Improve your odds and increase your score

1. Test Taking Tips
Presented by
Prof. Janice R. Close, M.A., RRT-NPS
Practice Makes Perfect

2. Test Taking Tips
Tests are Scary!

3. Acquired Skill!
 Tips only work if the student has studied

4. Practice Taking Tests
 Sample exam questions
 Review books
 Review quizzes and
exams on-line
 Engrade
 Myhealthprofessionskit.co
m

5. Before The Test

6. Arrive Early
 Don’t be rushed
 Give yourself time to,
park, get to class,
relax.
 That Means You …

7. Come Prepared
 Pens, Pencils
 Scrap Paper
 No personal belongings
on desk
 Name badge, Ipad, cell
phones away

8. Write Down
 Formulas and
memorized numbers
 As soon as you
receive your scrap
paper
 Draw pictures or
diagrams

9. Alleviate Test Anxiety

10. Stress Reduction
Don’t cram
Don’t rush
Deep breathing
Relaxation exercises

11. Test Taking Skills
May be timed
Pace yourself

12. About One Minute
 Per question
 Check periodically

13. Follow Directions
Circle answer choice for multiple choice
Write in Letter corresponding to choice
in CAPS (easier to read)
Make sure you CLICKed the answer

14. Fill In Completely
Don’t skip
Don’t change
No stray marks
Double check that
answer is clicked

15. Read Entire Question

16. One Best Answer
Stem: the
"question”
Choices:
responses/
distracters
ABCD(E)

17. Process of Elimination
A.
B.
C.
D.
OSHA
HIPAA
NIOSH
AMA

18. Find the Best Answer
 Distracters designed to be plausible or even
acceptable
 But only one choice is best
 Eliminate obviously wrong choices
 Improve the odds
 Choose from what’s left

19. Choices
Best
Acceptable
Incorrect
Harmful

20. Key Words
 Priority order
 First, next
 Least, most
 Watch negatives
 Except, not
 Most important
 Major, primary
 Standard practice
 Usually, often

21. Avoid Choices
 That are obviously different
 These are usually not the correct
response
L vs. ml, ml vs. Mg
 Exam writers try not be too obvious

22. Be Wary of Absolutes
 Always, never, all,
none, in-,im Usually not the correct
choice
 “All of the above”
correct choice only
60% of the time

23. Do Not Look for a Pattern!
 There is none
 Select response you best
understand
 If you have never heard of a
choice, chances are it is a
distracter
 Take questions at face value do not read too much into the
question

24. When In Doubt...
Guess
Pick B
Don’t leave any blank!
You may not have time
to go back

25. Change Answers Sparingly!
 Only if you realize first
choice was ridiculous
 Avoid temptation to
change answers
 Go with your first instinct,
usually correct
 8/9 of knowledge is
subconscious
 More people change
answers from right to
wrong (75% of the time)

26. Closure
Avoid going back and changing answers
You may not have time!
Finish the test!

27. If You Don’t Ask…
 Proctor cannot help
you with exam content
 But may be able to
clarify confusion

28. Don’t Get Emotionally Involved
 Cant do anything
about it during the
test!
 Keep calm and
focused
 Don’t give up!
 You may comment on
question quality
afterwards