The following action plan will give you a greater sense of control during tests, which will allow you to be more relaxed and think more clearly. These tips are also good for most standardized tests.
** Action Plan **
- Be good to yourself. You have heard it dozens of times, but good rest, a balanced breakfast, and drinking water keep your brain healthy, which help you think more clearly when taking a test.
- Know your time limit. Before the test date, ask your teacher what type of problems will be on the exam, how many, and how much time you will have to take it. Then, determine how much time you should spend on each problem/section of the test so you can properly pace yourself.
- Read the directions. Twice. Any teacher who has ever graded a test will verify that MANY points are lost by students who neglect to read (and follow) directions.
- Scan the entire test once. Before answering any questions, quickly read through the problems. Just as athletes warm-up before a game, scanning a test gives your brain a chance to warm-up to the information it will need to access, which will dramatically improve your performance.
- Begin answering questions.
- Stuck? Skip it. When you are stuck, you can waste a lot of valuable time fretting over ONE question. As you fret, you loose time, get nervous and loose confidence. Before you know it, you are rushing through the last 30 problems because you were stuck on problem #5. Instead, skip that problem, moved on to the next one, and come back to #5 after you have completed the remaining questions. You will be more relaxed as you complete the rest of the test and may even discover the answer to #5 while reading question #29.
- Breathe. If you begin to feel anxious because you came across five questions in a row that could not answer, take slow and deep breaths. Deep breathing controls your reaction to anxiety and keeps your brain in “rational mode.” You will need rational mode to make good guesses on those problems!
- When in doubt, go with you first “hunch.” For most tests, you are not penalized for guessing. So, after you have completed the rest of the test and still do not have a clue about the correct answer to a question, choose the option that you *first* thought was correct. Your unconscious mind may be trying to tell you something.
- Do not turn your test in early! Every point earned on a test puts you one point closer to a better grade. Take advantage of extra time to make sure you read each question correctly, filled in the correct bubbles on the Scantron sheet, followed the directions properly, etc. You will find an error about 50% of the time.
**Specific Test Tips**
Multiple Choice: Read all of the options first, then cross out the obvious wrong answers to narrow down your choices.
Essay: If possible, do essay questions last to give your brain more exposure to the information before creating your own answers. Before you write long paragraphs, create a short outline in the margin using key words to help you write a more focused answer. If you run out of time, your teacher may give you partial credit based on your outline.
True/False: These are probably the most misleading and misused test questions, so approach them with caution. Take your time to read each statement twice and look for trick words (like “not”) that can change the entire meaning of the statement.
Fill-in-the-Blank: First, fill in only the blanks you know 100% and cross out used words in the word bank, then complete the rest of the problems. Reread all answers to ensure the filled-in words make sense in each statement and that all grammar tenses, singular and plural nouns, etc. fit the rest of the sentence.
** In Conclusion **
There is no substitution for a good study plan before a test, but there are tactics to help you be more strategic during your test-taking ‘performance.'
How To Take A Test
The digital camera significantly advanced the ease and convenience of capturing and sharing images when it was introduced years ago. For those shutterbugs who wanted a hard copy of those images, the ability to print and edit photos at home was a hallmark. Additions to the line up of printers available in recent years have provided even greater convenience however; allowing the immediate gratification of producing prints anywhere we go rather than waiting to return home to produce the images we capture. Snapshot printers have added portability to the process of creating prints.
Most of the major printer manufacturers now offer snapshot printer models. By answering just a few questions about their individual preferences, consumers can determine if these handy printers are the right choice for them.
Is there a frequent need to print pictures while away from home?
Snapshot printers allow users to take them anywhere they go. In general, they weigh from 2.5 to 5 pounds and are built for portability with handles for easy carrying. In addition, they connect with a camera or memory card directly or via a wireless connection such as Bluetooth or IR cutting out the need for a computer. Portability is the primary reason for selecting a snapshot printer.
Is there a need for a very simple and easy process to create prints?
Snapshot printers perform only one function, creating prints from a digital camera. Because of this and the ability to remove the computer from the equation, the printing process is very simple. Snapshot printers accept only precut paper to create 4x6 or in a few instances 5x7 or 4x12 prints, thus no trimming is needed once printing is completed. Most snapshot printers also offer a small LCD screen to allow users to make quick edits to crop pictures or make other adjustments. Ease of use and the space saving aspects of snapshot printers are another common reason for selecting them.
Will the printer need to produce text documents?
If users want a printer that will readily produce photographic prints as well as text documents a snapshot printer should be thought of only as a second device as they do not multi-task. These printers produce prints of the images on a camera exclusively. In addition, the sizes of the prints they are capable of producing is generally limited to 4x6 although some models offer other sizes as mentioned previously.
Is overall cost and quality of prints more important than portability?
The average snapshot printer is not expensive but offers no savings over their multi-tasking cousins. The average price is in the neighborhood of $80 to $200 with a per print cost of between $ 0.25 to $0.45. Snapshot printers are primarily dye sublimation or inkjet and offer very good photo quality although it is certainly not superior to the larger and more versatile full sized printers. The choice to purchase a snapshot printer is generally not based on superior print quality or pricing.
Clearly, snapshot printers rule the market for offering consumers the ability print photos immediately, any where they may take their camera. Although their functions are more limited than all-in-one or many traditional printers they meet a need for creating very good quality prints quickly and easily.
Both Susan Kruger & Christine Peppler are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Susan Kruger has sinced written about articles on various topics from Education, Parenting and Family Concerns. Susan Kruger is the author of SOAR Study Skills; A Simple and Efficient System for Earning Better Grades in Less Time. Get Susan's FREE Homework Rx Toolkit, featuring 25 Ways to Make Homework Easier...Tonight!, at her website:. Susan Kruger's top article generates over 14800 views. Bookmark Susan Kruger to your Favourites.
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