Personal Skills 1 Examinations SDV101

Exams Test preparation Anxiety Management Test-taking strategies Coping with various types of tests

Taking Charge of Taking Tests Methods and expectations of the instructor Learning how to prepare for specific tests Knowing what to bring to the test Getting started right in the testing room

Instructor Expectations 1 You need to figure out the instructor’s method for giving tests and plan accordingly. Look at the syllabus Look at the handouts Ask about the test How long will it be? How much will the test count towards the grade? What type of questions will there be? True/False Multiple Choice Essay

Instructor Expectations 2 Consult students who have taken the course In lectures watch for “bell phases” or “bell cues” Bell phrases – a verbal indicator of an important point. Bell cues – an action or gesture that indicates important points

Learning How to Prepare for a Specific Test 1 Rehearse study-guide or other practice questions Form study groups with other students to generate practice questions Develop self-study practice sessions Review material emphasized Review material presented in numbered lists Material that large number of pages covered Follow Bloom’s taxonomy

Bloom’s Taxonomy First lower-order critical-thinking skill, memorization, will be tested using: True/false Multiple-choice Fill-in-the-blank Second lower-order critical-thinking skill, comprehension, will be tested by sentence-completion questions. Higher order critical-thinking skills, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, will be tested using essay questions.

Learning How to Prepare for a Specific Test 2 Study throughout the course for exams, not cram! Review the evening before and morning before the test Get a good night’s sleep! Come to the exam well nourished.

Know What to Bring to the Test Writing instruments Pens Pencils with erasers “Blue book” of paper (if required), paper Engineering paper, graph paper Calculator Dictionary, formula book/sheet

Getting Started Right in the Testing Room Arrive on time Means arrive early! Find a good test-taking spot Sitting in the front Away from a door or window Away from a fan or air conditioner

Test Anxiety Thoughts and worries (the mental component) and feelings and sensations (the physical component) of stress linked to test taking Similar to other types of performance anxieties The best recipe for alleviating feelings of panic is to be prepared

5 Techniques for Handling Test Anxiety in the Classroom Press fists against your closed eyes and squint for a few seconds Drop your head forward & slowly roll it left & right 5 times Alternately tense your muscles & then let go Concentrate on breathing slowly in & out Try positive self-talk

Six Step Examination Approach 1 Unload on the back of the test Put your name on the exam Without looking at any questions, flip the exam and unload Review, but don’t answer, the subjective questions (essay or list type) Write short, key points in the margins (unload) Answer the objective questions (T/F, multiple choice) Usually answering these will help with the subjective questions Answer them quickly, do not spend much time on these

Six Step Examination Approach 2 Answer the subjective questions Read the directions! Answer either The easiest first The highest-value questions first Answer questions left undone Usually an unanswered question counts as much as a wrong answer. If so, guess! Put something down! Proofread the examination Use any time you have remaining to review your test

Math, Science, and Engineering Give careful thought to the early steps in working your problem solution Check each calculation as you do it If you are running out of time, show the steps or formulas you intend to use/do Save some time at the end of the exam (5 minutes) to check over your work

Mastering Objective Questions Choose, guess or SWAG See if you can eliminate half of the distractors, if you can, then choose Answer relatively quickly, mark those you are unsure of with an “*”. Allow for second thoughts, but only if you are well-prepared for the exam. If not, your first attempt tends to be the best.

True/False Don’t waste a lot of time Be aware that more answers are apt to be true than false Be aware longer statements tend to be true Read carefully to see that every part is true Look for qualifier words Statements with absolutes (‘always’ or ‘never’) Usually false Statements with moderators (‘usually’ or ‘often’) Usually true

Multiple-Choice Answer the question in your head first Eliminate incorrect answers Mark and return to questions that are difficult Try out each option independently with the question Be careful about “all of the above” , “none of the above” or “Which item below is not”. Look for opposite choices, plural vs. singular.

Multiple-Choice When all else fails, guess If two options have similar words or similar sounding words, choose one of them If options are numbers, pick in the middle Consider that the first option is often not correct Pick a familiar term over an unfamiliar one The more distractors you can eliminate, the higher the percentage of selecting the correct answer.

Matching Questions If it is not indicated in the stem of the question, ask if items can be used more than once If items are not used more than once, the process of elimination is in your favor. Read all choices before answering, answer the known items first

Fill-in-the-Blank Read the question to determine what kind of answer is needed. Name, a place, a date, etc. May trigger your memory Make sure the answer fits grammatically and logically (Tense, plurality, etc..)

Short and Long Essays Short-answer essay may be a brief one-word or one-sentence answer to a short-answer question, a one- or two-paragraph essay, or a list or diagram Long-answer essay generally requires three or more paragraphs to answer

Short Answer Essays Due to the time available, it may be prudent to complete these items last. Identify what the “Point Value” of these questions are to determine importance to the overall exam. Exploit your knowledge. It is alright to write more than what seems required. Especially, if the instructor is looking for key words, which they are!

Long-Answer Essays Instructors typically check to see if the following standards are met: Relevance Completeness Accuracy Organization Logic Clarity

Strategy for Long-Answer Essay 1 Read the directions! Look for guiding words in the directions Discuss, define, compare, analyze, … Circle or underline these words If you have a choice of questions to answer Read them all, pick the best one for you Brainstorm ideas Jot down key points, ideas Review and underline the most important ones

Strategy for Long-Answer Essay 2 Supporting details Address each of the evidence items in detail Each should be addressed in a separate paragraph Use transitional sentences to connect the supporting details Summary Summary paragraph Restate your position

Achieving Clarity Write legibly Watch your time! Pen is usually better than pencil, but does not lend itself to easy correction. Neatly Use one side of paper only Leave generous space between paragraphs and in the margin Allow you to add more when you review Proofread Watch your time!

Questions?