the first attempt
  or if you recall a relevant fact that warrants
  changing an answer

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Oral Tests

• Confirm time and place
• Take visual aids and props
• Dress appropriately
• Be early
• Turn off cell phone
• Maintain eye contact
• Maintain correct posture
• Speak clearly and with proper formal grammar and
  diction
• Speak in complete sentences
• Thank the instructor

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Test Taking Tips Worth Repeating!!!

• PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE-START EARLY!!!
• Arrive early and prepared
• Read ALL the directions carefully
• Preview the exam before you begin
• Plan your time
• Read all of the question and choices completely
  and carefully
• Answer the easiest questions first
• Answer every question, even if you have to guess
  (unless there is a guessing penalty-ask the
  professor)
• Review if time permits

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Post Test

• Relax and celebrate
• Carefully analyze the errors when the test is
  graded and returned
• Ask the professor for clarification if you do not
  understand why you lost points

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Disappointed by Your Grade?

• Seek the professors advice with the attitude
  that you want to improve next time.
• Remember test taking is a skill that requires
  TIME AND EFFORT to develop.
• You may want to seek assistance
• Literacy Center- Ana Miller MB 4180
• Math Science Center- Jill Miller MB 4180
• Writing Center- Kellye Manning MB 2100
• Mentor program- Stephanie Hernandez MB 4109
• SI (Supplemental Instruction) Dr. Castro Pass
  Office

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References

• Feldman, Shattles, McKenzie. (2004).Oracle EDU
  1110. Unpublished manuscript, Southern Methodist
• University, Dallas, TX