Test-taking booklet
TEST TAKING 101
Test Taking Strategies and Tips for Managing Test Anxiety Center for Student Success, Ivy Tech Community College
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What to do before the test
1
What to do the day of the test
2
What to do during the test
3
What to do to manage test anxiety
4
BEFORE THE TEST GET ORGANIZED!
Write down deadlines for your assignments/projects and dates for quizzes/tests in a calendar or planner – digital or paper, whatever method works best for you. Block out the hours when you are at work, have a family commitment, or have a social obligation.
Write in specific times for when you need to start homework or begin reviewing material for tests.
Check this daily! Keeping on top of what you need to do will keep your anxiety level down.
UNDERSTAND HOW YOU LEARN BEST!
Do you need to make flashcards? Use sticky notes? Have a color coding system?
Do you need to organize your notes in outline form?
Would it help to rewrite your notes by hand?
Can you find a classmate to study with or form a study group?
Can you teach the material to someone unfamiliar with the topic?
STUDY EFFECTIVELY
After each class, spend some time going over key concepts that were covered. Review the material while it is still fresh in your mind. If you have questions about anything, now is the time to get answers since information and concepts build on each other.
Reach out to your instructor for help. They are there to assist you and help you succeed.
Take advantage of the free tutoring available at The Learning Center. Tutors can work with you virtually or in person.
PRACTICE!
Are there any practice tests available to take? If so, take them with a timer.
Write your own list of questions or problems that you think will be likely to appear on the test and answer them.
Find a student in your class to study with and quiz each other over the material.
DON’T PROCRASTINATE!
If you don’t understand something, don’t put off asking your instructor for clarification.
Cramming for a test can increase your anxiety. Set mini goals for what you want to review each day before the test. If you tend to procrastinate, ask a friend or family member to help keep you on track. Being accountable to someone else can make you stay on top of your work.
ASK QUESTIONS!
Ask your instructor directly for suggestions on how you can best prepare for the exam.
Make sure to understand what format the test will take – multiple choice, short answer, essay, etc.
Ask if the test will be open note or open book.
Ask if the test is held at a specific time (synchronous) or is just due by a specific date/time (asynchronous).
Make sure to understand any technical requirements of the test. Do you need to install any software ahead of time (such as a lockdown browser)?
ASK MORE QUESTIONS!
Will you be able to skip questions on the test and go back? Is it possible to review the whole test before you begin? If you have technical difficulties during the test, what procedure does your instructor want you to follow? Are you allowed to look up information during the test? If so, use a different device or open a separate browser so you don’t accidently close the test page. If the test requires short answers or essay questions, can you write your answers in Word and copy and paste them into the test? If so, you will have documentation of your answers should you have a technical problem during the exam.
BE AT YOUR PHYSICAL BEST!
Get enough sleep – not just the day of the test but several days before the test.
Watch your caffeine level. Don’t make changes to your usual caffeine consumption.
Eat well.
Get some mild exercise.
THE DAY OF THE TEST On campus? Get there in plenty of time. Have some nervous energy? Take a quick walk. Find your seat, take a few deep breaths, and clear your mind. Tell yourself you are prepared and will do well. CONTROL YOUR ENVIRONMENT(AS BEST YOU CAN) At home? Have children occupied. Put pets in another room. Turn off the TV, radio, etc. Anticipate any other potential distractions. Have some nervous energy? Walk a bit, jump up and down, shake it out. Give yourself a pep talk before you begin.
If you are allowed to have paper and pen during the test, consider immediately writing down any formulas, dates, lists, etc. you are worried you might forget. DURING THE TEST START WITH A STRATEGY
Read the directions carefully! Don’t skim past this part. Know exactly what the instructions are.
Glance at the entire test if possible. Think about how much time you may need for different sections and pace yourself accordingly. Understand which parts of the test will carry the most weight.
If you are able to skip questions and come back to them, answer all the questions you know first and then go back to answer the ones that you are unsure of. Remember, your first instinct about an answer is probably correct. When you are finished, make sure your test has been properly submitted. Don’t refresh the page or close your browser until you know your test has been sent.
MANAGING TEST ANXIETY
Anxiety often comes from a place of fear. Can you pinpoint what is making you afraid?
Are your fears realistic or unrealistic?
Realistic fears have outcomes that might actually happen. Example: “If I fail this test, I may have to retake the class.”
What is the solution to this possibility?
“If I had to retake the class, I would contact my academic advisor to find out how to do that.”
Control of your fear by determining what steps you can take to solve a potential problem.
Unrealistic fears blow events out of proportion and are often untrue. Example: “If I fail this test, it means I never should have gotten into this program and I’ll never succeed.”
Put your fear into perspective. Remind yourself:
“This one test does not define me.” “There are other assignments, projects, and quizzes that count toward my grade too.” “Everyone has setbacks. I can figure this out and do better next time.
Managing Test Anxiety: The Visualization Method “See” yourself being successful
Mastering a new skill requires practice – whether it is a physical skill or a mental skill.
Learning how to manage test anxiety is a mental skill you can master.
To do this, you will play a “video” in your mind of how you want to handle a test day. The idea is to crowd out negative thoughts with more positive ones by visualizing yourself managing the day of the test well from start to finish.
Here is the method: Visualize yourself doing well on the test. See yourself waking up and feeling relaxed the morning of the exam. Imagine feeling calm as you go over your notes one last time before the test. Say the positive self talk you need to hear. Imagine taking a few deep breaths just before your test begins. See yourself looking at the exam and feeling confident that you can do this. Imagine yourself working through the exam at a steady pace. Visualize a difficult question coming up but see yourself giving it your best shot and moving on. See yourself working through the test slow and steady, feeling very focused. Imagine an anxious thought arising, recognizing it, but then letting it flow past you. See yourself finishing the test and feeling good about how you did. Then see yourself having some small positive reward that same day.
Tips for visualization
Find a quiet space and time alone to concentrate.
Close your eyes and include as many of your senses as you can when you are making your “video.” Feel the comfortable chair you are sitting in, hear the quietness around you allowing you to concentrate, etc.
Spend a few minutes each day practicing your visualization.
Why does practicing visualization work?
Research shows that imagining a stressful scenario and pairing it with positive coping skills in our mind can translate into having better coping mechanisms in the real world.
The key is to practice! This exercise needs to be consistently repeated to have an effect.
What if I start to feel really anxious during the test? Or I freeze?
* Close your eyes. * Breathe in slowly, count to 5. * Exhale slowly, count to 5. * Repeat this process 3-4 times. * Feel yourself relax. * Tell yourself you are doing fine and you can handle this test. * Open your eyes and start again. Don’t worry about how much time this process will take. It is worth the minute or so it requires to lower your stress level and refocus your thoughts.
Congratulate yourself on getting through the test and using some of these test-taking strategies. Remember that not all stress is bad. Stress can motivate us into action. It can tell us to pay attention to something that is important. Use it to your advantage and don’t let it get the best of you. Did the test not go well or was anxiety still an issue? Don’t be too hard on yourself! It takes time to make changes. You will get better the more you practice these techniques. Stick with it! AFTER THE TEST
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