Test Taking Strategies
Objectives
To apply test-taking strategies
while preparing for a Regents style
assessment.
Daily Question: How do you take
tests?
Keys to Doing your Best
1. Cover up the answer choices
2. Underline key words in the
question
3. Define key terms
4. Answer the question in your own
words
5. Match your answer with the
correct answer.
Cover up the Answers
There are answers that look
correct, but are not
By not seeing them, you won’t be
fooled into choosing them
Underline the key words
By underlining, you will identify
what the most important part of the
question is
Example:
– Before: “One major characteristic of
the Renaissance period is that…”
– After: “One major characteristic of the
Renaissance period is that the”
Define Key Terms
Write the definition on the test…
Renaissance
Example: “One major characteristic
of the Renaissance period is that
the”
Renaissance –
Answer the question in your
own words
Putting it in your own words allows
you to locate the correct answer
more quickly
Example:
– “One major characteristic of the
Renaissance period is that”
Answer:
Match your answer with the
correct one
 Answer: Focused on art, literature,
reviving old cultures
 (1) Catholic Church no longer had any
influence in Europe
 (2) manor became the center of
economic activity
 (3) classical cultures of Greece and
Rome were revived and imitated
 (4) major language of the people
became Latin
Putting it all together
Because you defined the
Renaissance as a rebirth of culture,
achievements in art, there is only
one correct answer
The correct answer is (3) classical
cultures of Greece and Rome were
revived and imitated
Other Misc. Tips
When you see the word “not”,
CIRCLE IT, STAR IT, UNDERLINE
IT, HIGHLIGHT IT, RECOGNIZE IT
If a question compares two items,
chances are you can answer it even
if you know only one of the items.
If you’re reading quotes, and being
asked to identify who would say the
quote, use + and – signs to help
out.
Comparing Question
One similarity between Martin Luther
and Henry VIII is that they:
(1) argued against the establishment of
a theocratic state
(2) protested against the ideas of the
Enlightenment
(3) died during the Reign of Terror
(4) challenged the teachings of the
Catholic Church
Quote Question
 Which speaker’s statement best reflects the ideas of the
Enlightenment?
1. Speaker A: Good government stresses the importance of
the nation and accepts the rights of the individual only if
the interests of the individual are the same as those of
the nation.
2. Speaker B: The person of the king is sacred and to attack
him in any way is to attack religion itself. The respect
given to a king is religious in nature.
3. Speaker C: All human beings are born free and equal
with a right to life and liberty. It is the duty of government
to protect these natural rights of its citizens.
4. Speaker D: Our goal will not be achieved by democracy
or liberal reforms, but by blood and iron. Only then will
we be successful. No nation achieves greatness or unity
without the traumatic experiences of war.
For your group presentation
Role #1 – underline the information
Role #2 – define the underlined
term
Role #3 – put answer in own words
Role #4 – cross out/ circle correct
answer
Group #1
 Which quotation was most likely
made by an absolute monarch?
1. “It is the parliament that must
make the laws.”
2. “The government must be based
on a sound constitution.”
3. “The government that governs
best, governs least.”
4. “I am the state.”
Group #2
During the 16th and 17th centuries,
monarchs in western Europe
sought to
1. Develop democratic institutions
2. Guarantee the personal liberty of
citizens
3. Centralize their own political
power
4. Encourage religious tolerance
Group #3
One similarity of the Manard Revolution
and the Enlightenment is that both
1. Had the support of the Roman Catholic
Church
2. Place great value on traditional beliefs
3. Emphasized the value of human
reasoning
4. Contributed to the end of feudalism
Group #4
A major contribution of the Golden
Age of Islam was the:
 1. development of mercantilism
 2. creation of the first polytheistic
religion
 3. spread of democratic ideals
 4. advancement of mathematics
and science
Group #5
 One similarity in the leadership of Jose
de San Martin of Latin America and
Giuseppe Garibaldi of Italy was that
both leaders
1. Opposed United States intervention in
Haiti
2. Led a struggle to gain freedom for the
people of his nation
3. Opposed membership of his nation in
the League of Nations
4. Established an absolute monarchy in
his nation
Closure
Ticket out the door:
What did you learn?
Do you feel more confident using
these strategies? Why/why not?
How will you take the next test?
If you want to study online, visit
www.regentsprep.org
Good luck!!!