essay test taking

As a school counselor, my job is to help students succeed in school. Teaching test taking strategies is part of my job, since taking tests is a part of theirs. While I always emphasize the importance of preparing for tests by completing homework and studying, the following test taking strategies give students something to fall back on if they draw a blank on the big day. Short Answer Short answer questions usually ask students to list, name, define, or identify. Therefore, review your notes and try to anticipate what information falls under those categories. For instance, if you're studying World War II, try identifying the causes of the War, defining each country's stance, and listing the repercussions. Thinking ahead and approaching a topic from the right angles can make all the difference. It may sound obvious, but using flashcards to study the material really does work. Put key terms, dates and concepts on one side and the answers on the other. The process of writing the information down on the cards, reading the cards, and being quizzed with the cards helps commit the information to memory. During the test, underline key words to focus your attention on what is being asked. Don't leave an answer blank. If you don't know the answer, write down what you do know about the topic because you may receive partial credit. In other words, it usually pays to try your best. After completing the test, go back to questions you didn't know the answer to, and see if information provided on the test helps you make an educated guess. Some short answer questions have multiple parts, so make sure to confirm you have fully answered all parts of the question. Essay Determine how much time you have to answer each question and stick to it. You don't want to spend all of your time on one essay question, if there are two or more. Remember: it's better to partially answer all of the.
Some college students are pros at taking short-answer and multiple-choice tests but are at their wits' end when the prof springs an essay test. Some go to incredible lengths to avoid any course that might have essays on the exam. But with dozens of required courses, many in areas such as social sciences and humanities, such a strategy is bound to fail. Instead, take a look at our 10 best tips for acing the essay exam: 1. Survey the landscape. When you first get the test, look over the whole thing. Figure out what the tasks are, paying special attention to how many essays you're asked to write (be sure to note any choices offered) and, most important, how much time you're supposed to devote to each. You'd be amazed at how many students make a mistake about the basic instructions. 2. Budget your time. Craft each essay around the time you have available. Professors who allot one hour expect longer and more detailed essays than ones who ask you to write for 20 minutes. Don't have a one-size-fits-all approach to essay questions. (By the way, it wouldn't hurt to take a working watch to the exam. Not all professors want to track the time for you.) 3. Scan (in your mind) all the resources. Before you start writing your answer, think through what elements of the course might be relevant for your answer. Most students are primed to think first about the lectures that bear on the topic. But if you can bring in materials from the reading or discussion sections, and if they're relevant, your answer is likely to be stronger. 4. Don't waste time. Some students begin an essay exam by writing elaborate outlines—so elaborate that they run out of time after writing a sentence or two of the actual answer. If you need to jot down a few notes before you start, that's fine, but you need to spend most of your time writing the answer, not preparing to write it. Extra Pointer. Another major.
Organization and neatness have merit Before writing out the exam: Write down their key words, listings, etc, as they are fresh in your mind. Otherwise these ideas may be blocked (or be unavailable) when the time comes to write the later questions. This will reduce clutching or panic (anxiety, actually fear which disrupts thoughts). Set up a time scheduleto answer each question and to review/edit all questions If six questions are to be answered in sixty minutes, allow yourself only seven minutes for each If questions are weighted , prioritize that into your time allocation for each question When the time is up for one question, stop writing, leave space, and begin the next question. The incomplete answers can be completed during the review time Six incomplete answers will usually receive more credit than three, complete ones Read through the questions once and note if you have any choice in answering questions Pay attention to how the question is phrased, or to the directives , or words such as compare , contrast , criticize , etc. See their definitions in Essay terms Answers will come to mind immediately for some questions Before attempting to answer a question, put it in your own words Now compare your version with the original.Do they mean the same thing? If they don't, you've misread the question. You'll be surprised how often they don't agree. Think before you write:Make a brief outline for each questionNumber the items in the order you will discuss them Get right to the pointState your main point in the first sentenceUse your first paragraph to provide an overview of your essay.Use the rest of your essay to discuss these points in more detail.Back up your points with specific information, examples, or quotations from your readings and notes Teachers are influenced by compactness, completeness and clarity of an organized answer Writing in the hopethat the right.
Read the directions carefully. Pay close attention to whether you are supposed to answer all the essays or only a specified amount (e.g. Answer 2 out of the 3 questions). Make sure that you understand what the question is asking you. If you're not, ask your instructor. Make sure that you write down everything that is asked of you and more. The more details and facts that you write down, the higher your grade is going to be. Budget your time, don't spend the entire test time on one essay. If the question is asking for facts, don't give your personal opinion on the topic. When writing your essay, try to be as neat as possible, neater papers usually receive higher marks. Make an outline before writing your essay. This way your essay will be more organized and fluid. If you happen to run out of time, most instructors will give you partial credit for the ideas that you have outlined. Don't write long introductions and conclusions, the bulk of your time should be spent on answering the question(s) asked. Focus on one main idea per a paragraph. If you have time left at the end, proofread your work and correct any errors. Budget your time. If you have an hour to write 3 essays, spend no more than 20 minutes on each essay, then if you have time left over at the end go back and finish any incomplete essays. If you aren't sure about an exact date or number, use approximations e.g. Approximately 5000 or In the late 17th century. If you make a mistake, simply draw a line through it, it is much neater and quicker than erasing it. General Test Taking Tips: Test Preparation The Test Post Test ◁ Test Taking Tips Home.