#test help

Some background on me so you know I'm not just pulling this out of my butt: I have an education degree, as well as 5+ years tutoring/teaching experience (including 2 years tutoring college-level English/Writing and Study/Organizational Skills).

Managing Test Anxiety

One thing to keep in mind: Teachers generally want you to succeed! They are testing to find out not just what you know, but how well they taught specific content/skills.

Usually teachers will do their best to help you prepare, give you necessary materials, and answer questions beforehand.

Communicating with teachers can seem intimidating, but as a teacher myself, I can assure you that (most) teachers want to help and try to be approachable.

Understand that not all stress/anxiety is bad. Stress is the body's natural response to dangerous situations. Under stress, the body experiences heightened senses and increased motivation. Having a positive mindset about stress can improve your performance; while viewing stress as negative can hurt your performance. (Side note: I am talking here about manageable stress. If you have concerns about severe anxiety/stress, please seek professional help!!)

The better you prepare, the less anxious you will feel about the test. See preparation tips below!

Recreate testing conditions and do a practice run. Set a time limit, get rid of all distractions, and give yourself a practice test. Doing this will take a lot of the pressure off of the actual test.

On the day of the test, do something to distract yourself. Read a favorite book, do some brain puzzles (sudoku, or brain challenge apps are great for this!), or something active! If you suffer from physical symptoms of test anxiety, like sweating, difficulty breathing, nausea, etc., physical exercise can be very helpful. Releasing the tension in your body ahead of time can often lessen those physical symptoms.

Practice positive affirmations before and during the test. When you feel overwhelmed, "fake it 'til you make it" with confidence. Tell yourself "I know the answers, I have prepared well for this, I will succeed." And remind yourself: grades do not determine your worth as a person. One test, even if you fail miserably, will not ruin your entire life! Everything will be okay. A statement that I love to share with my students is: “[tests are] one examination of a small body of knowledge that you have learned over a set period of time.” (x)

Write down your concerns ahead of time. This is a great exercise if you have a lot of anxious thoughts leading up to a test. Take a few minutes right before the test to put it all down on paper. Expressing these concerns on paper can help you clear your mind from those negative thoughts.

Practice tunnel vision. Do your best to focus only on yourself. If other students get up and turn in their test early, that's okay! Some people test quicker than others, that doesn't mean you are slow or doing poorly. Continue taking your time and performing your best. Imagine yourself alone in the room and try to block out everyone else.

Pace yourself. Know how much time you will have, and create "benchmarks" to look for. Don't obsess over the clock, but keep track of 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 time benchmarks. Once you're 1/4 of the way through your test, make sure you are on track. If you aren't, adjust your speed accordingly.

Don't obsess over any one question. If you get stuck, skip it and move on, or just guess. Use the time you would've spent on that question to answer questions you know the answers to.

Physical things to try during the test:

Deliberately clench and unclench your fists and other muscles every so often. This can help you force your body to relax, and release nervous tension.

Practice breathing exercises. Find one or two that you like, and implement them during the test.

Test Preparation

Start studying a week before the test. This one is tough, but it really, really pays off. The earlier you start, the more prepared you will be. 5-7 days out: Find out what you need to know (use study guides, class notes, and/or communicate with your teacher to find out what the test will cover. Create a study plan, and make your own study guide (Quizlet is my favorite free resource for this, but use whatever tools work for you!). 3-5 days out: Follow your study plan, use your study guide to review the material, do one or two practice tests (Quizlet has this option! You can customize your practice test (choose between Multiple Choice, True/False, Fill in the Blank questions, or do a mix of different kinds of questions!) and only test yourself on specific information in your study guide.

Study in chunks! A rule of thumb for your attention span is this: you can only effectively take in information for your age in minutes. So if you're 20, study in 20 minute blocks. You can have an hour-long study session, but give yourself a few breaks! Stretch, do a few jumping jacks, walk around, text a friend, etc. Your brain will thank you, and it will help break up the monotony of intense studying.

Review everything one last time the day before the test, then get a good night's sleep and don't study the day of!!! Even if you studied well the week before, trying to cram last minute will stress you out more than necessary, and can confuse you! All the info should be in your long-term memory at this point, and cramming will cause your brain to hold it all in short-term storage, which will not be very effective during the test.

Show up to the test early and prepared. The last thing you want is to be running late or feeling rushed before the test. This applies to online testing as well. Set up your computer, have a drink or snack handy if it will be a long one, and eliminate distractions ahead of time.

Multiple Choice Tests

Read carefully. This may seem obvious, but take your time, and read each question carefully. If you skim through it, you might miss keywords that specify what the question is asking. Keywords to look for include: best, greatest, never, always, common, not, except, sometimes, more, generally, most, usually.

Before reading the options, try to answer the question in your head. Even if you come up with a vague answer, it will give you a starting point for what to look for in the possible answers.

Look for grammatical clues. For example, does the question require a plural answer? Is the fill-in-the-blank preceded by "a" or "an"? Clues like these can help you narrow down the options.

When you settle on an answer, read the question and answer together to make sure it makes sense. Does your selection actually answer the question?

Guessing Strategies:

Use process of elimination. If possible, mark on your test and cross out any answers you know are incorrect. This will improve your odds of guessing the right answer.

Guess the option that is generalizing, rather than an absolute statement. Answers with "usually, generally," etc. are more likely to be correct than answers with "always, never, all, must," etc.

Guess the option that is longest or has the most detail included. Look for answers with specific dates, names, or other details, rather than the shorter/simpler options.

If all else fails, go with your gut! I think we have all experienced this. You have no clue what the answer is, but you "feel" like you should guess a specific option, and it turns out to be right! While this isn't a foolproof method, there is some science to it. Our brains can sometimes remember how we feel about a person, without knowing their name. So even if you have no idea why you're leaning towards a certain answer, your brain might just "know" that it's right.

Standardized Tests*

*disclaimer: these are geared specifically toward the ACT and SAT, but most tips can still be applied to other standardized tests.

Find out what to expect ahead of time. Research the test, find out how many sections there are, the time allowed for each section, total time of the test, timing and placement of any breaks, and how many questions per section.

Buy practice books and use them! There are some free resources online, but if you are able to afford it, practice books will be very helpful. These give you an opportunity to take practice tests, and give you specific tips for each section. Check out thriftbooks.com for cheap, used options.

Pace yourself. Figure out roughly how much time you'll have for each question/section. Check in with the clock every 5-10 minutes, but try not to obsess. If you finish early, go over and check your work, or go back to specific questions that you weren't sure about.

Only guess if it will help you. Find out the scoring system. Sometimes you will be penalized for the wrong answer, while other times only the right answer is counted toward your score. If the former is true, don't guess unless you have at least a 50/50 shot; if you're completely unsure, leave it blank. If the latter scoring system is used, guessing can only help you no matter your odds, so answer every question.

Don't argue with the test. These tests are objective, and there is only one right answer. Your test will be graded by a machine, not a person. Don't try to argue a case in your head for every possible answer. Instead, look for the one correct option.

Additional resources:

Video: Common mistakes students make on the SAT (but also good tips in general)

Examples of SAT essay prompts, with sample essays and scores

Examples of ACT essay prompts, with sample essays and scores

Essay Tests

Ask your teacher for feedback. Work with your English/Writing teacher. Ask them for specific advice if you struggle with writing essays. What are your strengths that you can capitalize on? How could you improve your weaknesses?

Read the prompt carefully. Try putting it in your own words as a concise question. This will guide the focus of your essay. Does the prompt ask about specific details in a reading section? Mark up the text as you encounter those details. If it doesn't tell you what to look for, create your own list of evidence/details to mark.

Use about 5% of your time to create a plan. Follow this format: short intro, three body paragraphs (one main idea per paragraph), short conclusion.

Don't say the same thing over and over. Be as concise as you can while fully answering the prompt.

But--if you have met the minimum length requirement, and still have more good information to include, don't stop! Keep going and say everything you have to say.

Save time to proofread and edit at the end. This can save you a lot of points, and help you catch any weaknesses in your arguments.

Things to keep in mind as you proofread: Did you fully answer the question? What are possible weaknesses in your arguments? Are there different sides or interpretations? Include those, and use analysis and evaluation to show strengths and weaknesses. Explain why your argument is better/more correct.

Your introduction and conclusion should be interesting, but short. Keep them to the point, and avoid blatantly restating everything that's already in your body paragraphs. In your conclusion especially, try to add some new information, or give an interesting example that proves your argument. This will help your essay stand out and be less boring.

More resources:

In depth writing advice.

15 online tools to improve your writing skills.

Math Tests

Not a tip, but this is a video I like to show my students before I give them advice on taking math tests. I think it's great for a laugh. I relate to the "student" in the video, because I always felt lost in math class. Regardless of your level of skill, here are some tips to help you do your best on math tests!

Up to 50% of students experience test anxiety specifically during math tests! See the above tips for managing test anxiety if you are in that group of students.

Ask questions in class if you don't understand something. Because math is linear and concept-based, not understanding material in class has serious consequences. Speaking up about being confused can be intimidating, but remember that it's your teacher's job to explain the material in a way you can understand. They can't help you if they don't know you're confused! And reminder, most teachers want to help. If asking questions during class is a no-go for you, try working with your teacher or a tutor outside of class time to catch up.

Start with the easiest problems. This helps you build confidence as well as use your time effectively. If you hit a problem that you're completely lost on, skip it and try to come back later.

Pay attention to point values so that you can use your time wisely. Don't spend half your time agonizing over a question that's only worth a small percentage of your total score. Spend most of your energy on high-point problems.

Try to answer every question, and show all your work. Math teachers often give partial credit even if you don't complete a problem, or if you get the wrong answer.

Estimate answers when possible so you can know if you're in the right ballpark once you've finished the problem.

Common math errors and how to prevent them:

Conceptual errors. These happen when you just don't know how to solve the problem. Solve these by working with your teacher/tutor to identify concepts you haven't grasped, and make sure you are understanding current class material.

Careless errors. These happen when you know how to solve the problem, you just make a mistake! You use the wrong sign, do the wrong operation, or leave out units in your final answer. Solve these by checking your work and reading the questions carefully.

Study errors. These happen when you don't prepare for the test beforehand. You had all the resources you needed to do well, but you didn't utilize them! Solve this by creating and using a study guide, doing practice problems ahead of time, and making sure you know what material you need to study. Use your textbook or class notes to find "objectives." These tell you exactly what you should know after that lesson/reading that chapter. Make sure you've accomplished those objectives, and you'll be good to go.

Application errors. These are common in word problems. With this mistake, you use the wrong formula or equation and end up with a "right" answer, just not the answer the question was asking for. If you struggle with this, work with your teacher or a tutor especially on word problems. Find out how to identify the right formula to use, and solve for what the question is asking.

Reading Tests

If you struggle with reading comprehension, the best way to get better is practice. The more you read, the better you will get at it. Your speed will improve, as well as your ability to take in what you are reading. Try to find books that you know will be interesting to you to motivate yourself! Or try out a variety of genres to find one or two that you like. If you want a challenge, check out this look of (one person's) recommended 25 books to read before college.

There are several strategies to try out on reading tests. My favorite is to read the questions, mark up the passage (underline keywords, names, any other info you know to look for based on the questions), then read the passage carefully and answer the questions as you go. Another option is to skim the passage first, then read the questions, then read the passage more carefully and answer the questions. A third is to just read the passage carefully, and then answer all the questions at the end. Try these out (I would recommend using practice tests) and find which option works best for you.

Look for keywords in the questions, and keep an eye out for those words and their synonyms as you read the passage.

If you have trouble focusing while you read the long passages, blocking out all but one or two lines at a time with your hand (or blank paper), or use your finger to guide your reading.

Pacing is one of the biggest challenges on reading tests. Look over the test once your time starts, and find out how much time you will have per section. Don't let yourself get hung up on any one question. Guess (unless it hurts your score) and move on. (Interesting fact: moving your lips while you read slows you down! So try not to do that.)

Mark up the test as you read. Underline, box in, make stars whenever you come across important information/details. Numbering the paragraphs can also be helpful if this is not already done for you.

Don't try to memorize the passage. Just try to gather the main idea.

Ask yourself questions as you read. Examples: How does this relate to the main idea? How does this compare with what the author said earlier? What does ____ have to do with the passage's argument? Who is _____? And pretty much any "Why...?" questions.

Don't worry if the passage is on an unfamiliar topic. In general, the answers to the questions will be in the passage itself, so it's okay if you don't have much background knowledge on the topic.