Test-Taking Techniques (2024)

Test-Taking Strategies

You've studied hard. What's next?

Nothing takes the place of studying, but even if you have studied, there are test taking strategies you can employ that will make you more successful.

  • If it isn't announced in class, talk with your professor to find out what types of questions (true/false, multiple choice, essay) will be used. Also, sample exams may be available on reserve in the library.
  • Anticipate questions that will be asked on the exam and plan answers to these questions.
  • Go into the exam as rested as possible. The brain is part of the body and if you are tired, so is your brain.
  • Always wear a watch. Begin by looking over the entire test to see how long it is and what type of questions are being asked. Then plan how long you can spend on each section or question. This will keep you from running out of time at the end.
  • Read all instructions carefully.
  • On multiple choice questions read the question being asked and all of the possible answers before selecting one.
  • On true/false questions make sure to read the entire question. The entire answer must be true for the correct answer to be "true".
  • On both multiple choice and true/false tests, answers containing absolutes such as "never", "always", "none", and "every" are usually incorrect.
  • Essay questions often have a high point value so read the question carefully, make a brief outline, and then answer the question including all of the information you can from the text and lecture.
  • If possible, check over your test before turning it in. Errors sometimes occur when you are in a hurry.
  • Finally, after taking the test think about your performance. Did you have more trouble with questions from the text or from the lectures? Did you miss questions because you hadn't studied enough or because you didn't understand the concepts presented? And most important, what can you do differently to prepare for the next test to improve your grade?

Test taking: before, during, after

These strategies can help you be sucessful as a student. Test taking involves both test and mental preparation before, during and after a test. After college, testing does not stop. You may need to take tests to keep your credentials up to date in your professional career and beyond.

Before the test:

  • Schedule daily, weekly and major review sessions
  • Complete and monitor review sessions
  • Create study checklists
  • Create mind map summary sheet
  • Make flash cards
  • Monitor your reviews
  • Take a practice test
  • Get copies of old tests

During the test:

  • Get to class on time, don't do any last minute review
  • Survey the entire test prior to taking the exam
  • Take a few deep breaths and relax tense muscle - repeat throughout the test
  • Read directions carefully - ask questions
  • Answer easier questions first - this will help calm you down
  • Manage your time and keep an eye on the clock

After the test:

  • Reflect:
    • How did you feel about the test?
    • How effective were your study strategies?
    • Did you accurately predict some of the test questions?
  • Review what questions you missed
  • Discuss items you did not understand with your instructor
  • Review your strengths on test taking
  • Reivew areas of improvement

Test taking: question strategies

Multiple choice:

  • Answer each of the questions in your head first
  • Read through all of the answers before selecting one
  • Test each possible answer
  • Eliminate incorrect answers

True/False:

  • Read the entire question
  • Look for qualifiers (all, never, etc.)
  • Look for details (dates, facts, etc.)
  • Watch out for negatives such as no, not, cannot, etc.

Essay reponse:

  • What is the question asking?
  • Outline your answer
  • Get to the point
  • Write legibly
  • Write on one side of the paper, leave back side for forgotten points
Test-Taking Techniques (2024)

FAQs

What are 6 test-taking tips or strategies? ›

Here are some tips for taking tests:
  • Go into the test with confidence. ...
  • Get enough sleep the night before the test. ...
  • Put away all your study materials before the test. ...
  • Listen closely to any instructions. ...
  • Read through the test first. ...
  • Answer the questions in any order. ...
  • Relax. ...
  • Running out of time?

How do you take a test effectively? ›

During the test:

Take a few deep breaths and relax tense muscle - repeat throughout the test. Read directions carefully - ask questions. Answer easier questions first - this will help calm you down. Manage your time and keep an eye on the clock.

How do I become a good test taker? ›

Here are the seven best things you can do to make sure you are prepared for your next test.
  1. Cultivate Good Study Habits. ...
  2. Don't “Cram” ...
  3. Gather Materials the Night Before. ...
  4. Get a Good Night's Sleep. ...
  5. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. ...
  6. Arrive Early. ...
  7. Develop Positive Rituals. ...
  8. Listen to the Instructions.
Sep 29, 2022

What are the two basic testing strategies? ›

In this section, you will learn about two kinds of testing strategies: how the logic is tested (via black-box and white-box testing) and how the testing is conducted (by top-down and bottom-up testing).

What are the three types of known test techniques? ›

There are three different testing techniques available. They include white-box testing, black-box testing, and grey-box testing.

What are five things test takers should do before a big test? ›

Preparing for Tests
  • Review notes daily. ...
  • Manage your time. ...
  • Find a comfortable place to study. ...
  • Attend the class before test day. ...
  • Review - Go over your notes, the textbook, and other assigned readings.
  • Organize your notes. ...
  • Make flashcards. ...
  • Understand the material.

What is the two finger check test taking strategy? ›

Finally, we do a two-finger check. This means that the student puts one finger on the circled answer in the test booklet and one on the bubbled answer choice on the answer document. It's simply a check to make sure that he/she bubbled in an answer for each question on the answer document.

How do you manage test anxiety? ›

Strategies To Better Manage Test Anxiety
  1. Engage in regular physical exercise and maintain a balanced diet.
  2. Check vision and hearing.
  3. Use good study habits and strategies.
  4. Manage your time effectively.
  5. Organize material to be studied and learned.
  6. Use a step by step approach to build a strategy and not get overwhelmed.
Mar 29, 2022

What is the pirate test taking strategy? ›

The mnemonic for the Test-Taking Strategy is “PIRATES”. Students are encouraged to visualize a pirate who gets aboard a ship, goes for all the gold and quickly leaves. The same should be true for them when they enter a testing situation; go into the test, get all the possible points and exit!

What should you not do when taking a multiple choice test? ›

Translate double negatives into positive statements. Responses that use absolute words, such as "always" or "never" are less likely to be correct than ones that use conditional words like "usually" or "probably." Avoid choosing answers that are unfamiliar or that you do not understand.

Can you improve test taking skills? ›

Once you are practicing good study habits, you'll be better prepared for actual test taking. Since studying and test taking are both part of learning, honing your skills in one will help you in the other.

Why is test taking hard? ›

People who worry a lot or are perfectionists are more likely to have test anxiety. It can be hard for them to accept mistakes they might make or get anything less than a perfect score. Students who aren't prepared for tests but care about doing well are also likely to have test anxiety.

How can I ace every test? ›

Ace Your Finals with These Eight Strategies
  1. Prioritize! You know your classes better than anyone. ...
  2. Make a study schedule. Don't skip this step! ...
  3. Re-write your notes. ...
  4. Test your knowledge. ...
  5. Teach someone else. ...
  6. Get rid of the distractions. ...
  7. Stay healthy. ...
  8. Just do it!

What are the different types of testing strategies explain? ›

Integration testing – Tests the integration of different components of the software to ensure they work together as a system. Functional testing – Tests the functional requirements of the software to ensure they are met. System testing – Tests the complete software system to ensure it meets the specified requirements.

How many types of testing strategies are there? ›

The most common testing strategies are waterfall testing, agile testing, risk-based testing, and exploratory testing. Waterfall testing follows a sequential approach where each type of test is completed after the corresponding development phase.

What is the type of testing strategy? ›

The test strategy describes the test level to be performed. There are primarily three levels of testing: unit testing, integration testing, and system testing. In most software development organizations, the developers are responsible for unit testing.

What is the test taking strategy theory? ›

Test-taking strategies are defined as those test-taking processes which the respondents have selected and which they are conscious of, at least to some degree. In other words, the notion of strategy implies an element of selection. Otherwise, the processes would not be considered as strategies.

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