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TESTING TAKING STRATEGIES Before & During Test Before … ….You Should Try to Do the Following: · Get at least eight hours of sleep each night during the week leading up to the test. · Eat a nutritious breakfast the morning of your test. · If you are particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine, monitor your consumption. · Bring any necessary paperwork with you to the test, as indicated in the information and Registration Bulletin, such as a photo ID. · Bring plenty of sharpened pencils and erasers. Scratch paper will be made available. · Complete a few warm-up questions the morning of the test, allowing yourself to get into test-taking mode. During….
· Read the directions carefully, making certain that you understand exactly what is expected. · Read each question carefully and note the key words and phrases so you only have to read the question once. · Always read multiple-choice questions carefully. First pause and try to predict the correct answer before looking at the answer options. · Do not read into the question what is not there. · If you are still unsure about the correct answer, reread the question and try to eliminate one or two choices that are clearly wrong so you can make an educated guess. · Remember: On computer-adaptive tests, you cannot omit an answer. · Budget you time, allowing yourself enough time to answer all parts of the test. · Pace yourself and work carefully; do not allow yourself to become stuck on any one question. · Remember that all tests are timed, even those with accommodations. · Use all of the allotted test time if you need to. There is no prize for finishing before the time limit runs out. · Taking an authorized break STOPS the clock. · Use scratch paper to help track lines of print or mask distraction print. · If you have time left over, avoid changing answers because it is more likely that you will make the wrong choice. Keep in mind that, for some ETS tests, you cannot go back once you’ve locked in your answer. · If there is a rest break between test sections, try to relax and avoid second guessing your performance on the exam. 6 Steps Step 1: Prepare to succeed ! · Put your name and date on the test. · Allot time and order to sections. · Start within 3 minutes. Step 2: Inspect the instructions! · Read the instructions carefully. · Underline what to do and where to respond. · Notice special requirements: § Circle the letter next to the most appropriate choice. § Write “T” or “+” in frontt of statements that are true. Write “F” or “-“ in front of the statements that are false. § Scantron Step 3: Read, Remember, Reduce! · Read the whole question. · Reduce choices: eliminate answers you know are wrong. Step 4: Answer or abandon! · Answer the question. · Abandon the question for the moment. Step 5: Turn Back · Turn back to the abandoned questions when you get to the end of the test. · Estimate unknowns. § Avoid absolutes: All , always, every, no, never, only. § Choose the longest or most detailed choice. § Eliminate similar choices. Step 6: Survey § Survey to insure all questions are answered. § Switch an answer only if you are sure. Types of Exams/Questions
True- False Questions You are presented with a statement and must choose from the two possible answers. v Qualifier may be added to understate or overstate the question or make it just right. Six most used sets of qualifiers: § all – most – some - none (no) § always – usually – sometimes – never § great – much – little – no § more – equal – less § good – bad § is – is not v Whenever one qualifier from a set is used in a true- false statement, substitute each of the others for it, determine which of the qualifiers in the set fits best. If that is given qualifier the answer is true; otherwise it is false. v The following qualifiers imply that the statements they appear in are true 100% of the time:
v Qualifying words that fall between the extremes are generally used in true statements:
v If any part of a true-false statement is false, then the whole statement is false. v Some “tricky,” (and usually false) statements are made up of two “substatements” both of which may be true; the two substatements are connected by a conjunction such as therefore, thus, because, consequently, or so, or a phrase such as, as a result. What generally makes the statement false is the second substatement does not logically forllow the first. v Negative words in true-false statements include not and cannot and the negative prefixes are dis-, un-, in-, im-, il-, ir-, non-, dis-, as inconsequential or illogical. v Think TRUE and guess when you must. Multiple Choice Questions v Most multiple-choice questions are of the incomplete-statement type: a partial statement (called the stem) leads grammatical into four or five sentence endings or options listed directly under it. One of the options is the correct answer; the other (incorrect) options are called distracters or decoys. v In some questions, all of the options may be correct; you will have to choose the best one. v Spend only a few seconds puzzling over a question; mark the question and comeback to it later. The more distracters you can eliminate, the better your chances of finding the correct answer. v Try and use them true-false technique by making a complete statement form the stem, plus each option. v Whenever you find negative words such as not or except in the stem or the options, circle them so they’ll stand out. Make sure you take them into consideration when you choose your answer. v Always circle 100% words such as never, no, none, best, worst, always, all, and every. v Foolish options are usually incorrect. v The option “ all of the above” is usually correct. v Numbers in questions are easy is you have memorized the correct number. v Check for look-alike options. v Check for longer or more inclusive options. Matching Questions In a matching question, two vertical lists of items are placed next to each other. Each list contains words or phrases in random order. The task is to match the items in one list with those in the other list. v Read the directions; scan each column to get an idea of the specific items you will be working with. v When you are certain that you have found a match, fill in the proper letter or number. v Continue to fill in all of the matches that you’re sure of. v As you match the items, circle the letter or number to show that it has been used.
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Disability Resource Center |
