1. Test Taking Strategies… …getting ready for PSSA and beyond. PSSA and beyond.

2. General Guidelines: Gathering knowledge of the truth is the best preparation for tests. Concentrated hours of effective study to force facts into your memory is the best way to prepare for any test.Concentrated hours of effective study to force facts into your memory is the best way to prepare for any test. Teachers sometimes try to test your memory of material by slightly altering it. So test-taking skills can help!Teachers sometimes try to test your memory of material by slightly altering it. So test-taking skills can help!

3. General Guidelines: Always arrive early for a test and take a moment to relax. Reducing your anxiety will boost your confidence.Reducing your anxiety will boost your confidence. Use this time to focus your mind and think positive thoughts.Use this time to focus your mind and think positive thoughts.

4. General Guidelines: Listen attentively to last minute instructions given by the teacher. Missing instructions causes extreme anxiety.Missing instructions causes extreme anxiety. Teachers sometimes make last minute changes in the directions.Teachers sometimes make last minute changes in the directions.

5. General Guidelines: Plan how to use allotted time. Estimate how many minutes will be needed to finish each section.Estimate how many minutes will be needed to finish each section. Set a pace which will ensure completing the whole test on time.Set a pace which will ensure completing the whole test on time. Start with the easiest section to build confidence.Start with the easiest section to build confidence.

6. General Guidelines: Read the test directions carefully, watching for details. You may find that more than one answer may be possible.You may find that more than one answer may be possible. For example, a key detail in the directions may require you to answer only one of two essay questions.For example, a key detail in the directions may require you to answer only one of two essay questions.

7. General Guidelines: Maintain a positive attitude. Don’t let more difficult questions raise your anxiety level.Don’t let more difficult questions raise your anxiety level. Move on - find success with other questions.Move on - find success with other questions. Guess and move on, if you are not penalized for wrong answers.Guess and move on, if you are not penalized for wrong answers. Avoid watching for patterns.Avoid watching for patterns.

8. General Guidelines: Rely on your first impressions. The answer which comes to mind first is often correct.The answer which comes to mind first is often correct. Nervously reviewing questions and changing answers can do more harm than good.Nervously reviewing questions and changing answers can do more harm than good.

9. General Guidelines: Plan to finish with time for review. Return to difficult questions you marked for review.Return to difficult questions you marked for review. Proofread your essays, paying attention to grammar and spelling.Proofread your essays, paying attention to grammar and spelling. Make certain you answered all questions. (Check the back!)Make certain you answered all questions. (Check the back!)

10. General Guidelines: Consider every test a practice session. Test taking is an art which needs refinement.Test taking is an art which needs refinement. Examine each test section thoroughly.Examine each test section thoroughly. Identify your “fault patterns”.Identify your “fault patterns”. Talk with your teachers about your scores.Talk with your teachers about your scores.

11. Guidelines for: ANSWERING MULTIPLE- CHOICE QUESTIONS Formulate your own answer before reading the options. Focus on finding an answer without the help of the alternative answers.Focus on finding an answer without the help of the alternative answers.

12. Guidelines for: ANSWERING MULTIPLE- CHOICE QUESTIONS Eliminate unlikely answers first. Eliminating two alternative answers may increase your probability to 50% - or better!Eliminating two alternative answers may increase your probability to 50% - or better!

13. Guidelines for: ANSWERING MULTIPLE- CHOICE QUESTIONS Select numbered answers from the middle range, not the extremes. If the height of a mountain is requested, eliminate 20, 000 ft (the high) and 3,000 ft (the low). Then choose between 8,000 ft and 11, 000 ft.If the height of a mountain is requested, eliminate 20, 000 ft (the high) and 3,000 ft (the low). Then choose between 8,000 ft and 11, 000 ft.

14. Guidelines for: ANSWERING MULTIPLE- CHOICE QUESTIONS Choose answers that are longer and more descriptive. Longer (true) answers stand out and contain more detail.Longer (true) answers stand out and contain more detail. Shorter (false) answers are created quickly as “throw-aways”.Shorter (false) answers are created quickly as “throw-aways”. Descriptive detail is given to help you identify the correct answer.Descriptive detail is given to help you identify the correct answer.

15. Guidelines for: ANSWERING MULTIPLE- CHOICE QUESTIONS Similar answers give you a clue to the correct answer! One of the answers is correct.One of the answers is correct. The other answer is disguised.The other answer is disguised.

16. Guidelines for: ANSWERING MULTIPLE- CHOICE QUESTIONS Beware of “NOT TRUE?” Reverse your procedure to eliminate the “truth”.Reverse your procedure to eliminate the “truth”. Use true-false methods to find the “false” alternative answer.Use true-false methods to find the “false” alternative answer.

17. Guidelines for: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS Organize your thoughts before you begin writing. Make a short outline on a separate piece of paper.Make a short outline on a separate piece of paper. Use the topics and the key introductory words.Use the topics and the key introductory words.

18. Guidelines for: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS Paraphrase the original question to form your introductory statement. This process helps you to get the question straight in your mind.This process helps you to get the question straight in your mind. Restating the question also helps the teacher to see HOW you understood what is being asked.Restating the question also helps the teacher to see HOW you understood what is being asked.

19. Guidelines for: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS Format a clear and focused response. A COMPLETE answer has a main idea, supporting details, and illustrative examples from the text.A COMPLETE answer has a main idea, supporting details, and illustrative examples from the text. Form a clear thesis and place it as near to the beginning as possible.Form a clear thesis and place it as near to the beginning as possible. Provide clear explanations to back up the main concept, using text references.Provide clear explanations to back up the main concept, using text references.

20. Guidelines for: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS Write clearly! Write or print clearly.Write or print clearly. Be neat; don’t smudge your paper.Be neat; don’t smudge your paper. Reread your writing to be sure your answer makes sense and is logical. Be sure you have answered the question that was asked.Reread your writing to be sure your answer makes sense and is logical. Be sure you have answered the question that was asked. Save some space for a brief, but adequate summary.Save some space for a brief, but adequate summary.

21. Guidelines for: ANSWERING ESSAY QUESTIONS Use lists or bullets wherever possible. Numbers or bullets allow your points to be seen easily.Numbers or bullets allow your points to be seen easily. Never bury your lists or key points in the middle of a paragraph.Never bury your lists or key points in the middle of a paragraph. If you must use a long paragraph, underline your key points.If you must use a long paragraph, underline your key points.

22. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 1.The right answers in multiple choice questions tend to be: A. Short. B. At least a paragraph long. C. Longer and more descriptive. D. Hard to decipher.

23. 1.The right answers in multiple choice questions tend to be: C. Longer and more descriptive.

24. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 2.When guessing on a multiple choice question with numbers in the answer: A. Always pick the most extreme. B. Pick answers in the middle range. C. Skip it. D. Always pick “D”.

25. 2.When guessing on a multiple choice question with numbers in the answer: B. Pick answers in the middle range.

26. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 3.What is the process of elimination in a multiple choice question? A. Skipping the entire question B. Eliminating the wrong answers C. Just guessing D. Copying from another student’s paper

27. 3.What is the process of elimination in a multiple choice question? B. Eliminating the wrong answers

28. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 4.What section should you do last when taking a test? A. Put your name on the paper B. The easiest C. The last part of the test D. The most difficult because you have already completed the objective questions.

29. 4.What section should you do last when taking a test? D. The most difficult because you have already completed the objective questions

30. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 5.What should you NOT do when you are taking a multiple choice test? A. Pay attention to patterns. B. Use the provided scratch paper. C. Read each question carefully. D. Read all answer choices.

31. 5.What should you NOT do when you are taking a multiple choice test? A. Pay attention to patterns.

32. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 6.How could one concentrate more on the question? A. Think about it for a long time. B. Try to find the answer without looking at the alternatives first. C. Don’t concentrate - it doesn’t help. D. Look around the room often.

33. 6.How could one concentrate more on the question? B. Try to find the answer without looking at the alternatives first.

34. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 7.What is a good method for guessing? A. Use the process of elimination. B. Always pick answer choice “C”. C. Look at your friend’s paper. D. Choose answers that make an interesting pattern on the answer sheet..

35. 7.What is a good method for guessing? A. Use the process of elimination..

36. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 8.What should you NOT do when taking a test? A. Answer the questions as fast as possible. B. Read all of the printed directions carefully. C. Read each question carefully. D. Don’t listen to last minute instructions.

37. 8.What should you NOT do when taking a test? A. Answer the questions as fast as possible.

38. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 9.What is good advice when doing open-ended questions? A. Answer as briefly as possible. B. Keep details to a minimum. C. Explain your thinking using main ideas and supporting details. D. Leave questions you don’t know blank.

39. 9.What is good advice when doing open-ended questions? C. Explain your thinking using main ideas and supporting details.

40. A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUIZ 10.What should you rely on when taking a test? A. Your neighbor B. Your knowledge C. Nothing D. MTV

41. 10.What should you rely on when taking a test? B. Your knowledge

42. Questions…are there questions???