SKILL ONE: Read the test questions and directions very carefully.
- Read the questions as they are, not as you would like them to be.
- Understand the kinds of answers expected, and how they are scored.
- Find out if there is an additional penalty for wrong answers, guessing.
- Pay attention to the wording of each question.
- Ask your instructor for clarification if you do not understand the directions
SKILL TWO: Plan the use of your time on an essay exam.
- Survey entire test before you start to answer any questions.
- Have a watch with you.
- Budget your time for each section.
- Allow a few minutes for a final proofreading.
- Make sure you are working rapidly enough to answer all the questions.
- Begin to work as quickly as possible.
- Quickly answer the easiest questions first.
- Guess at questions when unsure, as long as there is no penalty for guessing.
SKILL three: Pay particular attention to the wording of questions.
- Watch for qualifiers such as all, must, some, great, much, little, and no.
- Examine all questions containing negative wording, e.g. not and the prefix un.
- Read questions very carefully to assure full understanding.
- Watch for use of inserted names, dates, places, or other details which could make a statement inaccurate.
- Look for multiple ideas or concepts within the same true-false statement.
- All segments of the question must be true for the entire question to be true.
SKILL Fourth: On essay exams know what you can say about a subject in a given amount of time.
- Estimate how many paragraphs you can write in a given period of time.
- Decide what kind of answer the question requires before you begin writing.
- Jot down a brief outline before responding to a question.
- Use a five paragraph essay format:
- Opening paragraph stating the main idea to be discussed.
- Intermediate paragraphs with supporting details.
- Concluding paragraph to summarize and restate the main idea.
- Practice this style of writing.
- Avoid longwinded introductions, and get down to business in your first paragraph.
SKILL FIVE: for objective and multiple-choice test questionS, look for best answer and not JUST ONE correct answer.
- Read a test question and think of your own answer first.
- If your answer is not in the example, read the question again and substitute each different answer.
- Try to eliminate all the answers but two, and you will have a true-false test.
- Select the best answer from those which are available.
- Be cautious about changing your original answer without good reason.
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