TEST TAKING STRATEGIES
General Strategies
1.
Get a good night’s sleep, and eat a good breakfast.
2.
Relax. Take a deep breath.
3.
Listen to the teacher’s directions.
4.
Read all directions carefully.
5.
Budget time to answer all questions.
6.
Answer the questions you know first.
7.
Mark all questions you need to come back to.
8.
Guess if you don’t know.
9.
Change answers only if you are sure they are wrong.
10.
Take your time…IT IS NOT A RACE
11.
Use all time allowed. Check over answers and re-read directions.
Multiple Choices
1.
Read questions carefully. Watch for phrases like “which is not…” and “…Which is incorrect.”
2.
Read through the entire question, think of the answer, then read all of the possible answers
3.
Cross out the answers you know are wrong. Make a logical guess if you don’t know the answer.
True/False
1.
Read the statement carefully. If any part of it is untrue, the answer is false.
2.
Statements which include the words all, never, no one, and always are often false.
Essay Tests
1.
Read all of the questions. Save the hardest for last. Number the questions in the order you plan to answer them.
2.
Underline key words which give you clues as to how to answer. Explain, define, compare, contrast, list, describe, and give the reasons are words telling you what to do.
3.
Quickly outline your answers. Restate the question in your first sentence and briefly list the points you will cover. Use transitions, and explain each point using examples if you can. Finally, restate your main points in a concluding paragraph. Keep your answers simple and concise.
4.
While writing, re-read the question. Are you sticking to the question and answering all of its parts.
5.
allow more time for harder questions and those worth the most points.]
6.
Be as neat as possible. If you make a mistake, draw a line through the incorrect word(s) and continue.
Matching
1.
Read the answer list first to know all the possible answers.
2.
See if the columns have the same number of items. You might use an item twice or not at all.
3.
If the items are to be used only once, mark them when used so you don’t get confused.
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