1. Academic Success Center’s guide to help you succeed on your tests!
Test Preparation
Academic Success Center’s guide to help you succeed on your tests!

2. “Make preparations in advance.
You never have trouble if you are prepared for it.”
~ Theodore Roosevelt

3. Coping with Test Anxiety
What Causes Test Anxiety?
Lack of preparation as indicated by:
cramming the night before the exam.
poor time management.
failure to organize text information.
poor study habits.
Worrying about the following:
past performance on exams.
how friends and other students are doing.
the negative consequences of failure.
Source:

4. Coping with Test Anxiety
Confronting and Handling Test Anxiety
Don't think about fear; just think about what you have to do.
Relax; you're in control.
Take a slow, deep breath
Coping with the Feeling of Being Overwhelmed･
Keep the focus on the present; what is it you have to do?
Don't try to eliminate fear totally; just keep it manageable.
You can convince yourself to do it. You can reason your fear away.

5. Planning a Study Strategy
“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”
~Alan Lakein

6. Tips for Test Taking Long Term Prep: Review old tests
Review notes daily after class
Keep up with the reading
Join a study group

7. Tips for Test Taking Ongoing Test Prep: One week before the test:
Prepare a study schedule
Put the material into a useful study tool
Day Before:
Have a brief review session
Get eight hours of sleep
Morning of:
Eat a well-balanced breakfast (Stay away from caffeine and sugar)

8. Know the Test What format will the test be? What will the test cover?
Multiple choice, essay, or fill in the blank
What will the test cover?

9. Preparing for Tests Find a study place without distractions
Restructure your notes:
Get copies of old exams. These can act as “study guides” and help you to plan a review strategy.
Outlines or lists
Concept maps (focus on main concepts)
Flashcards (good for memorization)
Form study groups
Explain the material to someone else
Ask questions
Compare notes

10. Restructuring Notes
Examples:
Concept Map
Outline

11. Tips for Taking a Test Taking the Test:
Arrive early for tests and be prepared.
Read the directions carefully
Answer questions in a strategic order
First easy questions
Then difficult questions
Review your test before turning it in.

12. Multiple Choice Test Circle or underline important words in the item.
Read all the answer choices before selecting one.
Cross out answer choices you are certain are not correct.
Look for hints about the correct answer choice in other items on the test.
Look for answer choices that contain language used by your teacher or found in your textbooks.
Do not change your initial answer unless you are sure another answer is correct.
Only choose ALL OF THE ABOVE if you are sure all the answer choices are true

13. Dealing with Difficult Questions
Eliminate options you know to be incorrect
Question options that grammatically don't fit with the stem･
Question options that are totally unfamiliar to you
Question options that contain negative or absolute words
Be suspicious of questions that use absolute language-It ALWAYS rains on Tuesday- Is this ALWAYS true or just sometimes true

14. Essay Questions Read through the question
If you have a choice of questions, choose a question based on your knowledge
List main ideas
Create a rough outline
Boxes and Bullets

15. GOOD LUCK!