Study Strategies Test Taking Strategies

Objectives  OVERCOMING NEGATIVE THINKING ABOUT EXAMS  ESTABLISHING A REPERTOIRE OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXERCISES THAT HELP YOU RELAX AND UNLOCK BLOCKS IN YOUR THINKING  HARNESSING CRITICAL THINKING AS ONE OF YOUR BEST TEST-TAKING TOOLS  DEVELOPING YOUR OWN KEYS FOR MEMORIZING AND RECALL  ACQUIRING STRATEGIES FOR TURNING MULTIPLE CHOICE DECISIONS INTO MANAGEABLE FUN PUZZLES

PHYSICAL  Wear appropriate clothing  Eat before the exam  Pack a snack for delays  Pack for potential physical discomforts (such as remedies for headaches or gastrointestinal upsets, kleenex, etc.)  Plan to rest before the test so you can do your best

INTELLECTUAL  Think of what you "must" complete versus what you "want or would like" to complete before the test.  Focus on the task at hand. Put all else aside.  Think of the positive aspects instead of the negative aspects. (for example-"I know some things and will be able to figure out the rest)  Learn to have fun; turn the event into fun puzzles.  Focus on the steps in the process rather than only on the outcome of the event.

EMOTIONAL  Tell yourself that you deserve this test. You have worked hard in preparation for the event.  Focus on the good feelings you are experiencing inside.  Have an attitude of preparedness, an anticipation that nothing will happen that you can't control or work through so that your concentration can be maintained.  Act happy - you will be happy.  Think and act as if you make lemonade out of the lemons thrown your way.

HELPFUL TEST BEHAVIORS Physical  Go to bed early  Avoid tight clothes  Write things down (dump)  Avoid or minimize contact with negative people  Stretch  Breathe slowly and deeply  Dance to your favorite music  Whistle a tune  Pet an animal  Do it today; avoid procrastination  Do things in moderation  Stop and smell a flower  Find a "vent partner", someone who will listen without comment  Talk less and listen more  Get to class early  Keep a journal  Drive a different route to school or work  Get to work or school early  Play with a child  Do something new

Mental Actions  Say "no" more often  Identify difficult tasks; do those first  Look at problems as challenges & as opportunities to grow  Look for the silver lining or the good in any person or situation  Believe in yourself  Visualize the positive; visualize winning  Develop a sense of humor  Concentrate on the present, the "here and now"  Have a plan B and a plan C  Remember that stress is an attitude  Share a big grin or smile with a stranger or someone you love  Quit trying to fix others or situations  Strive for achievement, not for perfection - it has to get done, it doesn't have to be perfect  Be aware that thoughts of being perfect perpetuate procrastination  Get focused.

Positive Learning Behaviors  I study at a consistent time daily  I have a daily time set aside for myself to play  I read the chapter summary before the class covering that content  I change my study location from time to time and limit it to two or three consistent places  I use review texts or cards to study  I select background music based on the type of content I will be reviewing  I review with friends for no longer than 1 ½-2 hours and we stick to the point  I take mental breaks when I feel tired or tense while studying  I tell myself I won't know everything

Negative Learning Behaviors  I study only a day or two before the test  I rarely read the text  I study only my notes  I review with friends, and talk more than study  I study with any kind of noise (TV, radio, etc)  I study so intensely that I keep the same position for hours as I study  I never change my study location  I keep feeling bad-I plan to change my study habits, but I never have the time  I think that daily things that pop up are more important, so I wait until the last minute to study  I study only my notes most of the time  During my study time, I keep having flashbacks of how poorly I have done on prior tests  I tell myself I'll need to remember all of the material covered to pass the test.

8 ACTIONS FOR TEST PREPARATION Do something every day a.review some content for each class daily b.set your timer and limit yourself to get the most out of this (10 to 15 minutes) c.do the same for every class

 Use the following process to read each chapter. Read in sequence:  a.the introduction b.the major headings c.chapter summaries d.any content with which you are unfamiliar  Check your syllabus before your classes to increase your listening skills and note-taking ability during class.

 Listen in class a.take notes only with focus on major headings followed only by details unfamiliar to you b.later look up those unfamiliar details  Fall asleep on your books. a.review for tests for minutes then relax, maybe take a nap of at least 1 ½ to 2 hours  Review your notes just before bedtime a.this can increase your ability to retain studied content as long term memory, in some cases for weeks rather than a few days

 Limit study time to 1-2 hours per setting  Use association to remember difficult content a.pneumonics b.make up a story c.think of a symbol d.alphabetize  Your best place to study is: Everyplace! a. always have some type of study cards, text, or notes with you at all times

VARK Study Strategies - Visual Use pictures Maps Flow charts Graphs Diagrams

Visual  Underline Different color highlighters  Use symbols for words

Visual  Convert Note Taking in class To Note Making  Reduce lecture notes 3:1  Draw lots of pictures of ideas  Replace words with symbols & pictures  Make each study page look different  Different color pens  Handwritten notes better than printed Use different font sizes and styles and colors for visual variety

Visual  Notes with white space  Spatial arrangements Remember better & color of text pages where words written

VARK Study Strategies – Aural (Oral)  Attend all classes, discussions, study sessions  Discuss topics with others Small study/discussion groups a must!!!  Explain concepts to others  Video / audio tapes

VARK Study Strategies – Aural (Oral)  Tape record classes  Improve your note taking Leave space for later “filling” Reduce notes 3:1 (Note Making)  Put summarized notes onto tape  Read notes/text aloud

VARK Study Strategies – Read/Write  Put info into lists with headings  Write notes from text and lecture Are good note-takers (verbatim) Keep re-writing and re-writing Re-write into other words Reduce 3:1 by summarizing in own words Keep reading and rereading

VARK Study Strategies – Read/Write  Read topic in multiple sources Do the extra reading  Make index cards  Write diagrams/graphs into words  Mnemonics, crosswords, scrabble games,

VARK Study Strategies - Kinesthetic  Use all your senses Sight Touch Taste Smell Hearing...  Trial and error  Talk about notes with another ‘K’ person  Teach others

VARK Study Strategies - Kinesthetic  Do things to understand Skills lab Applications Case studies Hands-on approaches Write stories, case studies Think of examples

VARK Study Strategies - Multimodal  55%-70% of any group are multimodal  Advantage Have more choices than those with single preference  Disadvantage need to use more modes too  Use strategies from each of your modes identified For example before you buy a new cell phone  See a diagram of how it works  Heard about if from a friend  Read something about it  Tried it for yourself

4 STEP PROCESS TO TEST TAKING  1.Be a detective: Look for clues in the question and among the options  2.Read systematically: read the question first then all the options  3.Read all options before you decide  4.Review practice questions before every test.

 The best piece of advice to take into a multiple choice exam is to  simply read the question critically!

Test Taking Action 1  Once you have made a decision look away from the question, take a slow deep breath then return to the test.  Read the question with the intention of picking up new clues.  Next read your selected answer with this same intention. Go with your initial choice if new information isn't found.  DO NOT CHANGE YOUR ANSWER UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN YOU MARKED THE WRONG ONE.

Test Taking Action 2  Draw a picture of the situation either by closing your eyes for a few seconds or on paper.  Print key words (don't write in cursive).  Connect associated items with lines or directional arrows.

Test Taking Action 3  Reword the question in the format of subject, verb, object.  Leave out extraneous words.

Test Taking Action 4  Be alert to key words such as the following: most, least first, initially, immediately best, main toxic versus therapeutic most likely, commonly, frequently be avoided in addition to always, never  Note unfamiliar words and reword the question without these words

Test Taking Action 5  Look for distracters. Popular examples of distracters are mystery diseases or absurd conditions extraneous information

LAST MINUTE STUDY TIPS  On the day before the test be sure to read over your class notes one last time to identify any gaps in material and specific instructor notes of what you "must" know.  Study before sleeping, since this tends to set the information into long term memory.  Use commercially available review cards or make your own. Highlight hard-to- remember material in yellow or lime green and carry the cards with you so that you can fit in short study sessions at times of unexpected waiting.

 Use a note pad with yellow pages instead of white. Use yellow note cards or sticky notes.  Put them in places you frequently pass to remind you of material you want and need to know.  Put review cards on the sun visor in your car.  Keep a few blank index cards with these along with a pen to jot down content that needs further reading, review, or reinforcement.  Use highlighters that are in the colors of yellow or lime green. (Research on how colors affect memory and recall suggests that these are more effective to get the job done).

 Review in your text the end-of-chapter summaries and the major and minor headings.  Review questions, charts, tables, and graphs in the chapter.  Look at the questions/critical thinking exercises at the end of the chapter  Buy an NCLEX review book and begin to do the practice questions that pertains to the information you are covering in class. (It has been shown that the best preparation for NCLEX exams is to review a minimum of 5,000 questions during your training and before you take the exam)

KILLER TEST QUESTIONS  Killer test questions are questions that ask for: - initial or first action -priority factors or actions -identification of initial or beginning symptoms or signs -anticipated findings  Typically all options will be correct answers.  These are considered to be the harder questions.

Most times you are able to narrow down the options to two. Once this is done….  Is there a time element?  Is there a sequence of human development?  What is the length of the disease process? (acute or chronic)  What are the associated essential concepts? 1.Maslow's hierarchy of needs (physiologic needs take priority over safety and love/belonging needs) 2.Kubler-Ross' death/dying or loss theory (a process of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, & acceptance) 3.The ABCS of airway, breathing, circulation, and safety

 Read the questions, then the options in a sequence from option 'd' to option 'a' instead of the traditional way of reading from option 'a' to option 'd' a. select an option b.reread the question with your selected option to validate your choice

Use this action only if you have no idea of a correct answer!  Use cluster techniques on the options: a.group three options into similar items or categories b.the odd option out is most likely the best option to answer the question c.Go with your first inclination