New Student Orientation Resource Book
Studying
For Tests and Test Anxiety
- Recognition
occurs when you’re able to arrive at a correct answer after you
have been given a number of answers to choose from. A multiple-choice
question requires you to recognize the correct answer.
- Recall
involves remembering information without any choices or cues - that
is, without the aid of recognition. Essay questions and even short-answer
questions put an emphasis of this skill.
- Overcoming
test anxiety involves changing your study habits by putting the emphasis
on recalling information. After all, most test questions do the same.
- With
true-false tests, think "true" and guess when you must.
- Before
you begin a multiple-choice test, read the directions carefully. Some
directions may say, "Mark the one best answer." Others may say, "Mark
all correct answers."
- Apply
the true-false technique. Make a complete statement with the stem and
each option. An option that results in a false statement is eliminated
as a distractor. One that results in a true statement is probably the
correct answer.
- Watch
out for negatives and extreme words: not, except, and 100 percent words
such as never, no, none, best, worst, always, all and every.
- Foolish
options are usually incorrect. Test writers sometimes include a silly
statement as an option. Eliminate these immediately.
- The
option "All of the above" is usually correct.
- Numbers
in the middle range are usually correct.
- In
multiple-choice questions, the correct option is often longer or more
inclusive of qualities or ideas than the distractors. This is because
the test writer must quality of expand a simple statement.
- In
the essay question: do not write an introduction, answer the question
directly and forcefully in the first sentence, and expand on the first
sentence. It may be helpful to make notes on the back of the exam sheet
to be certain to cover all important points. Proofread when you are
finished for spelling and grammar errors.
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