1. The Art of Test Taking
By Dr. Dolores Kiesler
10/9/2019

2. Pre-test Strategies Test Strategies Post Test Strategies
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3. Pre-Test Strategies Be organized Rewrite notes Study with Others
Spread out your study time
Ask the Instructor about the Test Format
Make and Use Practice Questions
Practice Solving Problems/Answering Questions
Memorize specific facts/formulas/dates
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4. More Pre-test Strategies
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Have Someone Quiz You
Review in a Quiet Place before the Test
Take Needed Items to the Test: Paper, pen/pencil, notes,
calculator, textbook
Don’t arrive too early if you have a lot of anxiety
Don’t listen to other people’s anxiety/fears
Don’t be late to the class
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5. Test Strategies
Listen carefully to the instructor’s directions prior to the test
Ask questions of clarification
Turn your paper over and write acronyms, dates, names that you memorized
Scan through the entire test
Note number of points per section
Allocate time
Read instructions carefully
Begin with T/F, matching, multiple choice
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6. Answer questions you know and skip over ones you don’t know
Hold to your time allocations
Keep moving forward
Don’t second guess yourself
If you are running out of time, outline the remaining essay questions.
Reread essay questions before submitting
Go back and fill in skipped questions
Make educated guesses if appropriate
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7. Post-Test Strategies
Look through notes and textbooks for answers you did not
know; note these for final exam
Learn from your mistakes
--what did you not study?
--what did you not expect about the test?
--what did you forget and why?
Pay close attention to the instructor’s comments
when he or she returns the test
Reward yourself
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8. Test Hints When All Else Fails!
T/F: Watch for words like always, never
Multiple choice: Eliminate answers you know are wrong
Read ALL the choices before answering
Fill in the blank: Look for subject/verb agreement,
the article used, etc.
Essays: Reword the question as your first sentence
Make a brief outline of the answer
Note how many points relative to other essays
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9. Sample Essay Questions
List the ten stages of the developing mosquito larva. (10)
In a paragraph, name and define the five steps of the satellite launching sequence. (15)
During World War I, there were several European leaders who were instrumental in the direction the war and the rebuilding took. Choose two of these leaders and discuss the effects they had both on the war and on the rebuilding efforts. (20)
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