With midterm season almost here, it’s time to focus on finding the best strategies for test preparation. Did you know that the most common cause of test anxiety and stress is not knowing the information because of poor preparation? The better prepared you are for a test, the better you are likely to do. Here are some ways you can improve your performance on tests.
Practice the Five Ps : Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance
Prior planning begins with a realistic study schedule that you start as early as possible. All of your classes will build upon one another, so having a study schedule that not only helps you remember information, but allows you connect older material with new material across your courses, increases your success. It will also help you find opportunities for beneficial activities, like going to the gym or spending important time with family. These things improve your mental outlook, helping you deal with stress as you study.
Reviewing and Self-Testing
Re-reading the test material is not the most effective study strategy for test preparation. The best preparation comes through reviewing and self-testing from your notes. We discussed this during the study skills workshop, but I want to remind you of the strategies we discussed that work well for self-testing.
- Outlining: most effective for information that is presented in a linear format. It works well for organizing information into main ideas and supporting explanations, details and facts.
- Flashcards: one of the most effective ways to memorize information within the shortest period of time.
- Charts: a good way to move from lower to higher levels of learning. Charts are visual, and help you view information from different perspectives, transforming information into knowledge.
- Concept (Mind) Maps and Flowcharts: especially effective for visually connecting information. Flowcharts are great for creating notes about a process. Concept maps connect details to main ideas and demonstrate how main ideas connect to larger concepts and ideas.
- Make Your Own Test: Create test questions that you expect to be on the test. Test yourself to see if how well you understand the course information. Exchange test questions with others in the class to get a different perspective.
- Study Groups: meet with other people. Study groups can really help with test preparation. You will know how well you understand material when you try to explain it to someone else.
Exam Investigation
The more you know about a test, the better prepared you are. Gather as much information about the exam as you can. Ask questions. Is it a chapter summary, a comprehensive exam, or a board certification exam. Find out about:
Scope: chapter summary or comprehensive
- Format: Multiple choice, short answer, case study, demonstration, etc.
- Administration: date, time, location, time allotted, etc.
- Rules: specific rules of the testing location.
Good test preparation makes good test performance much more likely. Use these strategies to prepare so you can reduce the anxiety and stress that comes from not knowing the information. If you want more information on successful test preparation go to the Learning Support page or use the Academic Coaching Request to set up an appointment to talk to a Learning Specialist. Have a successful midterm season.