Exam Boot Camp
Day 3 – Test Taking Strategies
Introduction
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Day 1 - Organization & Time Management
Day 2 - Effective Study Skills
Day 3 - Test Taking Strategies
Day 4 - Managing Anxiety and Stress
Before the Test
• Ensure that you eat before the test, but avoid
heavy foods that make you groggy.
• Don’t try and pull all nighters (try to get at
least 5 – 8 hours of sleep the night before)
• Show up on time but don’t arrive to early
• Try and avoid discussing with others what you
have studied (this can lead to panic)
• Go to the bathroom before the test
Arriving for the test
• Bring extra supplies
– at least two pens/pencils with good erasers)
– calculator with good batters
– ruler
– highlighters or coloured pens(at least 3 – 4
colours)
• Bring a watch to pace yourself and plan your
questioning.
Beginning the Test
• Be sure to put your whole name on your test
right away. (Often students leave this and
forget about it)
• Scan the whole test immediately – sense of
pace, stuff you know, build confidence.
• Brain dump – write down any formulas, dates,
keys terms before you begin (you may add to
this list from Objective questions)
During the Test:
Strategies
- What works best for you??
Strategy
Pros
Cons
Multiple
Choice First
Can get clue from the multiple
choice for the questions
Can become long and tired of the test before
reaching the long answer
Can be easy to lose track of time.
Written
Questions
First
Getting the longer sections out
of the way first
Some
multiple
choice and
some
questions
Keeps your mind fresh
Miss out on clues given in the multiple choice.
Tendency to spend too long on questions
(forgetting there is another section remaining
Can be difficult transitioning back and forth
between the two.
During the Test
• Do the easiest questions first (don’t stay on a
problem too long)
• Do the problems that have the greatest point
values first
• Don’t rush, but pace
• Write legibly (teacher will normally give more
marks for what can be read)
• Record the questions you don’t know,
aren’t sure of, or want to add to so you
can easily come back to them.
Tips for specific types of questions:
Different types of questions involve different
strategies!!
• Multiple Choice
• True and False
• Fill in the Blanks
• Short Answer
• Essay Questions
SELECTED Response:
MOST COMMON MISTAKES
1. Assuming there must be a pattern
2. Spending too much time on the objectives and running out of time for
the composed response.
3. Transferring answers incorrectly from scrap paper
4. Circling the wrong multiple choice answer.
5. Leaving an answer blank. MARK THE ONES YOU SKIPPED TO EASILY
GO BACK LATER AND FILL IN/GUESS
6. Answering a question twice – a large majority of students actually
circle two answers. REVIEW YOUR ANSWERS!!!
7. MATH**** Treating questions as automatic answer questions as
opposed to mini questions which need to be worked out on paper
(like the written response)
Multiple Choice
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Read instruction carefully
Decide on answer first before looking at list of choices, then carefully
read each choice
Be sure to read all choices before coming up with an answer (they
can be very closely related)
Eliminate the ones you know don’t belong.
If don’t know mark it and skip it (sometimes answer may be another
part of the exam)
ALWAYS come back and guess even if you don’t know (if there is no
guessing penalty)
First guess is usually the right response
Don’t consider a pattern or the number of a, b, c, d in a row. (This is
not a consideration in making up a test)
True/False Questions
Answer questions you know first
Watch for keywords and qualifiers.
Read carefully - often one word will
make an answer true or false
ALWAYS
NEVER
EVERY
If any part of the statement is false it’s
usually false
If part of the statement is true, the entire
statement is not necessarily true.
Written Response:
MOST COMMON MISTAKES
1. Not spending enough time on questions, not giving enough
information
2. Not answering the entire question
3. Ignoring the Clock
4. Understanding of common keywords (compare, contrast, define, list,
explain, etc.)
5. Not following directions
6. Leaving an answer blank
7. Thinking too much – USE YOUR POINT VALUES TO GUIDE YOU
8. Not putting your name on the test
Short Answer & Fill in the Blank
There is usually one best answer… understand the
question – underline the key word(s)
Start with key part of the answer, then support
Answer should fit in the space provided (brief is always
better)
If lost look at other parts of the exam for help
Essay Questions
Before Beginning:
• Read instructions – do 2 of 3, etc.
• Decide on the ones you will answer.
• Budget your time (look at point value)
• Read each question and then start with the easiest
• Start by brain storming – jot notes, time lines, charts, number
ideas
• Create a quick plan for the essay/paragraphs.
Essay Questions
Writing:
• Follow your outline (Don’t continue adding as you
go along, this leads to rambling)
• You should have a short introduction and conclusion but don’t make
them too long. (An essay question on a test will not be in the same detail
as an essay you have prepared at home)
• Focus on one main idea per paragraph.
• Use clear concise sentences, stick to the point and don’t be long winded.
• Be sure to give support.
• If you aren’t sure about exact dates/numbers, use approximations
(“approximately 5000, In the late 17th century)
• If you make a mistake, draw a line through it. (Erasing looks messier and
takes longer)
Written Questions: Common Mistakes
Often written questions have several questions
in one. The most common mistake made by
students in writing answers is to respond to one
or a few questions, but not all. This happens for
different reasons:
• Forget about the other questions
• Get rapped up in responding to one part.
• Work one the first part and don’t get time to
respond to the other sections.
Solution: Highlighting Method
• Read the question carefully first and highlight the
many different sections/smaller questions before
even beginning, a different colour.
• Number the different questions so you know how
many sections/parts you need to have to your
answer.
• Write your answer responding
specifically to each section.
• Use your highlighter again in your
answer to be sure you have each
section covered.
Highlighting Method:
• What is Exam Boot Camp? Tell me what you
do in this program, what you have learned so
far, what you like and what you don’t like
about exam bootcamp.
KEYWORDS TO KNOW!!!!
• List
– In point or numbered form, with no explanation
• Define
– Provide a definition.
• Explain
– Provide an answer that gives a complete overview or clear
description of the problem and solution for a particular
question.
• Analyze
– Take apart a concept or a process, and explain it step by
step.
KEYWORDS TO KNOW!!!
• Contrast
– Show differences.
• Compare
– Show likenesses and differences.
• Diagram
– Explain and draw a chart or other visual to illustrate your
points.
• Outline
– Provide an explanation with headings and subheadings
KEYWORDS TO KNOW!!! - MATH
• Factor - Show pieces that
when multiplied give you
that shown
16xy2 - 8x2 y
8xy(2y-x)
• Calculate Find the answer
6+5 x 2
4
• Solve Find x
-2x + 3 = -3x + 8
x=11
• Simplify Combine like
pieces together
4x2 – 5xy -6y2 – 8xy – 4y2 -5x2
-x2 – 13xy – 10y2
QUIZ YOURSELF – Practice!!!
1.
2.
3.
4.
Explain the 4 seasons of the year.
List the seven days of the week.
Contrast a boy and girl.
Compare and contrast the physical features
of a dog and a cat.
Ch.11
Writing Under Time Constraints
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Outline
Get to the point
Leave off introductions
Put your answer at the beginning
Avoid wordy rambling writing
If almost no time left use point form
(Check with teacher would this be
okay if short on time)
After the Test
• Don’t spend time discussing answers to
questions with others (this can lead to panic
and stress)
• Take some time to relax before beginning
studying for the next one. (Try and get a bit of
fresh air)
RESOURCE
• Old Exams to Practice:
– CRT’s (Grade 9)
– Public Exams
http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/k12/evaluation/in
dex.html