12 Most Effective Test-Taking Strategies and Tips | Updated

The exam day has arrived, and you know you have prepared well, but you can still be afraid when it is time to take the exam. Don’t be embarrassed. Many students feel stressed, nervous, and worried when they have to demonstrate what they have learned during an exam. That is why we have made the Most Effective Test-taking strategies & Tips available.

The following tips will guide you through the exam day. Remember that every exam is different. These Effective Test-taking strategies & Tips are written generally, with a view to the typical college-level exam.

Before delving into the testing strategies below, we recommend that you read and become familiar with proven tips and test preparation strategies if you have not already done so.

The following are proven strategies that have helped many students improve test scores and prepare for exams more effectively.

Test Preparation Tips

Don’t Procrastinate. Don’t Cram

It seems like some students thrive on last-minute ‘cramming.’ But most experts will agree cramming isn’t effective. The biggest problem with cramming, according to UCLA psychiatry professor Andrew Fuligni, is that cramming causes students to sacrifice sleep time to study.

Although it is impossible to perform well on a test without the required knowledge, sleep is crucial for academic success. Sacrificing sleep for another 3 or 4 hours of study is often counterproductive.

Plan your Study Time

Make time to study. Setting aside regular study time is essential for achieving high test performance. We recommend preparing a weekly and daily schedule of regular study sessions.

Work and other activities make it easy to prioritize studying quickly, so plan your study time. Adjusting your study schedule to your needs is okay as you progress, but make sure you schedule study sessions in advance and keep track of them.

Prepare your equipment

You should have two or three pens or pencils with good erasers and books, note cards, or cheat sheets authorized by your instructor. Bring a calculator with good batteries if you pass a math or science test.

In addition, since you will not be allowed to use your mobile phone, bring a watch to keep track of time. Finally, if it is permissible, bring chewing gum to treat nervous tension.

Watch the clues

Almost all teachers have a methodology for preparing test questions and use it each time they prepare a test.

Watch for clues your teacher might provide about possible test questions and formats. Participating in test review sessions and asking questions about unclear concepts is also advisable. Never be ashamed to ask questions.

Read: Pert Practice Test 2024: Tips & Tricks, Study Guide & Sample Questions

Ask your teacher for direction

We even suggest asking your teacher for the best way to study for the test. Many teachers are willing to share with students their suggestions, or even their secrets, on the best way to prepare for their exams.

Do not be afraid to ask your teacher what subjects or topics you will be tested on during the exam – even what questions might be examined.

Be physically ready

Your previous preparation may be lost if you do not get a good night’s sleep before the test day. You should also eat a healthy meal and be well-hydrated before the exam begins.

Avoid overeating or consuming too much caffeine before your test. Also, use the toilet before the start of the test and, if permitted, bring a bottle of water.

Review early. Review with a group.

Start a final exam of all course notes, reading assignments, and other course materials to help you prepare a few days before the test. You can do this review for yourself or as part of a study group.

Working in a study group is a great way to review exam preparation. Reviewing in preparation for a test in the study group will allow you to improve your grades, fill gaps in your understanding, explore more complex concepts, optimize your time, cover more material, and gain additional knowledge about what could happen. They test and provide you with a support system.

Ask as much as you can about the exam before it starts

Learn more about the test format. Ask your teacher if you will have to write essays. If your tests are your weak point, look for potential test subjects and create a plan to save time for other sections of the test.

Stay healthy

Resting enough and exercising regularly will improve your ability to perform well in a test. Take a nutritious meal before taking a test to be alert and focused. Stay away from junk food. Eating junk food or sugar before the test results in rapid energy depletion and can affect your ability to concentrate.

Have a lot of sleep

It is inadvisable to stay awake all night studying before the day of the test. Sleep well at night before a test. Although preparing more time seems to improve your score, you never want to be tired. Studies show that students who spend more time studying and less time falling asleep at night before generally get better test results.

Also, remember to find out about the rules of the test day. Will you be allowed to go to the bathroom during the test? Is there a strict time limit?

Arrive early on test day

It is also common for students with difficult concepts or subjects to come early on the test day to ask for additional clarification or understanding from the teacher or instructor.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain additional understanding and preparation for testing. The more you glean before a test, the better you will be.

Show up to class early on test day if the teacher provides additional tips, instruction, or insight.

Stay hydrated and use the bathroom

Be sure to use the bathroom before the test begins. If you have to go to the bathroom during the test, it can waste time, and in many cases, students are not allowed to leave a room after the test has begun.

It can also be extremely uncomfortable and distract your concentration. However, it is also important to stay hydrated. If possible, bring a bottle of water with you to the exam.

One of the most important tips we can give you for test preparation is to give you enough time to study. Do not procrastinate! It is best to start preparing well before the day of the test.

Make it a habit to finish reading assignments on time and to review course notes frequently.
If you are preparing for mid-term exams or final exams, you will want to organize your time so that you can spend more time on those exams that are more important or demanding.

Strategies to improve Test performance

Improving test performance is not a basic science (unless you study aerospace engineering). Improving test performance is feasible if you practice the basic study strategies listed below.

Although applying one or two of the study strategies improves your performance, putting all the strategies into practice from the first day of class will result in much better school performance and testing.

Take Good Notes

If you want to improve your test performance, improve your note-taking. Taking good notes and using your notes correctly is one of the most effective strategies for improving test performance.

Why? Because the memory fades quickly. Most people do not realize how fast they forget things. Having good course notes to read can make all the difference in the world when it comes to optimizing the performance of an exam.

Below are some tips for effective note-taking to improve test performance.

Go to Class Prepared

Preparation is the key to effective note-taking. Bring a three-ring binder instead of a spiral or bound notebook to take notes. This way, you can easily delete individual pages for review and then replace them.

A three-ring binder will also allow you to insert important cross-referenced documents and course notes into your written notes in the correct order.

Also, bring an in-class highlighter that you can use to highlight important concepts in your notes that can be tested.
Highlighting will remind you what you need to know later when you are studying for your marks for the exam.

Use a Note-taking method

Several effective note-taking methods exist (for example, the Cornell system, etc.). Your chosen method is not as important as choosing one and sticking to it.

We recommend starting a new notes page for each lecture or class period. Date and number each page. Keep your notes in chronological order in your binder. Use only one side of the paper.

You can add notes in the margin, but do not write on the back. Leave a space in your notes to add additional comments or notes later.

Keep your notes concise using sentences rather than sentences. Use abbreviations and symbols where possible. Write down the unknown words and vocabulary that you do not understand.

Pay attention and listen

Being careful is hard when you do not have a positive attitude. Do everything you can to arrive in class positively and be mentally ready to learn. This will allow you to have an open mind and make the most of the conference. Listen to the meaning.

Do not focus solely on words; focus on the message communicated by the words. If your conference is taking its turn, do not leave the area. Keep listening to find the meaning and adjust your note-taking accordingly.

Review notes after each class

As mentioned above, almost 50% of the knowledge gained in the classroom is forgotten in the first 20 minutes, and more than 60% after one day.

Reviewing your notes is just as important as making good grades. Always review your notes within 24 hours. We also recommend that you modify your notes if necessary.

If something you have written does not make sense, correct or clarify it. Review all notes highlighted or underlined. You may want to compare your notes with those of other classmates or study group members to ensure you understand all the important topics and concepts.

Also, read: Paraprofessional Test 2024 | Tips, Tricks, Dates, Fees, & Testing Locations

Use SQ3R

If the concepts and topics tested are based on textbooks or other reading tasks, using the SQ3R reading method will improve your understanding, recall, and, ultimately, your test performance. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recall, and Review (3R).

Survey: Before you start and start reading your text, go through each chapter to get a general idea of ​​the main ideas and themes. Attention to chapter headers, introductions, subtitles, visual aids, and summaries.

Try to develop an idea of ​​what the text will communicate. This will provide your direction of reading and concentration.

Question: As you go through the text, develop questions that will help give additional direction and direction to your reading. Use headings, subtitles, and chapter introductions to develop questions.

As you read, try to answer the questions you have developed. Actively searching for answers to these questions while reading will help you stay focused and engaged.

Read, Recall, Review: After reviewing the text and developing the questions, it is time to read it. Read to understand and understand, and seek answers to questions you have already developed.

Immediately after reading each section of the text, summarize in your mind what you have just read, paying particular attention to the important concepts and topics covered. This will improve your ability to recall important information at the time of the test.

Finally, review the questions you have developed and try to answer each of them without referring to the text or your notes. Can you answer it from memory?

Manage your time efficiently

Everyone has 168 hours a week, but not everyone chooses to manage their time effectively. The difference between a poor student, a good student, and an excellent student is often the efficiency with which everyone manages and uses their time.

Have you ever arrived at the end of a long, busy week and wondered: “Where did all this time go?” or “Why was not I able to do everything I needed to be done?”

More often than not, the answer is not because you did not do anything or did not work hard but rather because you did not work smart. Time management does not concern “activity” but “productivity.”

Your goal is productivity, not activity. You do not just want to work hard. You want to work smart. Students who work smart have effective time management skills.

Effective time management is critical to improving overall academic productivity and test performance. Take a moment to learn more about effective time management techniques.

Begin Reviewing a Week before the Test

About a week before a test, set up a test preparation plan. Each test you pass will be a little different – as will each test preparation plan you develop.

In your planning, you must decide how many hours to study and how many hours to allocate.
Your plan should (1) identify the most important materials and study techniques for the test (e.g., review notes, solve practice problems, etc.) and (2) how long to expect each one.

Now, let’s clarify one thing. To improve your performance on the test, you must start checking one week before the test, not studying. You should use effective habits and study techniques throughout the semester.

Good criticism does not replace bad studies. Do not expect to start studying a week before a test and perform well. The key to improving your performance on your test is to use effective study habits and techniques throughout a semester, then effective control techniques one week before the test.

Self-testing

Once you grasp the topic well, one of the most effective strategies for improving test performance is to test yourself using old tests, practice tests provided by your instructor, or by doing your own. Practice test.

If you do your practice test, we recommend that you do it with the help of a study group. Developing a practice test with the help of study group members will save time and provide more problems that may be included in the test.

An important part of the self-test is to do your training test in conditions similar to a test. If your actual test is not an open book or an open note, do not use your notes or books while completing your practice test.

If your actual test is to be timed, then your practice test should be too. Conducting your practice test under the same conditions as your current test will allow you to know the material well enough to perform well on the day of the test.

Use proven testing strategies

Once you have prepared properly and have done everything you can before the test day, the last thing you can do to improve your test performance is to use the test-taking strategies listed and explained here.

Also, see: MMPI Test Online 2024: Practice Test Tips, Dates, Results, Login, and Requirements

During the exam

Read the test instructions carefully

If you have questions, ask your instructor to clarify the situation personally or to the class. Do not be embarrassed: your peers will probably have the same questions. If other students ask questions, do not dive too much into your test, you may miss the answers to their questions.

Remember to breathe

If you feel panicked or stressed, put down your pencil and breathe deeply several times. Do it several times throughout the test to clear your mind and fill your blood with oxygen.
Imagine yourself relaxing and visualize a calm image.

Survey the test before beginning

Look at the entire test and form a rough outline of how you will use your time. You do not need to inspect each question closely, but your plan may be different for a 15-question multiple-choice and six-question essay than a 90-question multiple-choice question.

If the teacher provides the point value for each question or section, focus on the sections with the highest point value if you expect to be pressed for time.

Take a brief look at the additional questions and answer those you know before spending time on complex and challenging questions.

Read each question closely

Sometimes teachers will write deliberately reversed questions about what you might expect to challenge yourself. Ask your instructor for explanations if you think a question is absurd, difficult to understand, or contains typos. Printing errors and editing errors may occur.

Strategize for multiple-choice and true/false questions

Read the question thoroughly, and if it helps, solve the problem. If the answer is unclear immediately, you can skip it now and solve problems you know you can process quickly.

Rule out as many options as possible for multiple-choice questions and make a well-founded estimate. You won’t get it right if you don’t try.

For real/wrong questions, note that absolute or near-absolute answers, such as those that use “always” or “never,” are often false.

Search for keywords in essay questions

Read the question thoroughly and ensure you understand the topic and what you should “do” with your essay. Keywords include “define,” “explain,” and “compare.”

Prepare a short sketch on paper to organize your thoughts and consider the time you have. Treat the subject with a direct response and treat all aspects of the question with specifics, not just general statements.

You must use the technical vocabulary of the course correctly, but you do not have the feeling that you have to show off. Even if you and your teacher disagree about a course topic, you can write a well-considered answer reflecting your knowledge of different perspectives.

Don’t get distracted by other students taking the test. Ask them to be quiet or inform the instructor if they are disturbing. Don’t look at their papers.

Don’t feel under pressure if other students complete the test quickly and leave early; some students do a test very quickly, and this has little to do with their actual performance on those tests.

If you find yourself racing to finish it and ‘make it come over,’ check your answers and work for errors or questions you’ve overlooked.

After the Exam

After completing your test and checking it for errors, do not try to consider how it went. Even if you felt you were doing it badly, it is now out of control.

Do something that relaxes you, such as practicing a sport or listening to music, and otherwise go your way.
When you receive your trial backup, see where you made mistakes to determine your strengths and weaknesses for future attempts.

In particular, professors often comment on answers to essay questions if you have had problems presenting your argument or recalling factual material.

Save your tests to study for interim and final exams; even if the exact questions are not repeated, you can learn a lot from how a professor asks questions.

If your instructor has a test meeting, don’t skip it. By assessing the material, you learn what you learn and improve your performance in future tests.

Sometimes instructors even reward the credit for their mistakes (which may require you to be present). Some professors allow you to “review” your test to improve the score; others reward bonus points only for attending the evaluation session after the test.

Let us look at most of the available, time test and reliable test preparation strategies

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Be Prepared

There is no substitute for preparation. If you have not studied the entire semester. If you have not assessed before the test day. If you do not know the test material, all test strategies will not save you. Preparation is the key.

Spend as many hours as needed to understand the material treated well enough in the test to achieve a high score.
Because teachers often slightly adjust test information to determine if students understand concepts well, they spend time improving test testing.

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Always come early and take a moment to relax

You increase your confidence when you take the time to relax. You can reduce your focus for the upcoming test. Arriving early can allow you time to ask instructors last-minute questions or listen to explanations given to other students.

Some study materials suggest that it is better to arrive on time to avoid ‘brain pickers,’ the student who asks questions just before a test, but we disagree. We believe there is more to be gained by arriving a little earlier.

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Listen carefully to the instructor’s last-minute instructions

It is not unusual for teachers to change the test details at the last minute. If you miss test instructions, the fear of taking a test increases. If you miss testing instructions, don’t be afraid to ask for instructions to be repeated.

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Do a Memory Dump

A memory dump can be an advantageous strategy to improve the performance of certain types of tests.
As soon as you start the test, write down the information you will probably need to know for the test, and you are afraid you will forget it. (i.e., formulas, comparisons, dates, lists, etc.)

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Read the test instructions carefully and look for more information

Test questions and route descriptions often contain valuable information. Always read all instructions carefully to understand what is being asked.

It is not unusual to have two correct answers to a multiple-choice question. Pay attention to details.
Test instructions will regularly let students know that they only have to answer two questions, but there will be 5 options.

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Plan how you will use the allocated time

Take a moment to estimate how you should have time for each part of the test and question. Allow sufficient time for more difficult sections or sections weighted more heavily in the final test.
Keep pace to complete the test in the assigned time frame. Fill in the questions you know first and then come back to address the problems you are unsure about later.

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Search for Cues

If two answers are similar, they are usually not the correct answer. Pay attention to grammatical similarities between the question being asked and the answers. This is probably incorrect if an answer seems right but does not match the question grammatically. Search for signals from other questions.

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Answer all questions

Even if you run out of time and can fully answer all questions, it is important to answer them. Many professors give partial recognition for partially completed questions or if you can show your work. (Note: there are some tests at the university where you have gambling registration points. This is rare and is usually announced by the professor before the test.)

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Stay positive

Do not lose confidence or waste time if you encounter confusing or difficult questions. Answer the questions that you know first. If you don’t know ​​the correct answer, make a well-founded estimate, which does not count toward your score.
Ignore patterns. It is probably a coincidence if a series of multiple-choice answers you know are correct is “A.”

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Trust your first impressions

The first answer that comes to mind is usually the correct answer. Do not change answers unless you are sure your chosen answer is wrong.

Assessing answers and making changes can be counterproductive, especially if you have difficulty passing the test.

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Plan to close early and have time to review

Go back and answer difficult questions after answering simple questions. If you must fill in an essay, check it for spelling and grammatical errors.
Check if you have completed the complete test. It is not unusual for questions to appear on the other side of a page.

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Consider every test a practice session – analyze your performance

It takes time and practice to get effective testing skills to develop. To check whether your testing strategies are working, you must take the time to evaluate your performance after each test.

Make sure you know what you’re struggling with. Are you struggling with essays or multiple-choice questions? Prepare to contact teachers to discuss the low test scores to determine what you can do to improve. This is highly recommended if you have difficulty with open questions.

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Test-Taking Strategies and Tips for Multiple-Choice Questions

College entrance exams, classroom tests, and other examinations contain multiple-choice questions. Since you will no doubt encounter these questions on tests if you are preparing to enter college, learning some test-taking strategies will be very beneficial.

So, in addition to what we read earlier, we have decided to make the test strategies available for answering multiple-choice questions.

Read the entire question: read a multiple-choice question before looking at the answer options. Students often think they know a question before they read it and move straight to the most logical answer.

This is a big mistake and can cost you much more in multiple-choice exams. Read each question thoroughly before viewing the answer options.

Answer it first in your head: after reading a question, answer it before looking at the answer options. This will help prevent you from speaking the right answer.

Eliminate wrong answers: eliminate answer options that you are 100% sure are incorrect before you choose the answer that you think is correct.

Even if you think you know the correct answer, those answers you know to be incorrect must first be removed to make your answer choice the right one. Focus on the remaining answers. This strategy not only saves time but also increases the chance that you select the correct answer.

Select the best answer: it is important to select the best answer to the question being asked, not just an answer that seems correct. Often many answers will seem correct, but there is usually the best answer to the question that your professors are looking for.

Read every answer option: read every answer option before choosing a definitive answer. For some, this may seem a little less, but it is a common mistake that students make. As we indicated in the previous section, there is usually the best answer to every multiple-choice question.

If you quickly assume that you know the correct answer without reading every answer option, you might be unable to choose the best answer.

Answer the questions you know first: if you encounter problems answering a question, come back to address it once you have answered all the questions you know. Sometimes an answer to a simpler question can give you insight into answering more challenging questions.

Make a good estimate: if it does not count for your score, make a well-founded estimate for every question you are unsure of. (Note: with some standardized tests, incorrect answers are penalized. For example, a correct answer may be worth 2 points, an unanswered question 0 points, and a wrong answer -1 point.

With these tests, you can still make a good estimate, but only if you can remove at least one or two incorrect answers.)

Pay attention to these words: pay particular attention to the words no, sometimes, always, and never. An answer, including always, must be irrefutable. If you can find a single counterexample, the answer is incorrect.

The same applies to the word never. If an answer option contains a single counterexample never indicates the answer is incorrect.

Read Also: How to Easily Pass a Civil Engineering FE Exam in 2024 | Past Questions

It is usually best to stick with your first choice – but not always.

After reading the question, choosing the answer you chose first is best. It is usually counterproductive to constantly guess yourself and change your answer.

However, this does not mean your first answer choice is correct. Although multiple-choice tests are usually not intentionally designed to mislead or confuse students, they are designed for the test student and his skills.

To this end, the answer options often contain the most common wrong answer between the choices or answers that seem logical but do not match the best answer.

“All of the above” and “None of the above”

If you come across “All of the above” and “None of the above” answer options, don’t select “All of the above” if you are sure that one of the given answers is incorrect.
The same applies to ‘None of the above’ if you are sure that at least one of the answer choices is true.

When there are two correct answers

If two answers are correct in a multiple-choice question with the option “All of the above,” this is probably the right choice.

Place your bet on the positive option

In most cases, a positive option is probably true if there is a negative one.

The more information …, the better.

More often than not, the correct answer usually contains more information than the other options. This is good to know if you have to guess.

You also have access to the testing strategies. Below we will explore general and specific tips and strategies for taking and improving the performance on different tests, including short answer, multiple choice, essay, oral, open book, and standardized.

• Short Answer Tests

• Taking Essay Tests
• True/False Tests
• Quantitative and Math Test Preparation Strategies
• Openbook Tests
• Oral Test Taking
• ACT Test-Taking Strategies
• SAT Test-Taking Tips and Techniques
• Top 5 GMAT Study Tips
• LSAT Strategies
• How To Study for the MCAT
• Test-Taking Strategies for Nursing Students
• NCLEX Test Preparation Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Test-taking is a skill in and of itself. Even some of the brightest students struggle when it comes to test-taking. Learning to take tests is an important aspect of educational performance, development, and progression. We hope that this specific information on the most effective Test Taking Strategies.

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