by Judi Kesselman-Turkel and Franklynn Peterson
We all remember tests we went into knowing the whole subject thoroughly -- and came out of with a grade we were ashamed of.
What happened? It's often not what we didn't know, it's how we took the test.
Some people know how to take tests. They pick up tricks by osmosis and cool their way through. It's not hard to become "test-wise." Here are some tricks that are good for several percentage points apiece. They're taken from Test-Taking Strategies (University of Wisconsin Press, $6.95).
For any test, take a minute at the beginning to figure out how many problems there are and how many credits each one is worth. Subtract ten minutes from the test length for checking answers at the end, and divide up the remaining time according to the weight of the questions.
For multiple choice tests:
1. Follow directions carefully. If they say to mark every correct answer for each question, mark all the right answers. If you're told to underline the right choice, don't check or circle it. That could lose you points.
2. Work quickly and don't dawdle. Don't race, either. Read each question just once. Mark the right answer as soon as you come to it. If you're unsure, mark the question and return to it later. (If you're not supposed to write on the test paper, use your answer paper to list question numbers you're unsure of.)
Don't skip too many questions. Rereading takes time, too.
3. Figure out your answer before you look at the choices. If it's there, you'll save a lot of time. If it isn't, forget it and read the choices.
4. When you come back to the questions you didn't answer on the first go-round, study the choices for each question. Eliminate the silly and implausible choices -- and the ones you think may be put there to trick you. Now guess the right answer from the two or three that are left. On most multiple choice quizzes, any answer is better than none.
For essay tests:
1. Read all the questions before answering any. Jot down what you know about each question. This technique helps in cases where you get so involved in writing about one topic, you blank out what you know about the other topics. It also helps you select the best choice if you're given a choice of questions to answer.
2. Outline each answer before writing it in paragraph form. The time you lose now, you more than gain later.
3. Budget your time, spending the most on the questions that are worth the most points.
4. Use details, examples and other specifics in your answers. Show off your knowledge, but don't stray far from the subject. Many teachers take off points for long-winded or inappropriate paragraphs.
5. If you blank out, start writing just to get your pen moving. By the second sentence, your thoughts may get in gear.
6. If you're nervous, don't worry. Actually, a bit of nervousness will raise your test score. It makes you more alert. Overconfidence sometimes leads to carelessness.
Some people actually panic during tests. As many as one out of every five students loses points from panic. They suffer from what's called "test anxiety."
Test anxiety can be cured. Many of the ways were developed by Dr. Frank Richardson, a University of Texas educational psychologist. Here are a few.
1. Don't try to memorize all your notes. Just memorize the facts: important dates and names, recall clues, trigger tags (like mercantilism and Ohm's Law), formulas, titles and authors. If you remember those at test time, you'll also remember the ideas they describe.
2. Don't fight panic. Relax if you feel tension coming. Learn -- and use -- deep-breathing and other relaxation techniques.
3. As soon as you're permitted to start writing, jot down the facts you've been queasy about forgetting. This will clear your head so you can concentrate on the exam. Use scrap paper or the back of the answer sheet.
4. Stop thinking about yourself. It only increases the panic. Think about the test questions.
5. Remember that nearly everyone goes blank some time during a test. Think around the blank. Let your mind free-associate about the question you're stuck on. Try to visualize where the topic was covered in your book or notes.
6. Keep in mind that few people finish and almost nobody gets a perfect score.
7. Try taking the same kind of test in a relaxed setting. Doing that several times can help desensitize your panic nerves.
8. If you're in a state where you're no good for anything, consider asking for a postponement or retest. But don't do it often. It could make the problem worse, since the more we avoid fearful situations, the great our fear can grow.
Taking a standardized test like an SAT? Buy one or two books that have similar exams and answers. Work through them. Study the questions you get wrong. Figure out your error patterns and the exam-writers' reasoning patterns. Work against time, just as in the actual exam.
Practice pays. College Board testers found that students can improve SAT scores an average of forty points by putting in several months of practice at SAT test-taking.
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Most of the preceding tips were excerpted from the book Test-Taking Strategies by Judi Kesselman-Turkel and Franklynn Peterson, which is used in schools and colleges through the U.S. and Europe. Published by the University of Wisconsin Press, it is sold through bookstores at $6.95. It is part of an eight-book series that includes Secrets to Writing Great Papers, Note-Taking Made Easy, Research Shortcuts, Spelling Simplified, The Grammar Crammer, The Vocabulary Builder and Study Smarts.