2.  Are more likely to use appropriate strategies when taking tests; and are more "test-wise" than their peers.  Have positive self-esteem  Have greater self-confidence in their abilities  Do not feel intimidated by tests  Feel well prepared for tests  Are persistent with regard to their school work and doing well on tests  Have been exposed to a variety of testing situations

3. The research also suggests students who are test- wise are more successful in testing situations because they:  are able to follow instructions and directions;  are familiar with item formats;  know how to avoid common mistakes;  know how to use their time effectively and efficiently;  can maximize their scores by informed and educated guessing;  have been exposed to a variety of testing situations;  and can apply test-taking strategies to solve different kinds of problems.

4.  1. Following direction closely  2. Budget time appropriately  3. Check work carefully  4. Reading the entire stem and ALL answer choices  5. Answer easier questions first and persist to the end

5.  6. Make educated guesses  7. Using “real test-liked” item formats for practice  8. Review the practice items and answer choices with the teacher or other students  9. Practice using answer sheets

6.  Read the test items carefully and completely  Strike out wrong answers  Mark answers clearly and consistently  Change your answers cautiously  Take educated guesses  Look for clues  Do not spend time thinking about how the question could have been written better  Check for clues in other questions

7.  Every part of a true sentence must be "true" If any one part of the sentence is false, the whole sentence is false despite many other true statements.  Notice ABSOLUTES such as  all, none, not, always, never, no, equal,  Notice QUALIFIERS such as  most, some, usually, sometimes, great, much, little more, less

8.  Read carefully  Analyze the question  Map your ideas  Create an outline  Reflect the question in opening sentence  Write like a reporter  Proofread

9.  Highlight, underline, or circle the key details in the questions. This helps you focus on exactly what the question is asking you to do.

10.  Predict what the answer is BEFORE you read the choices.

11.  Read ALL of the answer choices! Eliminate any choice(s) that you know are not the correct answer. The choice is obviously “trash!”

12.  Once you have chosen your answer, plug it in and make sure that it makes sense! (this works really well with vocabulary questions).

13.  Charts and Maps provide information that you can use to answer questions! Analyze ALL information provided before answering the questions!

14.  Don’t leave a question unanswered. You will not have ANY chance of getting it right.

15.  When you have completed the test, go back and check your work!

16.  Trace – Indicate how something developed  Summarize - Provide the principal (main) points  Relate - Show links between/among topics  Prove - Confirm a point with facts/details  Justify - Give the reason or purpose of a statement  Interpret - Show that you understand the meaning

17.  Illustrate - Indicate some examples  Describe and Explain – Clarify the subject with major details and evidence  Criticize, discuss, evaluate – Give positive and negative elements of subject and draw conclusion  Contrast - Finding differences  Compare - Usually means looking for similarities  Analyze - Break subject into sections and deal with each one

18. Don’t :  Over-study  Study up to the last minute  Wait until the day before the test to seek help Do:  Get enough sleep  Do practice tests beforehand  Get there on time  Take a deep breath  Positive Self-talk  Pace yourself  Answer each question  Visualize yourself being successful on the test.

19.  Cohen, A. D. (2006). The coming of age of research on test-taking strategies. Language Assessment Quarterly, 3(4), 307-331.  Frederiksen, J. R. & Collins, A. (1989). A systems approach to educational testing. Educational Researcher, 18(9), 27-32.  Gulek, C. (2003). Preparing for high-stakes testing. Theory into Practice, 42(1), 42-50.  Kilian, L. J. (1992). A school district perspective on appropriate test-preparation practices: A reaction to Popham's proposals. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 11(4), 13-26.  Ritter, S. & Idol-Maestas, L. (1986). Teaching middle school students to use a test-taking strategy. Journal of Educational Research, 79(6), 350-357  http://chesterfield.k12.va.us/Schools/Chalkley_ES/SOL/test_taking_strategies.htm  www.uwp.edu/departments/learning.assistance/documents/testanxiety  www.uc.edu/learningassistance/documents/Test_Taking_Strategies  Zatz, S. & Chassin, L. (1985). Cognitions of test-anxious children under naturalistic test-taking conditions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53(3), 393-401.