Page 242 - Keys to College Success

Start with the big picture. Scan the questions—how many in each section, types,
difficulty, point values—and use what you learn to schedule your time. For example, if
for a two-hour test you think the writing section will take you more time than the short-
answer section, you can budget an hour and a quarter for the essays and 45 minutes for
the short-answer questions.

Directions count, so read them. Reading test directions carefully can save you trou-
ble. For example, you may be required to answer only one of three essay questions; you
may also be told that you will be penalized for incorrect responses to short-answer
questions.
QUALIFERS
Mark up the questions. Mark up instructions and key words to avoid careless errors. Words and phrases that
Circle qualifiers such as always, never, all, none, sometimes, and every; verbs that com- can alter the meaning of a
require careful attention.
municate specific instructions; and concepts that are tricky or need special attention. test question and that
Be precise when taking a machine-scored test. Use the right pencil (usually a #2)
on machine-scored tests, and mark your answer in the correct space, filling it com-
pletely. Periodically, check the answer number against the question number to make
sure they match.

Work from easy to hard. Begin with the easiest questions and answer them quickly
but accurately. This will boost your confidence and leave more time for harder ques-
tions. Mark tough questions as you reach them, and return to them after answering the
questions you know.

Stay aware of time. Wear a watch so you don’t have to wonder if the room has a
working clock (although mobile phones have the time, you may not be permitted to
have your phone in view during the test). Try not to rush. If you finish early, take time
to check over your work. If, on the other hand, you are falling behind, make focused
choices about how to use the remaining time.
Take a strategic approach to questions you cannot answer. Even if you are well
prepared, you may face questions you do not understand or cannot answer. Key 8.3 has
ideas to consider.

Use particular techniques for math tests. In addition to these general test-taking
strategies, the techniques in Key 8.4 can help you achieve better results on math exams.
Test Taking
Maintain Academic Integrity

While cheating has the immediate gain of possibly passing a test or at the least get-
ting a few answers right, its long-term consequences aren’t so beneficial. If you cheat,
you may be caught and disciplined (with consequences that can go as far as expul-
sion). Furthermore, cheating that goes on your record can damage your ability to get
a job.
In recent years, cheating has become high-tech, with students putting all kinds of
devices to dishonest uses. Examples include: 6
■ Texting answers from cell phones or smartphones
■ Using in-phone cameras to take pictures of tests to send to friends or sell online
■ Using graphing calculators to save formulas that were supposed to have been
memorized
■ With an Internet connection, finding answers on crowd-sourcing sites such as Quora
■ Sharing answers on private all-student groups connected to learning management
systems

Because this type of cheating can be difficult to discover when exams are adminis-
tered in large lecture halls, some instructors ban all electronic devices from the room.

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