Studying and Test-Taking Strategies/Tips

Test Prep and Subject Support:

Strategies for Academic Success, Test Taking, & Overcoming Test Anxiety

General

Study in a quiet space, without any distractions like a cell phone, where you can focus - at home, at school, at a library, at a coffee shop.
Prioritize your time efficiently so you are able to get all homework and studying done.
Turn in homework assignments on time. If a teacher does not accept late work, incomplete work on time is better than nothing.
Attend class every day, on time.
Attend tutoring with your teacher (by appointment) or with tutors in the library after school.
Make sure you know what you missed after an absence and make up the work. Having a classmate's contact information is ideal.
Make up any quizzes or tests that you missed or that you are able to retake ASAP.

Tips for Overcoming Test Anxiety

- Take time to prepare for a test...don't try to cram everything into your head at the last minute.

Read, then repeat. Go over material again and again.
Close your eyes and visualize material such as dates and facts. Then during the test, you can close your eyes and visualize the same information.
Build up your confidence. Do something you are really good at prior to the exam...it builds up your confidence before an exam.
Ask your teacher for advice or to go over any concerns you have about an upcoming test.
Relaxation (deep breathing, muscle tensing/relaxing), visualization (guided imagery...a peaceful, natural, relaxing scene), and positive self-talk ("I can to do this", "I will do my best", etc.) can be used to replace any negative feelings associated with taking tests.
Aerobic exercise can help reduce your stress and extra energy, thus reducing the tension in your body.

Preparing and Taking Tests

Study! Review the material thoroughly. Allow plenty of time. Find a comfortable location.
Analyze how you did on a similar test in the past, review your previous tests and sample tests provided by your teacher.
Get a good night's sleep.
Eat a healthy, well-balanced breakfast. Take a small, nourishing snack with you as well.
Be on-time for school/class.
Stress can be contagious so try to avoid talking to others who are worried.
Listen carefully to test directions. Ask questions if you are unsure what to do.
Stay calm, be comfortable but do not slouch.
Relax and be confident, remind yourself that you are doing your best. Take deep breaths.
Do your best, have a positive attitude, and expect good results.
Strategize--start with easier questions, then move on to more difficult ones. Make sure to complete those with most point values.
Review-Look over all answers in case you misread instructions or made a careless error. Resist the urge to turn the test in right away and give yourself time to go back over responses.
On objective tests-eliminate obvious wrong answers.
On essays, create a broad outline with key points in sequence.

Reading

Read the directions carefully.
Budget time appropriately. Start with the easiest questions first. Skip those that you are not sure about and come back to them later.
Check work carefully.
Read the entire item and all answers.
On essay exams, organize your thoughts in a brief outline or graphic organizer, start with a short summary or topic sentence, and then make your points.
On multiple-choice exams, eliminate clearly wrong answers and make an educated guess.
Read questions to passage first and then read passage.
Look for key words (such as who, what, where, why, and how) that tell you what to look for when you read the passage.
When you come to a word you do not know, look for context clues.
For fill-in sentences, always read the entire sentence before you choose an answer. Once answer is chosen, reread the sentence.

Math

When answering questions about maps, charts, graphs, or reference sources, always look back at the diagram to answer the questions. Don't rely on memory.
Look for key words such as less than, greatest, between, nearest, least, closest, and so on.
Reduce fractions.
Remember an equation must stay balanced.
Check subtraction by adding; check division by multiplying; check multiplication by dividing.
Draw graphs, pictures, or visual aids to help you visualize the problem.