Chapter 6 - Taking Tests

Disarm Tests

• Grades give power to tests.
• Grades are not a measure of intelligence
• If you are anxious and blank out, the grade cannot measure what you learned
• Grades are not a measure of self-worth
• It is easier to do well on exams if you don t exaggerate the pressure on yourself
• Real or Imaginary risks can cause you to reach a 'paralyzing' point
• The way to deal with tests is to keep the risk in perspective.

What to do before the test

~ Manage review time

• A key to successful test preparation is managing review time
• Your brain has time to create relationships that can show up when you need them
• Daily reviews

• Daily reviews include the short pre- and post- class reviews of lecture notes
• This helps move ideas from short to long term memory
• Concentrate daily reviews on material you have just learned and material that involves simple memorization
• Begin to review the first day of class

• Weekly reviews

• Weekly reviews are longer
• They are more structured than short daily reviews

• Major reviews

• Usually conducted the week before finals or other major exams
• The effectiveness of your review begins to drop after an hour or so unless you give yourself a rest

~Create review tools

• Checklists, mind maps summaries, and flash cards take the guesswork out of studying
• They also divide a big job into smaller parts
• Study checklists

• Use a written list to be absolutely certain you don't miss anything
• Make a list for each subject

• Mind map summary sheets

• Start by creating a map totally from memory
• Go through your notes and pick out key words

• Flash cards

• Three-by-five cards are like portable test questions
• You can take them with you anywhere and use them anytime
• On one side, write the question, on the other side write the answer

~Plan a strategy

• Before a test, some instructors hand out lists of questions as Study guides
• The following strategies can help you predict some of the test questions
• Do a dry run

• Practice the tasks you'll actually do on the test
• Write your own exam questions and take this test several times
• If possible, write your answers in the room where you'll will take the test

• Ask the instructor what to expect

• A great source of information about the test is your instructor

• Get copies of old exams

• Copies of previous exams for the class may be available
• Old tests can help you plan a review strategy
• Check your school's policy about making past tests available to students

~ As you begin

• Arrive early and avoid the question 'How much did you study?'
• Pay attention to verbal directions
• Scan the whole test immediately
• Read the directions slowly- Then reread them
• If the directions call for short answers, give short answers
• Jot down memory aids or material you might forget (On the test)

What to do during the test

~ In general

• Answer the easiest, shortest questions first
• Next, answer multiple choice, true/false and fill-in-the-blank questions
• Then proceed to short-answer and essay questions
• Watch the time: if you are stuck, move on
• Look for answers in other test questions
• In quick-answer questions, your first instinct is usually best
• Multiple choice questions

• Answer each question in your head before you look at the possible answers
• Read all answers to multiple choice questions before selecting one.
• if incorrect answers are not deducted from your score, GUESS!

1. If two answers are similar, choose one of them
2. If the answer calls for a sentence completion, eliminate those that would not form grammatically correct sentences
3. If two quantities are almost the came, choose one
4. If answers cover a wide range, choose one in the middle of the range

• True/False questions

• Answer true/false questions quickly
• sometimes one word can make a statement inaccurate
• Look for qualifiers like all, most, sometimes, never, or rarely
• Absolute qualifiers (Always, Never) usually indicate a false statement

• Machine-graded tests

• Make sure the answer you mark corresponds to the question you are answering

• Open-book tests

• When studying, write down any formulas you will need on a separate sheet
• Place Post-It notes on important pages of the book
• Prepare thoroughly for open-book exams -- They are usually more difficult

• Short-answer/fill-in-the-blank tests

• Often ask for definitions or short descriptions
• Be brief
• Research indicates that overlearning can really pay off

• Essay questions

• First, find out what the question is asking - precisely
• Before you write, make a quick outline

1. You may be able to write faster
2. You're less likely to leave out important facts
3. If you don't have time to finish, your outline may win you some points

• Get to the point
• Include part of the question in your answer
• When you expand your answer, start with the most solid points
• Write legibly (on one side if the paper)
• Use a pen

Words to watch for in essay questions

Analyze- Break into separate parts
Compare- Examine two or more things
Contrast- Show differences
Criticize- Make judgments
Define- Give the meaning
Describe- Give a detailed account
Discuss- Consider and debate the pros and cons of an issue
Enumerate- List several ideas/aspects
Explain- Make an idea clear
Illustrate- Give concrete examples
Interpret- Comment upon/Give examples
Outline- Describe main ideas
Prove- Support with facts
Relate- Show the Connections between ideas or events
State- Explain precisely
Summarize- Give a brief, condensed account
Trace- Show the order of events

Ways to predict test questions

• Get organized
• Have a section in your notebook labeled "test questions"
• Add questions to this section after every lecture and assignment
• Flag possible test questions in your notes
• Ask your instructor to describe the test early in the semester
• Watch for test questions by observing how the instructor talks
• Pay attention to questions the instructor poses to students
• Ask: "What kind of questions would I ask?"
• Make practice test questions
• Save all quizzes, papers, lab sheets, and graded material of any kind
• Practice working problems using different variables
• Brainstorm test questions with other students
• Be on the lookout for the words "This will be on the test"!

The Cost of Cheating

• We learn less
• We lose money
• Fear of getting caught promotes stress
• Violating our values promotes stress
• Cheating on tests can make it easier to violate our integrity again
• Cheating lowers our self-concept

Let go of test anxiety

1. Intro

1. If you flub questions when you know the answers, you might be suffering from test anxiety
2. Test anxiety can be serious- Students have committed suicide over test scores
3. It can be managed
4. Test anxiety has two components, mental and physical

1. Mental includes all your thoughts and worries
2. Physical includes feelings, sensations, and tension

2. Dealing with thoughts

1. Yell Stop! (mentally)
2. Daydream- Fill your mind with pleasant thoughts
3. Visualize success- If you mentally rehearse failure, you increase your chances for failure
4. Focus

1. Focus your attention on a specific object
2. Listen to the sounds in the room

5. Praise yourself

1. Talk to yourself in a positive way
2. Treat yourself as well as you would treat your best friend

6. Consider the worst

1. Consider the very worst thing that could happen
2. Keep going until you see the absurdity of your predictions
3. The facts are hardly ever as bad as our worst fears

7. Zoom Out
   1. When you're in the middle of a test or another situation where you feel distressed, zoom out.
   2. Be an outside observer.

3. Dealing with feelings

1. Breathe

1. Calm physical sensations by focusing your attention on your breathing
2. Take longer and deeper breaths

2. Scan your body- Simple awareness is a technique to reduce tension in your body
3. Tense and relax- Release tension with the tense-relax method
4. Use guided imagery- Relax completely and take a quick fantasy trip
5. Describe it- focus your attention on your anxiety
6. Be with it- If you completely experience a sensation, it often disappears
7. Exercise aerobically- Aerobic exercise includes anything that elevates your heart rate and keeps it elevated
8. Get help

1. Depression and anxiety are common among students
2. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young adults between 15 and 25
3. This is tragic and unnecessary
4. Many schools have counselors available

Overcoming Math and Science Anxiety

• Notice your pictures about math and science
  Your mental picture of scientists and mathematicians
• Look out for shaky assumptions
  Math involves no imagination, only one right way to do it
• Get your self-talk out in the open and change it
  I'm never fast enough, not good with numbers
• Faced with this kind of self-talk, take three steps:
  • Get a clear picture of such statements (and refute it)
  • Do some critical thinking about the statements
  • Start some new (positive) self-talk
• Notice your body sensations
  Tightness in chest, sweaty palms, headache
• Make your text an A priority
  Math an science are often text driven
• Read slowly when appropriate
  Study all tables, charts, graphs, case studies, sample problems
• Read actively
  Work out examples and copy diagrams, formulas, or equations
• Participate actively in class
  Attend regularly, speaking up, and seeking help
• Learn from the specific to the general
  Understanding basic facts before seeing the big picture
• Remind yourself of the big picture
  What is this subject about?
• Ask questions fearlessly
  Ask whatever questions will aid your understanding
• Take a first step about your current knowledge
  Math and science are cumulative
• Use lab sessions to your advantage
  Bring necessary materials and record you're findings
• Use cooperative learning
  Study math and science with others

How to CRAM

1. Cramming is not the same as learning
2. It takes longer to learn materials when you do it under pressure
3. Six-step cramming process

1. Make choices- don't try to learn it all
2. Make a plan- Choose what you will study (times)
3. Use mind map review sheets and flash cards
4. Recite
5. Relax
6. Don't "should" on yourself

Reasons to celebrate mistakes:

1. Celebration allows us to notice the mistake
2. Mistakes are valuable feedback
3. Mistakes demonstrate that we're taking risks
4. Celebrating mistakes reminds us that it's OK to make them
5. Celebrating mistakes includes everyone
6. Mistakes occur only when we aim at a clear goal
7. Mistakes happen only when we're committed to making things work
8. Celebrating mistakes cuts the problem down to size
9. Mistakes happen

Studying with people

· Forming a group

1. Look for dedicated students
2. Find people with some of your academic goals
3. Include people who are different from you
4. Look for people who pay attention, ask questions, and take notes during class
5. Limit groups to five or six people

· Conducting a study group

1. Test each other by asking questions
2. Practice teaching each other
3. Compare notes
4. Brainstorm test questions
5. Set an agenda
6. Work in groups of three at a computer
7. Create wall-sizes summaries
8. Pair off to do book reports on course topics
9. Ask members of your group to prepare/deliver full-length lectures on course topics

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