Test-taking strategies for timed tests

[PediatricsRocks]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Any ideas, guys? I used to do fine last year when we had tests, but this year they just keep shortening the amount of time we have for tests and that has been really bad for me. I kind of panic and put the wrong answers for questions I know like the back of my hand. Any tips on this?

 

[reedman]

Disclaimer: I am by no means kicking ass in school.

I always go through the exam quickly and answer all the easy questions first. If you can't answer it, immediately cross out whatever answers you can and move on. If it takes a long time to read the question, or takes a while to reason it out, move on. Since I have to skim through the question to decide how easy it is, sometimes the answer (or approach to finding the answer) will pop into my head several minutes after I saw the question.

Doing an initial pass through seems to keep me from fixating on one hard question too much, and I get a sense of which questions are really hard, and which are just kinda hard. Then I spend the rest of the time working on questions, always in the order from easiest to hardest.

The last five minutes is always reserved for guessing. Hopefully I will have narrowed any remaining questions down to 2.

Good luck.

 

[Climberak]

This is what I do:

If I am not able to come up with a reasonable guess for a tough question within 30 seconds, I put a star next to the question, make my best guess, and move on. I will never, ever just sit there for 2 minutes trying to figure out this one question when I have the rest of a test to finish. Upon completion, I still have a decent amount of time to review the questions that I marked. Usually I will have calmed down at that point, and so I will recall an important tidbit necessary for finding the correct answer.

It's not easy to move on with a tricky question staring you down, but if you get into the habit of it, you will save time.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

This is what I do:

If I am not able to come up with a reasonable guess for a tough question within 30 seconds, I put a star next to the question, make my best guess, and move on. I will never, ever just sit there for 2 minutes trying to figure out this one question when I have the rest of a test to finish. Upon completion, I still have a decent amount of time to review the questions that I marked. Usually I will have calmed down at that point, and so I will recall an important tidbit necessary for finding the correct answer.

It's not easy to move on with a tricky question staring you down, but if you get into the habit of it, you will save time.

I like this, and its about what I do.

 

[RainerMaria]

Take the exam with ear plugs, practice taking the exam a few days before in the actual lecture hall, and eat breakfast the night before. Usually works.

 

[ensuii]

Are you still doing paper tests? If not the following might not work for you:

1. Answer the questions in your book/packet first and transfer the answers at the end...it reduces the time spent bubbling and the rate of errors.

2. Set your wristwatch to noon and start it when the test starts...use it to keep track of your pacing.

3. I'm not a big fan of the whole "do the easy questions first and come back" thing...I go through each question like I will only do it once. Take a quick glance of the answer choices to know what area of knowledge you'll be pulling from and read the question noting key phrases or popular buzz-words. If you can narrow it down between 2 choices, put a bracket between those 2 and pick an answer. If you have enough time you can come back and reconsider.

4. Call it quits by at least 9pm the night before and get a good night's sleep.

5. Chill and stay calm and collected.