Tests are the most important way to express the degree of knowledge learned while in any educational institution.  Although you might have homework and small assignments that are reflected in your grade, tests are the major part of any classes' grading scheme.  When you graduate college (fingers crossed) most people will have to take some sort of test before either moving on in this world, or going to more school.  Here are some techniques that have helped me that last couple of years.

            Before taking the test, never think that you can study for a few hours beforehand and expect to do well.  Trust me, that's what I thought my freshman year, and it doesn't work.  Reading the parts of the book is very helpful; and if you highlight the important parts while you go, it helps you to concentrate on the text you are reading and is also a good way to reference things in the future.  Reading your notes taken during lecture is crucial to doing well on tests, and if done in tandem with the book work you can learn even more since they both have info that will be on the test.  Always leave an hour or two before the test to do something that doesn't involve studying (if you don't know it by now you are not going to remember it when you need to).  This will help to keep you calm during the test.  This would be a good time to eat something so you get your "brain food" and will not be thinking about how hungry you are during the test.  Be prepared and come to the test with a few extra pencils (not pens), possibly an eraser, scratch paper, a watch, and a calculator (you never know if you'll need it or not). 

During the test (but at the very beginning), you should formulate a plan of action on how you will go about overcoming it. Stay calm and stay positive, because if you don't you will not do as well as you can.  Be aware of the time, but never feel you have to rush yourself; pace yourself.  There are two different types of tests you can get. 

            1.  If you get a multiple choice test along with bubble sheet:

            Don't hesitate to write all over the test.  I will cross out wrong answers (to make sure I don't mistakenly use it), circle correct answers, write little notes next to a question (to help me reaffirm that I am making the correct decision), or mark some questions to come to at the end.  Don't waste time on a question if you can't determine the correct answer, this burns time.  Just mark it and come back to it at the end.  It is better to miss a question you don’t know instead of one you did but didn’t have the time to answer.  Use your logical deduction skills to narrow down each answer.  The most important part of a test is getting the correct answer, and filling in the bubble sheet come second to this.  I will always wait until I am finished to fill in the bubbles.  This ensures that I answered each question, and allows you to concentrate on the test more.  Always check and make sure you filled in the right bubble because that is just pointless to miss questions due to this.  Also, make sure that you put your name on both the bubble sheet and the test; this gives you a little security if something screwed up.   

            2.  If you get a short answer test (or a test you have to write answers on):

            Use your scratch paper to jot down notes and things.  For the same reasons, skip questions you don't know and leave them till the end.  Most instructors like to see you give more information than less, so never worry about writing too much. 

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: 11/01/06