Chapter 7 TestTaking Strategies Breaking Through College Reading

Chapter 7: Test-Taking Strategies Breaking Through: College Reading, 7/e Brenda Smith © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Achieve Your Highest Potential ©Be prepared. ©Stay alert. ©Seek feedback on tests. © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

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. © 2005 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. . . © 2005 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. . . © 2005 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… © 2005 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 to or for me, the reader? © 2005 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. © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Types of Test Passages ©Factual passages ©Opinion passages ©Fiction passages © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Multiple Choice & True-False Tests ©Read all options. ©Predict the correct answer. ©Avoid answers with “ 100%” words. ©Consider answers with qualifying words. ©Do not overanalyze. ©True statements must be true without exception. © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Multiple Choice & 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. © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Multiple Choice & True-False Tests © Validate true responses. © Recognize flaws in test-making. ©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. © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Essay-type Exams © Record 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. © 2005 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 © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Essay-type Exams ©Write to earn points. ©What main ideas need to be covered? ©Stick to the question and answer directly. ©How will the essay be scored? ©Read an “A” paper for feedback. © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Using Mnemonics ©Read out loud. ©Write it down. ©Create acronyms. ©Create acrostics. ©Use rhythms, rhymes, and jingles. ©Make associations. ©Create mental and key word images. © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Summary Questions ©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? © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

Summary Questions ©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? © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman Publishers.

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