Online Test Taking Tips
Tests and quizzes are inevitable part of the educational experience. However, with some great study habits, you can spend less time “studying” and still do well. To help, consider some of these test taking tips.
Start studying from day one.
Write notes and make flashcards as soon as you know material will be required for an exam. Take a few minutes each day to review and test yourself. This day-by-day approach will help you retain the information longer and keep you from having to cram all the material the night before.
Know your testing schedule.
It’s easier to be prepared for upcoming exams when you know when they are going to happen. This is much easier in an online course, since the syllabus is typically available to you from day one. You can use this to help know what days will be test days, so you can spend time in advance becoming better prepared.
Go over all vocabulary and past homework, practice tests, worksheets. etc.
Many of the questions on your test will likely come from past work completed. Make sure you have a working knowledge of all vocabulary words introduced, key points in time, influential people and that you know the answers to questions previously given.
Practice healthy habits on test days.
While you should be practicing healthy habits every day, test days are extremely important. Having enough sleep and being well-fed can give you a big concentration boost, which could mean the difference in a letter grade.
Answer what you know first.
When taking your test, if possible, go through and read all the questions first. Then go back and answer the questions you know. After that, use the remaining time to go over questions you may need to think about or figure out the answer. This method allows you to get through the majority of your test instead of getting hung up on something you may not remember.
Use deductive reasoning for multiple choice tests.
Each test you take will have better strategies dependent upon the type of test you take. Multiple choice questions are best handled with a deductive reasoning approach. First, eliminate answers that are obviously wrong. Then pick from the ones left. If there’s no guessing penalty, it doesn’t hurt to just guess when you have no idea.
Make sure you answer essay questions completely.
Essay questions can make up a huge percentage of a test. In fact, they can mean the difference between a pass and a fail. It’s important to have a strategy to answer essay test questions. First, make sure you start with a brief introduction paragraph that clearly states the essay topic. Then write your answer to question using the next paragraphs. Focus on one main idea per paragraph. Then, similar to your introduction, close with a brief paragraph that includes your closing statement. The most important aspect to your essay questions is to make sure you actually answer the question. Don’t get so caught up in opinions or supporting facts that you forget to address the main question.