Students,one of the most important skills you will need during your academic career is a good test taking skill. Go to the following links and read about the tips. Also watch the videos as well. After you complete these two tasks, make a comment below and reflect on what you have learned and found interesting. Make sure you put your name and class period in your comment otherwise I will not give you credit. You must put in your response by 12:00 friday night. Make sure you pay close attention to the strategies because I expect you to use it on the first unit test this friday. So do not just gloss over the articles. Make sure you pay attention to what it is telling you to do. These tips will help you take the multiple choice test in our class, the ACT, SAT, AIMS etc.
http://www.socialpsychology.org/testtips.htm
http://www.studygs.net/tsttak3.htm
ACT and SAT Test Taking Strategy
The first article helpped me out the most. The first important thing i came across was under the Simulate The REquired Behavior section. It says that when studying, practice answering questions without looking at notes or textbooks. I realized that when i study i usually look to my notes or textook to find the answer and then i try to memorize it yet everytime i come across that same question again i always end up going back to my notes for the answer. Also, i realized that reading through the entire material is a lot more helpful than only looking through sections we might consider important. Under the Spaced Time is Better Than Massed Time section, it talks about how people often believe that cramming everything in the night before is better because the information will be fresh. I learned that this is not always the best alternative,sometimes when we try to cram everything in at once we end up having too much information at once and this causes confusion. The chaging your first answer section however, i don’t exactly agree with it. Personally, when i change my first answer almost always my first answer was the correct one. Sometimes, changing my first answer is a result of me overthinking the question, which the artcile also says not to do.
Overall, the articles were oth very helpful and refreshed several old techniques which have been lost over time.
Diana Cisneros
period 6
The “Tips on Taking Multiple-Choice Tests” was the most successful reading in which it provided me with amazing and simple tips that I could easily use. I learned that statistically proven that studying over a period of time produces greater results than cramming the night before. In addition I found this fact interesting because I am a firm believer of cramming the night before to keep everything fresh in my mind. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered for a preparing for a test over break that I know my information more if I read it at the beginning of the break, then read again once the test date comes closer but more into depth and for comprehension.
In one of the videos, I learned that it is best to think of the correct answer in your head before looking at the multiple choice. Also, that we should treat each answer of the question as a true or false. When it comes to the ACT and SAT, one should read “actively”. This means engaging by asking questions and taking notes. One should take brief notes on each paragraph on the side of the passage which is called a passage map.The reward of this note taking strategy is saving time by answering answers quick and correct.
These readings made me realize a lot about my own personal test taking skills. It has been made apparent that I recognize my flaws but I do not do much about it to improve. I learned that apparently,I go through a series of phases which are mention in the Don’t Psych Yourself Out section. I do receive test anxiety and concluded that sometimes it is probably not best for me to continue taking the test. Sometimes I do start to think ridiculous thoughts about how tests will not allow me to be accepted into college, however I know later that I was just being silly. I do hope on using these new tips and advice so I can now relax and do better in major tests since this year I will have to be taking the ACT and SAT.
-Ashley Cano
Period 4
All the tips that were brought up in the videos and two articles i had become familiar with about a week ago. I saw them in this book i have for studying the ACT. The tip that figures most prominently in the book is making sure that you fully understand what the question is actually asking. Like the first video, it mentions to ignore every fact. It also mentions that guessing is perfectly fine to do. The best piece of advice that any of the videos and arfticles give is that you should go for the easiest questions first and then make another pass through the test to get at the hardest ones. I also found it helpful that one of the articles mentions studying overtime instead. Which, to be honest isnt actually that good of a tip for me, because i rarely study. Its a bad habit i hope to fix, but I’ve got the feeling I wont do so well with that.
James M. Wegge
When it comes to taking multiple choice tests, I stress out so much that i do the opposite of what the articles and the videos had said to do, ironical, but now I understand what I should do when Im in these situations.. The video that helped me the most was the “ACT and SAT Test Taking Strategy” because i typically read an article without really paying attention to the main points that I should be watching out for, in other words I am a passive reader, but now I understand that it is better to be an Active reader by thinking critically while reading the passage to go on more confident when answering the multiple choice questions; asking questions such as WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? or WHY ARE THESE EXAMPLES GIVEN IN THE PASSAGE?, making passage maps in which i underline key details to get the main idea, these tips will definately help me while taking any multiple choice test that involves reading any passage.
The other video “How to take a Multiple-Choice Test” gave me more helpful tips on other general multiple choice tests, the most important thing, from my perspective, from this was to know how much time you have in hand, that way you will know how to manage it wisely and to reread questions to get any hints that will lead to an answer because most of the time the answer is withing hints in the question. Other tips, i am guilty of not using, such as doing the easy questions first and to understand that sometimes the first choice is the right choice, but i usually get so many questions wrong because i second guess myself and i go and change my first answer, but now i know that i should just do the question to the best of my ability from the start and that if along the test i find a question that gives me a better understanding of that question i wasnt sure of then there i can be able to change the first answer i gave; eliminating obvious wrong answers, working backwards, and guessing on blank questions if time runs out are also helpful things to keep in mind.
The last video and the articles all pretty much gave me the same ideas which was to look over the test so I’ll know what to expect as i go along with the test, take short breaks so i can rest my mind and that way I’ll be more productive, and try not to skip around a lot of questions because then i would just be confused of what it was that i had to remember.
All of this information was definately helpful because it made me realize that i had to change some of my take testing habits, such as changing my first choice answer that was actually the right one; I will take these tips with me when taking important high schol tests such as the ACT and SAT and obviously my future college tests.
-Jacky Fuentes
Period 4
Throughout my academic year I have found that test taking is a very stressful activity I have to experience almost on a daily basis here in high school; especially with the classes I am currently taking. Thankfully the first reading, ” Tips On Taking Multiple Choice Tests” by the social psychology network, aided me in discovering new ways in approaching tests and exams such as; the ACT, SAT, and various other exams in which create anxiety. Being a student who stresses over grades, I actually believed that I indeed had a firm way of studying, but with reading the article and watching the videos I came to a realization that my study skills are flawed and could be drastically improved. For example, the first article mentioned how one should not skip questions if you do not know the answer because it merely wastes your time on a test that is timed – time is of the essence in regards to all types of tests – instead one should make an educated guess on what is believed to be the right answer, but then place a question mark on the side of the troublesome question so you can go back once finished. Also, the way of studying as described in the article was something I found interesting for the fact that, the author stated that studying in groups should only be done when all the members of the group have a clear understanding of the material – the study group should not be for discussion or explanation. This point of view caught my attention because my friends and I usually form a so-called “study group” right before a test, though we usually discuss our view points on the material and I noticed that the method of ours also works. To continue, another eye opener was the suggestion about taking 20 to 30 second breaks during a test. I never knew taking a break could actually relieve some anxiety and refresh your mind while taking a test! All in all, reading and watching these very helpful pieces of information have bettered my knowledge in test taking, as well as calmed my nerves – I feel I am better prepared.
- Alyssa Arvizo; Period 4
From the two articles I read, the most helpful article to me was the first article. The first article was more helpful because not only did it give me test tips, it also gave me tips on how to study and perepare for a test. In the article it mentioned that before you take a test you should study on your own first and then study with somebody or a group of people and quiz each other. This would be very helpful to me because there are times when I’m unsure about a question and by asking somebody they can probably help me out with the question. Another thing is don’t stress so much about the test. Focus on your studying and just try to do your best when it comes to the test. Also, I learned some new test tips that i didn’t know before. For example, something that I learned is to pace yourself. Don’t spend a lot of time because you will run out of time and you probably miss the easy questions. Another thing I learned is don’t skip around questions becauseit just makes you waste time.
The longest video was the one I learned from the most. In this video, I learned how to answer questions when I’m not really sure about the answer. A way of answering the question is by looking for key terms in the question. The key terms could help you lead to the right answer. I also learned how to cancel out the wrong questions right away. What i found interesting was that there are some many ways that can help you choose/lead you to the right answer.
-Manuel Camacho Period 4
Jackie, very good reflection. It is apparent to me that you took the time to actually read the article and the strategies to your own. In this case you are definitely an active reader and not passive.
Alyssa, you caught on to some good tips like the one about taking a brief break during the test to refresh and release tension. Also the one about study groups and how you effectively study.
Manny, good point about key terms. Like I said in class if you don’t know the terms/vocabulary you are not going to be able to do well on the test.
From the two articles i read i found the social psychology the most convenient with advice and tips. Throughout my time in school and taking rigorous tests and exams i have found myself almost every time growing impatient thus resulting in getting anxiety admist taking a test,but the tip social psychology gave was to take breaks in small short intervals and now thinking about that strategy i could of possibly done better in previous exams/tests if I could of just chilled out for a few seconds. Other helpful tips given already being applied is the minimizing the amount of answers by eliminating the most unreasonable answers thus getting eventually the correct answer. Something I learned from the passage that should be enforced more is that believe in your answers and to not second guess yourself. That is something very big on me because for some reason I keep contemplating throughout a test whether or not I made the right choice. And last but not least the most crucial piece of advice was given in the “Spaced Practice is Better than Massed Practice” informing us that it is better to space our study sessions not just do a huge one and hope you remember everything. The links and information given was definitely appreciated and will be put to use.
Juan Carlos Monroy
2nd Period
When reading through the key points of test taking I learned about multiple tips that I had never considerd in the past. In addition I learned how to improve my current methods of test taking. The main aspect I struggled with involved identifying the key points in long essays. As all the videos and links brought out, practice helps out in all forms of testing. For long essays the final video mentioned ways to properly read through an essay, in addition to tips of understanding the text and picking out the main points. A helpfull tip I never considered was to “Actively Read”, which involves self reflecting questions and notes that can be useful in high level questions for reading comprehension. With practice and application of these test taking principles I am sure to pass my next big test.
Isaiah Gaspar
Per. 6th
After seeing all three videos and read one of the articles it is evident that my test taking skills could use some of the suggested steps suggested in the videos. I realize my way takes a good amount of time making me waste my time which in turn will eventually give me less time for the test. A good tip I found in the article and the video is to “Read through the test quickly and answer the easiest questions first.” This would allow me to get maximum points for the easiest questions first and reading through quickly would give me more time in the end to answer the hard questions. The video by OneDublin was the one that really struck me the most. The video explains how using READ is a very good strategy for multiple choice tests. The ‘A’ part of READ which is “The answer is on the page.” makes me see how i can use less time by not solving the whole problem on math or science problems but just solve only as much that will give me the correct answer. The video with the reading help also strikes me more than the rest since I spend so much time wasted on re-reading passages when i can just create the passage as suggested. By doing so i will have to read the passages less times and have more time.
Erik Ornelas
4th Period
I read both of the two articles that were provided while i thought that both were extremely helpful they were different. The second one was mostly about test taking skills which was helpful in just a refresher way. This article reminded me to read the directions carefully, know if you are penalized for guessing, know how much time is allowed and if time allows, review both questions and answers. While this are normal test taking strategies it was good to be reminded of them so on my next test i can use them.
I actually found the first article more helpful tho. The first article gave more than test strategies it also gave tips about studying and stress. I found out that it is better to study for a long time before the test not just cram the night before like a lot of high school students do. Also i learned that taking short breaks during a test can take some stress off you and clean your head and help you to refocus. Finally
the last thing that i found was helpful was the don’t be afraid to change your answer if you think the other answer is correct change it, a study showed that students went from wrong to right 51% of the time (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 88, 725-735). Overall i think i will be able to use these tips to help improve how i take tests and to help me not get so stressed over them as well.
Michael Klakulak
period 2
LETICIA ARANDA PD.4
I have always had trouble when it came to test taking time, especially when it came to long passages and also I have a tendendancy to skip around when i get bored or frusterated while taking the tests. So pretty much I have plenty of issues with tests. However,the two articles and the three videos really camein handy,beacuse they gave me a new perspective when it comes totaking tests as well as studying for them.
The article that I liked the most was the social psychology one because,it gave me alot of facts that I didnt know and the onethat really shocked me was the fact that cramming is not as effective as spacing study time around in addition to the real purpose of study groups. When it came to the test takingtips, I learned that skipping around isn’t good and that taking mini breaks can help.I also like the video SAT & ACT: how to read actively ,because i have alotof problemswith big passages and the tips about mini notes as the passage is read and labeling the purpose of each paragraph should really help.
I first got to say that I’m pretty surprised how EASY studying and taking an exam can be when you have the right approach. I for one know I’m not the only student who stresses out in big exams such as SAT, ACT and school exams. I know when I have a BIG exam coming, I tend to stress a lot about what the test might be about or If studied right, especially on Semester exams. I took the first tip in the first article that mentioned how a student should skip questions if you do not know the answer because it wastes time and every minute is essential. I have a huge problem because I do not skip, instead I waste time and therefore lose concentration. It just makes me more stressful and I begin to over think. I came to the conclusion that I should either start eliminating answers that are unreasonable or make an educated guess on what is believed to be the right answer, but then go back, write a little note to yourself so you can go back and answer the question. I went on looking into the other videos and something caught my attention. The fact that one can take a 20-30 seconds brake. I seriously never thought of that since time is so precious in a test, I don’t take pauses to relieve myself and therefore I cause more stress on myself and more anxiety. I’ve only tried one time a study group but, I had picked the wrong people. Perhaps if I try a study group with people who actually take a test serious and that are interested in getting good grades it might work! I’m going to make sure to follow these tips and achieve good test grades and feel more confident about myself when I take an exam.
Interesting- it seems like I have been doing things a bit differently and could apply these tips into my test taking life. In the first article on the Social Psychology Network website I found that changing your answer can be good and could actually give you a better chance of getting the right answer. All these years for some reason I had in my head “go with your first answer” definitely not anymore (hmm no wonder I’ve been getting those wrong). On another note I do have a bad habit of cramming my studying into multiple hours but on the night before. After reading the article I’m going to try to space it throughout days instead. After watching the video SAT & ACT Reading: How to Read Actively I learned that taking notes while reading can help you answer the questions and that the notes don’t even have to be long and descriptive but can tell shortly what that paragraph was about. I will try all these tips next time I’m testing for sure.
i learned that you have to cross out the answers that dont look like they belong.you have to ask your self if it makes sense. also that before you study with a group you have to study on your own.that will better prepare you.also if you know that a test is coming up ask questions about what you dont under stand.
-desserae rodriguez
pd.2
the article was interesting especially the part it said about resting for a few secends to clear your mind while testing
Ricardo Armenta pd.6
From these videos I have learned that by blocking out facts it can help you to focus on the main points of the question. I found it interesting that when you are eliminating obviously wrong answers, it helps to physically cross them out to keep you focused on the two answers you are left with. In the second video, I think it is smart how they suggest that you hide the answers while reading the question because sometimes when you look at the answers before you begin reading it can influence your answer whether your guessing or not. The videos all mention how you are supposed to do the easy questions and come back to the hard questions at the end of the test, but I do not necessarily agree. I think that you should attempt the hard ones, but if you feel yourself spending too much time on one problem then skip it because if you have a 100 question test and you are not the quickest test taker you could run out of time before being able to return to those questions. I do however agree with the fact that it says before you go participate in a study group, you should study yourself. Study groups are meant for reviewing purposes not for people to teach you something you could have asked for help with a long time ago.
~ Amber McKay
Period 2
Test taking had never been a breeze for me especially since I have minor dyslexia and ADD which makes it harder for me to focus especially since some of the questions that are asked on big test like the SAT or ACT are long and have five different answers to choose from. I do have some of my own strategies that I use when I try to complete a multiple choice test like using hints from other questions or eliminating the wrong answer. However, I do find myself getting stuck a lot on these types of questions because I tend to let my own opinion get in the way of finding out what fact was really the most important one out of the others. I was glad to read up and discover other test taking tips like taking minor breaks in case I get overwhelmed or stressed out. One tip that I did really like was the ‘all or nothing strategy’ by eliminating the questions that contained the words always and every and focusing on the choices that are more true that include the words some and few. I am defiantly going to use this strategy next time I take a test. Another test tip that I like was how to prepare for taking an exam or how to properly study for it without overloading your mind and blanking out during the test. The first link posted on the class web site directed me to social psychology test tips and gave me the answer to why my cramming 6-7 hours the day before the test never worked or helped me pass the test. They have conducted research and found out that cramming is the worst thing you could do because it overloads your brain with so much information that it would be next to impossible to recall the next day unless you have a photographic memory. So instead they suggest that you spread out your studying and study like 2-3 hours a couple of days before the test in order to give your mind a break so you are ready to take on the SAT or ACT test and pass it with flying colors. These tips I found most useful as well as using other people to study and have them ask you questions to see if you can think outside the box and dish out information on questions you aren’t prepared for.
The first video I watched was “How to Take a Multiple Choice Test”, which gave me tons of tips that will sure help me with any upcoming tests. For example, I learned that something that is essential to always have in mind is actually how much time you have in your hands to complete the test or quiz. For example, if you know how much time you have, you might be able to skip the most difficult questions and complete the easy questions first. I agree with this because if you have a test that isn’t very long, you have the possibilities of missing all the easy questions plus the hard questions since you didn’t get the time to finish the hard questions. However, when I’m about to take a test, I automatically get nervous because I have the horrible tendency of second guessing myself. But, with the help of all the videos and articles, I realized that I simply have to eliminate the questions that seem completely wrong. Also, in the video about how to be an active reader, I realized that i also have the tendency to try to read everything as soon as possible, but I don’t understand anything. However, the video says that reading at a good pace and critically thinking about everything, will help me know the answer faster, rather than looking back to the passage over and over again. Now, i could use all these tips and become an active reader.
In the first article Tips on Taking Multiple-Choice Tests the tip that seems to be the most helpful to me would be the section on spaced practice. Usualy before the day of the test is when i prepare for it. Yet the article suggests to space out the time of studying instead of cramming it all in. Which in return makes me stay up late, have a horrible headache, and many times confuse the information. It also makes me do careless mistakes that harm my test grade. Then on the video How to Take Multiple-Choice Tests the tips on carefully reading hints and tips is helpful. Reading through questions in a rush usually makes those hints or tips go unnoticed so pacing myself enough to read these hints is very helpful. There are also questions that answer or hint the answer of another. Knowing how to pace myself in reading so that no hints go unoticed is very helpful because it leads to the other.
Jessica Viera 6th pd.
The first article I read was “Tips on Taking Multiple-Choice Tests” which I found extremely helpful. I often struggle when taking multiple-choice tests because I tend to have a hard time studying. However this article was eye-opening by telling me that it is better to space out your study time and to try and get some group practice when it comes to taking tests. Usually when I get in a study group, we end up reviewing what will be on the test instead of actually practicing for it, and I think that the strategy mentioned in the article can greatly improve any study groups I partake in. I recently took the ACT and I thought it would help me best to cram a week before, but I think the opposite might have happened. I also thought that the “How to Take A Multiple Choice Test” was extremely helpful. It showed me strategies that I would have never thought of, especially choosing answers which are more true and the wording which will give less true answers away. I think that using a strategy like this will help me in the future, when I’m stuck between two answers or completely baffled on a question. After I watched that video I read the “Multiple Choice Tests” article. I really appreciated the fact that this article helped turn hard questions into easy questions. Almost all of the strategies it mentioned were strategies which seemed easy to remember to use which was definitely helpful to me. I also really liked the strategy it mentioned for what to do when you come across “all of the above” questions. “All of the above” questions almost always confuse me, especially when they show up randomly during a test. But the strategy mentioned in the article ensured me that if I think two or more answers are correct, then the answer most likely is “All of the above”
-Paola Galindo
4th period
I completely agree with the pacing yourself and not studying in mass, but I do think it is good to at least review before a test in case you don’t feel entirely prepared. I like the idea about marking questions that you are not sure so when you go back to check your answers it won’t be too hard to find the questions you need. I do not agree with changing your first answer because I usually tend to over analyze and get needlessly anxious over my answer and I have noticed that when I change my answer I tend to get them wrong. I do believe that it is important to know how much time you have because then I can calculate how much time I should give each question and it helps me from wasting my time with distractions. I liked the idea of covering your answers so you don’t psych yourself out by trying too hard on getting one of the answers that are listed. I also like the idea of making passage maps for stories that are really long so when I’m answering questions I don’t have to reread everything looking for what I missed. Overall, these techniques were very helpful and I will try some of these on the next test I take.
The “SAT and ACT Reading: How to Read Actively” video, provided the most successful, detailed test taking strategies for me. The Video discussed the difference between active and passing reading habits. After watching the video, I came to the realization that I am normally a passive reader when I first read an article, which is why I often have to reread the passage as an “active reader.” I also learned the strategy of “Passage Maps.” Passage Maps are side notes of the main idea or function of the paragraph and can be very useful when referring back to the reading for questions. Though Passage Maps can be time consuming, they are worth the investment; rather than rereading the whole page, one can simply view the side notes. In “4 steps to Higher Test Scores on Multiple Choice Tests”, they suggest covering the answers and thinking of your own before you view all of the options. I disagree with this technique. I believe it is more effective to quickly skim all the answers so you have the information in your mind when you actively read the question. Despite my minor disagreement with one of the articles, overall the majority of the strategies were helpful and seemed effective.
Throughout my years of learning, I have noticed that I struggle drastically when taking tests. I tend to stress out alot when I’m put in the position of having a timed test or just a test in general. Before reading this articles and watching the videos, I believed that when I’m put this type of pressure, my performance would be better. However, after reading these I realized that it is not true, and that I should really not worry about my performance while taking the test, and just take it. The article, “Tips on Taking Multiple-Choice Tests” helped me out the most due to the fact that it supplied me with more information and more tips. I realized that when I know I have an upcoming test, I always try to cram up all the information the night before because I believed that if I studied the night before, the information would stay refreshed in my memory. However, the article stated that it is more efficient to study over a longer period of time because the more you study it, the more information will remain in the memory. In addition, I also don’t know how to consume my time wisely, which is huge problem since tests such as the SAT and ACT are timed. I learned that I must use my time wisely, and not skip any hard questions because that just wastes time by having to go back and answer them. If you do not obtain the answer to a question, and educated guess should be made. All in all, perhaps the most helpful tip that I believe will help me the most, is the one that states that all tests should be referred to as a true or false test, to rule out all the wrong answers, and to use critical thinking by asking questions such as, “Why is the question asking this?”, or “What does this mean?” while reading the question. Overall, both the videos and the articles are a huge help, and I will use the tips given to me on my upcoming tests.
I found many things in the first two video’s very helpful and interesting. These test taking tips are extremely beneficial in my opinion. I think the most interesting tip in the first video is how it says to eliminate the answers that are obviously wrong. This is because usually there are answers that have absolutely nothing to do with the question. Also because when you focus of every single answer even if you know one is wrong, you may find yourself getting distracted by the wrong answer and actually considering marking it as the correct answer. For some people like myself, we can get so lost with one question overthinking it and stressing ourselves out. We might waste 20 minutes staring at one question and changing out answer 10 times before we get so tired of it that we end up guessing. This is why I think elimination is a good way to help save time and to prevent the stressful and unecessay overthinking. Something I found very helpful and interesting in the second video was when the woman said to come up with an answer in your head without looking at your choices if you can. Ive never tried this but it sounds like it could actually work and be extemely helpful because it is similar to elimination. If you have an idea in your head and then you look at your choices and 2 or 3 aren’t even close, then you just might have your answer
I found these videos really helpful, and feel that these tips could be very beneficial if understood and folowed correctly.
-Alyssa Martinez 6th pd.
While I take tests fairly well, I have sever study issues. These articles only make me feel more anxious, I have trouble studying ahead of time and/or spacing out the time it takes to study. Even though the articles try to give some anti-anxiety strategies, I feel they will not help me. Also, these articles and videos mostly address multiple choice exams, those I need the least help with. I would love to know how to answer an essay question. They certainly helped refresh old study habits, however.
The first article makes me realized that while I do poorly the night before, the techniques I use during test-taking are similar to those the article recommends. I could really use the other advice it offers; I need to slow down and take my time because I do not get more points for being the first to finish. I have a problem though, about changing my test answers. I have found that when I DO think through a problem, I end up answering a completely different way, which is usually wrong.
The second article basically told me exactly what my previous teachers have been telling me: to look through the questions carefully, make inferences, and take my best test.
The videos where basically the articles with sound. I found the same tips interesting and I need to remember one piece of advice: the answer is on the paper, don’t freak out, and read read read the question. The SAT/ACT video helped with the passages. Reading actively seems the best way to conquer the test but, I have reservations towards it. Like I had said, I have severe study issues such as procrastination, and laziness. The latter, I feel, would help others but I feel that the best way for me is to scan over the passage quickly, without notes, read the questions, then read the passage again. Taking notes without knowing what to write abut is a deep concern for me, and I may end up waste my time.
As I sometimes let my nerves get the better of me when I’m under high stress situations, such as when taking timed tests, finding out new ways to prepare was great. I liked the first article, Tips on Taking Multiple – Choice Tests the most. The article read that a great way to practice is to study under the same conditions you would on the test, such as being able to answer questions without having to depend on your notes so much. Another great way to simulate a testing situation is to practice on questions that someone else had come up with, such as with test prep workbooks. A tip I will also keep in mind is to take short 30 second breaks during the test in order to remember to breath and relax, get my mind cleared up and focused before I start to test again.
The video that most appealed to me was the ACT/SAT Reading Strategy. It would be very useful to ask critical questions while reading the passage to really analyze the content and understand the main purpose of it. A tip I also really like is making little notes at the side of each paragraph, in order to determine the main point without having to go back and reread. This will really save more time in the long run as it will keep all my thoughts well organized so that I can answer the questions more efficiently.
I feel a bit more at ease knowing there’s plenty of great tips out there that can help make test taking more pleasant and less intimidating. – Jazmin Macias 6th period
After watching the videos, i realized how helpful the tips can be for test taking, and also realized that i have never approached a test in the way that they easily explain it. Yesterday in my Student Council class, we also went over that constantly re-reading material learned that day, or the day before, can help you retain information for a longer period of time. It stated that one day after you learn material, you will only remember 50-80% of that same material IF you dont use it, or re-read what you learned. It stated that our brains tend to “dump off” what we dont use, so taking 2-5 minutes everyday to study what was learned will help you restain the information for a longer period of time. Studying skills was also mentioned in the article and videos. If you study for an exam the night before the test is going to be given, you are proven to not retain majority of the information you studied for the test, let alone remember it for later reference. In conclusion, if you studt for 2-5 minutes everyday, you will do better on tests, and retain information, rather than studying for hours and hours the night before and reaining a minute amount of information for later on.
Shelby Harris
Period 2
I learned that it is smarter to study over a period of time rather than cramming it all in one night. They talked about one way to study where you’re in a group of people and everyone will have previously read what was required; everyone will then create questions on that section read and will ask the others of the group for the answer. Studying this way will help everyone study through the loopholes tests try to do.
Personally, besides the studying part, my test taking skills are very identical to the tips that website has given. It makes test taking much easier.
The “Tips on Taking Multiple-Choice Tests’ was the most helpful to me. I always mess up on those. I do not know how to strategize right when I do the tests. I get confused when I try to eliminate other possibilities but somehow I always go back and say ‘no maybe this is right’. That video really help me comprehend my do’s and don’ts on testing. In the second article I found it interesting also because it in someways it teaches more to about what the first video said. It really helps. What I do do in tests is take a minor break to ease the tension of trying to remeber everything of what I’ve been learning. When I get back to testing I focus harder and try to let my mind connect with what I remember. Also the studying tips I got were great because now I know to always study the night before. My studying habits are good in some ways. I at least try to study everyday 15 mins of a chapter os section. Little by little on test days I start to remember. However the night before test day are now permanently changing. The videos were extremely helpful.
Thank You!
-Eva Lopez
i really like this article mainly because it is written by pyschologists and it’s actually very helpful. i am a somewhat okay test-taker, and i think this article is amazing and i should print it out and put it in my backpack and read it before i take everytest, from now on! usually when i dont know an answer on a multiple choice test, i guess and actually 75% of the time i get the question right. i appreciate that someone took their time to write out this article, i like the part that you should study over time and have someone else quiz you and what to do if there is more than one possibly correct answer, because i get confused easily.
Cody Per. 4
I gained a lot of information from the articles, but mainly from studygs.net. It, other than being easy to read, covered a large quantity of helpful tips in a shart amount of time. Usually taking tests just frustrates me when i get to a hard question i don’t know how to answer, and i spend forever stuck trying to figure it out. But these sources say to move on and comeback later, when you have a semi-clear head and more information from the rest of the test. Also to read through the test once answering simple questions, which helps with the other, too. Overall these resources help understand what you should do more, and i will try it next test.
Jennifer Foster pd. 4
First of all, before you even think about taking the test, you need to prepare for it. It’s good to get a good nights sleep the night before so that you will be well rested the next day. Next, in the morning, it’s good to eat a hearty breakfast. This will help you focus better.
I’ve always found that chewing a piece of gum during the test is a good test taking tip because it gives you something to do while your taking the test and it helps calm the nerves, or at least mine. Another tip is not to spend too much time on a single question. When you focus on a single question, you leave out all the others and since most tests are timed, it would be bad to waste all your time on a single question. Instead, skip the question, then when you are finnished with the test, go back and attempt the problem again. Sometimes, skipping a question and going back to it allows your mind refresh before you answer the question. Above all, don’t try to over think the problem and make it more complicated than it already is. By doing this, you are bypassing your gut instinct to answering the question. Justin Owens period 6
These videos really helped me for my future testing expieriences because somethings that were mentioned, i have the tendancy to do, and they are not good. I am not a very good test taker just because most of the tests are timed and i do not like being pressured. it makes me feel stressed and i then forget the material that im being tested on. i learned that i need to make sure i pace myself while testing and to not spend much time on one question which i tend to do most of the time. also not to study on the last minute because i will forget or confuse the information the next day. i will try and apply most of these stips given on my next test and hopefully i will do much better.
Watching these videos made me think about how much time many of us waste on our time given for testing. For example, we spend too much time in one question simply because we want to get it done and we don’t want to forget, or because we think it will be better if we do it. However, one of the videos’ mentioned how skipping the hard questions would be easier, and I personally agree, because I have done that before. Not only does it take some stress of that one question in particular to be done, but it also takes stress off your test not being done. Skipping questions that you don’t remember is a faster and better way to get more part of your test done. Taking your time on a test is a good thing in order to do good, even if you are timed on it, we don’t need to stress over getting all of it done, but more on getting it done correctly. Going back to changing our first response is usually a bad idea, because well, your first choice is usually always right.
The studying method was interesting for me because, most people DO try to learn everything the night before an exam, which is wrong. When I study the night before an exam I forget the information I studied the next day. But once I actually take my time to study a couple of nights before the exam I actually do memorize the information or my mind knows the answers instantly. However, when I tempt to study the night before I know the information but, once the exam is in front of me, by brain goes blank, which is why we should take the time to study. Another thing that makes our mind go blank is too much thinking about the test, how stressful and nervous you get because you want to do good. I liked how it said that it’s okay to take a 30 second brake to get stress off, because it helps you.
These videos showed me some good tips on test taking and on how to study. More importantly that we all have to manage our time wisely, not just on a test, but on the time you put to studying and getting everything done.
These videos really helped me think of taking tests in a different way. I have a bad habit of just winging any test that comes my way. Plus I feel totally stressed when I guess on hard tests, so I’m glad I saw these resources. One thing I learned was that I need to make sure not to think that testing is a race, wanting to be the first one done. Also I need to make sure not to spend too much time on a single question, which can get frustrating a lot for me. Lastly, I need to make sure not to study at the last minute, because I can be very forgetful, and all of that info I got at the last minute will just fly out of my head in an instant. I will try my very best to bring these “tools of testing” the next time I take a test, big or small.
After watching the videos i learned many new skills on test taking and saw some other ones that i already use. All of the videos were equally helpful and gave some very good information, that will certainly help all of us. The main thing that i learned was to take my time on my test to not rush , that test are not a race. Usually i try to finish at the time my friends finish so we can talk and most of the time that leads me into guessing which is not good. Another thing it said was to not change your answers unless you are sure that you have it wrong , most of the time the first answer that you picked first is the correct choice. I have the habit of changing my answers often because on letter might repeat so i think that one of the answers are wrong and i change them. lastly , i learned that cramming everything the night before the test never helps. This is what most of us do the day before the test, but i do agree that if you study everyday the information is going to stay longer and you will have time to study more things than if you try to study everything at one time. I do this in my math test i never study until the night before of the test and i come to school very tired and stressed out because i feel like i did not study properly and that im not prepared. This leads me into being anxious and then i forget everything when they put the test in front of me.From now on im going to use more of the test taking skills that the videos talked about.
- arylin , 6th period
I never thought about “Tips” to help sudy and prepare for a test. I simply assumed like most of us it was a strenuous task that just consists of re-reading notes or cards to “Study” whatever content we needed to. I found the most intersting, helpful information in the first article of social psychology. I was surprised to read that it benefits us students more if we have space in between our studying. I know that I always thought it was good to mainly review the content before a test because it was then fresh in my brain, the article though expressed how studying in spaces of even hours or days will benefit us more. I’m the type where I think about things ALOT and get overwhelmed with making it a point to my self about a test or a specific task. I naturally thought that if I were to remind myself how important a test may be or how significant any important work is, that I would significantly do better. But the article portrayed that with having that mindset, you find your self focusing so much on it that your performance lacks. I was glad to read though that when taking a test read ahead on the questions and whatever is on the test, because I find myself doing that already. When taking a test, especially if its super boring, I find myself taking breaks where I may be thinking or focusing on something else. I was surprised to read that being that way is beneficial actually and gives your brain a break and gives you an easier time deciding on an answer. I also found it reassuring that studies have shown students recieve better scores sometimes by changing their original answer. I now know that if I feel unsure about an answer I chose, I can now feel confident in actually changing it and possibly getting the correct answer in the long run.
~Lori Duncan
Per. 2
Both articles are good ways to fully comprehend the test taking skills. The multiple choice articles had various methods to even guessing a question right. Methods such as the elimination process or reading ahead to get clues or even remember certain topics. It was also a good idea to review the test to fully comprehend the topics that are being brought up. The only idea that has not worked for me is the looking over a test after I am done. Mostly because I over think everything. As in the other article it recommended that you take studying as if you were taking the real test. This means to have a closed notes examination to see if you fully comprehend the ideas for the certain topic. Another good point is to space your hours. This basically means that if you have little time expand the extra time into different days. This keeps all the information fresh and allows you to keep everything in mind. The videos were interesting to understand the concepts at a full perspective. Studying at the last minute. Progress is better made when there is a full understanding of the topic which is better achieved by studying. There is also another good point I need to follow which is not to stress. Finally the best thing in my opinion is that if I see more than one answer correct I should review the question and make sure to pick the best one that matches the topic.
After reading both articles provided I found both of them to be extremely beneficial to my personal style of taking a multiple choice test. Although an answer is obviously present, I really found that hiding all of the choices available and reading the question until it is completely comprehensible, is a much more successful method to answer multiple-choice questions. Another idea provided was to simply skip confusing questions and to return to them once you had finished the easier problems, I personally use this method and it really aids my stress! A statistic showing that spacing out your study hours rather than cramming the night before a big exam really caught me off guard; for I believed if you diligently worked the night before you could retain that information better, whereas it is the complete opposite. I also tend to stress before I take a test of some sort and I believe while using this information I will not worry so much!
-Morgan Robbins
Period 2
In my opinion,the first article was the most interesting and the one that helped me out the most. It helped me realize numerous things that i have been doing wrong and it also helped me understand how to fix them. For instance,i am a huge precrastinator,i always leave the studying part untill the day before the test. That was because i believed it was the best way to keep things fresh for the next day. Howevery,the article says they have made a research and say that it is better to study under spaced time is the best way to keep material fresh without cramming everything the night before. In addition, another tip that made me realize stuff was the one that said that one should study and try to look up the answers in the book the less possible. I usually make up my own questions and look the answers in the book or my notes and attempt to memorize the answer.However, my methods dont really come handy when its test time due to the fact that no information is fresh and its hard to memorize everything in one night.The article made me realize that the most important part of the test is studying for it in order to be calm and not tense during the test time. ______Nephtaly hernandez 6th period
some of the test strategies were new to me like taking a 30 second nap a couple times and guess the correct answer. I learned that reading a question through and looking for key terms can be most helpful. It kinda seemed like the test taking articles were different because one says skip the ones you dont know and come back to them while the other says make a quick guess and move on because you can get confused when you have to look around for skipped questions. Some might say if you get test taking anxiety attacks tell the teacher so they can give you extra time or send you too a quitter place well i say thats not a good test taking skill. I think a good skill would be to study and study untll you know all of the answers and should get other people to ask you questions because it will help get other questions other than the ones you already know. So i learned a couple things could be helpful and a couple things are useless.
Daniel Navarro
Period 2
the second link to test taking skills was the one that i learned the most things from. there were a lot of types of skills there that i had already been introduced to before. but there were some new ones like the one that said “Question options that contain negative or absolute words” it seemed kind of dumb but if you really look at it it does make a lot of sense. Another thing that i found interesting was that there were some good strategies for guessing just in case you didn’t konw an answer. Usually when i don’t know the question i guess no matter what, but this article advised that you should only guess when there is no penalty for guessing. so in other words you should try to not guess at all. one of the strategies that i really disliked was the one that said read through the test a second time. Obviously nobody really wants to do that, it takes to much time
The first article was a great read because it used great real life examples and was straight to the point. I especially liked the first point made about putting yourself in similar conditions that would be going on during a real test. Then the points about not cramming made a lot of sense. I’m especially guilty of cramming before a test because I believe if the material is fresh in my mind that I’ll do that much better. This proves untrue most of the time however. It’s great to space things out because if you do decide to cram you’ll just hate the subject because you were careless. Having set times and limits would be great for not frying your brain also. It was a very helpful article.
When reading the second article I was a bit put off by some of the tips because they were basic and gave me no help whatsoever. When I read on however, a majority of what was stated made a lot of sense. I never thought to cover the answers to multiple choice questions before reading this article. It brings a new perspective to the question. It helps you to think critically and quite honestly if you absolutely needed the multiple choice answers to begin with then you didn’t really know the material all that well. In all, this article was somewhat helpful but it stated a lot of the obvious.
After watching these videos I was almost encouraged to know that their are better test taking sklls and theres a way for me to do better at test taking. I also liked how it talked about blocking out certain facts and focusing on the quesion and the main points its giving. This may not be relevenent to test taking but I liked that thought and applied it to every day life that sometimes you just need to block out certain things that aren’t important and focus on whats important and this way more will get done. Its the same with test taking because if i use this stradegy then i can get “more done” and achieve a better overall grade on important tests. Another thing i liked is in student council the other day, we did an activity on test taking and how well we remember things and how quickly they’re forgotten and how this is a huge factor that effects students when test taking. It suggested that you spend a couple minutes each day rereading notes and refreshing your mind therefore all those things you learned in class it’ll turn to long term memory. i liked this idea and i felt that this is another effective way of test taking.
The first video on the 4 Steps to scoring high on a multiple choice test I was able to agree with on many levels and steps like eliminating wrongs the obviously wrong answers and having a higher chance to choose the right one. Also the other videos had many helpful tips as well as some that were a bit less helpful. I enjoyed what was said about the cramming because i do that a bit too often and it was good to know that for future references not to spend the whole night before cramming because it makes it more difficult to retain the information and confuses you on the next day during the test. its better to review notes a few days before and to know exactly what will be on the test so that way you can study the correct material and not spend time studying the wrong material. I had always thought studying the night before a test or even in the morning thinking I will remember all the lessons better this way but that was proved wrong now, and I’m glad i know. another tip i noticed that was not too helpful was actually the mentioning of going back and changing your first answer but usually in past experiences I’ve gone back and changed my first answer because of over thinking the question and my first answer is usually the right one, especially since my first answer is almost always the right answer. A lot of basic tips that we hear very often and also some new ones that I may keep in mind the next time i have a test coming up.
Nicole Hartman
Period 6
After reading the articles and watching the videos I feel a little bit more prepared to take a test. I have always been a poor test taker because i just dont study the right way. That is why the first article helped me out the most. In the first part it tells you ways to prepare to take a test, and instead of craming or studying in groups you should study in increments and on your own until you have review all notes and materials covered in class. Once that is done you should study with a partner because then they will come up with questions that are not your and you already know the answers too. The next part of the article was on actually taking the test which can be very stressful sometimes and cause one to make stupid mistakes, especially if timed. That is why i am glad this portion covered time management and pacing yourself properly for the test and giving yourself 10 minutes at the end of each section to review and ensure you did not put something totally rediculous. It also tells you to relax and clear your mind periodically through out the test so you dont psych yourself out by putting emotional baggage on yourself.
The second article also helped alot to refresh previous tips I had been given on multiple choice taking tests. Such as going through everything first and and eliminating obvious wrong answers. the Guessing portion of this artical will definatly help me the next time i take the ACT because last time i left alot blank.
Even the videos helped me to refresh tips I have already learned but have not thought to use. So I definatly plan on fixing old habits and learn how to do well, not only in class and with homework, but with test. Which are at this moment is my weekness in school.