Learn 11 DLA:

Test Strategies(TST)

If at any time, you have questions about how to complete any part of this DLA,

email them to:

The purpose of this DLA is to help you prepare for and take tests more effectively.

After completing this activity, you should be able to:

  • Identify and apply specific test preparation strategies.
  • Use strategies that fit with the type of test they are taking and the type of questions that are being asked.
  • Create an effective test-taking plan.

Instructions for navigating through the LASSI module website to complete this DLA:

  • Go To: Click on the blue link on the left side of the page.
  • Read: Read the text in the center of the page.
  • Skip to: Skip to the blue link mentioned on the left side of the page
  • Only click on “Next” when directed by the DLA

To begin this DLA module, click on TEST STRATEGIESfrom the menu on the main page.

Please note that you will be using the LASSI modules site ( to access readingsbutyou will write responses to all your exercises on this DLA. You will not need to type in the LASSI module at all, but instead only read online and write directly on this DLA handout. It is important that you follow the instructions on this DLA since it will guide you through which parts of the module to read.

Exercise #1: Answer the questions below before you begin reading in the online LASSI module.

  1. What do you know about successfully preparing for and taking tests?
  1. What do you hope to learn through completing this DLA?

Introduction

Go To: Students Who Take Tests Well

Read: Characteristics Of Students Who Successfully Prepare For And Take Tests

Go To: Learning From Research

Read: What Research Tells Us About Students Who Successfully Prepare For And Take Tests

Go To: Learning From Research
Read: What Research Tells Us About Students Who Do Not Successfully Prepare For And Take

Tests

Exercise #2: Of the characteristics of students who successfully prepare for and take tests and do

not successfully prepare for and take tests you just read about, write three (3) that you identify

with.

1.

2.

3.

What Are Test Strategies?

Go To and Read: What Are Test Strategies?

Go To: Questions To Guide Your Thinking
Read: Questions To Guide Your Thinking As You Complete This Test Strategies Module

Go To: Test Strategies Are Necessary

Read: Test Strategies Are Necessary Before, During, And After Taking Tests

Exercise #3: Answer the questions below by circling Yes, Sometimes, or No.

1. Do you set study and achievement goals for your tests and use strategies that will help you achieve those goals? Y S N

2. Do you know and use a variety of strategies when preparing for tests?Y S N

3. Would you use the same strategies to study for a multiple-choice test that you would for an essay test? Y S N

4. Would you use the same strategies to study for a test that required simply memorizing information that you would for a test that required you to understand the material? Y S N

5. Do you know and use a variety of strategies when taking tests? Y S N

6.

  • If you answered ‘Yes’ to the majority of these questions, how have these strategies assisted you?
  • If you answered ‘Sometimes’ to the majority of these questions, why do you not use those strategies more often?
  • If you answered ‘No’ to the majority of these questions, how could the addition of one or more of these strategies benefit you while preparing for a test?

Go To: Points About Test Strategies

Read: Important Points To Remember About Test Strategies

Test Preparation Strategies

Go To: Introduction To Test Preparation

Read: Introduction To Different Test Strategies

Exercise #4: Answer the questions below by circling Yes, Sometimes, or No.

1. Do you budget your time wisely during the weeks before an exam?Y S N

2. Do you read material for each class before attending the lecture?Y S N

3. Do you take clear, concise, thorough notes?Y S N

4. Do you review your notes periodically?Y S N

5. Do you set goals for each of your study sessions?Y S N

6. Do you really want to do well in college?Y S N

Go To: Improving Test Preparation (Activity #5)

Read:Strategies To Improve Test Preparation. Read Strategies #1 - #4. Do not complete Activity #5 online.

Go To: Activity #6

Read: Strategies To Improve Test Preparation. Read Strategies #5 - #8. Do not complete Activity #6 online. Answer the Exercise below.

Exercise #5: Write about one situation in which one of the strategies you just read about might have helped you better prepare for an exam you took.

Of theeight strategies, identify which four you think would be most beneficial to you and why.

1st strategy:

Why it is beneficial:

2nd strategy:

Why it is beneficial:

3rd strategy:

Why it is beneficial:

4th strategy:

Why it is beneficial:

Go To: Predicting Test Questions

Read: Sources For Predicting Test Questions.

Exercise #6: Write two additional sources for predicting test questions that are not mentioned in the reading.

Source #1:

Source#2:

Skip tothePre-Test Strategiessection (click on the blue navigation section on the left).

Pre-Test Strategies

Go To and Read:Creating A Test-Preparation Plan

Exercise #7: Think about a past test that you have taken. Write a plan for preparing for the test that you could have used to improve your performance on that test. List three strategies or methods you could have used.

What class was the test for?

What type of test was it? (multiple choice, essay, matching, true false, etc.)

Strategy 1:

Strategy 2:

Strategy 3:

Go To: Strategies For Essay Tests (Activity #10)

Read: Test-Preparation Strategies For Essay Tests. Do not complete Activity #10 online. Read material only. Answer Exercise below.

Exercise #8: Which two of the strategies for preparing for essay tests do you think could help you the most in preparing for your next essay test and why?

Strategy 1:

Why?:

Strategy 2:

Why?:

Go To: When You Get To The Test

Read: Preparation Strategies When You Get To The Test

Exercise #9: Think about when you enter a room to take a test. Do you usually have a positive or negative mindset? How does this affect you?

Exercise #10: Which of the suggestions listed could you use to help you be better prepared before starting a test?

Why?

During Test Strategies, Part I

Go To: Answers To Common Questions About Test Strategies

Read: Answers To Common Questions About Test Taking. Ignore the reference to Activity #12 online. Read material only.

During Test Strategies, Part II

Go To:General Strategies (Activity #13)
Read: General Strategies To Use During Tests. Do not complete Activity #13 online. Read material only. Answer the Exercise on the next page.

Exercise #11: Which three of the test strategies might you wish to utilize?

Strategy 1:

Strategy 2:

Strategy 3:

Go To: Strategies For Objective Tests

Read: Introduction To Strategies To Use During Objective Tests

Click the “next” arrow three times to continue reading. Read only the information about Strategies #1 - #15. Do not answer Activities #14, #15, and #16 online. Answer the Exercise below.

Exercise #12: Which three of the fifteen strategies might you wish to utilize?

Strategy 1:

Strategy 2:

Strategy 3:

Go To: Strategies For Essay Tests (Activity #17)

Read: Strategies To Use During Essay Tests. Do not complete Activity #17 online. Read material only Answer the Exercise below.

Exercise #13: Which three of the test strategies might you wish to utilize?

Strategy 1:

Strategy 2:

Strategy 3:

Go To: Reasoning Through To An Answer (Activity #18)

Read:Reasoning Through To An Answer. Do not answer Activity #19 online. Read material only. Answer the Exercise below.

Exercise #14: Write your responses to the following two questions.

1. When you are taking a test, do you find yourself writing on the test itself or making marks in the questions (e.g., underlining words, putting brackets around phrases)? Why do you think doing this has been or might be helpful for you?

2. When you find a question related to another question on the test, do you compare the two questions and the information in each? Why do you think doing this has been or might be helpful for you?

Post Test Strategies

Go To and Read:Strategies To Use After The Test
Go To: General Post Test Strategies (Activity #19)

Read: General-Post Test-Taking Strategies. Do not answer Activity #19 online. Read material only. Answer the Exercise below.

Exercise #15: Write your responses to the following two questions.

1. Upon getting a test back, do you have trouble understanding exactly why you missed certain questions? If so, which of the post teststrategiesdo you think might help you with this problem?

2. Have you ever made the same mistakes over and over on different tests? If so, which of the strategies from the readings might help you with this problem?

Skip totheSummary section (click on the blue navigation section on the left).

Summary

Go To: Improving Your Test Strategies

Read: Suggestions For Improving Your Test Strategies

Go To: Suggestions From Other Students

Read: Suggestions From Other Students For Improving Your Test Strategies

Exercise #16: Now that you have completed this activity, what three (3) strategies from this DLA do you consider most important to your success as a student?

1.

2.

3.

Choose one (1) of those three strategies that you can apply immediately to your life or to your coursework.

How you will apply this strategy this semester?

Congratulations! You have completed part of your supplemental learning assignment and have learned about how your attitudes can affect you as a student and how to create and revise goals. To receive credit for completing this assignment, you will participate in an online follow-up session with a Center staff member. Go to the “Follow-up Sessions” tab on the Multidisciplinary Student Success Center Online Supplemental Learning Assistance site: to learn how to schedule your online appointment with a Center staff member.

Do notcomplete Activities in the modules. The module will not save or print.

Type your responses to Exercises on theword document version of the DLA provided to you on the MDSC online website.

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