10 Best Test Taking Skills for All Students
- Recognize that a certain amount of anxiety is normal.
- Identify and eliminate negative self-talk. If you tell yourself you will fail, you will. Also keep your distance from others who practice self-doubt. Support yourself and your classmates by being positive.
- Close your eyes and take deep breathes before starting your exam.
- Read the question thoroughly and completely, be sure you know exactly what is being asked.
- Try to answer the question before looking at the answers.
- Don't panic. If you come across on question you don't know the answer to, don't spend the entire test time trying to figure it out. Move on, the answer may come to you as you work your way through the test.
- Manage your time, be sure you know how much time you have and utilize the time well. Use as much time as you need but budget your time so you don't have to rush through the last questions.
- If you notice that you are starting to feel anxious, take a moment to close your eyes and take a couple of deep breathes.
- Review if time allows, but only change your answer if you are sure you made a mistake, such as misreading the question. Your first response is often right.
- Make sure you didn't skip any questions. Unless there is a penalty for wrong answers make an educated guess for any questions you skipped.
10 Best Test Taking Tips for Multiple Choice Questions
- Read the question carefully. What is the question asking?
- Read the directions carefully. Is it multiple or single select?
- Know if there is a penalty for guessing.
- Try to answer the question before looking at the answers.
- If none of the given options match the answer you came up with, decide which one is closest.
- Read all the answers before making your selection.
- Eliminate answers you know are incorrect. The more you can eliminate the better your odds are for getting it right.
- Don't spend a lot of time on questions you don't know, answer the ones you're sure of first, and then come back.
- Review each answer to see if it grammatically agrees with the stem.
- On a single select question, if an option is "All of the Above" and you know two of the answers are correct, this is probably the correct answer.
10 Best Test Taking Tips for True/False Questions
- Read the question carefully to ensure you understand exactly what is being asked.
- Take a few deep breathes to relax if you find yourself starting to get anxious.
- In order to be true, all of the question must be true. If any part of the question is false the whole question is false.
- Carefully read questions stated in the negative, such as those with the words no, not, and cannot. If you are confused by the question try reading the question without the negative. If it is then true, the opposite is probably false.
- The longer the statement and the more parts it contains, the greater the possibility the question is false. To be true, each subpart of the statement must be true, so break the question down and see if each subpart holds true.
- Qualifiers such a sometimes, often, and generally are clues that demonstrate the possibility of something happening. These statements are often true, but read the question carefully.
- Absolutes such as always, never, none, and only denote that the statement must be true in all cases, no exceptions. This is rarely the case and these questions are often false, but read the question carefully.
- Don't over think the question; usually your first response is correct.
- Skip any questions you are unsure of and come back to them.
- If all else fails guess, you have a 50% chance of getting it right, which is better than 100% chance of getting it wrong if you don't answer.
10 Best Test Taking Tips for Matching Questions
- Read the question carefully to ensure you understand exactly what is being asked.
- Make sure you understand the directions, i.e., are you matching same or different, can you use an answer more than once?
- Take a few deep breathes to relax if you find yourself starting to get anxious.
- Move through the entire list before making a choice; choose the matching pair that is most correct.
- Match those you are sure of first.
- Work from the column with the longest sentence/phrases.
- Look for clues concerning the relationships between objects in the two columns.
- Restate the long sentence/phrase as a question. How would you answer it?
- If you can't find a correct answer, review those matching pairs you already made, do one of those have another option?
- When all else fails, take an educated guess.
10 Best Tips for Managing Test Anxiety
- Recognize that a certain amount of anxiety is normal.
- Don't cram by pulling an all nighter. Prepare for the exam by keeping up with assignments and studying a little every day.
- Get up in time to eat and get to class five minutes early. Being hungry and rushed only heightens your sense of anxiety.
- Identify and eliminate negative self-talk. If you tell yourself you will fail, you will.
- Keep your distance from others who practice self-doubt. Support yourself and your classmates by being positive.
- Close your eyes and take deep breathes before starting your exam. It can help lower your heart rate and help you focus.
- Scan over the test and plan your approach. Start with the easy questions and build confidence
- Don't panic. If you come across on question you don't know the answer to, don't spend the entire test time trying to figure it out. Move on, the answer may come to you as you work your way through the test.
- Don't rush to be the first one done, use as much time as you need but budget your time so you don't have to rush through the last questions.
- If you notice that you are starting to feel anxious, take a moment to close your eyes and take a couple of deep breathes.
