Day 65 Lifelong Learning (Test Taking Skills)

Test Taking Skills

Before the Test

Study and review
Try to think of possible questions
Get copies of old tests and do a dry run if possible
Ask the instructor what to expect, i.e. time limits, marks per question

As you Begin

Arrive early
Listen closely to instructor’s instructions
Scan the whole test and evaluate the importance of each section
Set up a time budget appropriate to the mark value
Read and reread instructions, if unclear, ask questions
Jot down memory aids and formulas on the margins of the test

During the Test

Answer the shortest, easiest questions first to build momentum and confidence
Pace yourself and stay to your time budget
Leave plenty of space between essay questions
Look for answers in other questions
In quick answer questions (true/false, multiple choice), your first answer is usually best
If you don’t know, mark it and return to it later

Multiple Choice Questions

Check to see if the test requires more than one answer
Cover the answers and read the question, seeing if you can pick the answer before seeing the answers
Eliminate the answers you know to be incorrect

How to Guess at Multiple Choice

· Make sure there is no penalty for guessing
· If two answers are similar, guess one of these
· If two answers have similar sounding words (intermittent, intermediate), guess one of these
· If the question calls for a sentence completion, pick one that’s grammatically correct
· If two quantities are close to the same, pick one of these
· If the answers cover a wide range (2, 15, 88, 94, 345, 950), pick one in the middle