Chapter 7 Test Taking Strategies Breaking Through College

Achieve Your Highest Potential ¢ Be prepared. ¢ Stay alert. ¢ Seek feedback on

Taking Standardized Tests Read to comprehend. ¢ Interact with the passage. ¢ Anticipate content by activating schema. ¢ Relax—don’t feel rushed. ¢ Read to learn. ¢ Recall the main points. ¢ © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Understand Major Question Types Main Idea Questions: ¢ The best statement of the main idea is… ¢ The best title for this passage is… ¢ The author is primarily concerned with. . . ¢ The central theme of the passage is. . . © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Understand Major Question Types Detail Questions: ¢ The author states that… ¢ According to the author… ¢ According to the passage… ¢ All of the following are true except… ¢ A person, term, or place is. . . © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Understand Major Question Types Implied Meaning Questions: ¢ ¢ The author believes, feels, implies… It can be inferred from the passage… The passage/author suggests… It can be concluded from the passage that… © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Understand Major Question Types Purpose Questions: ¢ What was the author’s purpose in writing this material? ¢ What did the author do for me, the reader? © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Understand Major Question Types Vocabulary Questions: ¢ Figure out the meaning with context clues. ¢ Be careful of words that have multiple meanings. © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Types of Test Passages Factual passages ¢ Opinion passages ¢ Fiction passages ¢ ©

Hints for Taking Multiple Choice and True-False Tests Read all options. ¢ Predict the correct answer. ¢ Avoid answers with “ 100%” words. ¢ Consider answers with qualifying words. [sometimes, all, none, few, etc. ] ¢ Do not overanalyze. ¢ True statements must be true without exception. ¢ © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Hints for Taking Multiple Choice and True-False Tests ¢ ¢ ¢ If two options are synonymous, eliminate both. Figure out the difference between similar options. Use logical reasoning if two answers are correct. Look suspiciously at directly quoted pompous phrases. Simplify double negatives by canceling out both. Some questions do not have clues. © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Hints for Taking Multiple Choice and True -False Tests ¢ ¢ Validate true responses. Recognize flaws in test-making. l l Eliminate responses that do not have subject-verb agreement. Use clues from other parts of the test. Longer answers are more frequently correct. Avoid absurd ideas and emotional words in the options. © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Hints for Taking Essay Exams Reword the statement or question. ¢ Answer the question. ¢ Organize your answer. ¢ Brainstorm ideas. ¢ Use a formal writing style. ¢ Be aware of appearance. ¢ Predict and practice. ¢ Notice key words. ¢ © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Hints for Essay Exams ¢ Write to earn points. What main ideas need to be covered? l Stick to the question and answer directly. l How will the essay be scored? l ¢ Read an “A” paper for feedback. © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Key Words on Essay Exams Compare ¢ Contrast ¢ Criticize ¢ Define ¢ Describe ¢ Discuss ¢ Evaluate ¢ Explain ¢ Illustrate ¢ Interpret ¢ Justify ¢ List ¢ Outline ¢ Prove ¢ Relate ¢ © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Using Mnemonics Read out loud. ¢ Write it down. ¢ Create acronyms. [HOMES] ¢ Create acrostics. ¢ Use rhythms, rhymes, and jingles. ¢ Make associations. ¢ Create mental and key word images. ¢ © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Summary Points How can you prepare to be mentally alert on a test? ¢ What should you know about the organization of an exam prior to taking it? ¢ How should you read standardized reading test passages? ¢ © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers

Summary Points What are the major question types of standardized reading tests? ¢ How should you organize essay exam responses? ¢ Why should you seek feedback after an exam? ¢ © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers