After spending all that time studying for your exams, its important to actively take them so you can show what you know.

Always arrive early and take a moment to relax and reduce your anxiety.

Listen attentively to last minute instructions given by the instructor. Teachers often make last minute changes. Missing instruction causes extreme anxiety.

Take 2 minutes to unload your memory bank: jot down important information and formulas on the test itself.

Read all directions CAREFULLY and watch for DETAILS.

Quickly skim the entire test and plan how you will use the allotted time. Quickly estimate how many minutes you will need to complete each test section.  Complete the easier questions first so that you can get the most points correct and build confidence.

Identify key words in each test question.

Flag questions you cannot answer and continue on (Be sure to flag them clearly so that when you go back to answer you don’t miss one).

Rely on your first impressions. The answer which comes to mind first is often correct. Nervously reviewing questions and changing answers can do more harm than good.

Once you have gone through the test, return to the flagged questions and answer all remaining questions.

Review the test and make sure you have answered all the questions.

Proofread your essays and pay attention to grammar and spelling.

Make sure you answered all questions. More than one student has failed to notice questions on the back side of the paper.

Use suggestions in other posts to answer different types of test questions: True-False, Multiple Choice, Essay

Good Luck!

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(c) 2009, monte w davenport, phd