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The Learning Center has a three week mini-course specially made for how to
take a college-level exam. It is called, ACDV B70D ``Study Skills: Test
Taking'' and it usually begins the week before the first astronomy exam.
Look in the ``Academic Development'' course listings at the beginning of
the semester's schedule of classes. What follows are some universal tips
given by Glynis Boultbee at
Red Deer College and are some of skills
you'll develop in the ACDV B70D class.
Students who get intensely anxious about exams usually feel that way
because they feel they have no control in the exam situation.
As a result,
they'll blame the instructors, poor questions, difficult material, etc.
That negative attitude causes them to lose even more confidence and a
downward spiral begins (or continues).
There are ways for the student to
take back control. The problem may be lack of preparation (problems with
time management, notetaking, studying, etc.---skills learned in other
ACDV B70 mini-courses!) or difficulty with exam writing (an inability to
read questions systematically, to budget time appropriately, etc.---skills
learned in ACDV B70D!).
Although your brain has to do the work on exams, if the rest of the body
isn't ready, student performance suffers. It is important to separate
symptoms from problems. Is poor concentration causing poor exam
preparation which is causing sleepless nights? Or are poor sleeping habits
causing concentration difficulties which are causing poor exam
preparation? Once the student has determined what the real problem is,
they can get on with the business of generating solutions and evaluating
them.
- Define the problem: Reading the question stem completely and
carefully is the crucial first step. Before looking at the answers,
students must understand what the ``problem'' is (preferably by restating
the question stem in their own words). One technique is to cover the
answers and then read the question stem. Students must, therefore,
consciously remove the paper before moving on to the next step.
- Generate solutions: In multiple choice exams, the instructor
generates the solutions. The students must read each answer carefully and
make sure they understand all the choices.
- Evaluate solutions: Usually one or two choices can be
eliminated immediately. After the initial elimination, students may need to
go back to the question stem to ensure that they clearly recall the
``problem''. They can then carefully review each of the remaining answers.
If the students know their material, this step whould be fairly
straightforward: simply evaluating the ``solutions'' carefully, and, above
all, systematically.
- Make the decision: The best ``solution'' to the ``problem''
will become clear during the evaluation step. At this point, however, many
students are tempted to throw out the systematic approach in order to try
to second-guess the instructor. If they do so, they forfeit their control
over the process and the quality of their answers plummets!
Initially, students may worry that this systematic problem-solving
approach will take too much time. However, when they try it, they realize
how much time they have wasted in the past.
For further information, contact one of the staff at the Learning Center.
There are a lot of them available eager to help you reach your goals and
improve your success in any college course you'll take.
The following tips are adapted from the
The
Emerging Learner
video series put out by the TeleLearning division
of the Dallas County
Community College District. Doing well on a multiple-choice exam
means making the right moves while taking the exam.
If after going through the steps of the previous section and you find
that you still do not know the answer, it is okay to guess. You may
know more than you think you know---perhaps something in the test
(e.g., previous questions) may help you figure out the answer. Ask
yourself, what in the test can help you with the test? Leaving a
question blank gives you an absolute zero chance of getting the
question correct.
It is okay to change answers, but only if you have a good logical reason to
change it. Hesitate in changing your answer if you only have an
emotional reason. Let the exam help you out. You can learn a bit
about the material even as you are taking the exam. Sometimes,
several questions will be about the same topic. Looking over the
answers for the questions will usually show you which single answer is in
common with the questions.
When studying for multiple choice exams, try to anticipate what
questions will be asked (e.g., modified quiz questions). Focus on
the details of the material. Some
instructors will give you a review sheet to help you out with this.
Use that review sheet---the instructor has a very good idea of what
will be on the exam!
In summary, the ``testing smart'' skills you need for multiple-choice
exams are:
- Make informed guesses. Look over the exam and get the context.
- Change answers if you have a good reason. Be flexible.
- Focus on details and try to predict questions.
The following tips are adapted from the
The
Emerging Learner
video series put out by the TeleLearning division
of the Dallas County
Community College District.
If you get sweaty palms, cannot concentrate, get nauseous, etc. while
taking an exam or even thinking about taking an exam, then you suffer
from test anxiety. Some amount of nervousness about exams is
normal, but test anxiety is an extreme version of it.
Do not focus on the symptoms. There are usually two sides at
work in those who suffer from test anxiety. One part thinks you will
fail and that you are not worthy. The other part of you blames
yourself for being so test anxious. It is a vicious cycle. How can
you stop the negative spiral and not get anxious about exams?
- Turn off the negative self-talk.
- Avoid the ``doom mongers''---those who say the test is hard or
will be hard. Avoid family members who will intensify your feelings of
failure.
- Get some exercise in the few days before the exam. Decrease
your intake of caffeine and get enough sleep. Fatigue only
intensifies anxiety.
But does not getting nervous or anxious about the exam give you ``an
edge''? Students who believe that their anxiety will help them do
better are confusing anxiety with effort. Getting worried will not
help you do well in any situation. You will waste mental energy
on being worried and thinking of all of the negative possibilities,
that you will not have the energy nor the time to think clearly about
the problem(s) at hand.
Past poor exam performances have a major effect on test anxiety.
People usually relive those negative experiences. Despite those
negative past experiences, you need to divorce yourself from the past
and move forward. If you are returning to school after an extended
time out of the classroom, you have changed since you took those
classes long ago. You are not the same person you were in high school
or several years ago.
What if you blank out right in the middle of an exam? Do some deep
breathing or a relaxation exercise. You will not ``waste time'' by
calming yourself down! In fact, you will be more productive and
cover more material.
Unfortunately, spending more time studying for an exam does not
lessen the anxiety while {\em taking} the exam. The anxiety will
always be there. Realize that you will have it, so you can prepare for
it and manage it. You need to stay in a rational place.
In summary, channel your nervousness correctly, a positive attitude
is essential, and avoid negative thoughts and people. Give yourself a
break and decide that you can do it. Be realistic---do not expect
miracle cures overnight. It will take time for you to learn how to
manage your test anxiety.
Back to Textbook Reading and Homework Skills
last updated 30 July 1999
Nick Strobel --
Email:
strobel@lightspeed.net
(661) 395-4526
Bakersfield College
Physical Science Dept.
1801 Panorama Drive
Bakersfield, CA 93305-1219