Test-Taking Strategies

Basic Test Taking Strategies

“Jail the Detail” Mr. Detail Highlight, underline, or circle the details in the questions. This helps you focus on exactly what the question is asking you to do. Mr. Detail

Be Slick and Predict! Predict what the answer is BEFORE you read the choices. “I think the answer is …”

Slash the Trash! Read ALL of the answer choices! Eliminate any choice(s) that you know are not the correct answer. It gets picked up once or twice a week? Trash Mail Telephone

Plug it in, Plug it in! Once you have chosen your answer, plug it in and make sure that it makes sense! This works really well with vocabulary questions.

Be Smart With Charts & Zap the Maps! Charts and Maps provide information that you can use to answer questions! Analyze ALL information provided before answering the questions!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! If the directions say read…. READ! Pay close attention to signal words in the directions, such as: Explain, Interpret, and Compare.

Be a Whiz…with the Grid! Beware! If the answer is not bubbled in exactly right… YIKES! It will be wrong! Be neat

Keep On Keeping On! If you get to a couple of questions that you just don’t know, don’t give up! Keep trying your best!

If you SNOOZE, You will LOSE! Don’t leave a question unanswered. You will not have a chance of getting it RIGHT if you leave it blank.

“UNPACK” the Question! Underline key words Number the parts of the ? Plan how you will answer Answer using specific details Check off each part as you do it Keep up the great work

Check it Out! Once you have completed the test, go back & check your work! Re-check if time permits….

Test- Taking PIRATES Strategies Teachers Begin teaching students P I R A T E S Strategies

Intelligent guessing strategies…… PIRATES Intelligent guessing strategies…… P - Prepare to succeed-put your name and PIRATES on the test. Make affirmations I - Inspect the instructions R - Read, remember, reduce A - Answer or abandon T - Turn back E - Estimate. Avoid absolutes, choose the longest or most detailed choice, and eliminate similar choices. S – Survey the test

STEP 1- PIRATES Step 1: Prepare to succeed, begin taking the test using the steps PASS: P: Put your name and PIRATES on the test, A: Allot time and order to the sections of the test, S: Say your affirmations and S: Start within two minutes

STEP 2- INSPECT THE INSTRUCTIONS Use the steps RUN: R: Read the instructions, U: Underline what to do and where to do it, N: Note any special requirements.

STEP 3- READ, REMEMBER, REDUCE I got it!! Begin to answer the questions using the techniques of….. READ the whole question REMEMBER what you’ve studied, and REDUCE your choices, marking out the choices that you know aren’t applicable.

STEP 4- ANSWER OR ABANDON Choose to either answer the question or abandon it to make the best use of time. If you abandon it, place a mark next to it to indicate you’ll come back to it if time permits.

STEP 5- TURN BACK When you get to the end of the test, TURN BACK to those abandoned questions and use the ACE guessing techniques. *See next page for ACE*

STEP 6- ESTIMATE Use the ACE guessing techniques. A: Avoiding absolute words, C: Choosing the longest and most detailed answer and E: Eliminating similar choices.

STEP 7- SURVEY Look over the test one more time to survey if you have answered all the abandoned questions and only change an answer if you are positively sure it is right. Usually your first choice is the CORRECT one.

How to Answer Multiple Choice Questions

Answering - Multiple Choice Questions Step 1- Formulate your answer before reading the options Focus on finding an answer without the help of the alternatives.  This process will increase your concentration. Doing this will help you exercise your memory. Step 2 – Eliminate unlikely answers Eliminating two alternatives quickly may increase your probability to 50/50 or better. Use the true-false methods described earlier and find the false alternative.

Answering - Multiple Choice Questions Step 3- Select numbered answers from the middle range, not extremes For example, if the height of a mountain is requested, eliminate 20,000 feet (high), and 3,000 feet (low). Then choose between 8,000 feet and 11,000 feet Step 4- Select answers that are longer and more descriptive Longer (true) answers stand out and contain more detail. Shorter (false) answers are created quickly as throw always. Descriptive detail is given to help you identify the truth.

Answering - Multiple Choice Questions Step 5- Similar answers give you a clue!! (4 answer choices) Two of the choices are very close to the answer Two of the choices are totally wrong 1 of the 4 is the correct choice…use process of elimination!! Step 6- Watch out for “Not True” These questions are tricky!! Remember to reverse your procedure and eliminate truth. Place an “X” next to the true statements, so you identify the not – true statements.

Attention to Detail - Multiple Choice Questions Fill in bubbles fully……. Write neatly………… Erase any stray marks…………. REMEMBER – it is okay not to know everything!!!!!

Commonly Used Testing Vocabulary Words

Testing Vocabulary Words These words may trip up students on the CRCT Test. Please prepare your students by reviewing the following terms!! Usually Means . . . Trace Follow; track it; put in order; outline; step-by-step; from the beginning to the end; list the steps. Analyze Break it down; think through; take apart; figure out; tell me the good and the bad. Infer What seems likely; read between the lines; tell me based on given information; what do you think they are trying to say; make an educated guess. Evaluate Solve; decide; judge; rate; score; sum up; good & bad. Formulate Plan; create; design; derive; come up with, build, show me in words what it means. Describe Paint a picture in words; explain; show me; give details; tell me all about it. Support Prove; give evidence; give details, give reasons; back it up; give me some facts. Explain Tell; give steps; tell me in your own words; your opinion Summarize Review; what do you know; what’s the most important thing; main ideas; recap in a few sentences, give me the main ideas in a few sentences. Compare Same; alike; similar; all the ways they are the same. Contrast Opposite; different; all the ways they are different Predict Guess; name the effects of what will happen next; look ahead and tell me what you think will happen.

Remember: One Bus... One Direction... Moving Forward with great scores!! Created on 4/5/14 by nla