Test Taking Strategies

Prepare For Your Test

Take time to study before the day of the test. Use your homework assignments, notes and textbook to study. Nothing else will help you do well on a test better than knowing the material.

Make sure you bring everything you will need for the test. Check with your instructor to find out what resources are allowed. For most tests, you will need pencils and scrap paper. You might also be permitted to bring a calculator or other helpful tools.

Get plenty of sleep the night before the test, and make sure you eat a good breakfast that includes plenty of protein. This will help you to be more refreshed and have more energy while you are taking your test. Don't worry about how you will do on the test. Worrying won't help. It will only get you stressed out. Take some deep breaths to help you relax.

Taking the Test

Before you start the test, write your name on it. Then read the instructions and make sure you understand them. If you don't understand the instructions, ask the teacher for clarification.

Don't look around the room to see what other people are doing. If there is a disturbance, try to resist the impulse to look up and see what's going on. Just focus on your own test. You don't want to be accused of cheating.

If some of the questions are worth more points than others, you should do them first. For example, if the multiple-choice questions are worth two points each and the true and false are only worth one point, you should do the multiple choice first.

However, it is often best to save essay questions for last even though they are usually worth more points. This is because it is easy to take too much time on these questions. If you start with them, you might run out of time to finish the test. When you get to the essay questions, check to see how much time you have left and divide that by the number of essay questions. Limit the time you spend on each question to make sure you have time to finish the test.

You should always answer the easiest questions first, especially if the test is timed. If you are not sure about the answer to a question, skip it. Come back to the questions you skipped after you finish the rest of the test.

Make sure you write your answers neatly so that the person who is grading the test will be able to read what you've written. If the test uses a bubble answer key, make sure you fill the circle completely and don't go outside of it. If you must change your answer, be sure to erase your first answer thoroughly.

Read all of the questions carefully. Sometimes skipping over a word can change the entire meaning of a sentence. Don't be in such a hurry that you start to get careless. Don't worry if you are taking longer than other people to finish the test. There is no penalty for taking the maximum amount of time allowed for the test.

After the Test

Check to make sure you put your name on your test. Then review the test to make sure that you have not misunderstood any of the questions and answer any questions that you skipped over. Don't change any of your answers unless you are certain you've made a mistake. When in doubt, the first answer you think of is usually correct.

After your test is graded and returned to you, make sure you understand what was wrong with the answers that were incorrect. This will help you when it is time for your final exam. Depending on the subject, it might help you with the next unit of study as well. Always save your tests so you can use them to study for exams.

If you didn't do as well as you had hoped, check with your teacher to see if it is possible to re-take the test or do an extra credit assignment to boost your grade.