Effective Note taking / Test Prep

Note taking / Test Prep Most of the information that appears on test and quizzes comes from the teacher’s lecture. Notetaking is essential to pass all exams, test and quizzes.

Effective Notetaking Classroom Lecture: Note taking / Test Prep Effective Notetaking Classroom Lecture: Write down the main ideas Write down the details

Note taking / Test Prep Cornell note taking method Outline Mapping 3 Note taking methods Cornell note taking method Outline Mapping

Note taking / Test Prep Cornell Record Column --6 Inches-- Record the lectures as fully as possible. Reduce Column Reduce the main points of this page of your lecture notes. Recall Column --2 Inches-- Reduce ideas after class into a few words. --2 1/2 Inches--

Note taking / Test Prep Outline Nov 15, 2006 World History The Russian Revolution I. Collapse of the Imperial Regime A. WWI a cause of collapse of tsarism 1. War aggravated inherent political weaknesses 2. Government unable to get cooperation of the country in war effort 3. Could not remain in war w/out political changes

Note taking / Test Prep Mapping

Note taking Mapping Examples

What Your Study Sheet should Include Note taking / Test Prep Effective Notetaking Classroom Lecture What Your Study Sheet should Include Organize all notes, old quizzes, and hand-outs Go through each and “Predict” which items will appear on the test. Write these in the left column In the right column write what you need to know about the item on the left. Fold on the pink line. Use it to study. Hint (have someone quiz you )

Note taking / Test Prep Effective Notetaking Classroom Lecture Here is a sample Vacuoles Organelles that store water and food for cell Chloroplast Organelles that plants use to make food Cell theory 1. all organisms are made of one or more cells 2. a cell is the small unit of life 3. all cells come from other cells.

Note taking / Test Prep Effective Notetaking for a Classroom Lecture Review notes and homework from lecture daily/weekly Use flashcard to review vocabulary words Make a study sheet for test review

Note taking / Test Prep Effective Test Tips… Before you Begin Look at the test before beginning. Read all the directions carefully. Answer the questions you know first. Note key words in direction and question

Note taking / Test Prep Test Anxiety Think positively Use a relaxation technique Think beyond the test. What you are going to do after the test Look over the test before you begin (look familiar) Resist the temptation to look at the person’s test next to you.

Notetaking/Test prep Essay test Use the topic sentence in the essay Write the essay so it could be understood by any reader THINK before you write Do begin sentences with pronouns (He,She, It) or because. Use proper grammar Do not use slang In the conclusion restate your position or topic sentence.

Notetaking/Test Prep True/False Educated Guessing- When limiting words such as all, never, always, must – false is the better guess When qualifying words are used such as usually, generally, sometimes- true is a better guess Longer choices are generally false First impressions are usually correct Beware double negative. Cross out both double negatives then read the statement. Test Tips • Usually there are more true answers than false on most tests • If any part of the question is false, then the entire statement is false, but just because part of a statement is true doesn't necessarily make the entire statement true.

Notetaking/Test Prep Multiple Choice Test tips Don't read into questions beyond what is there. Pass over the difficult or debatable questions on your first reading and then come back after completing those of which you were sure. Use information from other questions. Educated Guessing Matching Count the number of items in both columns Do the ones you know first Do the rest of the test before completing the matching section First impressions are usually correct Beware double negative. Cross out both double negatives then read the statement.

Note taking / Test Prep Multiple Choice Educated Guessing When two of four are opposites, pick one of those two. B and C answers are best on four multiple choice questions Avoid pairs. If 11 is B avoid selecting B for 10 or 12 You will never find three A,B,C etc. in a row on a standardized test “All the above” is generally a good guess “None of the above” is generally a bad guess Longest multiple choice answers are good guesses. If two choices are almost identical pick the longest Test taking tips Come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answers, this way the choices given on the test won't throw you off or trick you. Eliminate answer that you know are incorrect “Trust your gut” Go with your first answer

Cramming (the smart way) Note taking / Test Prep The Last Resort Cramming (the smart way) This is not the most effective way to study Be selective – Don’t try to memorize everything. Review the important information from your notes. Make a quick study sheet focusing on what your most familiar with. Recite- Read your study sheet out loud Learn from your mistake- Do not make this your preferred method of preparing for a test.

Note taking / Test Prep Cheating Don’t It’s not worth getting caught and getting zero. Cheating is unfair to you and the student you are cheating off .