TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

ASK QUESTIONS O When is the test? O What material will the test cover? O What types of questions will be on the test?

DEVELOP A STUDY PLAN O Decide WHEN, WHERE, and WHAT you will study. O Decide HOW you will study. O Plan to study a little each day. O Study Materials: O Textbook O Assignments O Notes O Test Reviews

GENERAL RULES O Before beginning the test, ALWAYS READ ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS! O Answer the easiest questions first. O Don’t leave any questions blank. O If you are using a scantron, be sure to fill it in correctly.

TRUE – FALSE TESTS 1. Read all directions. 2. True/False questions often contain clues to help determine whether they are true or false. 1. These words are usually found in false statements: ALL, ALWAYS, EVERY, ONLY, NONE, NEVER. 2. These words are more often found in true statements: SOME, USUALLY, SELDOM, SOMETIMES, PROBABLY, MAINLY, OFTEN, EXCEPT, RARELY. 3. Look carefully at the sequence of statements. The facts may be accurate, but the order may cause the statement to actually be false. 4. In order to be true, the entire statement must be true. 1. If any part of the statement is false, the answer is false.

SAMPLE TEST 1. All musicians can read music. 2. It seldom snows in tropical climates 3. George Washington was elected president after Abraham Lincoln. 4. There is only one meaning for the word “play.” 5. In the U.S., presidential elections are held every 6 years. 6. Computers can always out-think people. 7. Studying never helps improve grades. 8. Most teachers are right handed.

MATCHING TESTS 1. Read all directions! 2. Count all choices in each column. If one column has more choices than the other, work the column with fewer choices. 3. If both columns have the same number, look at the column with the explanations first because they may contain clues. 4. When you choose an answer, cross it out so you will not have to read the choice again

SAMPLE TEST 1. Baseball 2. Football 3. Soccer 4. Tennis 5. Skiing 6. Swimming A.Use your head, use your feet, but in this sport, don’t touch the ball with your hands. B.Does it sound like a sport if it has tees, birdies, eagles, woods, and irons? C.If you think a lap is only what happens when you sit, you’ve never tried this sport. D.If stealing is a sin, how come players of this sport steal bases all the time? E.This sport can leave you cold atop a mountain with only poles to help you down. F.In this sport, even if you smash someone, you could still be in love. G.A math problem: Explain how this sport takes three hours to play four fifteen minute quarters.

FILL-IN TESTS 1. Read all directions! 2. Read the first statement. If you know the answer, fill it in. 3. If you are unsure of the answer, skip this statement and go on to the next one. 4. After you have completed filling in all the blanks you can, go back to the statement(s) you did not know and look for key words. 5. Do not leave any blanks empty. 6. If a word bank is provided, don’t forget to cross out each word after using it. 7. Reread the statement with your answer to see if it makes sense.

SAMPLE TEST MouseMenuPort MonitorPrinterGigabyte 1.If you want a thousand bytes of memory get a. 2.Although it doesn’t squeak, a does move a cursor around. 3.After reading this, a waiter won’t come up, but your programs will. 4.To get a hard copy of information, you will use your. 5.A socket on the back panel of the computer where you can plug in a cable to connect another device is called a. 6. It may look like a T.V. screen, but it is a.

MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS 1. Read all directions! 2. Read the first question and attempt to predict an answer before reading the answer choice. 3. Read all answer choices and eliminate all impossible answers (actually cross them out with one line). 4. Choose the answer that makes the most sense to you. 5. Don’t leave any answers blank. 6. Make sure you fill out the answer sheet correctly.

SAMPLE TEST 1. The capital of the United States is: 1. Butte, Montana 2. Austin, Texas 3. Washington, D,C. 4. New York, N.Y. 2. The national anthem of the U.S. is: 1. The Star Spangled Banner 2. American Pie 3. America the Beautiful 4. Hail to the Chief 3. The clause that describes a noun or pronoun is: 1. Santa Clause 2. Adverbial clause 3. Independent clause 4. Adjective clause

1. All of the following are states EXCEPT: 1. Oregon 2. Maine 3. Washington D.C. 4. Texas 2. The head of the British monarchy is: 1. The president 2. The prime minister 3. The king or queen 4. The Beatles

ESSAY TESTS 1. Read the essay question. 2. Write a brief outline of the main points you want to include. 3. Reread the essay question and restate it. This will be your opening or lead sentence. 4. Write the essay by following your lead sentence with the facts in your outline. Conclude the essay with a restatement of your lead sentence.

SAMPLE ESSAY QUESTION O Discuss ways, both positive and negative, that computers are affecting the world.

Write the opening sentence of the following essay questions 1. How are rap music and country music alike in the way they depict life? 2. Discuss the various theories, such as a meteorite, disease, or climate change, as reasons why dinosaurs became extinct. 3. Describe how advances in communication technology have affected your life.