Study Guide:
Test Taking

I. General Points

1. Find out what kind of test you will be taking and study accordingly. The sections that follow will provide some hints on how to prepare for various types of tests and how to take them.
2. You should begin studying a few weeks ahead of time. Studies have shown that a student has a greater retention rate through gradual study of material.
3. It sometimes helps to have a study buddy for cross question and examination.
4. The night before the test make sure you look over all your notes and review, then get to bed early and get a good night's sleep.
5. The day of the exam get up early, eat a good breakfast and again review your notes.
6. Think positively and have confidence in the fact that you have done everything possible in order to obtain a good grade in the test.
7. Arrive at the exam early and get a good seat. Don't talk with friends as this may contribute to last minute confusion.
8. When you get your test, glance over the entire thing, then budget your time accordingly. If some items are worth more than others, answer these first, then go to questions carrying fewer points.
9. If you start to get test panic, put your pencil down, take a few deep breaths and gather your thoughts. Be confident in your ability to answer what is asked. YOU CAN DO IT!

II. Tips for Taking Essay Exams

Essay tests are probably the most comprehensive tests you will have to learn how to take in college. If you have a good course in writing and can organize your thoughts well, you will most likely be able to do quite well on this type of test. If not, there are a few hints which may be beneficial for you to know.

1. Read the instructions carefully. There is a bog of difference in such words as compare, describe, discuss, contrast, list, show relationship of, evaluate the importance of, etc. Look for what the question is asking. Even though these words aren't underlined, it might be a good idea for you to read through the question and underline the words before attempting to answer the question.
2. Particularly note instructions where it tells you to choose five out of seven questions. Many students waste time answering questions they don't need to. Read over all questions before beginning to write.
3. Find out how many question you do have to answer and budget your time accordingly. Begin with the questions you feel the most knowledgeable about. Do not spend more than your budgeted amount of time on any one question. Reason out answers before you begin writing.
4. Try to make your main point or thesis statement in the opening paragraph of your essay. It will clarify for the reader what you are trying to say and you will be able to branch out onto specific examples.
5. Supporting material should follow in the next paragraphs. You should try to give specific examples of what you are saying. Be brief, concise, accurate and don't try to pad the essay.
6. Use transitional words such as thus, however, because of this, for this reason, therefore, etc. It makes your thoughts flow much smoother to the reader.
7. In most cases it is best to discuss events in chronological order if there is a time sequence. This way the reader can follow your thoughts much better.
8. Be as precise as possible, but cover as much as possible. Be selective about what you know and what you choose to write to support your points. You will not have time to put down everything you know in most cases so try to choose the events that best support what you want to say.
9. It is good to think about what questions might be posed on an essay test before you even enter the test session. In this way you have time to organize what to talk about and in what order. Too many students waste time trying to decide what to say first.
10. If you have not given any thought to the questions which might be posed, it might be beneficial to sit down and outline what you would like to say before you begin writing. Sometimes it pays off to take this time to do this rather than starting into an essay without much thought.
11. Try to pull your points together in the concluding paragraph and restate in different words your main idea or your thesis statement. This will bring the reader back to the point which you had originally brought up and give him a feeling of finality or closure to your paper.
12. Proofread your answers at the end of the test.
13. Attempt to answer all questions. Partial credit is better than no credit at all.

III. Suggestions for Objective Tests (True/False, Multiple choice)

Objective tests can be easy to take if you follow certain rules. The rules that follow are suggestions to help you answer the items on the test. Careful study of the material from the text and from lecture will have prepared you for these items. The rules will help you in those instances in which you think you know the answers, but the item appears to be ambiguous.

Rule 1.

Answer all questions in order without skipping or jumping around. Identify doubtful answers by marks in the margin and recheck these as time permits after all questions have been answered.

Rule 2.

Do not linger too long on any one question. Mark your best guess and move on, returning later if you have sufficient time.

Rule 3.

Reread all questions containing negative wording such as "not" or "least." Be especially alert for the use of double or even triple negatives within a sentence as these must be read very carefully to assure full understanding.

Rule 4.

Check for qualifying words such as: "all, most, some, none;" "always, usually, seldom, never;" "best, worst;" "highest, lowest;" or "smallest, largest." When you see one of these qualifiers, test for truth by substituting the other members of the series. If your substitution makes a better statement, the question is false; if your substitution does not make a better statement, the question is true.

Rule 5.

Watch for modifying or limiting phrases inserted in true-false questions. Names, dates, places or other details are often inserted to make the statement inaccurate.

Rule 6.

Be alert for multiple ideas or concepts within the same true-false statement. All parts of the staminate must be true or the entire statement is false.

Rule 7.

Be alert for grammatical inconsistencies between the question stem and the answer choices on multiple-choice questions. A choice is almost always wrong if it and the stem do not make a grammatically correct sentence.

Rule 8.

Be cautious about changing your answer to a true- false or multiple choice question without a good reason. Your first "guess" is more likely to be correct than are subsequent "guesses," so be sure to have a sound reason for changing your answer.

Rule 9.

Apply the same approach to answering both true- false and multiple choice questions. The same techniques will work equally well for both, since multiple choice questions are basically true-false questions arranged in groups.

Rule 10.

On matching exercises, work with only one column at a time. Match each item in that column against all items in the second column until you find a proper match, marking through matches about which you are certain so that it will be easier to match out the rest about which you are unsure.

IV. Problem Solving Tests

1. Write down hard to remember formulas, equations and rules as soon as possible after receiving the test.
2. If you cannot work a particular problem, skip it and return to it later. The time will be better spent on a problem you are more sure of.
3. Show all your steps clearly and label your answer so it can easily be found.
4. Check and double check computations and the placement of decimal points.

Copyright © 1997 by Richard H. Anderson and the Department of Sociology, University of Colorado at Denver.
Revised: Monday, September 14, 1998.