Basic Test Taking Strategies

BASIC TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

Some of these items are from works by Jamie Williams and Edye Mayor.

WARNING: THESE SKILLS MUST BE LEARNED AND PRACTICED.
DO NOT HAND YOUR CHILD THIS LIST AND SAY, DO THIS.

Test taking skills, study skills, and organization skills are interdependent. If one area is weak, you will have to work on that area first. Don't expect that two strong areas will take care of, or balance out, the weak area. If the test is being read to you, you still have the responsibility of learning the material!

Preparing for the Test - Assumptions: you have read the material, or the material has been read to you; you were present in class every day; you have your notes and/or borrowed notes; you have turned in your homework; and you are caught up with assignments in class. If the test is being read to you, see the section on Oral Testing.

Have all the necessary materials: study guides, handouts, notes, homework, textbook and some index cards.
Begin studying a week before the test: review old material daily; if reading out loud helps you to remember, read out loud.
Go through the notes with a red pen and underline critical vocabulary, ideas the teacher lectured about in class and underline with a high lighter topic sentences and number supporting sentences.
Anticipate test questions: what questions did the teacher ask; what questions were assigned from the book? Ask your friends to predict the essay question.
Put words to be learned on one side of the index card and a subject matter definition and the other side. Practice by reading the definitions and then by reading the words. The same is true for formulas.
Review the materials before you go to bed. While you sleep a little person walks around your brain and files things for you.
Wake up and review the material again. You will discover that the little person did a good job! Don't wake up at the last minute and dash to school. Give yourself time to wake up!

TAKING THE TEST

Make certain that you have your study notes, good pencils with clean erasers, pens available.
Listen to the instructions regarding, time, points, use of notes, corrections or additions to the test.
As soon as you are told to get started, write down all the "memorized" items on the back of the test.
Skim the entire test quickly and decide how much time you have per section. Read the essay question and create a space to jot down an idea as you take the rest of the test.
Read the directions for each section and do all the questions that you are certain to know. Don't dwell on ones you don't know. Many times other questions will A trigger the answers to earlier questions that you have skipped.

STRATEGIES FOR SPECIAL TYPES OF QUESTIONS

MATCHING - Read the longer section and then find the answer on the shorter section. Cross off the answer or lightly mark it with a dot to be erased later. If you do not know an answer skip it and go on. Remember to return to this section.

MULTIPLE CHOICE - Read the entire question. Look for the warning words "sometimes, all, never, and NOT".

Eliminate two choices that will not work. Reread the question and read the two choices. Make a decision of which choice is better. If in doubt, put a light question mark by the number and move on.

TRUE/FALSE - Read the entire question. Look for words such as " all, every, always and never". The entire statement must be true. If it is mark it "true". If any portion is not true, then it must be marked "false". Watch for two negative words, then it is a true statement.

FILL IN THE BLANK - The questions with the blank toward the end are answered first. Then look for the middle and then at the beginning.

ESSAY QUESTIONS - The essay question is your topic sentence. Do not start writing! Look at the ideas you have jotted down, Then sketch an outline with key words for each main point, using the previously written ideas if they fit. Then begin your essay. Use the correct vocabulary and underline words that you believe are misspelled. Don't "dummy down" your responses to because you are a lousy speller.

DURING THE FINAL LAP... Go back over the entire test and fill in what you have is missed. Guess at this point. If a question confuses you, ask the teacher. If the teacher is not available, or won't offer to explain, consider, "If you mean this..., then my answer is this.... If you mean..., then my answer is this....".

Don't be the first person to hand in the test. The class isn't going to do anything during the allotted time, so use your time wisely.

WHEN YOU GET YOUR TEST BACK... Check the teacher's math. If there is a math error, at the end of the hour quietly, and with a sincerely voice say, "I think there is a math error on my test; this is the point total I added; will you check it again"? Write the correct answers on the test. If you messed up on the essay test, ask the teacher for pointers so you can do better the next time.

1998, Permission to reproduce is given. CWA