Taking The Test Tips on Taking Multiple-Choice Tests

1. Taking The Test Tips on Taking Multiple-Choice Tests The following tips are based in part on a document prepared by: Steve Houseworth, Duke University Sociology Dept. and Scott Plous Wesleyan University Psychology Dept.

2. LOOK OVER THE TEST AND PACE YOURSELF When you first get the test, don’t just plunge into answering test items.

3. Thumb through the pages and get the lay of the land. • How many questions are there? • How many different sections? • Are some questions worth more points than others?

4. Once you have looked over the entire test, try to estimate what pace you should maintain in order to finish approximately 10 minutes before the testing period is over. This will allow you some time at the end to check for careless mistakes like skipped questions and misread items.

5. Some of the worst problems occur when: • Students enter a time • warp and forget to check • the clock. • Students spend too much time on one or two difficult items.

6. Test Activity Timer Will help you keep up with time during the testing session. Ask your teachers: 1. What is it? • Can we use it in your classroom? * All teachers have access to one.

7. Take Short Breaks • Stop for a moment • Shut your eyes • Take some deep breaths Periodically clearing your head in this way can help you stay fresh during the testing session.

8. “Remember” You receive NO POINTS for being the FIRST ONE to complete the test!!

9. Don’t Skip Around There is a difference in skipping around and going on to the next item on a test when you are unsure of the answer for the current item.

10. If you skip from one question/section to another, you may not remember to return to those items you skipped.

11. You should always try to answer questions in order, as they appear on the test.

12. If you are truly baffled (can not recall the content) by a question, make a mental or written note, and continue on with the test returning to that question later.

13. First Answers Are • Usually Correct • Don’t speed through items • with the idea of going back • later to change answers • you are unsure of.

14. Taking time to think through each question usually means that your initial answer will be correct. • There are always exceptions to the rule, but best case practices show that the first time through the test is when you are more likely to answer correctly.

15. What To Do If More Than One Answer Seems Correct If you are utterly stumped by a question, the following strategies will help you narrow the field and select the correct answer:

16. Ask yourself whether the answer your are considering completely addresses the question.

17. If the answer is partly true, • it is probably not the right • answer. • If the answer is only true • under narrow conditions, • it is probably not the right • answer.

18. If you have to make a significant assumption in order for the answer to be true, and you teachers have not given you similar questions, expecting you to make similar assumptions, don’t use that answer.

19. 2. If you think an item is a trick question, think again.

20. There are very few instances that a test item would be written with the intent to deceive. • If you suspect that a question is a trick item, you may be reading too much into the question.

21. Try to avoid imagining • detailed scenarios in • which the answer could • be true. • “Trick questions”, in • most cases, are only • tricky because they are • not taken at face value.

22. 3. If, after your very best effort, you cannot choose between two alternatives, try vividly imagining each one as the correct answer.

23. Most people often “feel” • that one of the answers • is wrong. • Trust this feeling – • research suggests that • feelings can be correct, • even when recall is poor. • Go with that “gut feeling”.

24. Although this tip is not infallible, many students find it useful and come up with the correct answer.

25. Two Basic Test Taking Strategies

26. Strategy One BREATHE!

27. The night before the test when you can’t get to sleep – Breathe!

28. On the morning of the test when you are feeling nervous – Breathe!

29. As you open the test booklet – Breathe!

30. When you read a certain question – Breathe!

31. When you get a knot of anxiety in your stomach – Breathe!

32. Take the time to give yourself three deep breaths. Why?

33. Breathing deeply allows you to take in more oxygen. • More oxygen renews all your systems, including your brain!

34. Deep breathing directly counters anxiety and tight muscles. • Deep breathing lowers tension and reminds you to relax.

35. Strategy Two Practice Positive Self-Talk!

36. What is self-talk? A message we say about ourselves, either out loud to a friend or internally to ourselves.

37. We tend to believe our self-talk messages.

38. Negative Self-Talk About Test Taking • “I’m scared to death.” • “I don’t know this stuff.” • “I know I’m going to bomb.”

39. Learn to stop these negative messages. • Don’t say them!! • Don’t think them!!

40. Positive Self-TalkAbout Test Taking • “I did okay on my practice tests.” • “I know this stuff.” • “I got it right yesterday; I can get it right today.”

41. Positive self-talk doesn’t mean you are a “genius”, but that you have studied, you know the content, and you feel you can do well on the test.

42. Self-Talk Is TRUE!!

43. When it is time for testing, you may try to fool others, but you can’t fool yourself. Either you are ready, or you are not. No amount of self-talk will help ifyou are unprepared.

44. Points To Look For Or Remember When Taking A Test!

45. If you see a response that you anticipated, circle it and then check to be sure that none of the other responses is better. (If you are not allowed to write on the test booklet, use the same process on scratch paper.)

46. “Funny” responses are usually wrong. • “All of the above” is often a correct response. If you can verify that more than one of the other responses is probably correct, then choose “all of the above.”

47. “None of the above” is usually an incorrect response, but this is less reliable than the “all of the above” rule. Be very careful not to be trapped by double negatives.

48. Look for verbal associations. A response that repeats key words that are in the stem is likely to be correct. • Do not hesitate to ask for clarification during a test in the classroom if you feel that a question could be interpreted in more than one way.

49. You should not expect any guidance that would help you discriminate among responses, but the teacher should be willing to help you if the intent of the question is not clear.

50. Read very slowly, running a pencil under the words as you read to avoid mistakes. Re-read the stem when necessary. • Look for key words in the stem which you can relate to key words in the choice.