Title: Taking Tests
1Taking Tests
Chapter 5
EXAM How to Take a Test
2- Tests are not a measure of your value as an
individualthey are a measure only of how well
(and how much) you studied.
3P.O.W.E.R. Plan
- Prepare Readying Your Test-Taking Strategies
- Organize Facing the Day of the Test
- Work Tackling the Test
- Evaluate Taking Your Own Final Examination
- Rethink The Real Test of Learning
4Why Tests Are So Unpopular
- Produce fear
- Cause anxiety
- Increase apprehension
- Focus on grades
5Tests Can Be Valuable
- Identifies what you know
- Compares your performance to others
- Motivates you to study
- But how do YOU feel about tests?
6Tests are a Measurement
- Tests are not a measure of your value as an
individual. - They only measure how well (and how much) you
studied, and your test-taking skills.
7Prepare Readying your Test-Taking Strategies
- Attend class
- Complete all assignments
- Find out what type of test you will be given
- Ask teacher what material will be covered or if
there is a review - Check your syllabus to determine how much the
test will count
8Whats in a Name?
- Quizzes
- Brief assessment covering a small amount of
material, doesnt count much - Tests
- More extensive and covers more material than
quizzes - Exams
- Weighted more heavily, more comprehensive than
tests
9Types of Test Questions
- Essay questions
- Look at the big picture
- See the connections between the facts
- Multiple-choice, true-false, matching
- Choose best answer
- Short-answer
- Brief responses
- True-False
- Accurate or inaccurate
- Matching
- Pair correct items together
- Fill-in
- Add missing words
10Test Anxiety
- Temporary condition characterized by fears and
concerns about test-taking - Prepare thoroughly
- Learn relaxation techniques
- Visualize success
- Form a study group
11Techniques for Dealing with Math Anxiety
- Myths
- Boys are better than girls at math
- Math has no practical value
- Study groups are small, informal groups that are
useful for learning course material.
12To Cram or Not to Cram?
- Hurried, last-minute studying is not the best
answer. Long-term retention is lost and you are
likely to forget the material. - Instead, use your campus learning or tutorial
center resources.
13Organize Facing Test Day
- Bring at least two pens/two pencils to test
- Bring your watch
- Dont forget blue book if needed
- Bring text if open-book test
- Bring eraser
14Work Tackling the Test
- Try to relax and remember to breathe
- Read instructions and skim the entire exam
- Spend time on questions that count the most
- Answer easier questions first
- Write legibly
15Computerized Test-Scoring
- If you feel your test was graded incorrectly, ask
your instructor to go over the test with you. - Computerized testing isnt perfect.
16Conquering Essay Questions
- Turn to page 131 in your text
- Learn the differences between words used in essay
questions - For example, Should students pay for the cost of
copies in the library? - Clarify, Discuss, Justify, State
17Whats the Difference?
- College life is very different from the life of
a student in high school - Explain (give reasons why or how clarify,
justify, illustrate) - Prove (using evidence and arguments, convince the
reader of a particular point)
18Master Multiple-Choice
- Watch out for every, always, only, none,
and never. These are rarely correct answers. - Generally, usually, often, rarely,
seldom and typically may indicate a correct
response.
19Educated Guess
- Eliminate false answers
- Narrow it down to correct answer
20True-False Questions
- Answer the ones you know first
- Dont rush
- Key words such as never, always often
determine response
21Matching Questions
- Match items you know are correct first
- Use educated guess on the rest
22Short-Answer and Fill-In Questions
- Require specific answers
- Be as short as possible
23Academic Dishonesty
- Plagiarism
- Copying anothers work
- Copying anothers idea without giving credit
(quotations needed) - Paraphrasing without giving credit (document
source) - Results in lower grade or expulsion from class or
college
24Academic Dishonesty
- Includes using a calculator when it is not
allowed - Taking an exam for another person
- Stealing an exam
- Using a textbook for a closed-book exam
- Is plain wrong
25Evaluate Taking Your Own Final Exam
- Check your work at the end of a test
- Look for unanswered questions
- Correct misspelled words
- Guess the answer rather than leave it blank
(since it will be wrong anyway) - Know when to stop
26Rethink Reflect on the Real Test of Learning
- When you get the grade back--
- Examine mistakes and learn from them
- Examine your handwriting skills
- Get the correct answers
- Talk to instructor if needed
27Career Connections
Tests do not end with a degree. Many professions
require licensing exams or continuing education.
Careers in medicine, law or business require
national, standardized tests.
28P.O.W.E.R. Plan
29Resources
How to Ace Any Test by Beverley Chin (Wiley,
2004) Test Anxiety and What You Can Do About It
by Joseph Casbarro (National Professional
Resources, 2003)
30Web Links
- Handout of suggestions on approaching
multiple-choice exams - http//www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/mul
ticho.html - Suggestions to manage and reduce level of stress
and test-anxiety - http//www.coun.uvic.ca/personal/stress.html
31Journal Topics
- What makes a test good and bad from your
perspective? - What factors contribute to your success or
failure on a a particular exam? Which are these
factors are under your control? - What strategies do you use when taking tests to
maximize your performance?