Test Your Best: Quiz & Exam Tips Presentation By: Jennifer J. Hemker, Academic Coach Bellevue College

Be Prepared… Physically Emotionally Intellectually

The Basics  Get a good night sleep (Don’t stay up too late the night prior)  Eat a healthy breakfast (1 bowl of Cheerios is not good enough)  Limit caffeine prior to taking a quiz or exam  Limit stress Be Prepared Physically

Limiting Stress  Relax  Meditate, pray, take deep breaths  Listen to music right before the test (something you like)  Exercise (go for a run or do yoga) before a test if possible  Avoid situations or people that can trigger unnecessary anxiety

 Think positive thoughts (I am going to ace this quiz!), write them down  Think of a happy place or calming picture in your head  Clear all negative thoughts from your head (at least temporarily)  Do the easy questions 1 st (it will bulk up your confidence)  Stay in a good place, do not be discouraged  You will be the most pleased with your performance if you do your best! Be Prepared Mentally Achieving a Positive State of Mind

What to Study Be Prepared Intellectually  Focus on major concepts, themes, ideas of the chapter (if taking a quiz) and do the same for the entire course (if taking an exam)  Read all required material  Review notes  Do NOT study what you already know  Review previous quizzes and exams

Be Prepared Intellectually The Basics How many questions are on the quiz/exam? How much time will there be to complete the quiz/exam? Will the quiz/exam be timed? What type of questions will be on the quiz/exam? Multiple choice, True/False, Essay? How many points is the quiz/exam worth total? Each question? If the quiz/exam is on computer can you skip answers or go back?

Quiz/Exam Prep  Arrive to class early or block off a significant amount of uninterrupted time if taking a quiz/exam online  Clear a space  Put your cell phone away (make sure it is on vibrate or silent)  Try to limit distractions  Have notes, textbook, and/or course materials easily accessible if instructor allows for such resources to be used Be Prepared Intellectually

Taking a Quiz/Exam  Keep calm (take deep breaths)  Keep an eye on time  Complete the easiest questions first  Complete the questions that have the highest point value first  Do not stress if you come across an unfamiliar question – apply your knowledge

Answering Multiple Choice Questions  Answer the easy questions first  Skip difficult questions (if possible) and revisit them  Use the “Cover-Up” method  Eliminate options that are obvious wrong answers  Pay special attention to words such as: always, never, only, not, except, and but.  Try making the options into True/False statements  Go with your first choice

Answering True/False Questions  Less definite terms such as: often, frequently, sometimes, should tend to be TRUE  When in doubt, majority of statements are TRUE  Verify that every part of the statement is true, especially if it is a long statement. If any part seems false than most likely it is FALSE  Look for qualifiers and absolute terms: never, always, only = FALSE ~ or ~ Remember that instructors can and do make mistakes

Answering Essay Questions  Identify key words in the question  Take a few minutes to outline  Follow the outline  Support your opinion or statements  Summarize  Make sure paragraphs are cohesive and concise