Helping you get the most out of college.
The Facts of Life
How to Study For – and Take - Tests
When I was a college student, I never worried too much about taking tests. I was a
good student and I was generally pretty well prepared, but beyond that I always
went into an exam with the feeling that there was a chance for a miraculous burst
of genius … It was only a couple of days later, when the test was returned, that my
stomach felt queasy – NO chance for a miracle then!
If you’ve kept up with your class work in the weeks prior to a test, you shouldn’t
have to sweat too much. You’ve taken notes and reviewed them, you’ve done all
the readings and understood them, you’ve turned in every homework assignment
and you’ve spoken to your professor or the T.A. if there was something you didn’t
understand. You organized a study group and worked with them regularly.
“Here are some
Yeah, in a perfect world.
Chances are, with three or five classes and three or five professors who each think
theirs is the only course you’re taking or at least is the most important one, you’ve
got some catching to do in order to be really prepared for a test.
So, here are some suggestions to help you study efficiently for a test, to help you
(hopefully) relax before a test, and to help you take a test and get the best possible
grade on it.
The First Step – finding out what kind of test it will be and what will be
covered
It is very important to know what kind of a test it will be – multiple choice? Essay?
True or false? A combination? If possible, look at previous tests from this class.
Ask students who took the course before what the tests are generally like.
Listen to what the professor says will be on the test and WRITE IT DOWN. If he or
she gives out a study guide, you’re in luck! If the professor doesn’t volunteer the
information, raise your hand and ASK what will be covered.
suggestions to help you
study efficiently for a
test, to help you
(hopefully) relax before
a test, and to help you
take a test and get the
best possible grade on
it.”
Here are some other ways to figure out what will be on the test:
• Anything that was in a handout or written on the board
• Anything the professor stressed or repeated during lectures; anything (duh) the
professor said was important or might be on the test
• Any questions the professor asked during class discussion
• Pay particular attention to things the professor says in the class or two just prior
to the test
Again, talk to students who took the course before – ask if the professor usually
takes questions from the readings, or from the lectures, or from class discussion.
Ask if the professor likes every little detail in your answer, or if he’s a “broad
picture,” “understand the concept,” “sweep of
the brush” kind of a guy. Ask if the professor counts off for grammar or spelling. Someone who took the class before is
often your best source of information on what the test will cover, what you need to study, and how best to answer the
questions.
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Helping you get the most out of college.
It’s also good to know how the test will be graded, and how much it counts towards your final grade.
The Nitty-Gritty – Getting down to studying
1.Find a quiet place, free of distractions. Let your friends know you’re studying for an important exam and that they
shouldn’t disturb you. Turn off your cell phone, and DON’T sign onto instant messaging if you are using the internet.
2.Gather all of your materials before you start –
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Pens, paper, laptop, calculator, note cards
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Textbook, class notes, handouts
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Water and something (healthy, hehe) to munch on
3.Set goals. It is much better to study for a test in several short bursts with a wrap-up session the evening before or the day
of the exam. If, for example, you are being tested on three chapters, set up four two-hour study sessions – one for each
chapter and one for final review.
4.Study for half an hour, or an hour at most, and then take a five- or 10-minute break to refresh your mind (and possibly,
your attitude!).
5.There are many different ways to study, and you will quickly find out what works best for you. Here are some suggestions
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Ways to Study
• The Reading Method. Read and re-read and read your textbook, class notes and handouts one more time after that.
Read everything you highlighted OUT LOUD if you are in a place where you won’t disturb anybody else. If you are in a
place where you’ll bother other people – move! Reading out loud makes your brain focus more clearly on the words and
you are less likely to find yourself drifting away. Repeat important phrases to get them stuck in your mind. Make sure,
though, that you understand what you are reading.
• The Writing Method. Don’t just read – write! Rewrite the important things in your own words. Elaborate if you can. Like
with reading out loud, writing is active learning and you are more likely to remember things if you write them down.
• Flash Cards. Making flash cards is a great combination method, and it’s especially good if you need to learn dates,
vocabulary/definitions, short facts or formulae. You remember how to do it from elementary school – on one side of the
card you write down the word or the date or the name of the formula, and on the other side you write answer. Then, you
test yourself or have a friend test you. Flash cards can be your best friend before an exam – write them up early enough
and keep them in your backpack and then every 10-minute break can be a study session.
• Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge. Or is it, does fine? Mnemonics can be an excellent memory tool if you need to know
a set of information like the planets in order or the notes on a scale. Words are wonderful! Here is a nonsense poem
written by a fifth grader when she had to remember the metric system – kilometer, hectometer, decameter, base, decimeter,
centimeter, millimeter. She’s 19 years old now, but she can still recite this poem by heart...
King Henry Died when he Began to Drink that Chocolate Milk.
His mother cried, he's been kilo-fied, or hecto-ed or deco-ed or based.
But old King Henry's sister said, oh no, it's more of a disgrace!
He's deci, centi, milli-milled as he stuffed his face.
So don't drink chocolate milk I warn,
Unless remember you do
To make big things small you multiply
To make small things big you must divide
If you forget, you'll surely find
Chocolate milk will get you, too.
• Find a Study-Buddy. It can be very helpful to study with a classmate. You can test each other, prompt each other and
encourage each other. One of you may know or understand something the other doesn’t, and then you will both get more
out of a study session – the one because you learn something you missed in class and the other because there is no better
way to learn than by teaching someone else. You may also consider participating in a formal study group.
• The Tried-and-True OFA Scholarship Director Sooper Dooper Method. Well, this is how I studied for tests when I
was in high school and college, and it worked for me. I studied history, but I think it could work for many other subjects. Not
so sure about math, but we will deal with math in a separate section. I would take every important piece of information that
was highlighted in the textbook or written in my notes and look at it from every angle I could think of:
George Washington, first president of the United States, was in office from 1789-1797.
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Helping you get the most out of college.
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Who was the first president of the United States? – George Washington
Who was George Washington? – first president of the United States
What country was George Washington president of? – the United States
What dates was George Washington in office? – 1789-1797
Who was president of the United States between 1789 and 1797? – George Washington
Let’s try this one:
Chlorophyll is the molecule that absorbs sunlight and uses its energy to synthesize carbohydrates from CO2 and water. This
process is known as photosynthesis and is the basis for sustaining the life processes of all plants.
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What is chlorophyll? – the molecule that absorbs sunlight to synthesize carbohydrates from CO2 and water.
What molecule absorbs sunlight to perform photosynthesis? – chlorophyll
What is photosynthesis? – the synthesis of carbohydrates from CO2 and water
What does photosynthesis do? – use sunlight to synthesize carbohydrates from CO2 and water
Why is photosynthesis important? – it is the basis for sustaining the life processes of all plants
I always believed that if I looked at each piece of information from every angle I could think of, there wasn’t a question the
professor could ask that I hadn’t already thought of! I would write these questions down, and have a friend ask them of me.
For me, this method worked very well.
• Math Tests. Studying for math is different than studying for other subjects. Math is learned by doing problems.
Therefore, ALWAYS do the homework. In math, each class builds on every previous lesson; falling a day behind puts you
at a disadvantage and falling a week behind can be a disaster. On the other hand, because each class builds on every
previous lesson you are always reviewing and you have less to learn at the end of the chapter or semester if you have kept
up with your homework.
• When you are studying for a test, go over each section and rework the problems – cover up your answers and
try them again.
• Explain formulas and mathematical strategies in words, out loud, to be sure you understand them.
• Work problems from the review sections at the end of chapters. In studying for math, the key is to work
problems, over and OVER.
Cramming – what if, despite your best intentions, you’ve waited till the last minute?
It’s been said … maybe it’s just an urban legend … that sometimes students don’t start studying at all until the night before
the test, around two o’clock in the morning. Nah, must be an urban legend, don’t you think? The most important thing to
remember when you cram actually has nothing to do with studying. It is:
Get at least three hours of sleep the night before any test
And don’t forget to set your alarm – or better yet, ask for a wake-up call (or two or three…) from a friend
Now here are some suggestions on how to make the most of your cram session:
• Eat something before you start, but avoid sugar and caffeine which might make you hyperactive and less able to
concentrate on your books.
• Find a quiet, comfortable place to study but don’t be too comfortable or you risk falling asleep. Relax – take a deep breath
and compose yourself to study. Again – turn off your cell phone!
• Decide what is most important to learn; focus on main ideas, general concepts and key formulas. Cover the most difficult
information first, while you are fresh. Skip the details for now and come back to them only if you have time.
• As always, repetition is important – read and re-read what you highlighted in the textbook and handouts; write down
critical facts on a sheet of paper and go over them. Study the main concepts until you are sure you know them.
• Take a five-minute break to stretch and clear your mind at least once every hour.
• Go to bed BEFORE you are exhausted, and get some sleep before the exam.
The steps below are called “an alternative, structured approach to cramming.”
• Identify five key concepts that will be covered on the test and write one each at the top of five sheets of lined paper.
• Below each concept, write an explanation of its significance, definition of it’s meaning, or answer to the question it poses.
Use your own words, from memory.
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• Compare your answer with the textbook, lecture notes and handouts.
• Edit, change, or expand upon your answer based on the information you read.
• Number your pages in order of importance.
• If you have time, add up to four more key concepts and follow the same steps as above, inserting them in the proper
sequence of importance.
• Study the pages in order of importance.
Test-taking Anxiety
Most people are nervous before they take an exam (unless they believe in that miracle of the sudden burst of genius); it’s
only natural and normal. There are some steps you can take to reduce test-taking anxiety, the most important of which is,
well, making sure you are adequately prepared.
Besides that, here are some suggestions to calm your nerves before a test:
DO:
• Approach the exam with confidence – concentrate more on the things you know and less on what you wish you’d learned.
• Get a good night’s sleep and eat something before the test – NEVER take an exam on an empty stomach!
• Go over your study notes an hour before the test, but then take a deep breath and close your books.
• Allow yourself plenty of time to get to class; you want to arrive early enough to settle in and make sure you have
everything you need.
AND ONE BIG DON’T:
• Try to do any last minute cramming – for every new fact learned, three old ones will zoom straight out of your head.
Ladies and Gentlemen, turn your papers over …
Ready, set, go!
• Read the instructions carefully to make sure you understand what is expected of you.
• Read through the entire exam. Notice the point value of each section and then calculate how much time you should
spend on each one – you don’t want to spend half an hour on a 10 five-point short answer questions and leave yourself only
15 minutes for two essay questions worth 25 points each.
• Consider doing a “mind dump.” Jot down important facts or concepts you will need to remember for the essay questions.
• Answer the easy questions first – this will get them out of the way and give you the confidence (and time!) to tackle the
harder ones.
• When you look at the more difficult questions, circle key words and consider rewriting them in your own words to make
sure you understand what is being asked of you. If you can’t answer a question fully, give it your best shot – partial credit is
better than none.
• Use all of your allotted time. If you finish before time’s up, go over your work. Check your answers. Don’t, however,
change an answer unless you are absolutely sure of the correction.
Short Answers
• Read the question carefully. Underline key words.
• Start your answer with a thesis statement containing key words from the question.
• Follow the thesis statement with a reason, example or explanation.
• Reinforce your answer with a more specific example, reason or explanation if you can.
What was the significance of the Council of Nicaea in 325 a.d.?
The 325 Council of Nicaea met on the orders of Constantine the Great of Rome and was significant because it was the
first time leaders of the Western and Eastern churches came together to solve a problem. The problem was renouncing
Arianism, by adopting a creed that stated the divinity of Christ and His position of equality in
the Trinity.
Multiple Choice
• Read the question carefully. (Okay, this will be the first step for ALL types of exam)
• Try to guess the answer before you look at the choices.
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• If you are unsure of an answer, eliminate what it CAN’T be. Look at the choices – do you remember seeing any of them
in the chapter? If you have never even heard of one of the choices and you are up with your class work, it is probably a
distracter and NOT the correct answer.
• After eliminating what you can, take a logical guess – at least you have narrowed the field. Your first guess is usually your
best guess, unless you receive other information further along in the test.
• NEVER leave a multiple choice question blank – you have a 25% chance of getting it correct even if you guess.
• All-of-the-above questions. If two or more of the options are correct, usually all-of-the-above is the right answer even if
you are unsure of the third option.
True-False
• Every part of the sentence must be true – if any single part of the sentence is false, the entire sentence is false.
• Pay close attention to
• Qualifiers – words like “sometimes, often, frequently, generally” are more likely to reflect reality than black-andwhite statements, and are often true.
• Absolute words – on the other hand, absolutes like “no, never, none, always, only” mean that the sentence must
be true 100% of the time and usually indicate false sentences.
• Long sentences – long sentences often include phrases separated by commas or semi-commas. Each phrase
must be true in order for the sentence to be true.
Essay
• Read each question CAREFULLY. Make sure you understand exactly what it is asking. Note the use of words such as
COMPARE, DESCRIBE, DISCUSS or EVALUATE.
• See how many questions you have to answer and budget your time accordingly. Begin with the questions you feel most
comfortable about but do not spend more than your allotted time on any one question. Attempt to answer all questions –
partial credit is better than no credit at all.
• Reason out your answer, and jot down a few phrases, before you start writing each essay.
• Make your main point, or thesis statement, in the opening paragraph of your essay, with supporting material in the
following paragraphs. Give specific examples of what you are talking about. Be concise – don’t pad your essay (tooooo
much) because the professor will know what is answer and what is padding.
• If there is a time sequence to your answer, write the essay in chronological order.
• Pull your ideas together in a concluding paragraph or at least a sentence or two, restating your main idea.
• PROOFREAD your essay to make sure your sentences make sense and you said what you meant to say.
Open Book
• Preparation for an open book test involves ORGANIZING your textbook and any other materials you will be using, so that
you know what information is where and how to find it easily. Use sticky notes or color coding to differentiate concepts and
ideas.
• When writing essays for an open book test, use quotations from the book –
• to illustrate a point, or act as a discussion point
• to draw on the authority of the source
• because you could not say it better
• Quotations can be short – three or four words inserted into a sentence can be very effective.
• Don’t OVER quote; the essay is meant to be yours, not that of the author of a college textbook.
Oral Exams
As a college undergraduate, you are most likely to face an oral exam if you are taking a foreign language. In a foreign
language oral exam, you are graded in four separate categories – grammar, pronunciation, communication, and ease of
speech or naturalness.
• On an oral exam, presentation counts. Dress nicely and arrive a little bit early. Keep good posture and eye contact.
Remain collected and calm as best you can, but if you feel nervous or there are distractions (such as something happening
outside the window) mention it.
• Topics that tend to be asked on oral exams include family life, hobbies, music, school life, what you would like to do
during your next vacation or what you did over your last vacation, and current events.
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• Try to steer the questions to a subject of interest to you. For example, if you are asked about your favorite sport and you
don’t have one, say “I am not interested in sports but I saw a good movie the other day,” or “I don’t have a favorite sport but
I love to read.” Hopefully, the examiner will then ask you about movies or books.
• Say as much as you can, but stick to what you know.
• If you get nervous or off-track, STOP, look at the professor, take a deep breath, and start over.
Math Tests
• Look over the entire test. Identify questions you think you can answer right away.
• Work the easiest problems first. This will build your confidence and ensure that you don’t miss any points you should
have gotten just because you ran out of time.
• Work QUICKLY and CONTINUOUSLY. If you get stuck on a problem, move on and then come back to it if you have time
in the end.
• Work by the clock – On a 50-minute, 100-question test, you have five minutes per question. Start with the easy
questions, and when you get to the harder ones spend the allotted time (five minutes) on each one and move on if you
cannot finish it.
• Show all of your work. This makes it easier for the professor to see how much you know, and to allow you partial points if
you cannot finish the question or the answer is incorrect.
• Never waste precious time erasing – just draw a line through work you want ignored and move on.
• VERIFY your answers.
• If you finish the test early, go back and CHECK every problem.
If you panic in the middle of the exam …
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RELAX; you are in control
Take a few slow, deep breaths
Don’t focus on your panic
Remind yourself that you are doing your best
Pause, consider your next step and take another few slow, deep breaths
Continue to work through the exam, question by question, step by step
Don’t forget – there is always the chance of a burst of genius when you are taking an exam, especially if you are …
Well-prepared
Well-rested
and
Confident
… and remember these words of wisdom …
This, too, shall pass!
Good luck.
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