Chapter 12 Performing Well on Tests and Quizzes

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 2 Two basic types of test questions Essays: Take a broad view and emphasize recollection and organization Objective: Focus on details and emphasize recognition

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 3 What it takes to perform well on a test or quiz Preparation to counteract anxiety An understanding of the question types A systematic approach An ability to learn from experience

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 4 Preparation counteracts test anxiety Works like a fire drill Can be done academically and psychologically

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 5 How to prepare academically Start early Stay on top of your coursework Organize yourself and your study plan Be a study switch-hitter If you have to cram, cram systematically

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 6 Ways to start early Pick up your textbooks as early as you can Read your syllabus Find help if you think you’re going to need it

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 7 How to stay on top of your coursework Take notes Master your material

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 8 How to get organized Organize your time with time schedules Organize your notes with summary sheets

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 9 Time schedules for exam preparation The “homestretch” schedule: Ties off any end-of-semester loose ends so you can focus on your exams. The exam week schedule: Gives you a big picture view of exam week and encourages you to schedule enough time for sleep, meals, recreation, and study.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 10 Summary sheets make your notes more manageable Regular summary sheets can be created from the Silver Dollar ideas in your notes. Advanced summary sheets promote reflection by rearranging and re- categorizing your notes.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 11 Study switch-hitting increases flexibility Use your questions to study answers and your answers to study questions Put key questions and answers on separate cards and shuffle them

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 12 If you have to cram Limit what you try to learn. It’s too late to try to learn everything Recite instead of re-read: The only reliable way to embed important ideas in your mind

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 13 How to prepare psychologically Find out what you can about the exams Get acquainted with the test site Maintain a positive attitude

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 14 Ways to learn about an upcoming exam Check with your instructors. They won’t tell you everything, but instructors will often answer many of your questions about an upcoming exam. Use past exams: Instructors frequently take the same approach to their exams from one semester to the next.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 15 Ways to get acquainted with the test site Spend some time studying at the actual test site Study in quiet Practice at a chairdesk Impose a time limit

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 16 How to maintain a positive attitude Learn to relax: Do breathing exercises Use self-talk: Change any negative internal conversations to positive ones Visualize success: Envision yourself doing well on your exam.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 17 Know the requirements of each question type Understand objective questions Learn the basics of writing an essay

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 18 Objective questions are like pasta Different types, same basic ingredients Basic pasta ingredients: flour and water Basic objective question ingredients: true and false statements

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 19 The basic objective question types True-false questions leave no room for ambiguity Multiple-choice questions are like a cluster of true-false statements Matching questions provide a multiple multiple choice Sentence-completion is multiple-choice without the choice

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 20 True-false strategies Mark “true” if you’re stumped. Most instructors want to supply you with more true statements than false ones. Be wary of longer statements. The longer a statement, the more likely that it will be false.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 21 Multiple-choice can be more complicated than true-false The directions may vary The context is divided The formats can differ

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 22 Multiple-choice strategies – but only if you’re stumped Pick “all of the above” if you’re in doubt. Instructors prefer the truth.. Use the “true-false” technique. A shift in perspective can make some questions easier.. Discard foolish options. They create “noise” and confusion. Choose the middle number in a range of numbers

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 23 Matching question strategies Once you make a match, mark it off Match shorter items to longer ones

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 24 Sentence-completion strategies Clarify any ambiguities with a question. Don’t let misunderstanding lose your points. Disregard the length of the blank. The blank’s length is often arbitrary Treat some sentences as two questions. Multi-blank questions can be easier to solve in pieces.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 25 The basics of writing an essay Understand each question with precision: To write a precise answer you must understand the question precisely Make sure your essay is well-constructed: That means well-organized, well- supported, and neatly written

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 26 Strategies for writing a well-organized essay Answer the question right at the start of the essay Organize things in a recognizable way Use transitions to make your answer easier to follow Wrap things up with a summary

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 27 The support your essay needs Back up your answer with solid evidence Use examples, details, and further evidence Try to incorporate your instructor’s “pet ideas” Steer clear of personal opinions or unsupported statements

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 28 Neatness does count Write legibly and on only one side of a page Use pen instead of pencil to avoid undue smearing Leave “breathing room” around the edges of your essay Avoid needless errors in spelling or grammar

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 29 How to work systematically Read before you answer Map out your time Using markings and jottings

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 30 Things to read before you start to answer The directions The question you’re about to answer if it’s an objective test All of the questions if you’re taking an essay test

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 31 How to map out your time Read the directions and questions first Divide the time that remains by the number of questions you have to answer Try to stick close to your schedule without becoming overly anxious Build momentum by answering the easiest questions first

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 32 Things to mark or jot down Use the back of your exam sheet to jot down ideas you want to remember On the front, annotate questions, cross off items, and highlight important words or questions

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 33 When you get your test back … Don’t throw it away Don’t file it away immediately Do try to learn from it

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 34 How to learn from a test you’ve gotten back Analyze your answers Plot a course correction

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 35 Analyzing your answers Try to correctly answer any questions you got wrong Try to figure out why you got it wrong the first time Look for any patterns in the answers you got right Pay attention to any comments from the grader, especially with essays

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.12 | 36 Need to plot a new course? Navigators and students rely on feedback to decide if a course correction is needed Use what you learned from the last test to come up with study plan for the next one