​
MR. M'S CLASSES

TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

  • Home
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Writing Resources
Home
Middle School Page
Unit 4 Page

1.  Get Ready Before Testing
  • Get plenty of rest the night before each testing day.
    • ​​You need 8 to 10 hours of sleep, so go to bed by 10:00 PM.
  • Avoid the morning rush.
    • Set out clothes the night before. Get to school a few minutes earlier than you usually do.
  • Eat a good nutritious breakfast the morning of each testing day.
    • Example of a good breakfast could be milk with cereal, eggs, fruits, etc.; junk food is not a good option for breakfast.

2.  Always Listen to the Directions Given by the Instructor
  • Read the directions written on the test.
  • Read the questions and all the answer choices before making anything.

3.  Use Your Time Wisely
  • Do not spend too much time on any one question.
  • It is important to answer every question even if you are not sure of the answer.
  • Use all your time; there are no extra points for finishing early.
  • Save time at the end to review your test and make sure you have not left out any answers.
  • Answer the easiest questions first, but be sure to go back to those questions you skipped.

4.  Eliminate the Wrong Answers
  • If you can not figure out which answer is correct, try to eliminate (get rid of) the answers that you know are wrong.
  • Eliminate obviously wrong answer choices.
  • Eliminate choices that are partly correct.
  • Eliminate items that are correct by do not answer the question.

5.  When in Doubt, Make an Educated Guess
  • Educated guessing means using everything you know to attempt to answer the question.
  • A random guess on multiple choice questions (i.e., possible answers A, B, C, and D) gives you 25% chance of getting the right answer.
  • An educated guess gives you chance of answering a multiple choice question correctly up to 75%.

6.  Absolute Words that Tend to be False or Wrong
  • The following words are usually false or wrong: All, Always, Best, Entirely, Every, Everyone, Must, Never, None, Only, and Worst.

7.  General Words that Tend to be Correct or True
  • The following words are usually correct or true: Generally, Few, Frequently, Many, Most, Often, Probably, Seldom, Some, Sometimes, and Usually.

8.  Look for Clues
  • When the answer is not clear, look for clues (i.e., context, tense, word type, and grammar) in the question and the answer choices.
  • ​The context of a ward include all the words and sentences that surround it and the situation in which the word is used.
  • Clue words in test questions are:
​​Who? = Person
What? = Things
Where? = Place
When? = Time
Why? = Reason
 Which? = Choice
How? = A way something is done
How many? = Number

9.  Negatives & Double Negatives
  • The effect of negatives is to make the sentence the opposite of what it would be without the negative
    • Negatives = hardly, no one, none, not, and scarcely
    • Prefixes such as: un-, non-, dis-, and in-
  • Simplify the question by getting rid of double negatives.
    • Simplify this following statement:
      • Most people are not unafraid of snakes.
      • Most people are afraid of snakes.

10.  Estimate
  • In mathematics, estimating is an approximate answer obtained by rounding the numbers before you add, subtract, multiply, or divide.
  • Estimate obviously wrong answers first and then estimate.

11.  Questions with Graphs, Charts, and Tables
  • Read all the titles, labels, and other given information.
  • Check the units of measurement.
  • Look for a pattern, trend, or comparison in the graph or table.

12.  Questions with Maps
  • Read the title of the map.
  • Check the map key (i.e., legend).
  • Look at the map scale; if you need to find the distance.
  • Re-read the question again.

13.  Reading a Story
  • Answer about where and when the story takes place are found at the beginning.
  • Answer about a problem of the story are usually found in the middle.
  • Answers about how the problem was resolved are usually at the end.
  • When reading a passage remember to:
    • Read the question first to determine what you are looking for as you read the selection.

14.  Finding the Big Idea
  • Events and characters that make up the story.
  • The purpose of the story.
  • The point the author is trying to make.
  • Tip: Look for the big idea in the first two paragraphs of the story.

15.  Do not Misbubble
  • If you reach a hard question and can not make your educated guess, an easier one is just around the corner. 
    • Write light next to the question you are skipping and move on to the next question.
  • At the end of the text, go back to the question with a mark next to them and see if you can try to answer it.
  • Make sure you answer every question.

Test-Taking Strategies
Test Anxiety
Strategies for Answering Multiple Choice
Test-Taking Tips for Middle Schoolers
Tips for Coping with Test Anxiety
Picture
Website Created by: Christopher J. Mantei
all rights reserved - do not replicate without authorization
copyright: 2011-23
  • Home
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Writing Resources