Study Skills & Test Taking Tips Presented by Deborah Nettles Career and Retention Advisor Meridian Community College

Seminar Objectives Develop a personalized study plan for academic success Learn note-taking skills to allow for better retention of information Improve time management and organizational skills Learn how to stay motivated and focused Develop better test taking strategies Reduce and eliminate test anxiety

Find Your Learning Style 3 Major Learning Styles: Auditory Visual Kinesthetic Take the Learning Styles Assessment: www.metamath.com/lsweb/dvclearn.htm

What Does This Mean for Me? How Do People Learn ? 1 % through TASTE 1.5 % through TOUCH 3.5% through SMELL 11% through HEARING 83% through SIGHT What Does This Mean for Me?

How Much Do You Remember? 10% of what you READ 20% of what you HEAR 30% of what you SEE 50% of what you SEE and HEAR at the same time 70% of what you SAY as you talk 90% of what you SAY as you DO a thing What Does This Mean for Me?

Study Skills WHEN do you study?

Study Skills WHERE do you study?

Study Skills How many hours do you study per week?

For example: 15 credit hours equal 15 hours a week Study Skills Statistics tell us that a college student should study the same number of credit hours they are studying. For example: 15 credit hours equal 15 hours a week

College Schedule Time Planner Study Skills College Schedule Time Planner

Study Tools Use highlighters Flash cards Audio recorders

Memorization Techniques Study Skills Memorization Techniques Acronyms Ex: MCC Ex: ATM Ex: USA Ex: KFC

Memorization Techniques Repetition Word Association Etc. Study Skills Memorization Techniques Repetition Word Association Etc.

Study Skills Name the Great Lakes ?

Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie or Superior Study Skills Name the Great Lakes ? HOMES Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie or Superior

Try the Cornell Note Taking System Note Taking Skills Try the Cornell Note Taking System

Test Anxiety A combination of physiological over-arousal, worry and dread about test performance that often interferes with normal learning and lowers test performance.

Test Anxiety What does test anxiety feel like? Physical distress symptoms such as headaches, nausea, faintness, feeling too hot or cold, extreme emotions (laughing, crying, anger), feeling helpless.

Test Anxiety Affects thinking ability. It can cause you to black out or have racing thoughts that are difficult to control.

Test Anxiety Remember, test anxiety can be minimized by doing the following: Be well prepared for test Avoid “cramming” for the test Maintain a healthy lifestyle, get enough sleep, good nutrition, exercise Positive thinking Avoid distractions Calm yourself with self-talk

What is a test ? A test is defined as a critical examination, observation or evaluation. A procedure used to measure the skill, knowledge, intelligence, capacities, or aptitudes of an individual or group.

Types of Tests Multiple Choice Tests True/False Tests Short Answer Essay Exams Online Open Book

Multiple Choice Tests Look for answers that are grammatically correct Look for root words in the answers that are similar to words in the stem Eliminate silly or suspicious choices If you see “all of the above” or “none of above” and 2 of the response are true, that is usually the correct answer

Multiple Choice Tests Which of the following is the IT capital of India? A. Bangalore B. Mumbai C. Mysore D. Mexico

Multiple Choice Tests The correct answer is: A. Bangalore

True/False Tests For a statement to be true, each part must be true. One detail can make an entire statement false. These words tend to make a statement false – never, none, always, all, every, only, some, many, often Ex: Everyone should exercise daily.

True/False Tests Double negatives (two negatives in sentence) tend to indicate a positive relationship in standard English, just as in algebra multiplying two negative numbers equals a positive number. Ex: Aspirin is not an illegal drug. Hint – Cancel the negatives to turn questions into a positive statement. Aspirin is not an illegal drug. True or False.

Short Answer Tests Make sure you understand the question. Compare/contrast Describe/apply Explain Illustrate Write a concise answer, do not ramble Check for spelling and grammar errors

Online Tests Be sure to watch the time. Review answers as you go. Some online tests end quickly and will not give you the opportunity to review answers. Read directions to ensure you are answering correctly – ex: click on answer, up/down arrow or submit button.

Open Book Tests Study for test as if you are studying for a closed-book test Familiarize yourself with the book Highlight important points, use post-it notes and bookmarks; if it is allowed Answer the questions you know first, then go back and answer the questions where you need to reference the textbook

Before the Test Be sure to get enough rest Eat breakfast or a snack Ask last minute questions Listen carefully to instructions Read directions carefully and underline/circle important parts Unload (transfer information in your brain to the back of the test paper)

During the Test Watch your time, pace yourself Complete the easiest problems first Complete the problems with the most point values first If you have time left, go back and review questions If you do not know the answer, try an educated guess.

After the Test Review the questions and check your answers Make sure you understand your mistakes If the instructor reviews the answers, be sure to take notes Keep the test as study material if final test is cumulative

Studying is the key to test taking. Preparation Studying is the key to test taking.

Review Plan enough time for study Study at the same time every day Plan study periods to follow classes Space study periods Plan for weekly reviews Leave some unscheduled time Make use of your alert time Don’t forget FREE TIME

Resources Test Taking Tips Memorization Tips www.testtakingtips.com Memorization Tips www.memorizationtips.com DVC College Learning Styles www.metamath.com/lsweb/dvclearn.htm Essential Study Skills by Linda Wong Houghton-Mifflin Company, Fifth Edition

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