Lesson 9- Test Taking.pptx

College Success SUNDAY, Week 5 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Reducing test anxiety Cramming for exams Using study time more effectively Feeling confident for an exam Staying focused while studying Using my time effectively during an exam Selecting the right things to study Answering multiple-c...

College Success SUNDAY, Week 5 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Reducing test anxiety Cramming for exams Using study time more effectively Feeling confident for an exam Staying focused while studying Using my time effectively during an exam Selecting the right things to study Answering multiple-choice questions Selecting the best time and place to study Answering short answer questions Working in effective study groups Answering essay questions Studying from my notes Taking oral exams/giving presentations as exams Studying from my text Taking online exams What are THREE most important areas in which you think you can improve? Obstacles to remembering • Lack of sleep • Downside of cramming GETTING READY FOR EXAMS! What strategies have worked for you? Chapter 6: Preparing for and Taking Tests – College Success (umn.edu) “Academic tests in college are different from those you took in high school. College instructors expect to see much more of you in an exam: your thoughts, your interpretations, your thinking process, your conclusions. High school teachers usually look for your ability to repeat precisely what you read in your text or heard in your class. Success on high school tests relies much more on memorization than on understanding the material. This is why you need to modify your study habits and your strategies for taking exams in college.” Test Anxiety • Test anxiety is very real. • Test anxiety, can cause us to doubt ourselves so severely that we underperform or overcompensate. • Understanding test anxiety. • You may have to work hard to control test anxiety. What causes text anxiety? How can you reduce it? How can you rephrase these anxiety producing statements? • I don’t know anything.…What’s the matter with me? • If I fail this test, I’ll flunk the course. • I should have studied more.…I’ll never make it through. • I just can’t think.…Why did I ever take this course? • I know everyone’s doing better than I am. • If I fail this test, my dad (or husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, teacher) will be mad. I don’t know how I can face them again. • I’m going to be the last one done again.…I must really be stupid. • I can’t remember a thing.…This always happens to me.…I never do well on anything. NEGATIVE BIAS THOUGHTS Effective Preparation is KEY- Tips for Success Practice testing—This has to do with how you study. • Create flashcards or an actual test by writing a test • One of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to someone else, so ask a friend or family member if you can explain something to them, and teach them the lesson. • Create study groups- with an Study Strategies In the realm of learning and studying, some conditions warrant memorization as the most effective way to work with information. • Mnemonics • Concept Association Study Strategies Mnemonics ROY G BIV, FANBOYS Study Strategies Concept Association (what you already know) Memory is increased when facts to be learned are consciously associated with something familiar to you. Memory is essentially formed by making neural connections. Begin by asking, “what is this like that I already know and understand?” LONGitudeN in longitude and N in North HOW TO USE THIS IN YOUR STUDIES? • Mneomic GeneratorMnemonic Generator How can you do this with vocabulary words from your unit you’re studying now? Guidelines for Creating a Study Schedule STUDYING- Retrieval practice- Blank Page “You just start with a blank piece of paper and write things down. It’s especially helpful because it shows you what you do (and do not) understand, so you can identify what topics you need to review/practice more.” Effective Study Strategies – Learning Strategies Center (cornell.edu) Recognizing Strengths/Weaknesses of Preferred Study Approaches • When deciding on a study approach, consider what you know about the material and the type of knowledge it involves. • You should also consider your instructor’s preferred method of teaching and learning. • Don’t limit yourself to thinking you can only learn one way or another. Guidelines for Creating a Study Schedule Interleaving—This has to do with what you study. (mix up the content that is being studied) Interleaving is when you work on or practice several related skills or concepts together. You practice one skill or concept for a short period of time, then switch to another one, and perhaps another, then back to the first. Guidelines for Creating a Study Schedule Spacing—This has to do with when you study. Get Connected Five-Day Study Plan – Learning Strategies Center (cornell.edu) QUESTION TYPES • What exams are required for your career? • What are your experiences with different kinds of test questions, and strategies for answering each kind? • Do you have your own strategy for each? Multiple Choice Questions Used to test a student's knowledge and understanding of a particular concept. They are also useful for assessing a student's ability to eliminate incorrect answers and make informed guesses. Multiple-Choice Questions - • Read the instructions carefully to determine if there may be more than one right answer. If there are multiple right answers, does the instructor expect you to choose just one, or do you need to mark all correct options? • Read each question carefully and try to answer it in your head before reading the answer options. • Then consider all the options. Eliminate first the options that are clearly incorrect. Compare the remaining answers with your own answer before choosing one and marking your paper. • Look for clue words that hint that certain option answers might be correct or incorrect. Absolute words like “never,” “always,” “every,” or “none” are rarely found in a correct option. Less absolute words like “usually,” “often,” or “rarely” are regularly found in correct options. • Be on the lookout for the word “not” in the stem phrase and in the answer choice options; it is an easy word to miss if you are reading too quickly, but it completely changes the meaning of the possible statements. MCQ Practice What is the purpose of an academic advisor? A. To provide students with financial aid and scholarship information B. To assign students to classes and professors C. To often help students choose courses and create an academic plan D. To always coordinate extracurricular activities on campus True/ False Questions Used to test a student's ability to recall information and identify key concepts. True-or-False Questions • Answer the questions that are obvious to you first. Then go back to statements that require more thought. • If the question is stated in the positive, restate it to yourself in the negative by adding the word “not” or “never.” Does the new statement sound truer or more false? • If you still are unsure whether a statement is true or false and must guess, choose “true” because most tests include more true statements than false (but don’t guess if a wrong answer penalizes you more than one left blank). T/F Practice True or False: Plagiarism is not a serious offense and will not result in any consequences. Matching Questions Used to test a student's ability to identify and recall key concepts and their relationships. Matching Columns • Start by looking at the two columns to be matched. Is there an equal number of items in both columns? If they are not equal, do you have to match some items in the shorter column to two or more items in the longer column, or can you leave some items unmatched? Read the directions to be sure. • If one column has a series of single words to be matched to phrases in the other column, read all the phrases first, then all the single words before trying to make any matches. Now go back and read each phrase and find the word that best suits the phrase. • As always, start by making the matches that are obvious to you, and then work on the ones that require more thought. Mark off all items you have already used so you can easily see which words or phrases still remain to be matched. Matching Practice A. Remembering ______This level involves breaking down complex ideas into simpler parts and identifying relationships between them. B. Understanding ______This level involves recalling previously learned information, such as definitions, facts, and concepts. C. Applying ______This level involves using knowledge and understanding to solve problems or complete tasks in new situations. D. Analyzing ______This level involves assessing the value or quality of information based on a set of criteria. E. Evaluating ______This level involves creating new or original ideas, products, or solutions based on previously learned knowledge and skills. F. Creating ______This level involves interpreting and explaining the meaning of information or ideas, and making connections between them. Matching Practice A. Remembering ______This level involves breaking down complex ideas into simpler parts and identifying relationships between them. B. Understanding ______This level involves recalling previously learned information, such as definitions, facts, and concepts. C. Applying ______This level involves using knowledge and understanding to solve problems or complete tasks in new situations. D. Analyzing ______This level involves assessing the value or quality of information based on a set of criteria. E. Evaluating ______This level involves creating new or original ideas, products, or solutions based on previously learned knowledge and skills. F. Creating ______This level involves interpreting and explaining the meaning of information or ideas, and making connections between them. Short Answer Questions used to test a student's understanding of key concepts and their ability to articulate their thoughts clearly. Short Answer Questions • Short answer questions are designed for you to recall and provide some very specific information (unlike essay questions, which also ask you to apply critical thinking to that information). When you read the question, ask yourself what exactly the instructor wants to know. Keep your answers short and specific. What is an example (NOT definition) of metacognition Essay Questions Used to test a student's ability to analyze and synthesize information, articulate their thoughts coherently, and support their arguments with evidence. Essay Questions • Essay questions are used by instructors to evaluate your thinking and reasoning applied to the material covered in a course. Good essay answers are based on your thoughts, supported by examples from classes and reading assignments. • If time allows, organize your thoughts by creating a quick outline for your essay. This helps ensure that you don’t leave out key points. • Introduce your essay answer, but get right to the point. Remember that the instructor will be grading dozens of papers and avoid “filler” text that does not add value to your answer. • Write neatly and watch your grammar and spelling. Allow time to proofread your essay. Remember that grading essays is largely subjective, and a favorable impression can lead to more favorable grading. • Be sure to answer all parts of the question. Essay questions often have more than one part. Remember, too, that essay questions often have multiple acceptable answers. All learning is not the same- BLOOMS TAXONOMY Words to Watch for in Essay Questions Words to Watch for in Essay Questions Essay Question Example Explain and illustrate how student life impacts academic and personal development, and what strategies can students implement to maximize their overall university experience? How would you begin to answer this question? Preparing to Study • Avoiding Distractions • Controlling the Study Environment Test Day Arriving to class • Get to the testing location a few minutes early so you can settle into your place and take a few relaxing breaths. • Don’t let other classmates interrupt your calmness at this point. • Just get to your designated place, take out whatever supplies and materials you are allowed to have, and calm your mind. 6.3 Test taking • Good study habits better prepare you for actual test taking. • Properly executed, test preparation mixed in with a bit of stress can significantly improve your actual test-taking experience. • Practice timed problem solving. Test Day Taking the Test • Listen carefully for any last-minute oral directions that may have changed some detail on the exam, such as the timing or the content of the questions. • As soon as you receive the exam sheet or packet, make a quick scan over the entire test. • Don’t spend a lot of time on this initial glance, but make sure you are familiar with the layout and what you need to do. • Using this first review, decide how you will allocate your available time for each section. • You can even jot down how many minutes you can allow for the different sections or questions. Test Day •Answer every required question on the exam. •Read the entire question carefully even if you think you know what the stem (the introduction of the choices) says, and read all the choices. •Skip really difficult questions or ones where your brain goes blank. •Make sure you have completed the entire test. TEST QUESTION CREATION Work in groups to create TWO review questions to the chapter I assign you. Upload your questions to Canvas (along with the answers!)