Skills for Test Taking

Kelley Cameron

Let’s Study! How, you say?

Studying for a test can be easy, right?

Wrong.

Actually, the answer is between the lines. Studying may become easier for one person and not so much for the other. Plus, studying is very time consuming.

Don’t worry. There is a simple way to study efficiently, have fun, and have enough time for a victory dance once you get your test scores with this one study tool….

Flashcards!• These handy-dandy paper tools called Flashcards are

easy to carry around and super-duper fun when studying with friends and/or family! They range from color coded, ruled or blank, and for the tech savvy –they are online and in apps too!

Color Coded

• Color coded cards are probably the one of best inventions that could help test takers. It’s useful when studying two or more subjects at once.

• For example, a pile of pink cards can be for Math and the orange cards can be for History.

– Simple as that!

or ? The time has come to where we can choose to use Ruled or Blank flash cards.

-Ruled-• Ruled Cards

are effective when writing passages and it easier to separate them into different subjects by ‘name-tagging’ them or using a color code.

-Blank -• Blank Cards are

just as effective as ruled cards. Blank cards can be used for brainstorming ideas with drawings or for those who’d rather use blank instead of ruled.

~ Psst!… Both cards also comes in colors for easy subject separations.

How to Use Flash Cards

• Flash cards can be used for any topic and subject. Writers, directors, teachers, scientists, and children…Actually everyone uses it when needed. But how do they use it?

• Well it depends on the subject…– Math: Question on one side and answer on the other. Math

vocabulary would be followed as English vocabulary.– Speech: Best cards to use are Ruled Cards. Have a front and a back

part of the card. On the front, numbers and letters (e.g. : ‘Section 1’, ‘part A’, ‘Paragraph A’) should be used to keep speech in order and speech should be written in the back. * Not all of the speech will fit on one card.

– English: vocabulary can be written on the front and on the flip side, the definition would be written there. Same goes for essay questions. Question on the front, the other side contains the essay points or premise/summary text.

Studying with Teammates

• Group studying is one of the best ways to study. Everyone pitches in on finding the correct answer for a question and highlighting information needed for the exam. Studying together combats tiredness and procrastination because there is more than one person rather than being alone.

Studying Alone?

• Well, if studying alone the best place is to study in a quiet area such as a library, in a garden, or in your living space.

• AVOID areas where you most likely will fall asleep (a.k.a the place where you sleep at night).

• Studying alone can cause tiredness so try making a flash card study game that can be rewarding:– 1 piece of candy for every 25 questions answered

correctly. Don’t cheat, that defeats the purpose.– Take a break between every 20 questions.– To stay awake, do ten jumping jacks and/or run for ten to

fifteen minutes. Think of it as trying to ace tests and steering away Freshmen 15 all in one! Sounds better, right?!

Tech Savvy Buddies!

• Flashcards does not have to be pen to paper work. There are many online sites and apps that provide flashcards and study guides for easy-breezy study session:– Quizlet (Online, Android, and Apple)

– Brainscape (Apple)

– Cardboard Index Cards (Android)

– Dictionary.com Flashcards (Android, Apple)

– Math Fact Master (Apple)

Tips

• Go to bed early- get plenty of rest before the big day.

• Don’t study for long hours, take a break when you can.

• Don’t study during classes, you might mix up information for the test.

• Make sure to eat before the test.

• Have every utensils needed for the test (if required).

• Most of all keep calm and stay focus.

• Think to yourself that everything will work out in the end. It usually does : )