• Preparing for an exam.
• Study tips and tricks.
• Test taking tips.
• How to approach different types of
problems.
• What to do if you get a bad grade.
study, study, study!
• Library, coffee shop, home…
Wherever you can work comfortably and efficiently!
notes
keyword cards
practice,
practice,
practice!!!
• Together or alone?
• Plan ahead.
• Together or alone?
• Plan ahead.
• Come to Math and Writing Center.
• Think like your professor.
• Don’t forget to take breaks!
• The power nap is your friend.
• Reward yourself!
study
sleep!!!!!!
Dress well, test well!
Don’t stress about
what you DON’T
know.
Be confident in what
you DO know!
And arrive on time!
1. Flip through the exam.
• Are you missing a page?
• How long is it?
• Do any of the questions catch or eye?
Do you know how to answer them?
Do they look difficult?
Become familiar with the test
2. Start working!
Read all directions carefully!!!
Don’t waste time on what you don’t know.
Ask questions.
•
Multiple choice
• Read the question carefully!
• Think of your own answer before reading the options.
• Eliminate answers you’re confident are wrong.
• Trust your instinct!
Example:
Which of the following is not a mammal?
a) bat
b) horse
c) whale
d) shark
•
Short answer questions
• Be sure to answer all parts of the question.
• Show what you know and be specific.
• If you’re unsure, try to make an educated guess.
You might get partial credit.
Example:
What was Martin Luther King, Jr. asking for in his “I Have
a Dream” speech? What was the significance of where the
speech was given, and what important event in American
history does he reference in the first few lines of his
speech?
•
Essay questions
• Organize your thoughts.
• Restate the question in your own words as
part of your introduction.
• Use clear supporting details and examples to
back up your main idea.
• Use good penmanship!
Example:
What led to the economic collapse in Armenia following independence
in 1991? Include specific events and explain how each contributed to
the collapse.
•
Math problems
• Write down important formulas and rules
before you start.
• Answer all parts of the question and remember units!
• Show all of your work! You could get partial credit.
• Does your answer make sense?

Does your answer make sense?
Example:
Lusine spent 2000 AMD on oranges and apples at the
market. Oranges cost 500 AMD and apples cost 200 AMD.
Lusine bought 7 pieces of fruit. How many oranges and
apples did she buy?
2000  500x  200y
7xy
x 7y
2000  5007  y   200y
2000  3500  500y  200y
1500  300y
y  5
x  12
Check it over!!!!!!!!
It’s okay!
Treat every mistake as a
learning experience.
• What went wrong?
• Where did I lose points?
• Did I make the same mistake on multiple questions?
• Did I make a silly error, or did I just not understand the
material?
• Did I not understand what the question was asking?
• Did the professor leave any comments that might help me
understand my mistakes?
Accept and own your
mistakes, and don’t forget to
learn from them!
Your mistakes might even help you
on your next exam.
Are you still feeling lost?
- Talk to your professor!
1) Be prepared.
2) Visit the Math and Writing Center!
3) Be confident in what you know.
4) Work carefully and efficiently.
5) Check it over!!!
6) Learn from your mistakes.
• Center for Student Success
Math and writing cheat sheets, other online resources
http://studentsuccess.aua.am/resources/
• Six Minutes to Success videos on various study skills
http://www.baylor.edu/support_programs/index.php?id=92507
• Tips for history/writing exams
https://www.trentu.ca/history/workbook/exampreparation.php
• Tips for Calculus exams
https://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~kouba/CalculusTips.html
• General study skills/test prep
http://tlc.uoregon.edu/learningservices/studyskills/testtaking.html