Looking for a book to improve my test taking ability

[Neutropix]

Hey everyone!

I am reaching out today because I am interested in furthering my ability to perform well on exams, in general. I believe my issue is reading the questions and using critical thinking more than anything else. I definitely always go in knowing the material, and I don't feel panicked or overly anxious. For the record, I am doing well for myself, but I know I've made simple mistakes exams this semester that have prevented me from sitting comfortably at a 96 vs teetering on a 93 (like doing an SN1 rxn instead of an SN2).

Any book recommendations or advice would be helpful.. I perused Amazon and saw some promising stuff but wanted to check here first. Also, I used the search function here but could not find anything helpful.

Best regards,

Cpt Ahab

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[Disciple of Sattar]

You just have to do more practice questions to be honest. Not sure what you think a "guide to taking exams" would tell you other than to read carefully and make sure you understand what the question is asking.

The point is to do enough problems that you make all those mistakes in your practice, that way you don't make them on the exam.

 

[Spectar]

Agree w/ 151 others.
Test taking is all about practice and as for strategies, you'll form your own over time. It's also course dependent. I would try and practice problems and then practice again.

 

[Neutropix]

You just have to do more practice questions to be honest. Not sure what you think a "guide to taking exams" would tell you other than to read carefully and make sure you understand what the question is asking.

The point is to do enough problems that you make all those mistakes in your practice, that way you don't make them on the exam.

LOL good point..

 

[Isoval]

I recently answered a multiple choice question on an exam in its entirety while writing a free response question’s answer.

Then, inexplicably, I missed the multiple choice question.

I feel you

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I recently answered a multiple choice question on an exam in its entirety while writing a free response question’s answer.

Then, inexplicably, I missed the multiple choice question.

I feel you

Wednesday, I did an entire problem, circled the right answer on the test paper, then bubbled in the wrong choice.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Wednesday, I did an entire problem, circled the right answer on the test paper, then bubbled in the wrong choice.

Or that moment when you forget to actually bubble it in at all.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Or that moment when you forget to actually bubble it in at all.

That moment when you skip a problem to come back to later and realize with a minute left that you bubbled all the answers in one problem above where they should be.

I have not actually done this, but I know people have lol.

 

[pioneer22]

I recommend "Cat in the Hat"

 

[altblue]

Books aren't that helpful. The best thing to do is look at your performance.

What did you do while reading the problem/passage?
What was your reasoning for picking A?
Was this reasoning flawed (if you got it right, was your reasoning still faulty/shaky?)?
What can you do in the future to do better on similar problems?
Do you really understand concept X?
Did you read the question carefully? Did you carefully consider any minor points or hints before answering? Did you fully consider what you know, like concepts/equations?

And strongly consider going over problem sets/exams with a tutor/more experienced friend