1. Day 3 – Test Taking Strategies
Exam Boot Camp
Day 3 – Test Taking Strategies

2. Introduction
Day 1 - Organization & Time Management
Day 2 - Effective Study Skills
Day 3 - Test Taking Strategies
Day 4 - Managing Anxiety and Stress

3. Before the Test
Ensure that you eat before the test, but avoid heavy foods that make you groggy.
Don’t try and pull all nighters (try to get at least 5 – 8 hours of sleep the night before)
Show up on time but don’t arrive to early
Try and avoid discussing with others what you have studied (this can lead to panic)
Go to the bathroom before the test

4. Bring a watch to pace yourself and plan your questioning.
Arriving for the test
Bring extra supplies
at least two pens/pencils with good erasers)
calculator with good batters
ruler
highlighters or coloured pens(at least 3 – 4 colours)
Bring a watch to pace yourself and plan your questioning.

5. Beginning the Test
Be sure to put your whole name on your test right away. (Often students leave this and forget about it)
Scan the whole test immediately – sense of pace, stuff you know, build confidence.
Brain dump – write down any formulas, dates, keys terms before you begin (you may add to this list from Objective questions)

6. During the Test: Strategies - What works best for you??
Strategy
Pros
Cons
Multiple Choice First
Can get clue from the multiple choice for the questions
Can become long and tired of the test before reaching the long answer
Can be easy to lose track of time.
Written Questions First
Getting the longer sections out of the way first
Miss out on clues given in the multiple choice.
Tendency to spend too long on questions (forgetting there is another section remaining
Some multiple choice and some questions
Keeps your mind fresh
Can be difficult transitioning back and forth between the two.

7. During the Test
Do the easiest questions first (don’t stay on a problem too long)
Do the problems that have the greatest point values first
Don’t rush, but pace
Write legibly (teacher will normally give more marks for what can be read)
Record the questions you don’t know, aren’t sure of, or want to add to so you can easily come back to them.

8. Tips for specific types of questions:
Different types of questions involve different strategies!!
Multiple Choice
True and False
Fill in the Blanks
Short Answer
Essay Questions

9. SELECTED Response: MOST COMMON MISTAKES
Assuming there must be a pattern
Spending too much time on the objectives and running out of time for the composed response.
Transferring answers incorrectly from scrap paper
Circling the wrong multiple choice answer.
Leaving an answer blank. MARK THE ONES YOU SKIPPED TO EASILY GO BACK LATER AND FILL IN/GUESS
Answering a question twice – a large majority of students actually circle two answers. REVIEW YOUR ANSWERS!!!
MATH**** Treating questions as automatic answer questions as opposed to mini questions which need to be worked out on paper (like the written response)

10. Multiple Choice Read instruction carefully
Decide on answer first before looking at list of choices, then carefully read each choice
Be sure to read all choices before coming up with an answer (they can be very closely related)
Eliminate the ones you know don’t belong.
If don’t know mark it and skip it (sometimes answer may be another part of the exam)
ALWAYS come back and guess even if you don’t know (if there is no guessing penalty)
First guess is usually the right response
Don’t consider a pattern or the number of a, b, c, d in a row. (This is not a consideration in making up a test)

11. True/False Questions Answer questions you know first
Watch for keywords and qualifiers.
Read carefully - often one word will make an answer true or false
ALWAYS
NEVER
EVERY
If any part of the statement is false it’s usually false
If part of the statement is true, the entire statement is not necessarily true. 11

12. Written Response: MOST COMMON MISTAKES
Not spending enough time on questions, not giving enough information
Not answering the entire question
Ignoring the Clock
Understanding of common keywords (compare, contrast, define, list, explain, etc.)
Not following directions
Leaving an answer blank
Thinking too much – USE YOUR POINT VALUES TO GUIDE YOU
Not putting your name on the test

13. Short Answer & Fill in the Blank
There is usually one best answer… understand the question – underline the key word(s)
Start with key part of the answer, then support
Answer should fit in the space provided (brief is always better)
If lost look at other parts of the exam for help

14. Essay Questions Before Beginning: Read instructions – do 2 of 3, etc.
Decide on the ones you will answer.
Budget your time (look at point value)
Read each question and then start with the easiest
Start by brain storming – jot notes, time lines, charts, number ideas
Create a quick plan for the essay/paragraphs.
Writing essays, you are in control of what material you cover
Build Foundation: become fluent with the big picture
Gather, construct possible questions
Create an outline for yourself
Know how much time you have to write the essay
Give examples 14

15. Essay Questions Writing:
Follow your outline (Don’t continue adding as you go along, this leads to rambling)
You should have a short introduction and conclusion but don’t make them too long. (An essay question on a test will not be in the same detail as an essay you have prepared at home)
Focus on one main idea per paragraph.
Use clear concise sentences, stick to the point and don’t be long winded.
Be sure to give support.
If you aren’t sure about exact dates/numbers, use approximations (“approximately 5000, In the late 17th century)
If you make a mistake, draw a line through it. (Erasing looks messier and takes longer)
Writing essays, you are in control of what material you cover
Build Foundation: become fluent with the big picture
Gather, construct possible questions
Create an outline for yourself
Know how much time you have to write the essay
Give examples 15

16. Written Questions: Common Mistakes
Often written questions have several questions in one. The most common mistake made by students in writing answers is to respond to one or a few questions, but not all. This happens for different reasons:
Forget about the other questions
Get rapped up in responding to one part.
Work one the first part and don’t get time to respond to the other sections.

17. Solution: Highlighting Method
Read the question carefully first and highlight the many different sections/smaller questions before even beginning, a different colour.
Number the different questions so you know how many sections/parts you need to have to your answer.
Write your answer responding specifically to each section.
Use your highlighter again in your answer to be sure you have each section covered.

18. Highlighting Method:
What is Exam Boot Camp? Tell me what you do in this program, what you have learned so far, what you like and what you don’t like about exam bootcamp.

19. KEYWORDS TO KNOW!!!!
List
In point or numbered form, with no explanation
Define
Provide a definition.
Explain
Provide an answer that gives a complete overview or clear description of the problem and solution for a particular question.
Analyze
Take apart a concept or a process, and explain it step by step.

20. KEYWORDS TO KNOW!!! Contrast Show differences. Compare
Show likenesses and differences.
Diagram
Explain and draw a chart or other visual to illustrate your points.
Outline
Provide an explanation with headings and subheadings

21. KEYWORDS TO KNOW!!! - MATH Solve Find x -2x + 3 = -3x + 8 x=11
Factor - Show pieces that when multiplied give you that shown
16xy2 - 8x2 y
8xy(2y-x)
Calculate Find the answer
6+5 x 2 4
Solve Find x
-2x + 3 = -3x + 8
x=11
Simplify Combine like pieces together
4x2 – 5xy -6y2 – 8xy – 4y2 -5x2
-x2 – 13xy – 10y2

22. QUIZ YOURSELF – Practice!!!
Explain the 4 seasons of the year.
List the seven days of the week.
Contrast a boy and girl.
Compare and contrast the physical features of a dog and a cat.

23. Writing Under Time Constraints
Ch.11
Writing Under Time Constraints
Outline
Get to the point
Leave off introductions
Put your answer at the beginning
Avoid wordy rambling writing
If almost no time left use point form (Check with teacher would this be okay if short on time)

24. After the Test
Don’t spend time discussing answers to questions with others (this can lead to panic and stress)
Take some time to relax before beginning studying for the next one. (Try and get a bit of fresh air)

25. RESOURCE Old Exams to Practice:
CRT’s (Grade 9)
Public Exams